Have you heard of ‘bed rotting’? If your answer is ‘no’ and you work as a manager in any company—regardless of size or industry—I advise you to pay attention to this term, especially if you have younger employees on your team. Translated from English, the term ‘bed rotting‘ means ‘rotting in bed’ and refers to spending a long time lounging in bed after waking up.
The term gained traction among younger people on social media, stemming from a trend on TikTok. The audience adopting this practice, while also helping to spread its concept, is precisely Generation Z—those born between 1996 and 2010—who are often criticized by organizations for their behaviors and attitudes, which are sometimes deemed unsuitable for the corporate environment.
Although ‘bed rotting‘ is being labeled as a self-care practice, there is still no scientific proof that it actually works, let alone benefits people’s health. On the contrary, spending too much time in bed doing nothing and ‘rotting,’ as the term suggests, tends to bring harm to people in general—both in their personal and professional lives.
The truth is that from the moment we enter the workforce, we are subject to excessive demands that can sometimes cause stress and fatigue. However, when we find ourselves in this predicament, the best approach is to seek leadership support to report the issue and align on possible solutions to alleviate the overload, which may occur without the leader even realizing it.
However, it’s worth noting that for this to happen, managers must also be well-prepared to handle the situation, both to support the employee and to avoid judgment, so as not to further harm their well-being or mental health. It’s essential for leaders to be adaptable in understanding what’s happening before making decisions.
Beyond rest or reduced workload (depending on the case), leadership can also explore ways to help the team organize better. Often, people don’t necessarily have too many tasks but struggle with time management—either procrastinating, taking too long to complete tasks, or switching between tasks in a vicious cycle.
I consider it crucial for managers to help employees recognize that quality rest time—even doing nothing—is very important, but must be limited and balanced with other responsibilities, both in their personal lives and especially in the workplace, where others depend on them. Balance is key for it to work.
In this regard, it’s important to prioritize tracking team goals and objectives while also, as a leader, seizing face-to-face moments to read unspoken cues—what isn’t said in words but is conveyed through body language.
The dangers of bed rotting for professional life
