You're not being ungrateful at all. Just because some people have it worse in other parts of the world, doesn't mean you can't have an issue with the capitalist society we live in, which is, by definition, exploitative.

Being expected to work 40+ hours a day, for the majority of your life, is not normal, and very restrictive. It's soul-destroying, and restricts our freedom. We only get one life, so imagine slaving away for most of it, only to earn money to buy material things, which mean absolutely nothing when we die. Sacrificing and neglecting other areas just for the sake of work. Everything we do in our so-called "free time" just fills the gap between having to go to work and do it all over again. We've all been socialised to believe that this is something we must accept. That it's an inevitable part of adult life, but I'm going to do everything in my power to avoid conforming to it.

I haven't even been working full time for that long. I don't mind the job itself, but I hate that I have to dedicate so much of my time to it. I see colleagues more than those I care about. Besides the 8.5 hours a day, there's the commute which is a minimum one hour both ways, plus getting ready for work an hour each day. When I eventually get back, I gotta cook and make dinner, take care of personal hygiene, chores, then there's barely just enough time to relax for a short while and watch some TV or something, and then go to bed. It's very unfulfilling. This is not the life I want to lead. Under these circumstances, a work-life balance is unachievable in my eyes. Balance is not sacrificing and neglecting every other aspect of your life for the sake of work. Balance is healthy, and will enable one to cater to all aspects of one's life and to actually be able to focus on achieving personal goals, and work on self-development (which are both signs of success to me).