✏️ *Content*
IN today’s digital age, the line between productivity and distraction has become dangerously thin and our modern generation glued in this must be told the reality.
Mobile phones, social media platforms, and endless online content have quietly crept into workplaces, consuming hours meant for service, innovation and responsibility.
While technology is an essential tool for modern work, its misuse, especially during official working hours has become a growing concern, particularly among the youth entrusted with critical roles in both public and private institutions.
Young employees now occupy offices that were built, sustained, and dignified by the discipline and sacrifice of those who came before them.
These offices did not emerge from casual attitudes or constant online chatter. They exist because earlier generations understood the value of time, focus, and duty.
Had they spent their days chatting aimlessly, dodging responsibility, or scrolling through distractions, many of today’s workplaces, especially government institutions would never have survived, let alone earned public trust.
It is therefore troubling to observe that some young workers, including those stationed in key service areas, appear disengaged from the very responsibilities that justify their employment.
In offices where the public depends on timely assistance, guidance and professionalism, prolonged online surfing and casual conversations amount to neglect of duty.
For citizens who queue for services, seek documents, or require urgent attention, such behaviour is not merely inefficient, it is purely disrespectful. This is not an attack on youth, nor a rejection of modern tools. Rather, it is a professional caution and sincere appeal.
Discipline is not outdated, and commitment is not optional. Whether in government service or private enterprise, every role carries an obligation. Time spent at work is not personal leisure; it is borrowed trust.
Employers pay for attention, skill and accountability and not divided focus or digital wandering. Young professionals must also recognise that the reputations they build today will follow them for decades.
Habits formed early in one’s career often become permanent traits. A worker known for seriousness, reliability and dedication earns respect and opportunities. Conversely, one remembered for idleness and distraction risks stagnation and regret.
The workplace is also a space for legacy. When one eventually leaves an office, what remains should not be memories of wasted hours, unanswered clients, or unattended desks.
Instead, there should be evidence of service rendered, systems improved, people helped, and standards upheld. That is work remembrance. That is honour.
Time is the most valuable asset any professional possesses. Used wisely, it builds careers, strengthens institutions, and serves society. Wasted, it erodes trust and diminishes purpose.
The youth must therefore choose deliberately: to be present, focused and productive during working hours, and to reserve leisure for its proper time. In doing so, they will not only honour those who came before them, but also secure a future where their own contributions are remembered with pride.