Does Your ‘Infinite Workday’ Feel Chaotic and Fragmented? Microsoft Data Explains Why

AI makes it easy – some would say too easy – to receive work-related communications and notifications at all hours of the day. Microsoft cautions that this “infinite workday” can hinder productivity and strain employees’ work-life balance unless companies re-evaluate how they deploy AI and manage working hours.

Microsoft data reveals ‘triple-peak-day’

Microsoft’s recent Global Work Trend Index survey found that almost half of employees (48%) and over half of leaders (52%) say their work feels fragmented and chaotic. 

In a follow-up to its 2025 Work Trend Index, Microsoft’s data gathered across Microsoft 365 products revealed insights into how AI use influences the workday, resulting in a “triple-peak day.”

Morning

Microsoft’s telemetry data shows that the workday begins early for many, with 40% of people online by 6:00 a.m. to check their emails. The average worker now receives 117 emails daily and 153 Teams messages per workday, while the volume of mass emails with more than 20 recipients have risen 7% in the past year. 

Midday

According to Microsoft’s data, 50% of all meetings occur between 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Research shows this is prime working time, with people’s circadian rhythms creating a natural spike in productivity at midday; however, filling it with meetings leaves little time for deep focus.

Evening

Telemetry data shows a 16% year-on-year increase in meetings scheduled after 8:00 p.m. Additionally, the average employee sends or receives more than 50 messages outside of core business hours. This surge in after-hours work activity can be detrimental to well being, as employees increasingly use personal time to catch up on work.  

Weekends

The pattern extends into the weekend, with nearly 20% of employees checking their inbox before midday on both Saturday and Sunday. A third of employees also report that the pace of work over the past five years has become unmanageable, highlighting the gradual breakdown of work-life boundaries.  

Microsoft’s 3 tips for business leaders

Microsoft provided these suggestions for business leaders to apply AI at work to drive impact and productivity:

• Apply the 80/20 rule, where 20% of work is responsible for delivering 80% of results, and automation is applied to the remaining work tasks whenever possible.
• Train employees to become “agent bosses” that oversee the virtual workforces of AI agents.
• Realign team goals away from traditional work functions and instead focus on outcomes.

Microsoft’s strategy involves redesigning workflows to revolve around AI agents, which aligns with the company’s business goals as it pushes toward autonomous agents in the workplace to maintain a competitive edge in the AI tech market.

Dive into eWeek’s coverage unpacking why employees are far more ready for AI than their companies, according to fresh insights from a sweeping Gallup poll.