Microsoft Report: Global Employees Are Trapped in the Quagmire of "Infinite Working Hours"; Can AI Help Regain After-Work Freedom?

Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index annual report pointed out that the phenomenon of "unlimited working hours" is emerging in modern work styles, and how can AI technology penetrate the daily operations of enterprises to bring about a turnaround? (Synopsis: It's illegal to download someone else's creation and then AI wash the picture!) China's first AI copyright infringement criminal case sentenced to prison + fine) (Background supplement: Haowen" How does AI change human reading habits? Will the original text eventually disappear? According to Microsoft's "Work Trend Index Special Report" released in mid-June, it revealed the phenomenon of "unlimited working hours" faced by modern knowledge workers, and pointed out that process optimization alone cannot be completely improved, and AI must be combined with work rhythm reshaping to truly unlock the potential of AI. Morning: Silent working hours lengthened, mail stress doubled According to Microsoft data, at 6 a.m., many Microsoft 365 users start scanning their full inboxes in hopes of getting work done as quickly as possible: 40% of users who go online at 6 a.m. are checking the day's priority emails. The average employee receives 117 emails a day—most of which are read in less than 60 seconds. Over the past year, the number of mass emails with more than 20 recipients has increased by 7%, while the number of one-to-one messages has decreased (-5%). Daytime: Meetings and messages distract from focus, deep work becomes a luxury After 8 a.m., Teams messages replaced email as the primary communication channel, with an average of 153 messages per person per day, a 6% annual increase in messages per person worldwide, and more than 20% in some regions. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. are the peak meetings, accounting for 50% of all meetings. At the same time, 11 o'clock is the most frequent time for messaging activity, 54% of users are active, and focus time is severely divided by meetings, instant messaging and application switching. The data shows that employees are interrupted every 2 minutes on average, and 48% of employees and 52% of leaders surveyed consider work "chaotic and fragmented." Evenings and weekends: working hours extended, blurred lines The report also notes a 16% year-over-year increase in meetings after 8 p.m., with an average of more than 50 messages per employee during off-hours. 29% are still active in mail after 10 p.m. Nearly 20% of employees also check email in the morning on weekends and 5% return to work on Sunday evenings. One-third of employees say the pace of work over the past five years has kept them up and the lines are fading. For some, this pressure carries over to the weekend — making Sunday feel like a normal Monday: Our data shows a significant uptick in email usage over the weekend. Nearly 20% of employees who actively work on weekends check their email before noon on Saturday and Sunday — even on the usual days off, they continue to work after waking up. More than 5% of employees check email on Sunday nights (6 p.m. and later) "Sunday phobia" is real and measurable. While the email pattern mimics the work week, other apps tell a different story: WXP usage surpasses Teams messaging on weekends because employees finally find time to focus on undisturbed work. This reveals a larger truth: For many people, the modern workday has no definite beginning and end. As business requirements become more complex and expectations rise, time once spent on focus or recovery may now be used to catch up, prepare, and pursue clarity. Professionally, it's like assembling a bike before every ride. Too much effort is spent sorting out the mess before starting meaningful work. The way forward? Finally, Microsoft points out that AI alone is not enough, and that companies also need to adopt "cutting-edge thinking": rethinking how time is spent, how work is done, and what actions really make an impact. Here are the three entry points: 1. Focusing on critical work with the 80/20 rule is not all effort equals growth. Leading enterprises use AI to focus 80% of their outcomes on 20% of mission-critical. By automating low-value work such as meetings and reports, teams can spend time on decision-making, deep work, and execution. 2. Abandon the traditional organization chart and use the "work chart" to divide the traditional team into too many subjects, resulting in low efficiency. Now, AI can fill the skills gap, allowing teams to build quickly and act flexibly on purpose. Companies like Supergood use AI platforms to provide real-time strategic insights, saving time on repeated communications. 3. Become an "agency boss" The next generation of professionals uses AI to improve efficiency, not overtime. Microsoft researcher Alex Farach, for example, relies on three AI agents to handle research, analysis, and briefings, focusing on high-value output. This is the future of work: collaborative, scalable and flexible. Related reports Humans suffer from AI disease, "brain outsourcing" is extremely worse! iKala founder warns: Convenience destroys originality Stack Overflow, the world's largest developer forum, has plummeted by 90%, will it become a tear in the AI era? Professor Berkeley warns: Graduates of prestigious universities do not have to choose jobs! AI will cut off half of the grassroots jobs in another 5 years [Microsoft Report: Global employees are falling into the quagmire of "unlimited working hours" without shutting down, can AI help find the freedom to get off work? This article was first published in BlockTempo's "Dynamic Trend - The Most Influential Blockchain News Media".