Should I stop picking direct stocks and just stick to mutual funds to save time?

Published 28 September 2026

Nirmal from Hyderabad
I have been investing for a few years with about Rs 20L in direct stocks and Rs 25L in mutual funds.

I spend 3-4hrs every weekend reading annual reports and doing analysis on Claude. It is exhausting :( .

Is it okay to just move everything to SIPs or am I leaving too much money on the table?
Sachin Kabra Sachin Kabra ex-Director HDFC Private Wealth, Business Head Motilal Oswal AMC LinkedIn
Relying heavily on mutual funds instead of picking direct stocks is a highly effective strategy if your priority is reclaiming your personal time. You can absolutely create long-term wealth with direct stocks also, but it depends entirely on your priorities in life, your skills and time you devote and maybe luck too.

Even seasoned market experts often keep a massive chunk of their wealth in mutual funds. For instance a well diversified portfolio might have 50% in mutual funds via SIPs in Flexi Cap, Large Cap, and Balanced Advantage funds. They might keep 40% in direct stocks and 10% in gold as a safety asset.

The reason for leaning on mutual funds is simple. It frees up your time to spend reading, writing, or teaching. There is a massive survivorship bias in stock picking.

For every famous billionaire investor there are thousands who tried the exact same approach and failed. In a world where everyone is desperately trying to beat the market simply matching it through mutual funds is perfectly fine.

You trust a few good fund managers to manage your money so you can pursue your true passions. Ultimately money is just a medium of exchange meant to give you options. Using it to buy back your weekends is one of the best investments you can make.

Disclaimer: All information shared above are strictly for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be construed as financial or investment advice.
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