Most business owners are drowning in tasks. They start each day with a full to-do list and end it with an even longer one. They handle payroll, put out fires, answer sales questions, approve marketing ...

When return-to-office mandates started to rise post-pandemic, many workers who had become accustomed to getting tasks done remotely at home (and at their own pace) were presented with a new problem.

Task masking is everywhere. Employees walking around holding laptops, typing unnecessarily loudly, making important-sounding calls to nobody. They've mastered the art of looking busy while doing ...