According to Microsoft’s 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report, employees are now caught in an “infinite workday,” a new trend marked by constant online presence and the feeling of being perpetually clocked in—regardless of workload.
As digital tools redefine where and how we work, the modern workplace has become more fragmented and fast-paced. Between overloaded inboxes, endless meetings and constant demands, employees can often find themselves trapped in a relentless and draining cycle of multitasking.
The workday now starts in bed for many, according to Microsoft
According to Microsoft, the workday now often begins before we’re even out of bed—typically the moment we glance at our phones, long before we’ve clocked in or officially appeared online. In fact, 40% of those online by 6 a.m. are already reviewing emails to set their priorities. On average, workers receive 117 emails each day, most of which are skim-read in under a minute.
A lot of the workday isn’t really ours to control. While people often have natural windows of peak productivity, those valuable hours are frequently consumed by obligatory meetings and tasks that disrupt focused work. According to Microsoft, 50% of meetings take place between 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., exactly when many people are most productive. This often forces employees to catch up in the late afternoon or evening, when energy is lower and thoughts turn to dinner or family.
Because of this, employees now follow schedules quite different from the traditional norm. Managing communication, tasks, projects and calls is a regular part of modern work life, and working from home to catch up is no longer unusual. Microsoft’s telemetry data reveals that, on average, employees are interrupted every two minutes by digital distractions such as meetings and email alerts. These interruptions, often invisible on calendars, can massively disrupt workflows and create a fragmented workday experience. Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index survey found that 48% of employees and 52% of leaders feel their work has become chaotic and hard to juggle.
The ‘triple peak day’: When work never really ends
According to Microsoft, 57% of meetings happen ad hoc without a calendar invite, and 10% of scheduled meetings are arranged last minute. Such unexpected interruptions can disrupt employees’ workflow, making it challenging to regain focus and return to tasks with the same level of productivity and ambition.
Microsoft has also spotted what it calls a “triple peak day”—a growing trend where the workday doesn’t end at 5 p.m., or even 6 p.m. For many, it now stretches well into the night and sometimes bleeds into the early morning. Their data shows meetings after 8 p.m. are up 16% year over year, and the average employee now sends or receives over 50 messages outside core hours. By 10 p.m., nearly a third of active users are back in their inboxes.
Balancing work and rest in a 24/7 digital environment
Employees aren’t necessarily working late out of personal preference or enjoyment. For many, the only opportunity to make meaningful progress comes after hours, when the digital noise subsides. Others have adopted a different approach, rising early to address known priorities before the day’s distractions begin. This pattern is especially common among senior leaders and executives, whose roles demand near-constant availability.
This trend feeds into a wider and often polarizing discussion about whether the digital age has eroded the boundary between personal life and professional obligation. Remote workers who opt for flexibility often embrace the autonomy it offers while others see the home strictly as a space for rest and separation. Remote workers can nevertheless still find it challenging to distinguish a healthy balance between their work and home life, as work demands can seep into every aspect of their day.
For some, working on weekends is simply unavoidable. Microsoft reports that nearly 20% of weekend workers check their email before noon on both Saturday and Sunday, while over 5% are logging back into their inboxes on Sunday night.
Can flexible work and ‘home office’ schedules fix the burnout?
By Sunday evening, work is on many people’s minds—even when there’s nothing urgent to address. It’s natural to begin mentally preparing for the week ahead or trying to shake off the inertia of the weekend. But that early mental shift can feel like clocking in before Monday even begins, undermining what should be restorative downtime.
Challenges like these have prompted companies and policymakers to explore the viability of four-day workweeks, with either Monday or Friday off—an idea gaining traction not only in the U.S. but globally. Early studies on four-day workweeks have solidified their potential value. According to the American Psychological Association in a January review, these shorter workweeks are becoming more popular and can cut costs while significantly enhancing employee satisfaction and mental well-being.
In many parts of Europe, this kind of flexible work arrangement is often referred to as “home office”—a designated day where employees work from home with lighter responsibilities and an earlier end to the day. In countries such as Germany, Spain and Italy, this shortened schedule often flows naturally into social traditions, like after-work drinks in the town plaza or shared meals with friends and family.
The future of work is unpredictable, but the direction is becoming evident. Employees face longer hours, more complex demands and a digital world that blurs professional and personal lines. Microsoft reports that 1 in 3 employees feel the pace of work in recent years has become overwhelming. Some may turn to AI for relief from performing more menial tasks, but most want flexibility and a balance that respects both hard work and well-earned rest.
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