Losing a job can have profound consequences, particularly for young professionals. For Zahaan Bharmal, a current employee at Google and a recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement medal, the experience of being made redundant nine months into his first role was devastating. It shattered his belief that hard work inevitably leads to success, revealing a harsh reality that life does not always follow predictable patterns.
In the summer of 2001, Bharmal faced this reality when he lost his position at a management consultancy. The collapse of the dotcom bubble had sent shockwaves through the global economy, forcing companies to make difficult decisions. Bharmal’s experience was not isolated; similar events occurred during the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent economic downturns in 2011, 2013, and 2015. Each of these crises serves as a reminder that unpredictable factors can lead to significant consequences, highlighting the limitations of straightforward cause and effect.
Bharmal reflects on how principles from physics helped him make sense of these chaotic circumstances. While Newton’s second law of motion suggests a predictable world, he found that personal and economic systems are much more complex. For instance, the “three-body problem” illustrates how small changes can lead to drastically different outcomes. In life, just as in physics, minor variations can escalate into significant challenges.
This complexity often leads individuals to seek control in their lives. Many, including Bharmal, push themselves to work harder, believing it will yield better results. Yet, physics indicates that operating at maximum capacity can, in fact, increase vulnerability. He draws a parallel to power grids: when they function at full capacity, they are at risk of failure during unexpected surges in demand. The same principle applies to personal resilience; without built-in slack, individuals become susceptible to burnout.
A report from Mental Health UK revealed that 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme stress in the past year, with young workers feeling the pressure most acutely. Nearly half of these young workers regularly engage in unpaid overtime, and 84% of desk workers report feeling pressured to work beyond their contracted hours. This culture of overwork places immense strain on individuals, akin to power grids running at full capacity.
Bharmal’s personal experience of burnout aligns with another concept in physics: the phase transition. He notes that stress accumulates until it reaches a critical point. At this juncture, individuals may appear fine until they suddenly experience a breakdown. Recognizing the importance of recovery and maintaining flexibility, Bharmal has developed strategies to increase his personal surge capacity.
Despite these lessons, the prevailing economic environment often rewards overwork, framing burnout as a personal failure rather than a systemic issue. The recent Keep Britain Working review highlighted an alarming trend: an increase in individuals leaving the workforce due to mental health conditions. This raises a critical question: is the expectation to operate at full capacity without any margin for error contributing to this crisis?
To foster resilience, it is essential to acknowledge that systems require inefficiencies. Bharmal argues that robust systems must allow for slack, enabling them to absorb shocks without collapsing. While Newton’s second law remains relevant, he emphasizes the importance of understanding when to ease off rather than solely focusing on the force applied.
As individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of modern work life, embracing these principles from physics may be key to fostering healthier, more resilient work environments.
