Non-toxic productivity

About time

Productivity is often associated with the time you spend working. The more you hustle and perform, the more you will achieve and produce.

I think it's one of the most common misconceptions about productivity.

I used to feel guilty about how I spent my time. I used to think that taking a break and relaxing were unproductive ways of spending my time. Using time as a measurement of productivity made me feel restless. I had to hustle all the time.

The easiest way to lose motivation is to burn yourself out. And using time as the measure of productivity is a recipe for burnout.

With this mindset, you'll feel guilty if you are not being productive. You can't play games or hang out with friends without feeling like you are wasting your time.

So how might we feel productive without exchanging our time for "productivity?"

What's your intention?

Always start with a purpose. When you think you should do something, ask yourself why you are doing it. Who are you doing it for? What should be the desired output?

With a goal in mind: you can start to make plans. With a plan, you know how to pace yourself, when to work hard and when to take a break.

Without a goal: you'll be stuck in a mindset where you can't take a break because there is no end to your hustling. You don't have a target. And since it's endless, you need to run all the time.

Being productive for the sake of feeling productive may bring you somewhere. It might be fast, but it will not last.

Intentional productivity helps you achieve non-toxic productivity.

Productivity is relative

To me, productivity can't be one-size-fits-all. Anything can be productive
with the proper justification. As long as you don't overdo it. It depends on the context, intent, and situation. Here are some examples:

Sleep: You spend 1/3 of your day sleeping. But sleeping is productive because your intention is to rest your body. Without proper sleep, you can't work correctly.

Gaming: Can playing games be productive? Yes. If you are a professional esports athlete, it is productive. If you need a break and want to release stress, go for it. Or maybe you want to "push" your rank and play better; that's also fine.

However, the two examples above can't be justified when you do it while working–unless you have the proper justifications. Sometimes even rightfully productive activities can be considered unproductive.

For example, I write and draw comic strips on a weekly basis for The Tiny Wisdom. I consider those as productive activities. But as a designer in my company, they're not. They are unrelated to my work as a designer and do not contribute to my productivity at work.

Productivity is relative. And knowing your goals and intentions can justify productivity.

Don't compare

Lastly, since productivity is relative, you shouldn't compare yourself to others.

Comparison is the thief of joy. When you are "better" than someone, sure, you'd feel good. But when you are not, you will have a bad time. That's why comparing yourself to other people is toxic behaviour.

We all have our own baggage, scars, and burdens, so it's not fair to compare. The result and progress will always be different. That's just how life is.

Non-toxic comparison

Instead, compare your past, current, and future self.

Past: What have you learned? What didn't work? What worked?

Future: What do you want to learn? What do you want to achieve? What does the ideal you look like in the future?

Current: Connect the dots between the past and future. What can you do with the learnings you've gained from your experiences to realize the ideal version of yourself?

What can you do with the learnings you've gained from your experiences to realize the ideal version of yourself?

Self-comparison is the only comparison that you should make. It's self-rewarding. It helps you realise how far you've come, how different you are than you were before, and how much you have grown.

Non-toxic productivity

To be productive without being toxic, stop using time as a measurement for productivity. Use goals and milestones instead.

It doesn't matter if it takes you one week or one month. What matters is that you move at your own pace, keep your mental and physical health good, and be productive simultaneously.

We often forget that, in the end, we're just human beings.

So give yourself a break.

Productivity can wait.

I hope you find this post inspiring.

And whenever life feels too much, remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Brian.