Did anybody manage to work contract hours (or close) the first 1-3 years? How did it go?

It seems expected for teachers to work all hours of the day for their first couple of years. As a relatively new teacher myself struggling with a work-life balance, the advice I often receive is, “You’ll get better and faster with experience.” What if I can’t afford to wait that long? What if I can no longer put off the other responsibilities in my life?

Fellow teachers, did anybody manage a reasonable work-life balance in the first few years of teaching? And if so, what happened? Were you able to complete your responsibilities? Were you reprimanded by admin?