Idea in Brief
The Problem
In the corporate world everyone feels busy. “Time poverty” and stress are reducing firm productivity and leading to burnout. Corporations are mistaking activity for achievement.
The Causes
Corporate cultures lionize busyness. Even as the long-term damage of this becomes clear, individuals continue to mindlessly overwork because of an aversion to idleness (it feels good in the moment to be busy) and the need to justify their efforts.
The Solution
Leaders should conduct an audit to see whether employees have time for “deep work.” They should mandate paid time off, offer incentives for output, model the right behavior by disengaging from the busyness culture, and build slack into organizations to make them more resilient.