We live in a golden age of efficiency. Our modern cloud native applications have tiny footprints. Our infrastructure is now code. Everything is automated, even creative endeavours like writing and artwork. And yet. Despite all the optimisation, despite all the automation, many of us feel unproductive - and it’s worse than that. Busywork hasn’t gone away, our systems are stretched so thin any disturbance destabilises them, our people are burning out, and IT consumes more resources than ever before. What’s going on? Was efficiency the wrong goal, or are we just doing it wrong?