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Productivity is one of the most popular topics in the world. Every day, people come up with new tools to achieve goals and release books that promise to lead readers to success. A real boom has risen around what used to be a simple indicator of the efficiency of the production of goods and services. And some have become really obsessed.
It all starts with basic reward systems. High productivity constantly gives us pleasant bonuses, for example, in the form of a salary increase or public recognition. Gradually, performance becomes an end in itself, and we become obsessed with it.
This phenomenon is much more common than it seems. Experts from Norway and Hungary conducted research on this topic and received very similar results. The Norwegians have identified C. S. Andreassen, M. D. Griffiths, et al. The prevalence of workaholism: A survey study in a nationally representative sample of norwegian employees / PLoS ONE that 7.3–8.3% of the country's residents are obsessed with work. And in Hungary they found out M. D. Griffiths, Z. Demetrovics, et al. Ten myths about work addiction / Journal of Behavioral Addictions that 8.2% of people who work at least 40 hours a week are at risk of work obsession. In the USA, this indicator holds M. Griffiths. Term warfare: ‘Workaholism’ and work addiction are not the same at around 10%, but some researchers estimate the real share at 15-25%.
The main danger of such obsession is that it is considered acceptable in society. Productive "addicts" can be incredibly successful, earn a lot of money and be loved by others. But everything has consequences. Obsession with productivity can end in burnout, family problems and health disorders.
Many of us have been taught since childhood that our value directly depends on what contribution we make to society. The bigger it is, the better. "I work, therefore I exist." This means that productivity is one of the most effective ways to raise self—esteem. Several alarming signals indicate that performance is turning into obsession.
Productive "addicts" may suffer from "time anxiety". It's an obsession with spending every day as meaningfully as possible.
Such an aspiration follows from several questions that a person constantly scrolls in his head. Am I doing something really valuable in my life? When my time comes, won't I regret spending too many days, months, or even years on nonsense?
The constant desire to occupy your time, the inability to relax and do absolutely nothing can be vivid signs of obsession with productivity.
Let's say you really like gardening. You like to study different types of plants and flowers and take care of them. If you are obsessed with productivity, you may have a desire to turn this hobby into something more productive. For example, open a small business selling gardening tools or create a thematic blog.
It doesn't matter if it's emails that you didn't have time to sort out, or a to—do list from which you couldn't cross out all the items. For those obsessed with productivity, any slip turns into a problem that does not allow you to fall asleep. Instead of turning off the computer and returning to tasks tomorrow, such people cannot distance themselves and feel a burning sense of guilt for not achieving even the smallest and most ridiculous goals.
Are you trying to finish your family dinner faster so you can get back to work? Canceling plans with friends to finish a project? Or maybe you sacrifice sleep to complete all the tasks?
Of course, everyone has such situations from time to time. But for productive "addicts" this is the norm. They always prefer work to other areas of their life.
Dr. Brene Brown of the University of Houston describes this "crazy busyness" as an "analgesic" strategy that helps avoid unpleasant truths about us and about our lives. Sometimes this strategy even creates the illusion of productivity.
Fortunately, obsession with productivity is not a disease, and a few simple techniques will help you avoid falling into this trap.
There is no magic pill that will instantly get rid of obsession. However, some techniques of conscious productivity will help you move along the path of healing a little faster.
To get rid of the obsession with productivity, you need to understand where it comes from and how it works. What kind of reward system makes you pay too much attention to your performance? Perhaps money, public recognition, or something else? What patterns of behavior at work harm other areas of your life?
Write down the answers to these questions in your diary. This is a great way to reflect on your relationship with productivity.
For many of us, work is an important part of our personality. However, this should not be a key aspect of your self-esteem. What else do you care about? In what areas would you like to develop in addition to work? To what extent do your current priorities correspond to your internal values?
Next time, instead of automatically making an endless list of tasks, ask yourself which one meaningful goal you could work on today.
Remember that not all hobbies should turn into projects. Let at least some of them remain just a pleasant pastime. Let your favorite hobby remain a space for experimentation — do not let productivity with all its limitations go there.
"Anxiety about time" forces us to constantly adjust ourselves. As a result, we are constantly panicking and on the verge. It seems to us that we are making the most of the hours and minutes given to us, but in fact we are just in a hurry, not having time to enjoy them.
Try to take breaks more often and learn to do nothing without feeling inner discomfort. Determine what "time spent usefully" means to you, and try to regularly carve out minutes for such moments.
Instead of relying on popular methods that are not necessarily suitable for you, create your own system for achieving goals. Analyze your priorities and hobbies, observe your daily routine and decide which techniques will allow you to succeed without sacrificing your mental health.
And finally, watch out for your triggers. It is very easy for a productive "addict" to return to old habits, especially when a new job, hobby or inspiring goal appears. Practicing conscious productivity and taking care of mental health will make working days much more pleasant and easier.
