The productivity paradox

The promise of generative AI is appealing. Yet, some organizations are observing a surprising phenomenon: the "Productivity Paradox".

Instead of reducing the mental load, AI tends to intensify it!

1️⃣ The myth of streamlining: We think we are saving time, but the pace accelerates and the overall workload increases.

2️⃣ The expansion of tasks: Thanks to AI, we dare to do everything ourselves (coding, writing, designing, etc.), absorbing work that was previously delegated.

3️⃣ The end of downtime: Launching a prompt is so easy that work becomes "fluid", seeping into breaks and lunch.

4️⃣ Cognitive overload: Managing our "copilots" requires constant attention. We have to juggle multiple workflows.

⚠️ The risk? Cognitive exhaustion. Productivity increases in the short term, but quality and judgment eventually decline.

Solution: It's not enough to adopt the tool; you also need to adopt AI hygiene:

⏸️ Establish voluntary breaks to check results and take time to reflect

➡️ Break the work down into blocks rather than trying to do everything at once

👥 Preserve human connection and social bonds with colleagues.

And you? Do you feel that AI makes your daily life easier or more complicated?

Source: HBR article Read the Harvard Business Review article

This article is based on one of my LinkedIn posts. See the original post and discussion on LinkedIn →

To learn more: read our article on how AI is being integrated into our work rituals and our analysis of true cost of AI automation.