Eat Sleep Work Repeat

Artificial intelligence (AI) and constant connectivity sap joy from work.

Journalist Anne Helen Petersen dubbed today’s workforce’s youngest cohort “the burnout generation” because many young professionals internalize the belief that they must work nonstop – a state that increases stress and hinders productivity. Many business leaders believe, falsely, that longer hours yield greater profits. In fact, a shorter workweek correlates with greater profits, because employees waste less time working inefficiently. 

Two contemporary phenomena – constant connectivity and artificial intelligence (AI) – are having a profound impact on work culture. AI may make about half of all current jobs obsolete by 2035. To hold onto jobs in the new economy, employees must focus on inventive, creative, intelligent work – work AI cannot perform. At the same time, constant connectivity fuels stress and burnout, which drains employees of the creativity they need to thrive in an AI world.

To create happier, more fulfilling work environments, employees must “recharge,” teams must “sync” and work cultures must “buzz.”

Workers who remain plugged...