The Trap of Toxic Productivity
Have you ever felt uneasy sitting on the couch doing nothing? You’re not alone.
Many of us have absorbed the idea that every moment must be productive.
A healthy focus on productivity can help us prioritize what matters most in our lives.
However, an unhealthy or excessive focus on productivity can lead to feeling like we have to be productive every minute. Checking email during dinner, feeling guilty for reading fiction, working late, trying to squeeze just one more task in.
Those are signs of toxic productivity.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We can take time off without feeling guilty.
Shall I explain?
Time Off Doesn’t Need a Justification
We feel like we have to justify leisure time because we believe it’s not okay to take time off.
It has to serve some other purpose or reach a goal.
I’ve heard creators excuse their taking time off because it “makes me more productive.” While that may be true, taking a break doesn’t require an excuse; it doesn’t have to contribute to a productive goal to be valid.
I’ve done the same thing; how about you?
The Guilt of “Wasted” Time
Toxic productivity makes us feel like our leisure time should be productive.
We feel guilty if we “waste time.”
“Once time is a resource to be used, you start to feel pressure, whether from external forces or from yourself, to use it well, and to berate yourself when you feel you’ve wasted it.”
Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals
We don’t really want to rest. We find it unpleasant to take a break, and we feel antsy because we’re not being sufficiently productive.
This attitude even makes us uncomfortable with spreading out work over time on an important project (and thus giving our ideas time to incubate). “Time not spent hammering on your most important goals seems like time wasted.” Cal Newport, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.
Our Minds Need Breathing Room
Sometimes we need downtime when our minds are just resting.
Many productivity experts recognize we’re only capable of three to five hours a day of focused creative time.
It’s true that to be the most productive, we need rest. Our ability to do concentrated mental work declines over time, and the only way to refresh it is by taking time off and doing something else. Annie Murphy Paul, The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain.
“There are times when all you want to do is lie on the couch and watch TV. It’s about time you gave your hardworking mind a moment to relax. You can’t be productive all the time.”
Haemin Sunim, Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection
I find that the most restorative breaks I take are when I do something completely different than writing on my computer. Things like:
• Taking a walk
• Getting a snack
• Taking a short nap
• Watching a movie or series episode
What works best for you?
Take a Non-Guilty Break
Rest isn’t something you have to make excuses for.
It’s part of being human.
The next time you feel guilty for doing nothing, remind yourself: you’re not wasting time—you’re renewing your mind.
AI Note: I wrote this blog post myself, using my own words and thoughts for the initial draft. I used AI only to suggest headlines, section headings, images, and text improvements.
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