My Overstuffed Schedule Almost Killed Me: Rethinking Corporate Wellness and Productivity

“Cardiac arrest!”

The words echoed around me like a surreal chant as the ambulance rushed me to the hospital. A minor heart attack—at just 40 years old. It didn't make sense. I was healthy, productive, and driven. I was the marketing director at a major healthcare company. I had purpose, passion, and a to-do list that could rival a Fortune 500 CEO.

But none of that mattered. Because I was drowning in Busyness—low value activities and it almost cost me my life.

The Myth of “Busy” as a Badge of Honor

In corporate culture, being busy is often mistaken for being productive, valuable and getting the important work done. We wear our packed calendars and 10-hour workdays like trophies. Productivity becomes a measure of worth. But that’s the great deception—busy doesn’t mean better. In fact, it often means worse:

● Over 90% of people report that busyness impairs their ability to think clearly and work creatively.

● Nearly half say it impacts long-term planning and strategic thinking.

● 84% report multitasking as a core strategy to get work done.

● A majority admit that busyness disrupts their sleep, elevates stress, and

diminishes their relationships.

Yet we keep grinding, afraid to stop. I did, too—even after a heart attack.

When Productivity Becomes Self-Destruction

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was leading marketing for a healthcare company, surrounded by physicians, nurses, and wellness experts. But I was the one ignoring my health.

Why?

Because corporate culture is driven by outcomes—and rightly so. Things need to get done. But in many fast-paced environments, the urgent can often overshadow the important. The system unintentionally tends to reward constant output over thoughtful, balanced input. It’s not about blame—it’s about awareness. When busyness becomes the default mode, even high-performing teams can miss out on clarity, creativity, and long-term impact.

When I collapsed in that meeting room, turning blue in front of my colleagues, I didn’t realize it was my wake-up call. But I didn’t slow down. Not really. I got out of the hospital, went home, and jumped back into the same destructive rhythm.

Eat. Work. Sleep. Repeat. Add single motherhood to the mix, and it became a life lived on the edge of burnout.

The Cost of Busyness in the Workplace
Let’s be clear—Busyness is not a productivity hack. It’s a crisis.

In a recent survey:

● 49% of professionals said busyness hurts their ability to switch off and think long-term.

● 44% said it damages their strategic thinking.

● 75% of parents said they’re too busy to read to their kids at night.

These aren’t just stats. They’re signs of an epidemic.

Busyness leads to poor decisions, broken relationships, chronic stress, and in some cases—like mine—serious medical emergencies. And despite all that, it remains one of the most overlooked factors in corporate wellbeing programs.

Redefining Corporate Wellness: Beyond Busyness

Wellness isn’t about ping pong tables, fruit baskets, or step challenges. It’s about creating a culture that values clarity over chaos, purpose over performance, and sustainability over speed.

Here’s what companies need to start doing:

● Normalize rest and recovery. Encourage real downtime. Model it from leadership down.

● Measure impact, not hours. Productivity should be about outcomes, not who stays latest in the office.

● Create space for deep thinking. Reduce unnecessary meetings. Protect time for reflection and strategy.

● Support working parents. Flexibility isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity.

● Acknowledge emotional labor. Burnout and busyness aren’t weaknesses—they're signals of an unhealthy system.

My Journey Beyond Busyness

I’ve had to cross the waters of busyness more than once. And I still return to that shore when I slip back into old habits. But now, I know what to look for. I know the cost of not slowing down.

And I’ve committed my work to guiding others across. Helping them see that “busy” isn’t noble—it’s dangerous. Especially when it’s not aligned with what really matters.

If you’re reading this and feeling the weight of constant doing, let me say this: You don’t have to drown. There’s another shore. One where work is meaningful, not mindless. Where wellbeing is integral, not optional.

It’s time to go Beyond Busyness—for your sake, your team’s, and the future of work.