He jokingly referred to his job as his ball and chain.
Он в шутку называл свою работу своей обузой.
Definitionen
A colloquial expression that originally referred to a heavy metal ball attached to a prisoner's leg by a chain, used to prevent escape. In modern usage, it is often used humorously or disparagingly to refer to a spouse or significant other, especially a wife, implying that the person is a burden or restricts one's freedom.
