Why It’s Worth It | Are we trying to juggle too much? Sometimes, overwhelming tasks and interruptions create a minefield between us and what we must get done. The constant barrage of emails, meetings, and digital notifications can lead to burnout and a sense of perpetual busyness without meaningful progress. Shouldn’t we question this norm at some point (like really)? Isn’t there a better, more balanced way to work and live? What if we’ve been approaching productivity all wrong?

In this episode of The Happiness Lab, Laurie Santos challenges our modern obsession with busyness and productivity. The episode’s title comes from an essay written by John Maynard Keynes in 1930 (yep, 100 years ago). In his work, Keynes predicted that by 2030 (yep, right around the corner), societal advancements would significantly reduce work hours, culminating in what he ideally saw as a 15-hour work week. He believed that technological and industrial progress would result in unprecedented productivity and prosperity, thus freeing humanity from the relentless pursuit of economic survival and enabling more time for leisure, creativity, and personal fulfillment.

We find ourselves in a world starkly different from Keynes’ prediction (no one seems to be knocking off after 3 hours). Instead, a lot of us are working longer hours and feeling more overwhelmed than ever. What went wrong, and how can we reclaim our time and well-being?

Laurie and guests Oliver Burkeman and Cal Newport unpack the “efficiency traps” and “pseudo-productivity” plaguing our work culture, revealing how our relentless pursuit of getting things done leads to increased stress and decreased satisfaction. 

The episode introduces compelling concepts like “slow productivity” and “time management for mortals,” offering practical strategies to break free from the cycle of constant busyness. From limiting our commitments to creating “small seasonality” in our work schedules, these insights challenge us to reassess our relationship with work and time. Working less can actually lead to accomplishing more.

Background | Laurie hosts guests Cal Newport, a computer science professor at Georgetown University and the author of several books on productivity and digital minimalism, including “Deep Work” and “Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout,” and Oliver Burkeman, a writer who has extensively explored productivity techniques and time management; his published work includes “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.” A few key insights from this episode include:

• The Efficiency Trap: Becoming more efficient often leads us to take on more work, resulting in increased stress and busyness. Instead of constantly striving for greater efficiency, consider setting boundaries on the amount of work we take on.
• Pseudo-productivity vs. Meaningful Work: There’s a difference between being busy and being productive. The key is focusing on tasks that contribute to our most important goals rather than engaging in “pseudo-productive” activities that merely create the appearance of busyness.
• Slow Productivity: Adopting the principles of slow productivity means doing fewer things simultaneously, working at a more natural pace, and obsessing over the quality of our work. This approach can lead to better outcomes and reduced stress.
• Small Seasonality: Implementing variations in work intensity throughout the year, month, or week (like our harvesting ancestors). This allows for natural rhythms in productivity and can help prevent burnout.
• Digital Minimalism: Pushes for intentionally using digital tools and creating boundaries around technology use. Examples include implementing “digital sabbaths” or designated periods of disconnection for deeper focus and reflection.
• Time Management for Mortals: Accept the finite nature of time and make conscious choices about how to spend it. Recognize that we can’t do everything and focus on what truly matters to us.
• Workspace Separation: Create a clear distinction between our work environment and our living spaces, if possible, especially if working remotely. This can minimize distractions and improve focus during work hours.
• Cultural Reassessment: Question societal norms around busyness and overwork. Recognize that being constantly busy is not necessarily a badge of honor and that taking time for rest and reflection can ultimately lead to greater productivity and happiness … Replies usually beget replies, which only makes more work. 

Source | The Happiness Lab: Why Don’t We Have a 15-hour Work Week? – Season 9, Episode 6 

About | Laurie Santos is a Yale professor, researcher, and happiness expert who studies how psychology can guide us to make better choices and live happier, more fulfilling lives. Her course on happiness, the most popular course at Yale in over 300 years, is offered in an online version, The Science of Well-Being, on Coursera. Laurie also hosts The Happiness Lab, a podcast that focuses on changing how we think about happiness. Laurie’s core belief is simple: What our minds tell us will make us happy is often a lie.