You can listen to the article. If it's more convenient for you, turn on the podcast:
To describe our attitude to work, more and more terms are appearing, for example, "impostor syndrome" or "burnout". "Productivity dysmorphia" is another new concept. It explains why you are unhappy with your results, even when others are sure that you are doing everything right.
Imagine that you are the manager of a coffee shop. In one working day, you sent all orders to suppliers, cleaned all coffee machines, launched a new advertising campaign, made a schedule for all employees for the next month and responded to every message. In this hypothetical scenario, you did a great job — you completed all the tasks and paid attention to the wishes of the staff. Then why do you feel like you haven't done enough and failed on all fronts at all? The answer is simple — productivity dysmorphia.
This feeling is at the crossroads of anxiety, impostor syndrome and burnout. And, according to the co-author of the book "Burnout" by Amelia Nagoski, is probably one of the key signs of the latter. Productivity dysmorphia does not allow us to notice our successes. "This happens because our body has been under stress for too long. As soon as it becomes chronic, we stop seeing the big picture," explains Do I Have Productivity Dysmorphia? / Refinery29 Amelia Nagoski.
The main key to combating productivity dysmorphia is the awareness that you achieve goals and do a good job. Sometimes it is necessary to see your progress on paper. So make to-do lists regularly and don't be alarmed if they get longer and longer. Mark the completion of each task, and gradually you will be able to cross out all the items.
Seeing your small victories is very important. At the end of the day, even if you managed to delete only half of the cases from the list, you will notice how much you managed. If at this stage you still feel that you haven't done enough, it's okay. Focus on what happened and remind yourself that this is a very good result.
Many of us work in a constantly changing environment: a few days in the office, a few days at home. At the same time, personal experiences also affect our productivity. The notes will help you figure out how comfortable you feel with the current amount of work and whether you are overloading yourself.
The next time you receive a message thanking you for a job well done, don't reply "No problem." Stop for a second and think about this feedback. Very often we do not notice pleasant comments because we are too busy with work. Don't let the positivity pass you by. This is exactly what productivity dysmorphia is trying to achieve.
Create a special folder in your phone or on your computer with screenshots of positive reviews and add any pleasant messages from your boss, colleagues or even friends there.
You should not rely entirely on someone else's approval. Just remind yourself more often that others appreciate your work and notice its results.
Productivity dysmorphia affects us outside of work as well. Let's say you planned to go to the gym every day, and at the end of the week you had so much work that you missed the last class. It makes you feel like a failure. But that's not true. After all, you went to the gym the previous six days. One pass does not reset the previously applied efforts. We all get tired.
Try to rethink what productivity is for you. Of course, to complete all the tasks, to find time for a hobby or a gym is very productive. But to rest — too. Such a reboot is necessary for the brain and body to achieve more in the future and reduce the risks of burnout. Treat everything, including rest, as another step on the way to productivity.
Your achievements do not define you as a person. You determine your own victories. You are much more than the tasks you completed on time, the number of your subscribers in social networks or the money you earned. And that's good news, because you're doing a lot, no matter what your productivity dysmorphia tells you.
