Workplace Busyness Report 2026 Research by Peggy Sullivan
One year ago, our national data revealed what many employees already felt: workplace busyness had reached crisis levels. Long days, constant interruptions, and relentless pressure were eroding productivity, health, and job satisfaction.
Now, with a full year of new data, the verdict is clear:
Busyness hasn’t improved. It’s become the norm.
Across two consecutive years of research, the patterns are strikingly consistent — and in some cases, more concerning.
People are just as overwhelmed in 2025 as they were in 2024 — and now their time is even more interrupted.
Nearly everyone continues to report:
- Too little time for what matters most
- Schedules packed beyond capacity
- Chronic rushing and unfinished work
- Heavy reliance on multitasking
- Persistent overwhelm with large projects
The data shows no meaningful relief in workload or expectations. Busyness is no longer a phase — it’s the operating system.
Where Things Got Worse
While a few wellness indicators show slight improvement, the work environment itself has grown louder and more demanding.
This year’s respondents report:
- More interruptions from calls and messages
- More unproductive meetings without clear goals
- Greater pressure to respond quickly
- Even stronger self-reliance, with people doing more themselves instead of asking for help
These trends point to a dangerous shift:
from burnout to bottleneck.
When top performers carry everything alone, organizations don’t just lose energy — they lose scale.
Where There’s Hope
Not everything is stagnant.
Compared to last year:
- Slightly fewer people report chronic sleep deprivation
- More people are recognizing when their sense of purpose gets lost
This suggests something important:
Awareness is rising — even if relief is not.
People are beginning to name the problem.
The next step is redesigning the system that creates it.
The Real Problem Isn’t Time Management
For years, we’ve treated busyness as a personal productivity issue.
The data tells a different story.
This is not about:
- Better to-do lists
- Stronger willpower
- Working harder
This is about:
- Work design
- Meeting culture
- Communication overload
- Delegation habits
- Alignment with strengths
In other words, this is an organizational challenge, not an individual flaw.
What Leaders Must Do Next
Two years of consistent data deliver a clear mandate:
- Stop rewarding visible busyness — start rewarding meaningful progress.
- Redesign meetings to protect focus and decision-making time.
- Create real boundaries around interruptions and response expectations.
- Build a culture of delegation, not heroics.
- Align work with strengths to unlock hidden capacity.
Because when busyness becomes culture,
burnout becomes a strategy — and that’s a cost no organization can afford.
Conclusion
A year later, the workplace hasn’t slowed down.
But the evidence has.
And now leaders, organizations, and cultures have a choice:
continue normalizing overload — or finally design a better way to work.
Download the latest State of the Workplace Busy Report here.
If this sparked something for you, there’s more to explore.
- Curious about the ideas behind my work?
Start with Beyond Busyness to see the full framework in action. - Want something practical?
These practical Workbooks are designed to help you turn insight into simple, meaningful shifts. - Exploring speakers or leadership experiences?
Learn more about my Keynote Speaking and how these ideas come alive for corporate audiences. - Ready to continue the conversation?
You’ll find me on the Contact page or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Do Less, Achieve More! That’s always the goal.
