The Omnipresence of Work - More To That

Funnily enough, the only way to produce our best work is to take the requisite time away from it. It is only through a still and relaxed mind where we can think clearly and make the most of our talents and abilities.

Amidst the omnipresence of work, can our minds ever stop identifying with the constant need to produce?

Perhaps the only solution to the omnipresence of work is an intentional shift in cognition, where we shift the mind away from the incessant desire to produce, and into one of periodic contentment. Instead of replying to one-off emails throughout the evening, try picking up the phone and chatting with a friend instead. Rather than trying to brainsto... See more

We are now living amidst the omnipresence of work. Even if we aren’t sitting down working, we are prone to continue thinking about it since the physical environment no longer reminds us to shift our mind state. In addition, the always-on nature of our tools means that we are perpetually reachable, as our phones contain the inboxes and schedules of ... See more

However, through this move, the age-old physical barrier between work and rest has all but dissolved. We wake up, work, wind down, and sleep within the same four walls that used to serve solely as a haven of rest and recharge. The home is no longer an environmental cue to put work aside. It is a place that constantly reminds you that there is alway... See more

Work has successfully wrapped itself around shiny toys, all of which are housed in an even shinier phone. Whereas my old Blackberry was an unwilling leash handed out to me and my colleagues, the tools of today are gladly accepted and used by people all around the world. We willingly tether ourselves to the constant demands of the workplace, either ... See more

Technological progress in the era of knowledge work can be defined by these three things:

Availability is no longer determined by one’s time, but by one’s attention. The problem, of course, is that our attention is constantly absorbed by the tools we use everyday, making us feel like we’re never truly available. As these tools continue to get nicer, prettier, and more powerful, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop checking them, wh... See more

An awareness of this is the best way to navigate the omnipresence of work.

Many people are now seeing how technological progress has enabled a world where work can be divorced from the office, and married to the home. We may have understood this in theory before, but now we have been forced to see it in action. And for the most part, the technological infrastructure has been sound enough to support this shift at a fairly ... See more