9 signs toxic productivity is impacting your life

If productivity is something you value, it makes sense that you would want your family and friends to also be productive. However, that can become toxic when you’re constantly pushing those around you to work harder and accomplish more.

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Toxic productivity may become so extreme that not only do you hold yourself and your loved ones to impossibly high standards but you may feel a deep disdain watching anyone “squander” time doing something that appears unproductive to you.

The massive beauty and self-help industries are dedicated to the idea that you aren’t good enough as you are but if you work hard enough (and buy enough products) you can get better.

It can feel like you’re running an endless treadmill of always trying to be a smarter, richer, prettier human being – yet never quite getting there. This can shred your self-esteem, leaving you feeling worthless.

How to stop the cycle

If this is sounding a little too familiar, you may have fallen into some toxic patterns. Don’t worry, there are things you can do right now to get back to a healthier balance in your life.

Make a conscious effort to take time during your day to do absolutely nothing. Stare at the clouds in the sky. Doodle on a piece of paper. Walk aimlessly. Write a poem in a journal. Meditate.

It doesn’t matter how you spend this downtime. But resist the urge to set a goal for this activity. Your brain needs some periods of nothingness to rest and reset.

A lot of toxic productivity is spurred by an underlying fear of something: failure, guilt, unworthiness, yourself.

“It may feel like a paradox, but learning to acknowledge the emotion and sit with it, as opposed to avoiding it by staying super busy, will help this pattern shift,” says Welsh.

You may need a therapist or other mental health professional to help you deal with deeply ingrained feelings.

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Ask yourself what is truly important to you. Write your values (not goals) down. Then look at how you are actually spending your time to see if your activities are aligned with your values.

“For instance, if the quality of your relationships is at the top of your list but the majority of your time is spent on work activities, there is likely a disconnect there,” says Welsh.

Schedule time every day to do something relaxing and pampering for yourself, like taking a hot bath, colouring an adult colouring book, working on a puzzle, or gently exercising.

“It may feel unpleasant and uncomfortable at the beginning, and you may fear you are wasting precious time, but you are worth the investment,” says Ferszt. “Keep doing it until it becomes a habit.”

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Toxic productivity thrives in our modern connected digital culture, so unplugging is key to letting that stress go. Schedule a time each week to spend at least an hour without any electronics, including your phone.

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Source: RD.com