What is toxic productivity and what should you do to stop it?
Getting stressed happens to all of us — especially in the workplace. We all worry about looking incompetent to our boss and disappointing colleagues. However, for our own sanity and maybe even our career, we should start admitting that we feel overwhelmed at and with work. Everybody should stop pretending that they’re fine and have so much productivity to spare.
There are people who are much better at constant movement and productivity than the rest. Sure, this can be beneficial. You don’t have to about missing a deadline or looking incompetent in the workplace. However, there comes a point when too much productivity is just… well, too much. Yes, it is possible to be too productive. It’s called toxic productivity.
TOXIC PRODUCTIVITY
Sometimes, we hear the word productivity and immediately associate it with positivity. After all, it means that you’re finishing all your work. You’re making the most of your day and you aren’t wasting your time. But, the thing is, you fall into the trap of toxic productivity. It’s what happens when productivity goes bad. You go away beyond realistic expectations and become fixated on constant productivity.
For some reason, you believe that you should spend every single waking moment doing some sort of meaningful action to have meaningful results. The relentless pace and always-on attitude will lead to increased anxiety, damage to personal lives and relationships, and risk of workplace burnout.
So, how do you know if you’re falling into the toxic positivity trap?
Identifying toxic productivity looks a lot like this… Let’s just say that you’re vying for a promotion at work and you’ve been working so much to exceed expectations. You started volunteering to take on extra projects and responsibilities just to hone your skills. Plus, you think it would show your commitment to your career. However, you’re too focused on work that you’ve let other important things slide.
You missed out on your workouts just to log on early. Then, you work extra hours and cancel evening plans. You skip lunch breaks and forget to even eat for the entirety of the day. You would even catch up on work on weekends or whenever you’re supposed to be “off.” At the time, it all seemed as if those were small sacrifices. That way, you can achieve your goal — promotion.
But, months have passed. And, you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and on the verge of burnout. You were too focused on being productive that you’re no longer a rested, healthy, and happy professional. Now, you’re trapped underneath the heavy toxic productivity that you started to carry. However, toxic productivity isn’t just present in the workplace. It can show up in multiple aspects of your life.
So, what should you do to overcome toxic productivity?
Defining work boundaries.
Toxic productivity causes you to work too hard for too long. Break the cycle, set boundaries, and reclaim your free time. Setting boundaries is especially important, especially for remote workers. People who work from home sometimes don’t have a clear start or finish time. So, they spend more time checking emails outside business hours. Then, they spend more thinking about work during their free time.
So, give yourself — and your teammates — a clear start and finish times. That way, everyone knows when you’re expected to be working and when you’re off the clock. If you’re a manager or a supervisor, be vocal about your boundaries. Avoid sending and responding to messages outside work hours and days off. Aside from that, encourage your team to do the same.
You also have to normalize longer response times. There are people who feel like they have to respond to notifications right away. However, setting more realistic expectations around response times will empower you and your team to completely disconnect when you’re supposed to be off the clock. If your work time comes from nine to five, make sure you start work at nine and finish at five.
Setting realistic goals and stopping overpromising.
Toxic productivity often happens when goals and expectations around work become unrealistic. As a result, you feel pressured to work around the clock and guilty when working at a slower pace or fall behind. Setting and working towards goals that you can reasonably accomplish within a given time frame.
So, stop overpromising. Make sure that you have a framework that will help you create reasonable objectives that you can actually achieve. Also, build in time for rest. Nobody can work nonstop. So, when you choose a timeframe for your goals, make sure to have a plenty of buffer time for breaks. That way, you can recharge.
Building breaks into schedule.
As mentioned above, everybody needs rest. Scheduling breaks is definitely a great way to ensure that you actually take time off when you need it. Although it may seem counterintuitive, taking breaks actually boosts productivity in the long term. It will help you focus and think more creatively.
Experts even recommended that strategic breaks remain the best way to prevent overwork and workplace burnout. Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Sahar Yousef suggested the 3M framework, dividing them into three categories — macro, meso, and micro.
These include the following. Macro breaks would usually take half or full day every month. Meso breaks, on the other hand, refers to one to two hours every week. Micro breaks should be a few minutes multiple times per day.
Finding out the reason behind your toxic productivity.
Toxic productivity usually comes as a manifestation of negative feelings you have yet to address. To stop the cycle, you need to identify the underlying thoughts or feelings that causes you to work so much. The goal won’t make bad feelings go away. However, you have to learn how to feel comfortable sitting with your emotions in a healthy way. Plus, you don’t need to try to ignore them by hyper-productive.
Determining the cause behind it won’t be easy. But, it could include the following:
- Fear of failure
- Imposter syndrome
- Feeling of unworthiness or low self-esteem
- Guilt about not accomplishing enough
- Feeling like your job isn’t secure
- Comparing yourself to others
- Stress about events in the world or personal life
You can still perform well at work without running yourself into the ground. Breaking the cycle of toxic productivity can help you excel long-term. So, don’t grind everyday. Instead, approach work with the balance that you need to really thrive.
