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In many ways, the term toxic productivity is very similar to a term that most people have heard of before: workaholics.
There are times when it is necessary to prioritize work and miss a social event or be late, but it shouldn’t be consistent.
Esquer said that “we could have used our free time to rest, recharge, and restore ourselves, but many of us filled those hours with more work as a way to feel worthy, fulfilled, and in control.”
Simone Milasas, a business coach and author of ‘Joy of Business,’ says that people suffering from toxic productivity will judge themselves every day on what they haven’t achieved, rather than what they have.
Essentially the term describes when someone feels they have to go the extra mile at work, that they need to be productive at all times, even if it is not expected of them.
Milasas says that, “If you’re constantly trying to force things into existence or feeling guilty, that’s toxic productivity.”
Another sign of toxic productivity is fatigue and exhaustion, especially if you’re feeling it first thing in the morning.
In a sense, there is a more significant explanation for this. It is part of the human spirit to work in times of uncertainty.
Laurie Ruettimann, a human resources consultant and author, says that people suffering from toxic productivity will show sure signs in their communication.
Toxic productivity describes how someone continues to work, even when the task is complete. They feel a guiltiness that they haven’t done enough.
This is because, for the person suffering from toxic productivity, too much is never enough.
Kathryn Esquer, a psychologist and founder of the Teletherapist Network, says that many of us became unsure of ourselves and uncertain in our jobs when we went into lockdown. This pushed us to work harder, but while the lockdown is over, the trend remains.
Instead, you can ask yourself, according to Milasas, “what could I do or create with ease right now that won’t stress me out?”
It can become a problem in many ways, simply because the person puts their progress in work or otherwise over many aspects of their life, too much of the time.
They may call for a meeting when an email would be sufficient or use a lot of jargon that makes a conversation twice as long as it needs to be. This is rooted in their guilt and fear of not performing as well as they could.
One way of overcoming this is to stop asking yourself, “what should I be doing right now?”
Another step to overcoming this is to realize that your boss is a lot less interested in you going the extra mile than you might realize. They have their own lives too–their own families, friends, and hobbies–and they may not even realize how much extra work you're doing, according to Ruettimann.
Ruettimann has coined the term “professional detachment.” This describes staying committed to your job and doing quality work while also understanding that it’s not your identity.
Milasas says that we should question what we’re doing when deciding to work those extra hours at night. That we should question the choice that we have made, and why we made it.
It also has benefits for people in terms of work itself. Ruettimann says that “when you’re professionally detached, you treat everyone like clients: your boss, peers, and colleagues.”
It’s necessary now and again to work hard, and we can work hard while also considering our health and well-being.
In this way, it presents those who practice it with a sense of freedom; they show up to work out of choice, not just because it’s “who they are” and what they have to do.
There are different work cultures in different countries. It would be looked down upon to do any more than is expected of you in some countries, for example. Yet in others, like in the US, you are often rewarded for it.
Ultimately, we should be aware of where and why we are spending our energy and whether it's out of choice or out of guilt, anxiety, and toxic productivity.
Sources: (HuffPost) (Create & Cultivate)(Grazia) (The Ascent)
See also: Smart and sneaky ways to incorporate exercise into your workday
Considering the vast number of people working from home these days, more people work more than they should be. It’s just so much easier to do when you’re working from home. You are, in a sense, always in the office. Volunteering to do projects even though you don’t have the time, or constantly needing to do “one last thing,” even though you are already late for dinner, are just some of the signs. This has a name: toxic productivity.
To explore more about toxic productivity and what we can do to help ourselves if we’re suffering from it, click through this gallery.
What is toxic productivity? Here are the signs
Here are the signs
LIFESTYLE Work-life balance
Considering the vast number of people working from home these days, more people work more than they should be. It’s just so much easier to do when you’re working from home. You are, in a sense, always in the office. Volunteering to do projects even though you don’t have the time, or constantly needing to do “one last thing,” even though you are already late for dinner, are just some of the signs. This has a name: toxic productivity.
To explore more about toxic productivity and what we can do to help ourselves if we’re suffering from it, click through this gallery.