Battling Burnout
Uncanny Valley | WIRED9 Loka 2020

Battling Burnout

Trying to be a functional human being in 2020 can feel exhausting. Our devices send us constant notifications, social media demands all our attention, and even simple daily tasks start to feel Sisyphean when they pile up. In many ways, the same technology that was supposed to make our lives easier and more efficient has led to a mental health crisis that shows no signs of abating: widespread burnout.

This week on Gadget Lab, we talk with Anne Helen Petersen, author of the book Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation, about the ways that tech has driven many people to the breaking point. Also, we've got some tips on how to prevent burnout and cut yourself some slack.

Show Notes:

You can find Anne Helen Petersen’s book here and read an excerpt about how work became an inescapable hellhole in WIRED here. Subscribe to Anne’s newsletter here.

Recommendations:

Anne recommends the show Pen15 on Hulu. Lauren recommends WIRED’s 2020 election coverage, in particular this story about the battle over voting machines in Texas. Mike recommends practicing Qigong to help your peace of mind, starting with this video teaching Qigong for beginners.

Anne Helen Petersen can be found on Twitter @annehelen. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our executive producer is Alex Kapelman (@alexkapelman). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

If you have feedback about the show, or just want to enter to win a $50 gift card, take our brief listener survey here.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(426)

WIRED Roundup: Are We In An AI Bubble?

WIRED Roundup: Are We In An AI Bubble?

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the Antifa professor who’s fleeing to Europe for safety, to how some c...

10 Loka 202521min

How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent

How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent

When news broke last month that H1-B visa holders in the U.S would be subjected to a new hefty fee of $100,000, chaos and confusion ensued for a lot of tech workers and their employers. It’s the lates...

9 Loka 202532min

BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone

BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone

Jack Conte, founder of Patreon tells Katie if we can send rockets into space and have self-driving cars we can figure out how to pay creators for their work. In this interview recorded in front of a l...

7 Loka 202532min

WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App

WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from how federal workers are being told to blame Democrats for the govern...

3 Loka 202523min

Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own new autonomous robot, called Dot. The company says it’s part of its goal to have a “hybrid” model for deliveries going forward—working with humans, but als...

2 Loka 202528min

BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies

BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies

Branded Content by McKinsey | WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, Katie Drummond sat down with McKinsey’s Global Institute Director and Senior Partner Lareina Yee for a conversation on the technologies...

30 Syys 202527min

WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream

WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from Customs & Border Protection efforts to collect American’s DNA to tech bill...

26 Syys 202523min

Is Silicon Valley Still the Tech Capital?

Is Silicon Valley Still the Tech Capital?

Earlier this month, we took the show to San Francisco for a live recording in front of a great audience at KQED's The Commons. WIRED'S Lauren Goode, Katie Drummond and Jason Kehe asked themselves and ...

25 Syys 202549min