The latest Engineering Culture Podcast episode, “The Myth of 100% Utilization,” teams up host Shane Hastie with neuroscience expert Shannon Mason to unpack how our brains handle cognitive load. They dive into why true productivity isn’t about running at 100% all the time, but about giving teams the right amount of “slack time” for creativity and deep focus versus unhelpful idle time.
By challenging the obsession with maxed-out schedules, they show how constant over-utilization leads to burnout, costly mistakes, and poor decision-making. The conversation underscores that smart downtime is what really powers sustainable, high-quality work.
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