We’re living in a world that’s moving faster than we can emotionally process. AI now writes, speaks, draws, sings, analyzes, and even fakes empathy. Our emails are suggested by algorithms. Our smiles are filtered. Our calendars are optimized to the minute. And somewhere in the midst of this efficiency revolution, something sacred is slipping through our fingers:

Not long ago, I watched a movie that left me with an ache I couldn’t shake—Straw.

It’s a story about a woman, invisible to the world and her own company, who slowly loses her grip on reality. She’s competent. Dedicated. Reliable. But slowly, she unravels. Nobody notices—until it’s too late.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of someone I once worked with: a manager who, on the outside, had it all together. But beneath the surface, she was coming apart at the seams.

In the quiet moments before the inbox pings, work stress can creep in like a whisper—it’s unnoticed until it becomes a roar. Today, stress is no longer a personal battle; it’s a workplace epidemic. Recent data reveals how it manifests differently across industries—yet everywhere, the result is the same: human potential left on the table.