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Pairing the words "toxic" and "productivity" together might seem surprising. But, just like toxic gratitude and toxic success, productivity can become a negative force in your life.
Toxic productivity is the natural inclination to demonstrate your relevance and combat the lack of security you feel at work, but taken to an unhealthy extreme. It takes over when you feel compelled to be productive at all times, even as you damage your well-being and relationships.
You may be wondering how anyone could get to this point—allowing the seemingly positive desire to be productive to consume them. When you consider society’s expectations, the answer becomes clear.
The pace we’ve grown to expect
There is a pervasive false narrative that tells you the harder you work, the greater your virtue. Conversely, the more rest you take, the lazier you are. The result is an expectation that workers should be productive to a fault—regardless of the implications.
Whether you realize it or not, busyness is often displayed as a badge of honor because the value of productivity is ingrained in the American workforce. It’s worth mentioning that society’s prioritization of perfection doesn’t help, either. Our deeply held cultural perceptions are often used as a scapegoat when high productivity is expected and most everyone else assimilates to that norm.
You have to be honest with yourself
Let’s be real. Society isn’t the only force at fault here. Your own psychology is working against you, too. From your earliest memory, you were probably taught that you should do everything you can to be the biggest or the best in your profession. There is a deeply held belief that quality of life and level of achievement are intrinsically connected. So, the better you are at what you do, the better your life will be. This isn’t necessarily true.
Yes, productivity is something you can change and control. However, a hyper-competitive environment can also fuel toxic productivity. The media doesn’t help the problem because you constantly see articles, self-help courses, and social media posts on how and why you can be more productive. When you feel the need to raise your relevance among your peers, increasing your so-called productivity is a natural solution. Unfortunately, your mental and physical well-being can be collateral damage.
Rest isn't valued
For many, taking time off is a complicated and nuanced undertaking. Vacation, or simply creating boundaries around when you will and won’t work, can produce guilt and fear of judgment from others. Everyone else answers emails after hours, so you should, too, right?
You don’t want to be perceived as less dedicated or committed than your co-workers. Research has found that nearly half of all employees who don’t take their entire PTO worry about falling behind. Nineteen percent of employees fear that taking time off will hurt their chances of a promotion.
Yet, there’s an abundance of information to prove just how vital rest truly is. One Ernst & Young study found that year-end performance improved by 8% for every 10 hours of vacation time used. When it comes to promotions and raises, using all of your vacation time increases the chance you’ll earn one!
Learning to be genuinely productive
Toxic productivity just doesn’t work. Research shows that most of the workforce (82%) is at risk of burnout due to excessive workload, exhaustion, and financial strain. Clearly, the pursuit of productivity decreases your effectiveness and your health.
More hours worked doesn’t mean more productive, but it does mean you’re more tired. Employees who feel obligated to work after hours accomplish 20% less, and they’re also twice as stressed, twice as likely to get burnt out, and are 1.7 times less satisfied with their working environment.
You deserve better
Productivity isn’t the enemy, but you must know how to keep it in check to enjoy the benefits of efficiency without sacrificing your well-being. When you’re working on a project, don’t make the appearance of getting a lot done be the reason for your grind. Focusing your time on putting forth your best effort to complete what needs to be done is a much better strategy.
When you accept and put into action the belief that truly efficient work requires time to unwind, you’ll be able to prioritize, be productive, and pause when needed. Approaching your work with this attitude is a choice. Will you pursue productivity at all costs? Or will you have a reasonable, achievable perspective on how you want to work?
Choosing the latter is the more challenging option because it goes against the grain of society, the economy, and, sometimes, who you were brought up to be. It also requires courage because rejecting toxic productivity is a risk in many workplaces.
Feeling vulnerable in your job isn’t unusual. The tug of global economic shifts, the growing influence of AI, and the perennial worry about competition may cause you to question your job security. How indispensable are you? How essential is your role? Could you be replaced by someone or something more productive?
You may never feel fully immune from concern about your professional life. But, rather than focusing on whether or not you’re productive enough, check in with yourself regularly to ensure you’re directing your energy to where it’s most beneficial. Avoiding toxic productivity isn’t easy, but the most rewarding things in life can be the most difficult.