The "Too Busy" Mindset And its Impact On Leadership

Almost 60 years ago, Churchill, as Britain's Prime Minister, was so heartened by the accelerating advances in technology that he envisioned productivity improvements that would herald an age of leisure. "We will be able to give the working man what he's never had," he said. "Four days' work and then three days' fun."

The 21st century world of work does not suggest that the Age of Leisure is about to arrive. Even the two-day weekend is under threat, as research suggests that we routinely check our emails on days that we are not at work.

Technological advance at work has been a double-edged sword. While facilitating countless time-saving innovations, it often feels as if it is controlling us (why else do we talk of BlackBerry "addiction"?) and we are working harder than ever.