Companies seem to be caught in a pattern of waste—wasting the time, energy, and attention of their most talented employees. This is especially true in IT.

Activity = Productivity (and it shouldn't...)
For many IT executives, our days are packed with back-to-back meetings. During these meetings, we’re often glued to our laptops, trying to handle emails, chat messages, and tasks all at once. Forget what’s going on in the meeting—we’ll catch up on that in our inbox later! Our inboxes are overflowing with endless email chains that we barely have time to read, let alone fully understand. And in the process, we turn into task machines, firing off emails and messages that send our teams scrambling in every direction. "I mean, I need an answer for my boss so she can respond to her boss." This constant busyness starts at the top and disrupts everyone below us. It’s a chain reaction of value-zapping waste.

The problem doesn’t stop there. The real work—the deep, focused work—rarely happens during work hours anymore. It gets squeezed into early mornings, late nights, weekends, or worked into every part of our lives—like answering emails during a child’s basketball practice or supper with the family. “I just have to answer one more thing.” In addition, layers of bureaucracy and office politics pile up, draining people’s energy and killing creativity.

This way of working wastes time, burns people out, and stifles innovation. It’s not just frustrating—it’s unsustainable. If we want better results and happier teams, we need to stop confusing busyness with productivity and start making space for the work that really matters.

At the heart of this waste is this seemingly endless drive for profits at all costs—a mindset that thrives particularly in the private-equity space. The goal isn’t sustainable growth or long-term innovation; it’s to extract as much value as possible from a company before moving on. Short-term decisions are made at the expense of sustainable long-term strategies. 

The worst part of it all? The impact on humans. Talented individuals who once found joy and purpose in their work are left drained, their creativity stifled. Burnout becomes the norm, not the exception, with health, relationships, faith, hobbies, and personal lives sacrificed at the altar of productivity, profits, and the next promotion. To get to the next level, you must master the busyness game and ensure your teams follow suit. This relentless drive for busyness leaves people feeling disconnected—not just from their work, but from their own lives. Their quality of life suffers. And the funny thing is, companies get less meaningful work from their employees! 

This summer, I finally broke free from the cycle that had defined my career—and it’s been life-changing. I always thought I could outwork the next guy and through pure force and ability to work long hours day-after-day, I would get ahead. And certainly, that is one way to rise up the ranks fairly quickly in many companies. Relentless hard work stands out and can be a way to advance your career. But at what cost? What I have since learned is ambition doesn’t have to come at the cost of everything else in your life. True ambition isn’t about working 65-hour weeks and burning yourself out in the name of productivity and for the good of the company—it’s about focusing your energy on what truly matters and doing it exceptionally well.

Great work doesn’t require endless hours; it requires focus, intention, and the ability to prioritize. By setting boundaries and concentrating on what’s truly important, you can be successful without sacrificing everything else in your life.

Consistency beats motivation every time. Discipline is the key to success. Sustainable ambition means finding balance in everything you do. In fact, taking care of yourself and maintaining a well-rounded life often enhances your ability to think creatively, solve problems, and perform at your best. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing better.

This is one of my favorite graphics:

In addition to my own experience, there are two books that have helped shape my opinions on this topic.

Slow productivity is a concept introduced by Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and A World Without Email. It shifts focus from doing more to doing better. Instead of measuring success by the number of tasks completed or hours logged, slow productivity emphasizes depth, quality, and intentionality. The idea is to direct energy toward fewer priorities, giving each the attention and effort it truly deserves.

In a workplace built around slow productivity, employees aren’t overwhelmed by endless to-do lists or pressured to multitask constantly. Instead, they have the time and space to think deeply, innovate, and create meaningful results. This approach isn’t about working less but about working smarter—maximizing the value of each hour rather than simply increasing hours worked. It’s a rejection of busyness for busyness’s sake, focusing instead on outcomes that truly matter.

To explore more of Cal Newport’s work, visit his website CalNewport.com or check out his books Deep Work and A World Without Email.

The idea of a calm workplace is popularized by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the co-founders of Basecamp and authors of It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work. They take a stand against the chaotic, always-on culture that dominates many organizations. This philosophy rejects the belief that productivity requires constant meetings, status updates, and instant responses to emails and messages.

A calm workplace strips away unnecessary complexity, encouraging teams to work at a sustainable pace. This means fewer interruptions, less micromanagement, and a greater focus on outcomes rather than appearances. In such an environment, employees feel trusted and empowered, leading to better mental health, higher morale, and more effective collaboration.

By removing the chaos, companies create room for creativity, problem-solving, and meaningful progress. Achieving ambitious goals doesn’t require sacrificing employee well-being—it requires a smarter, more intentional approach to work.

To learn more about the ideas behind a calm workplace, check out It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson at Basecamp.com.

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The way we work today isn’t going to cut it long term. You should not have to sacrifice everything else in your life to get ahead at work. We’ve created a modern work culture that prioritizes busyness over results, short-term profits over sustainability, and endless hours over true innovation. This approach is burning out our best talent, stifling creativity, and leaving people disconnected from both their work and their lives.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Imagine a workplace where deep, focused work is valued over constant activity. Where employees are given the time and space to do exceptional work without sacrificing their health, relationships, or personal goals. A workplace where success isn’t measured by hours logged or emails sent, but by the quality and impact of the work itself.

It’s time to rethink how we work. Let’s drop the waste and constant busyness and build something better, something more sustainable. The future of work doesn’t have to be about doing more; it can be about doing better. Sustainable practices for the long term. 

What do you think? How can we make work better?