SAYING GOODBYE TO A DECEITFUL GUY – TOXIC PRODUCTIVITY

Tightly-spaced-houses-in-Sài-Gòn looking schedules are what you always aim for even though you know how impossible it is? An afternoon without completing two or three tasks makes you feel guilty and disappointed with yourself? Bingo! You completely match the topic we are going to discuss – toxic productivity.

Reported by Huffpost, Monday, September 13, the term “toxic productivity” is used to refer to people who are workaholics. Simone Milasas, a business coach and the author of “Joy of Business” stated: “Toxic productivity can make us feel like a failure if we’re not constantly doing. When toxic productivity is leading your life, you judge yourself every day for what you haven’t done, rather than looking at what you have accomplished.” What’s more, toxic productivity also has an adverse effect on your relationships. “You might be short-tempered and frustrated with those close to you,” Milasas added. “It’s exhausting to be trapped in the cycle of toxic productivity,” she concluded.

This term is recorded to have become prevalent during the pandemic, when most people were undergoing quarantine. This could be contributed by a number of factors, one of which lies in the fact that we, all of a sudden, had an unprecedented amount of free time and a great desire to optimize our performance. At the same time, motivational quotes on social networks also incentivized working extra hours to fill in your new-found additional spare time. There was a viral tweet going like this: “If you don’t come out of this quarantine with either: 1) a new skill 2) starting what you’ve been putting off like a new business 3) more knowledge [then] you didn’t ever lack the time, you lacked the discipline.” As a result, the problem arose as people working from home were misled to believe that they had more time to spare when in reality, they did not. Working from home blurred the temporal and spatial boundaries between work and personal life; that their working time is blended with their out-of-office hours as well as being at home all day round puts them at risk of thinking that they are not really working. As a result, remote workers tried to convert their free time into second shift hours. According to Milasas, the funny thing about toxic productivity is that this phenomenon does not stem from official management at work but inside our heads because we have desires, such as being more recognized, superior, and more accomplished.

How can we retain only “productivity” and remove “toxic” right away? If you find yourself constantly wondering “What should I be doing now?” Milasas suggested a better question to ask yourself: “What could I do or create with ease now? What would it take to create this with zero stress?” Another practical measure is to add “self-care” to your to-do list, still, this bullet point tends to be ignored. Your enjoyment and mental health deserve to be considered as much as other tasks, don’t they? One amazing remedial measure highly recommended is learning to play again. “Play is time spent without purpose. It is the opposite of toxic productivity.” Brené Brown explained. Naturally, we knew how to play when we were children. Later on our amusement was attached to the time limit as well as other tasks in our to-do lists. This partly comes from the inner belief that we are only valuable if we work 24/7. From now on, try to enjoy your relaxing time and put aside feelings of guilt if you are not working.

In conclusion, productivity should not only serve as a measurement for self-assurance. Recognizing potential hazards and applying recommended solutions could contribute to maintaining your mental and physical health.