Toxic Productivity

For years as an attending physician, I believed a good doctor was supposed to work long hours. I bought into the belief that working after hours was a symbol of success, and that it was the norm among physicians. After all, my parents who practiced medicine before they retired did the same. So I kept myself busy, although involuntarily at times. Constantly seeing patients, doing their charts, anything directly or indirectly linked to patient care were grouped into the category of productive activities in my book. Gradually, I did less and less of the things I enjoyed, such as going out with friends, doing arts and crafts, or sitting on a beach. I also bought into the belief that I had no time to do those “unproductive” things.

Looking back, besides being in an environment of high demand in work, I also was fed the idea that I was supposed to be always doing something productive. I made that mean long hours spent in doing clinical work. I even thought that having no time to do other activities was a badge of honor good doctors should have.

Toxic productivity is when you are constantly doing things you believe are being productive, avoiding things you used to enjoy because they are deemed to be “unproductive”. This is in the expense of your well-being as you are compromising your physical health, emotional health, and meaningful relationships with other people. You may be suffering from exhaustion in different aspects of your life. As you are no longer doing things you enjoy, you are likely suffering from depression and burnout.

One of the biggest misconceptions that leads to toxic productivity is believing that your worthiness is defined by your busyness or productivity. You think what you do defines who you are, or your identity is solely shaped by your work. You then gradually suppress your desire to do other things you truly enjoy.

Another belief that gets you into focusing on productivity in an unhealthy way is that you have normalized it. You believe that working extra hours, or even hours you are not paid for, is a normal thing to do. I experienced it first-hand, and I see many colleagues are doing the same. Many of my friends in Hong Kong work overtime on a regular business. That has been normalized by the society there. As hardworking is held as a virtue, being productive is a symbol of that.

Or are you running away from something? Are you trying to be productive because you are avoiding doing something else?

Being productive is great, but not in the expense of your well-being. You can be productive and take care of yourself at the same time.

You are worthy. Period. You do not have to perform a certain task or work a certain number of hours to prove that you are worthy.

Prioritize your life. Put your own well-being as the top priority. Taking great care of yourself is a prerequisite to taking great care of other people and other matters in life.

Set your schedule with realistic goals. Make a list of things to do with items which are must-do, those which are important to do, and those which are optional to do for that day. Set yourself boundaries as of how many hours to work, what situation is a firm “no”, and what things you are not willing to compromise.

Always check in – check throughout the day how you are feeling. How are you feeling in regards to your work?

Pause. Take a deep breath. It is okay to take a break. In fact, it is essential to take a break, so that your mind and body have a chance to rest and recharge.

Include things you enjoy doing in your schedule. It may be something small or something which only occupies a few minutes of your time. Those precious minutes count and they are a good reminder of what enjoying life means.

It is okay not to be happy all the time. It is okay to experience different emotions. Toxic productivity is not the answer to who you are. It is not the tool to gain your self-worth. You can be productive without sacrificing your well-being. You can be productive and find time to do things you enjoy.