Stop self-exploitation

A call for a more liveable and lovable life beyond self-exploitation

Our world is in a state of upheaval. Established structures, methods and approaches are looking increasingly outdated and often seem more rigid than stable. Driven by fears of losing control over our lives and our economy, companies and society are chasing after new approaches at ever shorter intervals. It is not without reason that employees speak of ‘chasing the next fad’. No sooner have we understood what the new brings us than something even newer is already here. A great deal of money and effort is invested without properly evaluating the ‘purpose’ and the actual results. And the very latest is already luring us with even more grandiose promises.

At the same time, the voices calling for a return to ‘the good old days’ are growing louder. Longer working hours and clear hierarchies, a nod to the economic boom of the 60s and 70s. Anyone who lived through that era and yet takes the present seriously knows, however, that this is a misconception. How can something that emerged under completely different conditions possibly help? Globalisation? Sure, we look to the US-Americans for guidance. Complexity? Best to ignore it. Emotional intelligence? If it absolutely has to be, then in private. Working women? Well, they probably need it and can’t get a man …

And yet are these very values and structures supposed to guide us into the future? It’s baffling and sometimes feels like an insult to one’s own intelligence.

Burden rather than pleasure

Amidst all these efforts, the workload on our desks continues to pile up. I hardly know anyone anymore who gets up in the evening to find an empty desk, whether it’s a physical one or a digital one. At the same time, we find ourselves in a constant process of learning. Older people must acquire new methods and knowledge, younger people must first come to terms with the much-cited ‘good old values’, and the generation in between is trying to do justice to both.

However, the visible results often fall short of expectations. Germany has infrastructure problems. In many places, digitalisation goes hand in hand with increasing user unfriendliness and poor functionality. Innovative technologies are being relocated abroad, and the corresponding products are now being developed there too.

What remains, in the traditional sense, apart from the demand to simply work harder again? Even in the school system, we are trained to be diligent and persevering, although much of the content still reflects the state of affairs in the 1970s. A fundamental modernisation of the curriculum often fails to materialise. Instead, ever new methods are introduced into the education system without their long-term impact being properly assessed.

People are creatures of habit. Or as Gerald Hüther put it: “What else is a child’s brain, which sits in front of the television all day, supposed to become but a television?” So what is expected to happen in companies if not hard-working employees who exhaust themselves in pursuit of supposed success? New methods are not necessarily welcomed, but are increasingly endured with weariness. Self-exploitation rears its head.

The cycle of self-exploitation

The question arises as to what actually drives us, as intelligent and adaptable individuals, to push ourselves to the brink of exhaustion – or even beyond – whilst rarely achieving outstanding results.

I cannot assume that it is simply because we enjoy our work, at least not in the year 2026. I have a fairly extensive circle of acquaintances, and the number of people in my professional and private circles who genuinely go to work with joy is manageable. So what are our inner drivers for this form of self-exploitation, which is accompanied neither by job satisfaction nor by particular success?

Certainly, the influence of the education system and societal values plays a role. At the same time, people have always shown that they are capable of change and transformation. So what are we afraid of?

My explanation is simple, but unfortunately also fatal: we have no clear idea of how we can manage the necessary change. We lack confidence and skills. The result is uncertainty. Without a minimum level of security, however, neither appropriate nor innovative action is possible. Added to this is the fact that we lack a vision that goes beyond familiar patterns such as the growth economy, ‘stinginess is cool’ or ‘bigger, faster, further’.

So we avoid the unknown. Most of us are still doing relatively well. So why set off in a new, uncertain direction? At the same time, it is clear that we must do something to maintain our standard of living. So often the only option left is to carry on with ‘more of the same’. Everyone gives a little more, and everything will work out. After all, it worked in the past.

Yet this is precisely where the vicious circle begins. We gradually become tired and drained, whilst continuing to try to solve existing problems through greater effort. However, transformation does not work this way. It is linked to uncertainty and unpredictability, not to ‘more of the same’. We would first have to learn and practise the necessary skills. [1] But we lack the time, energy and, often, the courage to do so. Even basic skills such as mindful awareness are increasingly taking a back seat in our daily working lives.

And so the circle closes. We are not sufficiently prepared for the new, so we remain in the old and continue to reinforce it. With pressure from outside and within, with exploitation and self-exploitation.

Achieving a breakthrough

Vicious circles do not resolve themselves; they must be actively broken. But where should we start? Certainly not with those who exploit the existing system to their advantage and thus help to stabilise it. What matters far more are self-efficacy and grassroots movements. Change begins with each individual and then gains momentum.

For this, we need time and energy. We can only gain both if we stop self-exploitation. The desk will not clear itself anyway, and the results achieved do not justify permanent overwork. The potential consequences, such as physical and mental illness, are serious; a glance at hospital occupancy rates makes this clear.

At the same time, transformation and the acquisition of new skills also require time and energy. The question therefore arises as to whether we are not in danger of fighting fire with fire. And this is precisely where the trap lies. If we approach transformation in the same way we are used to from school and training, we end up back at ‘more of the same’. The vicious circle remains closed, and the path to something new then becomes merely the next method that creates additional pressure.

Caution is therefore advised when transformation serves primarily to squeeze even more performance out of people, often with the aim of increasing the financial success of individuals.

Transformation beyond “higher, further, faster”

This may come as something of a surprise to you: what we need, instead of self-exploitation through ever-increasing workloads, is time spent in nature. It helps us to train our mindful awareness, to step back from the illusion that we can master and control everything, and above all, to rediscover creativity and a zest for life. We are living beings. [2]

It is about moving consciously and mindfully in nature, about perceiving it, grounding ourselves and becoming more at ease. [3] This can be an effective first step against self-exploitation. At the same time, it opens up the opportunity to develop a new mindset. We humans are part of the living world, and our well-being depends on that of our environment.

One possible side effect is that we can manage with less technology. To put it more clearly: we should have these experiences. Although technology is a significant factor in uncertainty, it is not a good teacher of how to live with it, because it lacks a physical and living foundation. [4]

Conclusion

“More of the same” does not lead us out of the cycle of self-exploitation, but keeps it going. If we continue to try to solve the challenges of our time with even greater dedication and hard work, we are actually exacerbating the very problem we are trying to overcome.

Let us refocus on what matters and put a stop to self-exploitation. Nature can help us with this. However, the time and energy we gain are not a void to be filled immediately. They are the prerequisite for being able to think and act differently in the first place. For greater awareness, for a changed mindset, and for the courage to break new ground.

This is not merely a personal decision; it is also about our social and economic future. A world that relies permanently on overwork will not be stable. And perhaps this is precisely where the real prospect lies: new vitality, greater joie de vivre and a more conscious experience of what defines us as human beings.

Notes (partly in German):

[1] freiKopfler Podcast: Wie können wir lernen mit Ungewissheit besser umzugehen?
[2] Stephanie Borget: Power and self-exploitation
[3] This has little to do with the images circulating on social media of trendy people on mountain peaks, standing on cliffs and the like, whose equipment and preparation often reveal that they know absolutely nothing about the natural world, and who thereby encourage others – such as the mountain rescue service – to put themselves at risk.
[4] GPM: Studie zum Umgang mit Ungewissheit in Projekten

For more on coping with uncertainty and the relevance of a sense of security, see What we can learn from starship Enterprise and Smartpedia: What is uncertainty?

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Astrid Kuhlmey has published more posts on the t2informatik Blog, including: