The Infinite Workday

Often these days, before I’ve even had my breakfast, I’m already replying to messages or checking my outlook and Teams. I know I’m not alone. Other colleagues and millions of knowledge and creative workers are in the same boat, living out a loop on repeat of work that stretches from morning to night and if I’m not careful, even into the weekends. It’s like a real life version of “Groundhog Day,” and Microsoft has even given it a name: the infinite workday. This isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a real trend highlighted in their latest “Work Trend Index Report 2025” go check by yourself! It’s ironic that the same company that made us “always available” and dependent on their office Apps, is lately also concerned about the amount of time we spent on their apps and services.

The “infinite workday” is Microsoft’s way of describing what happens when the traditional boundaries between work and personal life disappear. It doesn’t matter if you’re working hybrid, remote, or in the office. The line between “on the clock” and “off the clock” has stretched to fit around always late projects, plentiful of last-minute requests, and the never ending ping of notifications (I turn off most notifications though).

This endless workday has three main culprits:

1. Hyperconnectivity and remote/hybrid work

2. A productivity culture that equates value with being always available

3. A lack of governance over how we use tech, AI, and communication tools

In Microsoft’s own report, “Breaking Down the Infinite Workday,” they ring the alarm: “AI offers a way out, especially if we rethink our work rhythms. Otherwise, we risk using AI to speed up a broken system.” From the reports, the numbers don’t lie: 48% of employees and 52% of leaders say their work feels “chaotic and fragmented.”