Productive or Robotic?

When you google the word productivity, the dictionary defines it as

The effectiveness of productive effort, especially in industry, as measured in terms of the rate of output per unit of input.

Let’s break it down word by word. Productive effort is when you put your time and energy in a task and complete it with some fruitful results; rate of output per unit of effort (that is some really formula driven work) means how you measure your hours and completeness of work

It used to be a mere motivating task pushing not only individuals but also organisations to invest intelligently in planning their work and increase their outputs. People were first excited about this flow of productivity. They found ways to invest their time in activities which brought out the most in them. In simpler terms — productivity is the art of getting more from less.

Backpacking on this idea of productivity — minimalism also gained momentum. Both the ideas revolve around ‘more from less’. Preachers of productivity can now be found around each corner.

Productivity to toxicity

Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with the concept of being productive. On the contrary, I myself am very particular about how I divide my time and tasks. I started my productivity journey after seeing a couple of YouTubers and listening to Podcasts like the ‘The Accidental Creative’, ‘The Daily stoic’, ‘The Minimalists Podcast’ etc. I was drawn to the concept and was successful in inculcating in my own life. I used the ‘Forest’ app to track my time while studying/working, I used ‘Notion’ and created templates for even the smallest activity like Journaling, habit tracking, Financing and what not.

It was fun while it lasted. It was fun until it became toxic for me. But you might wonder if productivity is so good then when does it become toxic?

Productivity is helpful until you don’t let the concept to your head, until you are the one controlling it and not the other way around. Productivity becomes robotic when you turn a blind eye to your mental and physical health. It becomes toxic when it manifests itself as a desire to ‘only do’.

The effect of Pandemic

The pandemic inflamed this idea of productivity. With everyone locked up in their houses, fear and horror running on streets, people tried to make the most of their time and distract themselves. With this, the lines between work and personal time started blurring. People thought that being at home means they can get more work done.

While there were individuals who did not want to jump in this pool of toxic productivity, they were forced into it. They would feel guilty seeing people work constantly, talk about how they work ’16 hours’ a day, the ‘work while you are young’ mentality and what not. It was also reported that 68% people engaged in office work even on weekend.

In 2019 The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially added workplace burnout to its International Classification of Diseases. People would struggle hard to find a balance between their professional and personal lives. Kids would get burnouts from studying constantly, resting would lead to feeling guilty about ‘wasting time’

Signs that you’re experiencing a toxic productivity

1. You have exceptionally high expectations

‘Finish the entire physics Syllabus today’, ‘Read 5 books’, ‘Climb Mt. Everest’, ‘Prepare all the meals’, ‘Send in the report while takes 5 hours to prepare’

Does this seem realistic? A healthy mind cannot give out healthy work. Your body is not a machine which can run constantly without any care. Things don’t happen overnight, taking it slow means you are still closer to your goals than you were yesterday.

2. Accomplishing goals does not make you happy

When I used to finish my work, instead of feeling fulfilled, my immediate next thought would be — could I have done this better or quicker? Should I complete another task and get done with it?

Later I realised that I got so obsessed with doing ‘more’ that even my little accomplishments were left uncelebrated. Don’t overshadow your efforts!

3. Feeling guilty about rest

This is the most common sign of toxic productivity. Every second you are doing something other than work, you feel guilty. Everything in your life feels like a mission to achieve ultimate ‘productivity’

4. You feel out of energy

Where completing your used to feel nice, productivity makes you lose energy now. You don’t have much left to go for a walk, practise any hobby or even watch a movie.

Where to draw the line

Having a routine is a good habit. It is healthy if you properly time you days with 1 hour of meditation, 8 hours of work, 2 hours or cooking etc; however you are allowed to have cheat days.

You can still complete your work on time. You don’t realise but your body gives you signs. The pain in your back and neck, the stiffness in your knuckles from constant work, bad stomach and headache means you need to recharge. Working when you body does not want to will never lead to a fruitful outcome. You’d be surprised that after a good refreshing time off, you can finish off the task in a much more efficient way.

Don’t be afraid to seek help for your mental health. Set realistic goals for yourself and build boundaries. Have a clear idea of when you want to work and when you want to have fun. Life is also about having fun as much as it is about doing work.

Exercise emotional intelligence and reconnect with yourself. Hear to your thoughts and to your body. Stand up from your work desk and go out, play games, talk to your friends or revisit an old hobby. Do something that brings you joy.