How to Combat Toxic Productivity

I recently read a blog post by Scott Ninneman in which Scott says: “The beautiful thing about helping others is that you don’t have to be an expert. No, instead, you only have to be a little further along than the person you’re assisting.”

Generally, I like to show up for you as the expert. But sometimes my expertise comes from my own seat on the struggle bus, maybe just a row or two ahead of where you’re sitting. Today’s going to be one of those days.

I’ve always prided myself on my productivity. I’m a go-getter, an over-achiever. I was voted Teachers’ Pet in my high school yearbook. And oh yes, there’s a photo. But in the past couple of years, I’ve noted that my drive to achieve has started to feel more like a need, a compulsion. It’s as if being busy is the thing, rather than the means to a purposeful outcome.

In trying to better understand my own experience, I encountered the idea of toxic productivity. It feels…like me. And I’ve made some strides toward overcoming it. And my goal today is to share some actionable insights I’ve picked up and put into practice along the way.

What is toxic productivity?

I’m not knocking productivity. Like exercising or saving money, it is truly a virtue... until it’s not.

Productivity, in my book, is the act of doing or delivering things that yield a benefit or positive outcome—like shipping a product to your client, publishing a blog post designed to attract new customers, or learning a new skill that will support your professional goals.

Productivity becomes toxic when the act of doing—of just being busy—is the goal. It’s the inability to stop doing or producing even when the need for an outcome has abated. Your customer is happy, your blog is published, you’ve learned enough for today. And yet, you keep going because stopping or shutting down scares you.

Toxic productivity hangs out at the same parties as workaholism and hustle culture. It’s not the party the cool kids are going to.

What are the indicators of toxic productivity?

The slope from productive to toxically productive can be a slippery one. It may manifest differently in everyone. But here are some of the signs I—and my family—noted in my own behavior.

• My energy was low. I was burned out, exhausted, and not resting sufficiently because shutting down was so hard for me to do.
• My...

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