Pandemic Productivity

What is Toxic Productivity?

Our work culture places a lot of value on productivity and celebrates the trade-off between mental health with productivity and achievement. Rarely do we find healthy sleeping schedules, reasonable goals or self-care being lauded. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced productivity as a goal in daily lives. People have been feeling the pressure to achieve radical self-improvement above all else during their time in self-quarantine due to various influences.

 

The belief that if we leave lockdown not having learnt a new language or written a novel then we have somehow failed is a toxic productivity message. This hyper-productive response to the lockdown is perhaps symbolic of an impending mental health crisis within an already anxious and goal-oriented work culture where self-worth is associated with the amount of work one accomplishes.

 

Pushing oneself towards self-improvement, basing it entirely on productivity and feeling overwhelmed because one is not able to achieve the ‘unrealistic’ expectations that have been set are perhaps indicative of romanticising hustle culture — where burnout and stress are being normalised. In a highly competitive way of life, taking breaks and valuing mental health is often equated with failure, that encourages toxic productivity.

 

The feelings of guilt of not doing enough while trying to bounce back and forth between tasks stem from a sense of productivity guilt promoted by hustle culture, which is fueled  by the current information overload via social media platforms.

 

These relentless and unrealistic expectations can make an already traumatic situation even worse. Expecting the same output from oneself during a crisis is like expecting the same quality of a product after the machines break down. If you experience restlessness while trying to unwind or relax, it might be a good time to take a step back and introspect. 

 

Why is Keeping Busy the Norm?

It has been found in studies that people are used to keeping busy to escape from their reality. It is a form of division and dissonance of the mind. Additionally, being busy has been a socially acceptable way to cope with negative emotions for a long time. Mental health professionals have stated that anxiety often manifests itself as a feeling of persistent and excessive worry. This “always-on” culture, even in crisis, is an unsettling reflection of our unwillingness to confront and acknowledge uncomfortable feelings as a society.

 

Unlearning these Toxic Behaviours

Mindfulness helps eliminate the social misconception that happiness and achievement are co-dependent. It’s essential to provide space for ourselves to express our burdening emotions and concerns so that we can process them.

Within the constructs of an achievement-oriented society, productivity is often linked to self-worth. No matter how much one might be accomplishing; be it checking off all the items on their planner, or cooking that three-course meal, it still feels like there’s room for more work to be done. 

 

While in self-quarantine, goal achievement is amongst limited available options to trigger dopamine–one of four neurotransmitters responsible for our happiness. It is imperative to understand that ultra productivity and laziness are only two extremes on the spectrum, not the only two options. 

 

You can be productive without the looming threat of failure and damaging your self-worth. You don’t always have to be motivated to the point of sickness. The sacrifices you make for external validation and acceptance should not cost you your health and happiness.

 

Recognise that you are enough as you are today. Recognise that self-care is not an indulgence, it is a necessity to achieve good physical and mental health. It’s about feeling fulfilled while doing things for our growth and drawing a line when the work starts eating into other aspects of our life. Challenge the narrative that intertwines self-worth with productivity and busyness.

 

 

Written By:

Khushi Boken

Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi

Intern, Brain Behaviour Research Foundation of India

 

 

References:

Walker, G. F. (2020, May 12). People Are Using ‘Pandemic Productivity’ as a Distraction From Grief, Vulnerability. The Swaddle. https://theswaddle.com/people-are-using-pandemic-productivity-as-a-distraction-from-grief-vulnerability/