Microsoft's Puneet Chandok on leadership, balance and burnout: “We don’t lose momentum, we renew it”

Microsoft India & South Asia President Puneet Chandok has shared a personal reflection on leadership, balance and the importance of meaningful pauses at work, underscoring how sustained performance depends as much on rest and connection as on intensity. Writing in a LinkedIn post accompanied by photographs with his family, Chandok drew from both professional insights and personal experience to make the case for intentional time away from work.

In the post, Chandok said a recent Harvard Business Review article on meaning and happiness at work had stayed with him, calling it a “timely reminder” that impact cannot be maintained indefinitely without moments of pause. “Progress lasts longer when people feel connected — to their work, to their purpose, and most importantly, to each other,” he wrote.

According to Chandok, what resonated most was the idea of being deliberate with time — stepping away from work, choosing to be active rather than passive, and investing in relationships. He noted that teams also need to be consciously reset when collective energy feels low, instead of simply being pushed harder. “Impact and intensity can’t be sustained without pauses in between,” he stated.

The Microsoft executive also shared a glimpse into a recent family holiday in Goa, where time away from meetings offered a chance to reset. Describing slow mornings, long walks on the beach and unhurried conversations, Chandok said the experience reinforced the value of stillness. “Those moments of quiet were a powerful reset,” he wrote, adding that breaks should not be viewed as indulgent. “They’re necessary. They sharpen judgment, restore perspective, and help us show up with more empathy and clarity.”

Chandok observed that in fast-paced leadership roles, momentum is often mistaken for constant motion. However, he argued that sustainable performance comes from balance rather than perpetual speed. “Lasting performance comes from finding a healthy rhythm, not from always running at full speed,” he said.

Concluding his post, Chandok emphasised that stepping back does not mean losing momentum. “When we take time to recharge, we don’t lose momentum. We renew it,” he wrote, encouraging readers to reflect on how they manage energy, not just output, in demanding professional environments.