Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Ding—You’re Still Working!

How productivity culture makes it harder to be done for the day

By Jayson Bueckert, Regional Director, Fort McMurray Member Centre

There was a time, I think, when the day had edges.

Morning into afternoon, afternoon into evening—and at some point, faintly ceremonial, work let go its hold. One could breathe out a little sigh. Maybe sip a cup of tea. Work was set down, as you might set a bag at the door, and go on.

But now, it lingers.

It seeps into the evening like a strong smell, like the unmistakable fragrance of McDonald’s fries clinging to your sweater. Not oppressively, but persistently. It’s the faint sound of a car horn in the distance, making you wonder, is that my car? I should go check.

And that’s it. You’re cooked. Peace and tranquility vanish, like a youth who senses the question “can you empty the dishwasher?” is moments away. Gone, like the wind.

How did we get here?

I would offer three thoughts. There are more contributors, no doubt, but three is a holy number.

Productivity became the highest good
Somewhere along the way, we began measuring human worth by efficiency. How much can we produce, answer, complete, optimize? As individuals, as teams, as a society, everything bends in that direction. More, faster, better.
To support this, we built tools that keep work always within reach
Our devices keep us ready, alert, and prepared to spring into action at a moment’s notice. They close the gap between “I should respond” and “I already have,” and they ding at us constantly. Ding—you have a notification! You should check it now!
And eventually, we accepted this as normal
It’s the contract we don’t remember signing, the assumption that being available at all times is somehow good. Even though no one is standing over us, demanding we check one more message, we still do. That’s what makes it so difficult.

If there were a clear villain, we could point and say, “No more,” and be done with it.

But there isn’t. It’s just us, participating.

And the result is a kind of endlessness we were never built for: a world without edges, without clear endings. Without the simple, necessary permission to be done.

So perhaps the answer isn’t to reject work, or even productivity. Both have their place, but they are not the whole story.

We could begin by reframing our values. Work is a good and meaningful part of life, but it’s just one part. Being reliable does not require being constantly available. A healthy day should have a beginning—and, just as importantly, an end.

That might look like clearer expectations, and workplaces that don’t quietly reward being “always on.” It may mean choosing—not perfectly, but intentionally—when to respond, and when to let the ding just be a ding.

These are small changes, but meaningful ones.

Because in the end, this isn’t about doing less work. It’s about recovering something we’ve lost: the ability to step fully into our work—and, when the time comes—to step fully away from it.

And leave it there.

Ding—You’re Still Working!

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