Our collective obsession with productivity is taking away more than it is giving. If you struggle with productivity despite staying current on all the latest and greatest tools and methods, this post is for you.

Just like perfectionism used to, excessive productivity can disguise itself as a good thing. You may be thinking, “what’s wrong with wanting to be productive?”

Our obsession with productivity does not create the outstanding results we might hope. Instead, it can leave us overwhelmed, dissatisfied, and exhausted. Just look at all the widespread discussions about anxiety, stress, insomnia, and burnout.

One primary reason behind our productivity obsession is the belief that productivity equates to success and self-worth. I cringe when people say, “I will rest when I am dead.” Yes, but when will you live?

This toxic mindset can lead to an unhealthy relationship with work and productivity as we continuously strive for more and try to achieve success at any cost. It doesn’t help that we are constantly bombarded with highlight reels and productivity content.

The Perpetual Quest for Productivity

When we aim to improve our productivity, they tend to borrow what others are doing. We attempt to implement popular but generic tools into our lives. After all, it is easy to idealize a new solution because other people make it look elegant and effective. 

And so, we try to shoehorn the latest trend into our lives and get frustrated when we don’t get the expected results. But we must remember that the productivity industry is a colossal business capitalizing on our natural propensities. 

We tend to crave new solutions, looking for the magic pill to solve all our productivity challenges. We can also experience FOMO (fear of missing out) regarding the latest tools and gadgets. 

If all the public figures we admire use a specific software solution as their primary productivity tool, surely there must be something to it. And so, we adopt that same software, overlooking that our idols have different circumstances and might even be incentivized to use the newest tools.  

Productivity Push versus Pull

Decide why you want productivity.

A better way to enhance your productivity is to start by considering what you need. What productivity challenges are you facing, and what problems are you trying to solve? What is your productivity goal?

Then, consider all the productivity tools as mere suggestions for potential solutions. This means you don’t overhaul current systems that work just to adopt the latest trend. 

You need to pull the relevant tools into your life based on your identified needs rather than letting the industry push new products on you. 

When you assess your needs and pick accordingly, you are no longer at the mercy of trends. You make the switch from passive consumption to intentional curation. 

Furthermore, when the problem or opportunity is defined, you can determine what success looks like. This means that there is a clear end in sight. And when you reach the desired result, you can stop looking.

If your productivity goal is to make time to exercise three times a week, you can stop tweaking your routine when you are consistently exercising. No further optimization is required. 

Redefine Productivity for Yourself

In an ideal world, your productivity system would be tool-agnostic. It would be based on timeless principles and frameworks that support your priorities.

Productivity is a means to an end. It is not the end goal. You don’t need to optimize everything. In fact, I would argue that certain areas of your life should be lackadaisical. 

When you spend quality time with your loved ones, when you are on vacation, and when you are unwinding from a long day, productivity should not be the focus. 

I hope you can identify personal practices where productivity and optimization are unimportant and can even be detrimental. 

Stop rushing through life. Clarify where productivity is needed and stop optimizing when you get the desired results. 

Combine Consumption with Production

There are hundreds of productivity methods out there. We hope that the perfect one will solve all of our productivity problems. That is a myth; it doesn’t exist. The only way to move forward is to pick a method and try it out. 

Be mindful of the disconnect between what you know, conceptually, and what you practice. There is little intrinsic value in learning all kinds of cool concepts if you do not apply them. Your life does not improve because you collect ideas that you would like to try someday if someday never comes.

So, keep your backlog of new productivity ideas small. When a neat idea comes your way, take steps to test it out. Try it for a week or two or for a month. Test it long enough to explore it fully. Then, review your experience and decide if it works for you. 

By experimenting often, you reduce your mental load by sorting between what works for you and what you can let go of. Build your customized toolbox and get rid of the noise. Keep only what adds value to your life.

Create Margin

The ultimate goal for productivity is to create more time, but time for what? The worst case scenario is that you free up time only to fill it with lots of new busy work.

This can quickly become a hamster wheel of doom. Productivity begets more activities that require more productivity. 

But what if the goal of productivity is to create margin? 

Creating margin means intentionally leaving room in your schedule, physical space, and mental and emotional capacity to allow for rest, reflection, and spontaneity. 

Margin is the space between what you have to do and what you choose to do, and it gives you the freedom to breathe and be creative. 

But margin feels uncomfortable for a lot of us. If every minute is not “productive,” we can get antsy and anxious. 

Here is a fun exercise you can try. Carve out some time to do nothing. Don’t scroll on your phone. Turn off all the screens. Just let yourself be bored and see where your thoughts take you.

Boredom is a much-needed reprieve from the constant flow of information and stimulation. It gives the brain a break and can even foster creativity. Give yourself room to hear your own thoughts. 

Learn to Enjoy Your Downtime

Cultivate hobbies and recreational activities to pass (read: waste) time on purpose. You don’t have to share the end result with others. Pursue these hobbies just for you. 

I challenge you to see these activities as intrinsically worthy of your time. They should not be monetized or tied to any specific outcome, only your pure enjoyment.

They don’t need to be posted on social media, used to compete with others, or touted to create more clout. Removing the outside gaze and comparison is essential.

In the moments when you lose yourself doing something that fuels your soul without any accountability to others, you are truly living. So make time to live your life.

Everything else is just life maintenance – work, bills, appointments, etc.