Hi there,
This is the twentieth edition of D&T Special, a more in-depth view of topics that interest the Canvs team. Today’s topic – Why slowing down might be an option that is of dire necessity to us and those around us in this productivity-obsessed world. We hope you enjoy.
Note: If you are new here, we’d strongly recommend subscribing to the newsletter so you don’t miss out on future updates. You can subscribe here.
✍️ From the Canvs Research & Editorial Desk
The rapid pace of technological advancement over the last century has led to unprecedented productivity levels, creating a societal compulsion for constant engagement and relentless activity. In this article, we explore the consequences of this “society of achievement,” delving into the pressures of hustle culture, excess, the gig economy, and the resulting burnout in the creative community.
This week the Canvs R&E team has spent some time pondering this concept, let’s dive into some details.
The societal shift towards constant action has resulted in our reduced attention spans, impatience, and an underlying fear of boredom. Overwhelming pressure to over-perform has driven us, and many professionals like us, to pursue freelancing even when unnecessary, all fueled by a fear of untapped potential.
Constant productivity has fueled not only a lifestyle of excess in material possessions but also hyper-stimulation of our minds. The aversion to free time and boredom inhibits our creative breakthroughs, and we might resonate with Albert Einstein’s quote, “Creativity is the residue of time wasted.”
We’ve come to realize the inevitability of burnout, emphasizing that exhaustion is not a problem that can be solved with a simple strategy. The pressure to perform and the abundance of information contribute to our mental and physical exhaustion, ultimately leading to what we might perceive as a societal “burnout.”
Key takeaways from this read:
1. Hustle Culture and Burnout
We’ve come to understand the detrimental impact of hustle culture on our creative endeavors, leading to burnout and a pervasive fear of underutilized potential.
2. Excess and Hyper-Stimulation
Excessive productivity expectations contribute to our lifestyle of excess and hyper-stimulation, hindering our creativity and problem-solving abilities that often arise during moments of boredom.
3. Gig Economy and Isolation
While the gig economy is often hailed as a form of independence, we might now question its revolutionary nature and recognize its potential contribution to our isolation, eroding the sense of community in various aspects of our lives.
📚 What we were reading this week
We knew artificial intelligence would cost jobs, but no one expected George Bailey and Santa to be among the first impacted.
A new wave of appeals to Meta’s Oversight Board could have far-reaching consequences.
They seem to be all set to take on Ola, Uber with SaaS play.
A look at the really troubling allegations against Apollo Hospitals and the larger issue around organ trafficking in India.
Apple first debuted homegrown semiconductors in the iPhone 4 in 2010. As of this year, all new Mac computers are powered by Apple’s own silicon, ending the company’s 15-plus years of reliance on Intel.
From design tools, to our design process, to the user behaviors that will change the way we design — a list of what to expect for UX in the new year.
What models, infra, and apps are devs using and loving? What are AI’s real production use cases?
Some highlights from the past month of D&T
And that’s the lot! Thanks for checking out what we had to share with you this week, we shall catch up with you next Wednesday. Incase you aren’t subscribed to the newsletter, you could subscribe here.
Also, please do let your friends know about D&T if they’d be interested!
Canvs Club
