Hustle & Grind: How Productivity Can Take Over Self-Care
We put a ton of emphasis on hard work and productivity in our society. Many of us are taught from a young age that our self-worth is tied to what we achieve. To how successful we are, in the eyes of the people around us.
Call it the cult of productivity, call it hustle culture, or call it capitalism. Whatever label we use, this emphasis on achievement may be negatively impacting our well-being.
Toxic Productivity?
At first glance, pushing to reach your goals seems like a great thing. It can be super rewarding to work on yourself. To feel like you’re growing and improving. And persisting through whatever challenges come your way.
But the push for productivity seems to be never ending. Many people get trapped in a cycle where they always feel like they “should” be doing more. Like they “should” be using every moment in the most beneficial way possible.
Even our self-care can become a target for productivity culture.
Many people describe feeling guilty about how they spend their free time. After a long day at work, they feel like they should be meditating, learning a new skill, or doing yoga. Not watching Netflix or scrolling Instagram.
And perhaps they would benefit from changing up their self-care routines. Maybe zoning out in front of a screen really isn’t working for them. But we want to pause and reflect on WHY we see certain ways of spending time as more admirable than others.
Here are some questions to consider:
Do you feel obligated to use your downtime for self-improvement?
Do you feel bad when you’re not doing something productive?
Do you think it’s okay to just “do nothing” sometimes?
Deep down, are you viewing your self-care as another opportunity for achievement?
People who experience perfectionism may be especially prone to this way of thinking. Perfectionism can get us believing that we can’t rest until ALL our goals are met. But the list of goals can be endless.
It’s tough to be productive 24/7. We can’t work at our maximum capacity all the time. Constantly striving for improvement often leads to burnout. So, in that sense, hustling and grinding may not really make us more productive long term anyway.
If you’re feeling the pressure to be productive, even when it comes to self-care, here are three things to keep in mind.
Productivity and Self-Care: 3 Areas for Reflection
Know Your Why
Our self-care can serve so many different purposes, not just self-improvement. For example, we can also choose to prioritize:
Having fun
Resting and relaxing
Giving our mind a break
Expressing our creativity
Connecting with other people
Instead of assuming that some self-care activities are automatically more valuable than others, know your “why.” What’s important to you with how you spend your free time?
Are you meditating because you find it relaxing, or because other people say it’s valuable? Are you spending time on social media because you get joy from the funny memes and videos, or because you’re putting off doing something else?
While there’s no right or wrong answer here, watch out for times when productivity is hiding under self-care.
Check in With Yourself
It’s important to check in with yourself and what you need for self-care. Your needs can change over time, even from day to day.
Sometimes you might want to engage your mind; sometimes you might want to check out for a bit. One day you may be looking for a new challenge, while the next you could benefit from doing something relaxing and familiar.
Keep in mind that your needs are unique to you. It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people and what they seem to accomplish in a day. But this is another way that productivity can trap us into thinking that we’re not measuring up.
Give Yourself Permission
Give yourself permission to meet your own needs, even if that means doing “nothing” sometimes. Protecting your well-being - whatever that looks like - is valuable. Not just productivity.
If it feels like striving for perfection is taking over your life, read more about counselling for perfectionism or check out the related posts below.
About Marnie Rogers-de Jong
My goal is to help people who feel overwhelmed by anxiety and perfectionism overcome their fears, embrace their unique strengths, and feel more content with who they are. I’m a Registered Doctoral Psychologist with a PhD in Counselling Psychology. I offer in-person counselling in Saskatoon and video counselling across Saskatchewan and Alberta.
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