Why obsessive productivity ruins our life

Time is ticking.

You feel the pressure between your desires, needs, and societal expectations.

You struggle to convince yourself that others' opinions don't matter, you aim to balance a social life, fun activities, family time, career fulfilment, household responsibilities, and being the best version of yourself for you and your kids. Do laundry. Love your partner. Love yourself. Have financial freedom. Read, listen to that podcast, set time aside for that new hobby you have. Invest in yourself, pursue neglected interests too. Reply to those old messages marked as Unread.

So work harder, squeeze in extra 30 minutes of work in the evening, adopt the Pomodoro technique for every facet of life, prioritize the three big bets in the morning and wake up at 5 am— maybe you'll finally save time for a break, or have a moment to work towards your dream life. Don't forget cold baths, meditation, journaling and a fitness routine.

Work harder, be productive, act consciously with intention in every aspect of life.

Work. Work.

Because, without it, the dream life might remain elusive. Or?

I struggle with finding true relaxation.

It's like my mind is wired to always be planning or doing something that contributes to my future.

Even the idea of doing nothing feels strange—it's as if my inner self constantly nudges me towards actions that build my envisioned life.

A life that for me includes simple joys, like baking sourdough without carrying the weight of guilt that I spent my time and energy on something that somehow feels unimportant, unnecessary. A life where my career ambitions are fulfilled, living in the countryside with my husband and a vegetable-filled garden and no financial worry.

A life where watching my dog play freely around our cottage isn't overshadowed by an endless to-do list. An endless, rushed list.

I aspire for a life where my relationship with my husband and the rhythm of our home aren't lost in the chaos of daily tasks.

I crave those quiet morning coffee moments, not just a rushed prelude to work.

I want to take the time to cook and enjoy nutritious meals, even if it means an extra hour in the kitchen.

I'm drawn to a life where the constant hustle to be productive eases up, where doing nothing doesn't trigger guilt or the fear of missing out.

It's about finding a balance that aligns with the essence of who I am, where taking a moment to live simply doesn't come with a side of guilt.

I am a living contradiction.

I like spending time in my handmade paper hobby, but at the same time, I don't always look forward to it because it feels like a distraction from the more important things that could bring me closer to my aspired life. The things that directly contribute to my goals.

I only feel truly content when I'm working towards a life where I'll finally be able to enjoy simple things of life, or even doing nothing every now and then.

But coming back to being a contradiction, I don't feel good when I work all the time towards that final destination either. Sure, it gives me a sense of productivity, accomplishment, and financial comfort for the day. But when the week is over, I find myself wishing I had spent more time with my family or exploring other aspects of life that make me feel more alive. More time enjoying these simple pleasures instead of waiting for my dream life to take shape.

More time enjoying my household, gardening, going back to traditional ways of living. Natural aspects of life. Simplicity.

There's nothing inherently wrong with being productive and working towards our goals—I believe productivity can be crucial in certain situations.

But I feel caught in a loop of productivity.

Working more to save time, only to spend that saved time working even more to save even more time.

It's a cycle of being productive to save time, so I can be productive to save more time. This reminds me of a recent YouTube video I watched titled something like, "How to Be Productive to Get Ahead of 99% of People."

Society often defines productivity as the ability to accomplish tasks, meet goals, and contribute to overall progress and success—whether on an individual or larger group level.

It's often associated with efficiency, output, and generating tangible results within a given timeframe.

Society is commonly placing emphasis on making (more) money, advancing in one's career, and achieving these goals in less and less time as the baseline for productivity definition nowadays.

The definition can vary across cultures, industries, and individual perspectives, but in a broader sense, it often revolves around achieving desired outcomes considered valuable or beneficial.

However, what's considered valuable or beneficial is subjective and will always vary.

Valuable and beneficial to whom?

Oneself? Family? Community? Your Employer? Boss? Your employees?

Productivity is subjective.

While efficiency and achieving goals are important, for me, resetting the definition of productivity can mean breaking free from a constant loop of work and rather recognising life as an infinite game.

Choosing a long game over short-term rewards involves embracing consistent, incremental wins.

This perspective shifts the focus from a relentless pursuit of success to lifelong learning and continuous improvement.

It means developing skills, habits, principles, and routines that serve the journey rather than fixating on reaching a destination.

Life is kind of like a game, you know? Sometimes I feel stuck in this cycle of always working and being productive.

But I've decided to change that.

I want to play the long game, where I'm not just chasing short-term rewards.

I'm shifting my focus from always sprinting and chasing gains to allowing myself breaks and taking things at a pace that feels right for me.

I'm resetting how I define productivity for myself.

I have the power to choose myself. I can decide what productivity means to me and what truly matters. This can and should vary based on the different stages of life I find myself in.

Ultimately, it's me who feels frustrated whether I achieve something or not.

It's not just about constant work, wealth and achievement for me. It's about finding fulfillment in different ways.

Every day is a new level in this game of life, and I'm learning new skills, getting better, not to reach some final destination, but to keep playing.

So my goal becomes playing the longest, as long as my body and mind will allow, embracing the process of acquiring new skills and becoming better every day.

Each day, week, month, and year is seen as a new level in the game of my life. From now on, I consider working on career aspirations productive, as is baking sourdough, listening to podcasts, or engaging in activities for their own sake, irrespective of an unfinished to-do list.

I'm giving myself permission to see all aspects of life as productive and meaningful.

It's not just about wealth or career, but also about enjoying that morning coffee without rushing into the next task.

Life is asking me to give. And I don't want to neglect that.

Wealth is important, but life doesn't exist without relationships, health, and personal well being.

I want to embrace lifelong learning, with no shortcuts or hustle for quick wins.

I'm starting my one and final game journey.

I chose to embrace that I will always need to evolve, develop, fail, step up again, but also accept slowness, intentionally stepping back, pivoting priorities and meanings of life.

Consistent small rewards rather than spiky huge successes with final destination.

No hustle and unhealthy productivity systems that sparkles short-term dopamine and fulfilment driven by the hope that I'll finally make it into my dream life.

This is my dream life. The only life.

Productivity: how well I manage my mental and physical well-being, relationships, knowledge and skills to serve me play the longest I can. In the rhythm I can sustain the longest.

Notes and reflections from my first week of my three-month corporate career break.

Cheers,

Luciana