Stop trying to maintain constant productivity: Your ability to cope with stress changes with the seasons and your own biological clocks

A behavioral scientist argues that human stress resilience fluctuates with circadian rhythms, seasons, and cultural deadlines like school terms or tax day, yet most workplace wellness research and policy treats productivity as if it should stay constant year-round. Roughly a third of meetings now span multiple time zones, meaning colleagues can simultaneously be in winter lethargy, summer energy, or heat-induced sluggishness depending on hemisphere.

A cited 2024 survey of nearly 28,000 employees across 16 countries found workers uncomfortable discussing workload and mental health were about 10% more likely to quit than those who felt safe raising it. The piece recommends normalizing conversations about seasonal capacity and using tracking tools to build what the author calls 'stress intelligence.'

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