Toxic productivity will ruin your life: 8 solutions to address it
Posted on Mar 29, 2022 at 08:03 PM
Do you find yourself sitting in your office, forcing yourself to work longer and harder without taking time off? This kind of toxic productivity can ruin your health and relationships if you repeat it daily, and it becomes the basis of your assessment. Because it will make you feel a lot more nervous and anxious, it will reduce your productive capacity and morale, and you will become less accomplished and less happy in the long run.
This article will tell you what toxic productivity is and how to avoid falling into its fisheries.
What's toxic productivity?
Most of us think of productivity as a good thing. And it is â to a point. Productivity means you can get more done in less time, and that's the goal in most businesses. But there are times when toxic productivity is far worse than not being productive. Why? Because toxic productivity comes with unintended consequences that can be costly.
Toxic productivity describes a person who works so hard that it hurts more than it helps. This type of productivity can be harmful to the individual and the company.
In other words, toxic productivity is an unhealthy desire to do tasks you haven't done on your daily to-do list instead of counting tasks you've already done!
What are the signs of toxic productivity?
The first step to solving the problem is to acknowledge its existence. If you're not sure whether your productivity habits are detrimental to your mental health, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you feel exhausted frequently?
- Do you feel you can't finish your job once and for all?
- Do you work long hours, but you still feel like you haven't accomplished anything?
- Do you constantly feel behind schedule?
If you answer "yes" to any of the previous questions, you're probably suffering from toxic productivity, and it's essential to step back and reassess your work habits.
It's easy to fall into toxic productivity because there are plenty of opportunities:
- You get a promotion, and suddenly you're working 50 hours a week instead of 40.
- Or you take on some more freelance clients, and now you're working nights and weekends.
- Or maybe it's just that your kids are growing up, you have more responsibilities at home, and it's hard to squeeze everything in.
- Maybe you feel like there isn't enough time to get everything done that needs to be done.
If you're not careful, your increased workload can become a lifestyle in any of those cases.
Toxic productivity is a sure-fire way to destroy your performance, not improve it. It sounds counterintuitive, but in the long term, working too hard and depriving yourself of rest or nutrition will make you less productive!
8 Solutions to address toxic productivity:
1- Setting work limits:
Having a specific time to stop talking and working on tasks can help you reduce fatigue, find time to sleep, spend time with friends and family, and practice hobbies. You'll also notice a positive growth in your productivity outcomes.
2- Setting smart goals:
One of the most important characteristics of smart goals is that they are specific and achievable.
So in setting your goals, I adopt realism and don't overload myself. Divide your goals into small parts and enjoy doing them until you reach the big goal.
Targets are not cleverly set in some toxic work environments, and employees are left to work randomly. Suppose you work in such a work environment. In that case, you need to start by dividing your goals and organizing them to make them more realistic so you can relate your product to their achievement, thereby avoiding the risks of toxic productivity.
3- Task scheduling:
The to-do list will significantly help you schedule tasks.
Make lists that help you manage the quality of your work and balance your productivity.
Please make a list of professional tasks, personal tasks, family tasks, and other lists that give you satisfaction when they are done. And remember, time management skills will make you more productive!
These lists will increase the cumulative annual productivity of your work as an employee or manager of a company. When compiled, you will find that you are accomplished in practice and parallel at all levels.
4- Request mental health assistance:
If you find some or all of your toxic signs of productivity, do not hesitate to seek help from a competent person. Instead of complaining too much and drowning in fatigue, you will be able to visit one or two to find the right solution.
5- Make entertainment a priority, not welfare:
Set a time every day to do something that brings comfort and pleasure to yourself. Play a hobby, call a best friend, take a walk with someone you care about, participate in sports, avoid toxic relationships as much as possible, and invest your time in whatever recharges your batteries and restores your ability to produce with passion and enthusiasm at work.
6- Appreciate your efforts:
Suppose you're willing to do the minor tasks before the biggest one. In that case, as tired as you are and allowing yourself to breathe three times more comfortably every 3 hours of continuous work, this method can give your brain some rest and get rid of the problem of toxic productivity.
7- Use the Eisenhower matrix:
Organizing your Eisenhower-style tasks will increase the productive efficiency of your work, as this matrix relies on the division of tasks into four parts (important, urgent, important, not urgent, not necessary, not urgent).
8- Fix your self-talk:
Try not to determine your self-worth based on your productivity and lower your expectations of how much you can do. That's why bettering your self-talk can increase your confidence in your effort and work.
How can companies solve or avoid the problem of toxic productivity?
The first step is to define what productivity means for your company. Toxic productivity results from management that are focused on getting things done rather than how things are done. It creates a culture that puts working long hours and late nights at the office ahead of being productive.
Workers in such environments often feel like they have to be seen working hard, even if it means staying at work late when there's no work to do. This situation can lead to burnout, depression and other harmful effects. But these issues can be avoided by:
Workplace policies should be developed to increase flexible work arrangements for everyone, not just for parents or those caring for children. This can include more flexible hours, such as starting earlier or ending later when schools are closed during the summer or holiday breaks. It could also mean allowing employees to work some days of the week remotely.
- Policies should also be developed that allow employees to leave work earlier if they need to pick up kids from school or daycare or attend parent-teacher conferences or school events without having it count against their accrual of paid time off (PTO) or sick days. Employers who offer these programs have a better chance of attracting and retaining top talent.
- Fostering a healthy lifestyle. Making sure employees know they are valued will increase employee engagement and reduce stress and improve their overall health. Business leaders can encourage this by offering health insurance, access to gym membership discounts, or even holding weekly walks around the building.
- Make sure communication channels are open. Keep lines of communication open between employees and managers at all times. Ensure employees aren't afraid to turn to someone for help if they need it â whether it's for mental health issues or workplace problems affecting their productivity (or both).
In conclusion,
While each of the earlier solutions may seem relatively simple, they can make a big difference to your ability to deliver and treat toxic productivity, so you can go a long way towards creating a healthy work environment.
As we advise you to attend productivity training courses in London, investing in improving the quality of work while supporting your psychological and physical health and practical skills will always make you feel satisfied and successful.
