Why are we so busy?

In 1935, Bertrand Russell wrote "In Praise of Idleness," arguing that the modern obsession with work, especially in industrialized societies, leads to unnecessary drudgery and unhappiness. Technology, since the Industrial Revolution, was meant to reduce our workloads and give us more time for leisure.

Yet, we’re busier than ever. What went wrong?

• Information overload – We are bombarded by data, reports, and notifications. Access to more information doesn’t mean we should consume it all. This leads to confusion, distraction, and decision fatigue, hampering our ability to focus on meaningful work.
• Technology-enabled multitasking – Tools meant to simplify our lives now enable constant multitasking, dividing our attention. Multitasking might feel productive, but it spreads our focus too thin, diminishing the quality of our output.
• Tools are faster, but our brains aren’t – While technology accelerates tasks, our cognitive capacity hasn’t evolved to keep up. We’re expected to manage more at the same mental pace, increasing stress and leading to burnout.
• The rise of ‘hustle culture’ – Society increasingly equates being busy with success. The pressure to always be productive leaves no time for rest or self-reflection, making constant busyness a distorted badge of honor.
• A culture of fake sense urgency – Everything seems to be needed “yesterday.” Urgency has become the default, with little regard for what’s truly important. No one asks the critical question: Do we really need this now? This constant race against time often leads to unnecessary stress and rushed decisions.
• Always-on enterprises – The post-COVID world has erased the line between work and personal life. Remote work has turned into 24/7 availability, with messages and emails creeping into personal time, leaving no space for rest or recovery.
• Meeting overload – The rise of virtual meetings has added more layers of communication, often with little purpose. This distracts from deep, focused work and turns time into a resource consumed by inefficient conversations.
• Leaders losing touch – During COVID, global corporates shifted to remote management, relying heavily on reports instead of personal interactions. This may have inadvertently led to a culture of excessive reporting, which takes time away from "real work".
• Digital distractions – Downtime is disappearing. Instead of using idle moments for reflection or mental rest, we reach for our phones or check emails, reducing creativity and robbing us of clarity.

It’s time to pause and think critically about how we spend our time. Focus on what truly matters, and don’t let the noise drown out what’s important.