Worker describes their frustration at their coworkers who refuse to take time off even during their vacations, creating a culture where everyone is expected to be constantly connected: '[They have] zero boundaries with work life balance'

There is an epidemic quietly reshaping our lives, how we live, work, and even rest. We are permanently switched on, tethered to notifications, inboxes, and expectations that never seem to cease. We've become a society where somehow the appearance of being "busy" means more than the actual work itself and the quality of work we're putting forward.

It started with the status lights on team communication software, green for "active," amber for "inactive," and grey for "definitely at the beach and not working today." Now, it has spread to our evenings, holidays, and vacations. 

Constantly required to be present, always connected. If you're out of reach and unable to respond to your boss's messages for even one evening or one day, it's a catastrophe, a betrayal, and flying in the face of your obligation to the company and what the company "Stands for."

I saw something recently that I found quite striking, and it has stuck with me: all of this connectedness and distractedness. It all keeps our minds from being bored and wandering, it keeps us from turning to books and reading, and distracts us from the very things that we know lead to and fuel creativity and ideation.

Is that why, then, we have turned to automation to do our creative tasks? Are we truly and entirely disconnected from the ability to be creative?

As someone who is, by nature, tied to the internet for a living, I find it quite challenging to get away from my laptop and switch off. But I need to be able to do this. As a writer, I need to read to hone my vocabulary, keep those neural circuits firing, and expand my lexicon. Reading away from any screens for extended periods is the best way to do this, but there's this constant push-and-pull between my computer-centric tasks and my actual need and ability to write.

I have found myself, these last few years, reading less than ever, getting further and further away from something that is so important to my work.

So here's what I'm doing in 2026: Greyscale screens, using accessibility and productivity settings on both my iPhone and laptop to reduce dependence on screens for dopamine. Reduce distractions, try to remain offline as often as possible, and dig into deep work periods, allocating time to tasks that won't be interrupted by my phone, email, or messages. The same will go for my personal time and time with my friends and family: be present in the moment and take it in at its fullest. 

What else, really, is the point of all of this anyway?

Author image for Brad Dickson Brad Dickson
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