We cannot change the system because it is deeply embedded in how we interact with others in the process of getting our own work done. Worse yet, we cannot break free from this cycle on our own, even if we are the CEO. Rather, we just keep working more and more, perpetuating and amplifying the bad intensity in our work - those unnecessary iterations, the lack of communication and alignment, the last-minute, late-night changes and those weekend “emergencies” that get in the way of doing our best at work and having time for life outside of work.

When we are trapped, we don’t think about better, faster, and more effective ways of working. The driving force behind so much of the escalation in all the pressure we feel is the way we have come to work amongst ourselves, internal to our teams and organization.īeing caught in this cycle has profound implications not just for our work lives but also for our work processes. We turn out to be our own worst enemy, the source of much of the pressure that we attribute to “the nature of our business” whether from the demands of client or customer service or working in a global organization. I call this the “cycle of responsiveness” - teammates, superiors and subordinates continue to make more requests, and the conscientious employee in us is inclined to respond to these marginal increases in demands, while our expectations of each other (and ourselves) continue to rise. Already “on,” we accept these increased demands, while those who don’t risk being evaluated as “less committed” to their work. Once our colleagues experience our increased responsiveness, their requests on our time expand. We begin adjusting to such demands, adapting the technology we use, altering our daily schedules, the way we work, even the way we live our lives and interact with our family and friends, to be better able to meet the increased demands on our time. Rather, as I discovered in my research, accepting the pressure to be “on” - usually stemming from some seemingly legitimate reason, such as requests from clients or customers or teammates in different time zones - in turn makes us accommodate the pressure even more. But, none of this adequately accounts for how much we are actually connected. Yes, there are real external and legitimate factors that affect how much we work. Yes, there are stresses from managing across time zones. Do you check your wireless device when you’re not working? What causes you to do so? Does the job require it? Do you like feeling needed?

Why are you sleeping