When You Feel Unproductive
And how to break the cycle of toxic productivity
I strongly believe in self-discipline. Waiting to feel motivated to get things done, in my experience, is usually ineffective. Getting started, regardless of whether I feel like it or not, is usually what makes me more productive as a person. However, it is very easy to get stuck in this mindset and push ourselves to the limits.
When does productivity become toxic?
There are days I get my main tasks done, but I just don’t feel like doing anything additional that day. On those days, I tend to feel guilty for ending up not doing as much as I had wanted or expected to do. Does it make me any less productive as a person? Does it mean I don’t get anything done at all? Absolutely not. But our black-and-white thinking is very efficient at convincing us otherwise.
“i have this productivity anxiety
that everyone else is working harder than me
and i’m going to be left behind
cause i’m not working fast enough
long enough
and i’m wasting my time”— Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur does a fantastic job describing this toxic cycle of productivity in her poem “productivity anxiety”. Each line illustrates the thoughts and emotions we experience in this cycle: stress, comparison to others, fear based on unrealistic expectations, and negative thoughts that end up affecting our self-esteem. For me, those are usually pretty good indications that I need to pause and reflect.
Finding balance
Being constantly busy and doing something “exciting” or “productive” is so over-glamorised nowadays, that we feel ashamed and guilty on the days we don’t do as much. I’m not suggesting in any way that we drop our responsibilities and leave them behind. But I do believe it is important to train our minds to be more aware of the pressure we put on ourselves in daily life.
Tips that help me overcome productivity anxiety
- Realising. Being unaware of how you feel can be dangerous. It’s what usually causes burnout. Taking a moment to reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and the physical sensations they evoke brings your awareness to your state of anxiety.
- Accepting. Allowing and accepting whatever you experience without denying or blaming yourself is crucial. It leaves space for positive change.
- Be honest with yourself. Asking yourself a few simple questions can give you a more realistic approach to the situation. This will help downregulate the negative thoughts. Here are a few questions I like to ask myself:
1. Is this anxiety really necessary?
2. Were these goals and expectations realistic for today/for the week?
3. Do these thoughts occur from comparing myself to others?
4. Does my productivity define me as a person in any way? - Allow yourself to do nothing. Being active is important for overall wellbeing, but simply “being” and not doing anything sometimes, is essential to reset.
Having unproductive days is completely okay. Taking time for yourself is healthy and necessary!
