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For as long as I can remember, I have always been that person that motivates themself to always do better and work harder, pushing myself to the limit in order to always be the absolute “best” version of myself. This is something that I’ve never given much thought to either, in fact, I have spent the majority of my life being driven by the praises of others that define me as a “dedicated”, “hard-working”, “highly productive” individual. I recently however stumbled across an article that brought to light our society’s culture of toxic productivity, a phrase that I had never heard of.
The author of the article, Protima Tiwary, defines the concept of toxic productivity as “an obsession with radical self-improvement and is an unachievable goal which causes us to set high standards for ourselves. No matter how productive we might be, there is always a feeling of guilt for not having done more.” This definition really stopped me in my tracks and made me think, “Wow. If this isn’t me, then I don’t know what is”. She also related this article to current thoughts and behaviors of our society in light of the pandemic we are facing, in which so many people feel an immense sense of pressure to constantly improve themselves, whether that be through working harder at home, or using their excess free time to explore some great new talent, get in shape, read hundreds of eye-opening books, etc.
I can totally relate; when the pandemic first hit, I laid out all of these goals for myself: I would read every single day, teach myself how to run long distances, journal daily, cook fun meals often, craft many super fashionable outfits, and probably so many more that I can’t even remember. And you know what? I spent the majority of all of this wonderful free time relaxing, watching way too many episodes of Gilmore Girls and Chrisley Knows Best, and doing the bare minimum, and being this “high-achieving, goal-setting, driven” person that I am, I found myself feeling so extremely guilty for not utilizing this time to be some premier version of Mary Catherine: the best possible version of myself. I mean, if it couldn’t happen during a year of partial lockdown, when would the best time ever be?
This article and the concept of toxic productivity, though, inspired me to take a step back and realize that it’s 100% okay to not always be “better” than you were the day before. In fact, every day, I’m learning that sometimes it’s okay to simply exist. Yes, just exist: not always striving to be more. Especially in a year that has been so difficult in so many ways; we are facing a global pandemic, you know!
Of course, I still understand the value of setting high goals for yourself and the positive outcomes of achieving them; however, one thing I have found is that once you eliminate that sense of pressure, whether it be from yourself, others, or society in general, your life will be so much more enjoyable and achieving those goals will be an even more fulfilling experience.
If this was your first time hearing the phrase “toxic productivity,” I highly encourage you to read the brief referenced article and ask yourself if this is something that is affecting your life as much as it was mine. It is something that I am now acknowledging in my everyday life, and I am working to overcome the guilt that is associated with it. In closing, I want to remind you that there are many days of your life that you will spend simply existing, and it is so important to understand that that is perfectly okay.
Reference:
Tiwary, Protima. “Are You Suffering From Toxic Productivity? Here's How To Spot The Signs.” Grazia.co, 18 Dec. 2020, www.grazia.co.in/lifestyle/rise-and-grind-6410.html
Mary Catherine Medley is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2024. She is studying criminal justice and political science at the University of Louisville.