I think the fundamental cause of the problem is actually the existence of other people: they tell new stories, perform new studies, and provide new opportunitie

I think the fundamental cause of the problem is actually the existence of other people: they tell new stories, perform new studies, and provide new opportunities, all of which result in a seemingly un-ending flood of tasks. My recommendation--if this is really bothering you--is thereby to limit your exposure to other people by whatever means necessary and then begin spending any resources you can spare on a campaign to prevent the spread of new people.