How to Deal With the Issue of Toxic Productivity

What’s one of the most underrated feelings of the modern day? Feeling happy with where and who you are. People today are constantly being pushed to be more successful, effective, and productive. It is not even tied to our work anymore. Thanks to social media, this mindset has seeped into our personal lives.

Have we gone too far, or can we still do something to deal with the issue of toxic productivity?

What Is Toxic Productivity, and Where Are Its Roots?

Toxic productivity is an uncontainable desire to stay productive no matter what and at what price. Its roots have been deeply hidden in the modern hustle culture. It gets even worse for those who spend hours on social media. Influencers can create an idolized image of their day, making their subscribers feel miserable for not having a “perfect productive life.”

A heightened need to be productive can also emerge during times of uncertainty. As was explained by clinical psychologist Kathryn Esquer, “When our environment presents us with stressors or threats that are well beyond our control, often we find ourselves focusing on small things within our immediate environment in which we can control ― such as cleaning our house or excelling at work projects.”

The Most Common Tell-Tale Signs of Toxic Productivity

There are 7 main signs of toxic productivity:

• Neglecting self-care like proper sleep, taking breaks, and personal time.

• Feeling guilty when taking time off work, even if it is for a few hours.

• Constantly feeling burnt out, even after a vacation.

• Feeling irritated when taking care of routine tasks.

• Shaming others for having some downtime.

• Being restless and obsessive over productivity metrics.

• Losing track of what’s really important, like mental or physical health.

Toxic Productivity — Shake it Off

I myself used to believe that being productive and connected to work at all times was one of my main tasks. With time, as the SupportYourApp team grew and added members all around the world, I understood that my outlook on productivity needed to evolve further.

Setting Clear and Unshakable Work-Life Boundaries

Work is like water — if not obstructed, it can seep into every little nook and cranny. And we have to be careful not to drown in our tasks. Here’s what can be done to limit contact with work after business hours.

Separate work and personal devices. Laptops, tablets, or even phones if necessary. This will make checking work emails, task boards, and Slack chats tougher. With time, not checking them outside of business hours will become a habit. If work accounts are tied to a personal device, it is better to put it as far away as possible. This is what I myself practice. I leave my phone in another room a couple of hours before I go to sleep to make sure this time truly belongs to me — I read, study, and dedicate time to my own well-being.

Set-in-stone boundaries are a necessity for anyone who wants to both be productive and have a healthy relationship with their work.

Building a Schedule With Built-in Breaks

Calendars are ruling our lives. Meetings, appointments, calls, reminders, and so on. But rarely can one see a reminder to “Relax” in their calendars. Because no one told us that we could put it in our schedule. What’s even worse, the modern hustle culture almost teaches us that taking breaks during the day is not productive, hence they should not be taken at all. After all, how can there be a period of time when one does nothing? Appalling.

In reality, scheduling time for breaks and actually taking them is more productive than the alternative. Choosing to stay put and working through breaks buys us a one-way ticket to burning out and resenting our task boards.

Doing Nothing

I know, I know. Doing nothing is a thought that often shocks people. We can’t imagine what it’s like and most importantly why we should waste our time like that. But those who have tried it at least once know — that doing absolutely nothing is, arguably, one of the toughest tasks we can face. That is why meditation is so difficult to master.

Setting time aside to be free of tasks and do nothing can reboot our minds and show us that being, as we think, unproductive, is completely normal. It is ok to dedicate time to just being with our thoughts.

It is also ok to watch some Netflix, go away for a weekend, be one with nature, and simply relax. Making this a habit is especially useful for those who think they are obligated to be productive all the time — the epitome of a toxic productivity outlook.

Getting Rid of Unimportant Tasks and Communications

I am sure everyone has experienced this at least once. That feeling of “this call could have been an email.” It has been following us around ever since the pandemic hit and Zoom and Google Meets have become one of the most important and frequently used work tools.

Today, when the amount of daily tasks is, mostly, unregulated, it is critical to prioritize responsibilities. Getting rid of calls that are unimportant or can be turned into quick messages and emails is also crucial. Those who refuse to do this and take on everything thrown their way just for the sake of being productive only waste their time and resources, leaving themselves vulnerable to burnout.

Sorting through my calls and making sure I am only present where I need to be is the art I have been mastering for years. I ask myself, “Will I be able to add anything to the call? Will I learn anything new?” If the answers are “No”, then I simply do not hit that “Join the call” button and get on with my other responsibilities. This is one of the best skills I learned as a CEO and Managing Partner.

The issue with productivity is that it is next to impossible to distinguish between simply a productive week and a timetable becoming toxic. It is important to pause and ask oneself: is this a busy week, or do I just want to be productive, because everywhere I look, I am being told so? If the second is the answer, then the whole approach to work needs to be reviewed and adjusted to lead a more healthy and balanced life.