|work| — Meguri Overtime

Meguri overtime is not merely extended time—it is a fracture in the logic of return. Systems that cannot close their loops degrade exponentially. Future research should explore meguri debt : the unpaid restoration time owed to cycles after prolonged overtime.

This paper introduces the concept of meguri overtime —a condition where cyclical systems (transport, shift work, ecological rhythms) experience prolonged operational hours beyond their designed turnover points. Drawing on case studies from Tokyo’s transit networks and healthcare shift schedules, we argue that when meguri (巡り) is forced into overtime, three pathologies emerge: rotational lag, cumulative micro-fatigue, and network deceleration. The paper proposes a framework for diagnosing and resetting overextended cycles. meguri overtime