As well as hosting witty puns and political rants, Twitter is a stage for people’s humblebrags about a lack of free time. Canvas8 spoke with Neeru Paharia, assistant professor at Georgetown University, to find how busyness serves as a social marker, and what this could mean for brands.

British workers struggle to switch off while on holiday for wanting to show dedication. A hyper-connected society where busyness is an aspirational marker pressures people to check emails when OOO, or not take time off at all – but its effects are proving detrimental to people's mental health.

Thanks to the instant gratification provided by on-demand services and the expectation that people are always switched on, people are no longer satisfied to have their days, weeks, and months dictated by rigid schedules. More than seeking a work-life balance, those who are making themselves available at all times of the day want to flexibly check in and out of work to maximise lulls for leisure and be more productive when they are on the clock.

Behavioural sciences can help us to improve organisations from the ground up, starting by looking at our own behaviours at work. Canvas8 spoke with economist Caroline Webb, author of How to Have a Good Day, about how behavioural sciences can help us to work smarter.