In a revealing personal account, Zahaan Bharmal, an employee at Google and a recipient of NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement medal, reflects on how his study of physics helped him navigate the emotional turmoil of job loss and burnout. His experience underscores the importance of understanding chaotic systems and their implications in both the workplace and personal wellbeing.
Learning Through Chaos
Bharmal’s journey began with a deep appreciation for physics, particularly the principles that govern motion and force. For him, the equation “force equals mass times acceleration” was not just a formula but a representation of an orderly universe. This belief was shattered when he faced redundancy just nine months into his first job in 2001. The layoff followed the bursting of the dotcom bubble, which triggered widespread financial instability.
“Losing your job is tough for anyone,” Bharmal noted. “But for me, it was devastating. I had worked so hard, yet somehow I had still failed.” He soon realized that this personal setback was part of a broader economic context, which also included the 2008 sub-prime mortgage crisis, the 2011 eurozone crisis, and subsequent market fluctuations.
These events illustrate the unpredictability of chaotic systems, where small, seemingly insignificant factors can lead to large-scale consequences. Bharmal draws parallels between these financial events and the personal struggles many face, including stress and burnout.
The Fragility of Overwork
Bharmal highlights a troubling trend: many individuals operate at their maximum capacity, believing that hard work is the key to success. A report from Mental Health UK found that 91% of UK adults experienced high or extreme stress in the past year, with young people particularly affected. This relentless pressure can lead to severe burnout, which often feels sudden, even though it builds up over time.
“People can absorb strain for a while, operating at maximum capacity, appearing fine,” Bharmal explains, “But stress doesn’t accumulate linearly. It builds until a critical point, and then the system flips.”
He compares this phenomenon to heating water, which remains unchanged until it reaches a boiling point, at which it undergoes a phase transition. In the workplace, individuals may appear to function well until they suddenly cannot cope with demands.
Bharmal emphasizes the necessity of building personal “surge capacity.” He advocates for leaving enough room in one’s schedule to handle unexpected challenges. “Recovery isn’t a luxury; it’s essential,” he asserts. Yet, societal norms often celebrate overwork while dismissing burnout as a personal failure.
According to the recent Keep Britain Working review, there has been a concerning rise in workers exiting the workforce due to mental health issues. Bharmal poses a critical question: Could the overwhelming nature of work, characterized by the expectation to operate at 100% capacity, be a significant factor in this crisis?
He concludes that recognizing the need for inefficiency and slack in our systems is vital. “Until we understand that resilience requires inefficiency, we’re just optimizing our way towards collapse,” he warns. His reflections serve as a powerful reminder that understanding the principles of physics can offer valuable insights into managing our lives and careers.
