Burnout is viewed by 40% of employees as a necessary component of success. However, the reality is that such extreme production cannot last in the long term. It's simple to begin gauging your self-worth by how much you can accomplish when you push yourself too hard for an extended period. You begin to feel bad for spending time doing things you used to like, such as taking a walk, reading a book, or talking with family and friends at the dinner table.
The toxic productivity refers to this mentality. And if it does, remember that you are not alone and that things can improve.
What Do You Mean By Toxic Productivity?
The need to be productive constantly without relaxation—not just at work but in every aspect of life—is known as toxic productivity. It occurs when you exert unhealthy amounts of pressure on yourself to accomplish more, frequently at the expense of your physical and mental health. You might believe that walking with a friend or having coffee with colleagues cannot be done only for their own sake. Instead, each of your acts must serve as a small step toward a bigger objective.
Toxic conditions make routine tasks boring and force you to exert too much effort for too long. Long-term effects of this include sadness, burnout, and other negative effects on one's physical and mental health.
Signs of Productivity which is Toxic
Since some output is healthy, it can be challenging to tell when your work ethics become harmful. And while toxic productivity can present itself in various ways depending on the individual, the following are some typical warning signs to look out for:
Regularly Working Overtime
It's common to put in a few extra hours now and then to accomplish a huge assignment, but if you do it frequently, it can rapidly turn poisonous. It includes working on the weekends, coming in early to "catch up," staying up late, and monitoring work channels when you have free time. Remember that toxic productivity differs from being overworked; if you put in more hours on purpose, that might be poisonous. If you have to do it, you're probably overworked.
Purpose-Driven Activities Only
When you have poisonous productivity, activities that don't directly advance a goal frequently feel like a waste of time. Avoid "unproductive" pursuits like relaxing, spending time with loved ones, and simply talking at the moment.
Deprioritizing Self-Care
If taking care of yourself feels like a waste of time, your productivity may be toxic. Deprioritizing activities like sleep, preparing healthy foods, working out, and spending time with loved ones illustrates this. Toxic productivity can cause someone to skip meals, put off using the restroom, or even put off obtaining a drink of water.
Feeling Anxious or Depressed All Time
Trying "always on" can harm your mental health. The amount of work you have to complete may cause you to worry that you're not doing enough and cause you ongoing anxiety. Depression is another frequent symptom, peculiarly if your poisonous productivity makes you feel cut off from your loved ones and the pursuits you once delighted in.
Ways to Overcome Productivity are Toxic
Productivity is a marathon, not a sprint, despite the cliche. Some strategies we've provided below will help you and your team break the cycle of toxic productivity and regain balance.
Define Work Limit
Setting limits is particularly crucial for remote workers. According to our research, 37% of knowledge workers claim that while working remotely, their days don't have a distinct beginning or end time. As a result, 38% of workers who work remotely spend more time reading emails after hours, and 35% spend more time considering work during downtime.
How to establish limits around employment is as follows:
Set a time for your group (or yourself) to begin and end.
Be outspoken about the boundaries you impose as a manager.
Make lengthier response times the norm.
Select Practical Goals
Set and strive toward objectives that you can reasonably complete in the allotted amount of time. It is how:
Set SMART goals
Be real with yourself
Build in time for rest
Use goals to prioritize work
Don't Forget to Take Breaks
Some research establishes the 3M frameworks, which divides break into three categories:
Macro breaks: A half- or full-day excursion, such as a hike, day trip, or family visit—every month.
Meso breaks: It is one to two hours per week, such as a music class, a sporting event, or a lengthy walk.
Micro breaks: A few minutes took several times during the day for stretching or meditation.
Also watch: EmpMonitor Corporate Video
Wrapping Up
Without tiring yourself physically, you can still do well at work. Interrupting the loop of toxic productivity can help you flourish over the long term. Instead of "rising and grinding" at your job every day, approach it with the balance it requires for you to prosper.
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