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Against multitasking stress: strategies to foster deep work and well-being in the company

Overproductivity and stress related to lack of time impact health and productivity

22 July 2025

4' min read

In an increasingly hectic ecosystem, finding time for deep, quality and uninterrupted work is an exceptional experience. 56% of people in Italy feel stressed by a lack of time and 1 in 2 complain about living too hurriedly. 61% say they have little free time, while 46% see managing their time as a symbol of success. This shows how our society is permeated by chronopenia, i.e. the constant feeling of not having enough time for what one would or should do. Social pressure leads us to confuse the value of work with its mere quantity, fuelling a culture of over-productivity that often results in inefficiency and stress.

Stress and work overload are often misinterpreted as signs of commitment and professionalism. Many people feel obliged to prove their value through constant availability and visibility. This mentality in practice leads to chronic overload that erodes psychophysical well-being and increases the risk of health problems. In our country, 8 out of 10 people are at risk of burnout, 76 per cent show at least one symptom of it and 31.8 per cent experience a condition of perceived exhaustion of the energy needed to deal with complex issues.

The always on attitude is related to the dopamine effect, a neurotransmitter that regulates the sense of gratification and drives us to continuously seek digital stimuli. The constant stream of emails, notifications and corporate chats generates an addiction similar to that of social media, creating an illusion of productivity that in reality fragments attention and reduces the ability to focus on valuable activities. This phenomenon, combined with the show-off culture and the practice of dysfunctional meetings, fuels the desire for external validation, leading to a relentless and unproductive work cycle. The result is a negative impact on personal and collective self-esteem, the corporate climate and the stability of teams in organisations, with turnover also linked to the desire to disconnect reaching 34% in Italy.

If the consequences of burn-out on well-being are obvious, less visible is the impact on productivity. The obsession with constant activity decreases work efficiency and quality, as the necessary slots for deep concentration work are lacking. It is therefore crucial to create workspaces that encourage concentration and thinking and to plan moments of disconnection to ensure a high level of quality in the work done. Some companies are experimenting with innovative solutions, such as Deep Work Hours, time windows in which no meetings or digital interruptions are allowed, to allow people to work without distraction.

The new generations are manifesting different needs than in the past. While the younger population used to want to work longer hours than the senior population, today expectations have reversed. According to the International Monetary Fund and a Deloitte report, 80 per cent of Generation Z prioritise mental health and well-being, looking for companies that offer psychological support and policies for a better work-life balance. This generation also expects that artificial intelligence can free up valuable time, enabling a better balance between productivity and well-being. However, without a corporate culture that values deep work, AI risks becoming just another tool to intensify the workload instead of reducing it. Will we be able to use the time freed up by AI wisely?

To restore the practice of deep work, it is necessary to break the vicious circle of 'always connected' and return to the fundamentals of time management. This implies the ability to distinguish between urgent and important tasks, effective planning and the sharing of clear work schedules. Respecting personal time is crucial: considering the impact of a message sent on Sunday evening instead of Monday morning or adopting policies on meeting times can make a difference. Even small measures, such as postponing the delivery of mail sent at non-canonical times, can improve time management and work well-being. In this sense, companies can promote tools and methodologies that help create protective barriers against constant distractions, such as quiet zones in the office or the right to disconnect.

Smart working, often misunderstood as simply working remotely, can become a tool to foster deep work if managed correctly. However, if people increase their multitasking practices and make simultaneous use of devices, it risks fuelling harmful pseudo-productivity. Studies show that multitasking reduces cognitive efficiency and can lower productivity by up to 40 per cent compared to working focused on a single task at a time. Working in depth means counteracting the culture of superficiality, where performance is experienced as a feeling or a vibration rather than the ability to achieve solid and sustainable results.

Creating a work culture based on quality, rather than mere quantity of hours spent, is essential for individual and organisational well-being. Promoting conscious time management means ensuring greater concentration, productivity and learning, transforming organisations into healthier and more efficient environments. Only in this way can we recover the value of time and make room for creativity, innovation and professional growth. Rethinking productivity in these terms is not only a necessity for people's well-being, but a competitive advantage for companies that need to attract and retain talent in a rapidly changing labour market. It is the pursuit of deep time practice that, beyond all prejudice, can unite generations.

*Consultant Newton Spa