Hello and welcome back to another weekly blog post! This week we will be diving into toxic productivity and its effects on your life. In this blog I plan to cover what toxic productivity is, signs you are being affected by it, and finally how to avoid toxic productivity. Let’s get right into it shall we?
What is toxic productivity?
Full Definition:
Toxic productivity is defined as overworking at the expense of other facets of your life.
It’s a mindset that manifests as the need to constantly “do.” You may feel that you can’t rest or take any downtime. And when you’re forced to, you can’t turn your mind off and enjoy it—you’re too busy worrying about what else you “should” do.
Now that you are armed with the basic definition of toxic productivity let’s now get into the nuances that can often be overlooked regarding the subject. Along with the signs you are being affected by toxic productivity.
Symptoms of Toxic Productivity
1. You are overly tired, even after a full nights rest
If you wake up feeling more tired than how you went to sleep that can be a clear indicator your are trying to be overly productive in your life. We can all agree that being too tired is a pain to deal with. This of course will happen naturally throughout our lives and it isn’t bad to be tired. But being extremely tired even after a good night of sleep, that can be avoided.
2. You feel burnt out
Persistent feelings of exhaustion and detachment from work, as well as reduced effectiveness on the job, could indicate that you’re on the path to burnout due to toxic productivity. This of course isn’t just for your job though. You can just as easily start to get burnt out doing other things in your personal life. Perhaps it is that side hustle you started or a hobby you used to love and enjoy but is now feeling burdensome.
3. You start to neglect your basic needs in leu of being more productive
If you are noticing that you are skipping more meals than normal just to get that “one more” task done, that is a sign of toxic productivity. I have personally fallen into this trap more times than I can count because of the incessant need to just get more done. Food be damned. Aside from food we also need sleep, and ideally GOOD sleep. Toxic productivity has a way of keeping us from going to bed on time or it has us trying to wake up way to early all to get more done.
4. Work stress is starting to bleed into your personal time
When you clock out or finish up a work day, ideally that means you are now operating on your time and not your employer’s. However if you have noticed that you are carrying heavy amounts of work stress home with you, that is a sign of toxic productivity. Perhaps you are over extending yourself in your work life and may want to see what you can do to resolve this.
5. Always turning down an opportunity to hangout with friends or family
If you are constantly saying no to friends and family to hangout, then it is likely productivity has gone too far in your life. Keep in mind, it is perfectly acceptable to say no when needed. I don’t recommend becoming Jim Carrey from the movie “Yes Man” but make sure you make time for those you love and care about. This will reduce your overall stress and make you feel like you can have a normal life outside of working or working on your side hustles. Or content creation if you are in the same boat as me! The key point here is just know when to say no but realize it is okay to say yes sometimes.
How to avoid Toxic Productivity
1. Set Realistic Expectations
Recognize that productivity does not mean being busy all the time. Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself, and acknowledge that it’s okay to take breaks and rest when needed. If you follow a SMART goal setting system then make sure your goals align with the output you can actually handle. There is no point to burning the candle at both ends if it just ends in resentment towards the work you are doing.
2. Quality Over Quantity (usually)
Instead of trying to do as much as possible, prioritize tasks that are meaningful and aligned with your values and goals. Focus on quality work rather than simply checking items off your to-do list. Even better just make sure your to do list is full of things you actually care about doing. Of course when it comes to your 9-5 job you sometimes don’t have a choice. However on your side hustles or personal life, you control what needs to be done.
The word usually is added to this section because if you are following a similar path as I am, starting multiple side hustles. Then quantity is important. However, if the quantity you are putting out is too much to handle regularly, then it could pay off ten fold to reevaluate how much work you are putting on yourself. You may want to look into outsourcing certain items on your to do list if you fall into this category!
3. Set Boundaries
Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout. Define specific work hours and stick to them. Resist the urge to constantly check emails or work outside of designated times. This also applies to your side hustles as we have talked about a few times in this post already. Make sure you have clear boundaries for yourself when it comes to engaging in your hobbies or side hustles.
4. Don’t let Perfect be the Enemy of Great
Instead of making sure everything is absolutely perfect, settle for great where you can. Sure some things you want to be perfect and need to be perfect but not everything you do has to be. Perfect is always a moving goal post as you go through life and learn new skills. What was perfect for 16 year old me is far from perfect for 26 year old me. I have acquired new skills, perspectives, and ideas since then. In hindsight, trying to make everything perfect led me to giving up on side hustles I worked for weeks on. If I just focused on making things great or at least “good enough” with my given skill set at the time, I would be much further than where I am now. If it isn’t perfect, it is okay. Great work gives you plenty of experience.
5. Reevaluate your Values
Take time to reflect on your values and priorities, and ensure that your goals and actions align with what truly matters to you. Adjust your approach to productivity accordingly to create a more fulfilling and balanced life. You can reflect on your current goals and values as often or as much as you would like. It is important to “zoom out” and really understand whether or not the work you are trying to be so productive for is worth your effort. Sometimes you will realize that something you were working really hard on and spending brain power on, isn’t even something you care about or want to do.
Closing thoughts
As a full time employee for a company, father of four great kids, and a husband it can be easy to fall into the trap of toxic productivity. All for the goal to support my family as the excuse to ruin my mental state. I have large goals and perhaps bigger ambitions with my YouTube Channel, Blog, and business I want to launch. These are of course all good things that can change my family’s life but I follow the tips provided in this post to make sure I am engaging in this work without it being detrimental to them and myself in the process and I encourage you to do the same. It doesn’t matter if you are pursuing side hustles or hobbies, work is work and trying to maximize your output can be toxic to you and those around you.
By reading this blog you now know what toxic productivity is, signs it is affecting you, and some strategies to avoid toxic productivity. From here it is up to you to decide what you do with this information. I hope this post has shed some light on the topic and potentially offered you a key piece of information that resonates with your life. This is an important lesson I learned, several times at this point, that has changed my life for the better. I only hope it helps you at some point in your journey through life.
Until next week. -Kenyan