Beyond the grind: Toxic productivity and how it sabotages your well-being

A woman sits at a desk in front of a computer, her hands are on the sides of her head and she looks stressed.

Terri was a C-suite executive, a mom, and a wife. She was also seemingly incapable of waiting for anyone or anything. A delay or detour would visibly irritate her, and even a few minutes spent sitting in the school pickup line could throw her into a tailspin, causing her to yell at her bewildered children.

Therapy opened Terri's eyes, helping her realize her responses were part of a phenomenon called toxic productivity. An obsessive preoccupation with being productive at all costs — and never feeling like what you've done is "enough" — toxic productivity isn't a diagnosable health condition. Nevertheless, it can take a sizable toll on your well-being, says clinical psychologist Natalie Dattilo, an instructor of psychology at Harvard Medical School.

Although Terri "had an important job and was sort of on call all the time, she was unable to regulate her emotions and took it out on people who didn't deserve it," Dattilo says. "She began to feel that way all the time — that every moment she was wasting time, that there were things that needed to be done. But a lot of times, there weren't."

With technology allowing us to be reachable anywhere, anytime, there's an implicit expectation that we should always be available and willing to do just one more thing, no matter the hour. "Toxic productivity is really an internal pressure to be productive at all times and prioritize your to-do list at the expense of your mental or physical well-being," Dattilo says. "It can creep up on you. All of a sudden, you feel trapped in your obligations, and stepping away comes at too high a cost."

Timely phenomenon

Workplace burnout — marked by exhaustion and cynicism about your job that chips away at productivity — was called out as an "occupational phenomenon" by the World Health Organization in 2019. But toxic productivity isn't the same thing, though it can certainly contribute to burnout, Dattilo says.

"With toxic productivity, you're deriving less satisfaction from the work, which is a defining feature of burnout," she says. "You've lost the joy of the work and the ability to engage in it in a way that seems satisfying."

The notion of toxic productivity took on renewed significance in the aftermath of the pandemic, when increasing use of telecommuting and hybrid work arrangements heightened the sense we should be constantly "on." Making phone calls and engaging in Zoom meetings from our home offices — while sometimes simultaneously home-schooling kids — morphed into increased pressure to be everything to everyone.

But toxic productivity isn't limited to work time. It also spills over into personal lives. "So many of us uphold a work-life blend to the point where it's hard to tell them apart," Dattilo says.

Research hasn't delved into whether toxic productivity affects the sexes differently, she notes. "But it may be even harder to recognize the signs of toxic productivity in women," she says. "It just feels like what we do. We move from one thing to the next, coordinating rides, packing lunches, hopping on Zoom calls. We're just very busy and probably need to be intentional about taking our downtime and not feeling guilty about it."

Warning signs

How can you tell you might be sliding into a toxic mindset? Dattilo points to these signs:

A false sense of urgency. You're always rushing to the next thing and feel you can only slow down once everything is done.

Inability to relax. The concept of downtime doesn't align with your urge to keep pushing yourself to stay busy. Every free moment "should" be filled, and taking a break seems a colossal waste of time.

Guilt or shame about not accomplishing enough. Leaving even one item on the to-do list undone feels destabilizing. Dattilo believes this sign is perhaps the most destructive. "The guilt and shame are a pathway to anxiety and depression," she says.

Even with these signs, recognizing you have a problem can be tricky. Where's the tipping point? "It's not always obvious — it can really sneak up on you," she says. "It may be when you wake up one day and realize you're exhausted and rest doesn't seem restorative anymore. You also begin to feel like you can't get off this hamster wheel, because if you do, things will pile up quickly and you'll never feel on top of it."

Mental health effects

Perhaps predictably, the constant mental and physical churn related to toxic productivity can lead to insidious health ramifications. Topping the list, Dattilo says, are insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

A curious offshoot of these mental health effects is how they might then erode someone's toxic impulse to be productive. "The depression it causes is intriguing, because suddenly you don't have the motivation anymore," Dattilo explains. "When we have anxiety, we still very much care about the work — we may care a little too much, in fact. We're overinvested, but we're very motivated to get everything done."

"If that slips into depression, all the work is still there, but there's now much less motivation to do it," she adds. "The gap between what needs to get done and the energy to do it gets wider. It can feel very distressing and debilitating."

Take time off — your health will thank you

Although vacation days and other paid time off is designed for workers to recharge or recuperate, recent research suggests nearly half don't take advantage of it. But this approach is a mistake, a Harvard expert says.

A survey published in August 2023 by Pew Research Center indicated that 46% of American employees took less time off than offered by their bosses, whether it was designated for vacation, sick time, or doctor's visits. That finding doesn't shock clinical psychologist Natalie Dattilo, an instructor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. "I'm surprised it's not higher," she says.

Survey respondents said they didn't use all their allotted time off for these reasons:

52% said they didn't feel they needed to take more time off.
49% reported worrying they might fall behind at work.
43% felt badly about co-workers taking on additional work in their absence.
16% feared taking all their paid time off might endanger their job.

The notion of falling behind resonates with Dattilo. "For a lot of people, it's really inconvenient to take time off," she says. "They come back to a pile of stuff to do. So over time, does the vacation have the payoff we would hope? Is it even really a break?"

But slogging away for months without stopping can chip away at your mental and physical health, she says. The approach can hamper your immune system, leaving you feeling run-down and inviting nuisances such as viruses and other infections to take hold — and perhaps even larger threats.

"Being 'on' or charged up all the time adds to our emotional and physical wear and tear," Dattilo says. "If you don't take your breaks now, your body might force you to take a break later."

Break the cycle

Dattilo recommends these at-home strategies to help you combat toxic productivity and reclaim a more balanced perspective:

Deep breathing. Calm your overstimulated nervous system with a simple daily regimen of deep breathing. Five times a day, sit quietly and "breathe with intention" for several minutes by inhaling for five seconds and then exhaling for another five. "This recommendation is based on research showing that the optimal respiration rate for regulating the nervous system is five to six breaths per minute, which ends up being about a 10-second breath," Dattilo says.

Journaling. Whether it's a diary or a "thought dump" on a stray piece of paper, journaling — preferably by hand instead of typing — helps corral swirling thoughts. "This takes a few minutes at most, giving you a chance to take a pause and collect yourself," she says. "Writing can be very grounding, and clarity comes from having slowed yourself down."

Examining your relationship to downtime. After you enter a quiet room with no phone, no TV, and no other people, notice how long it takes until you become anxious or agitated by doing nothing. Then repeat the practice each day with the aim of lengthening that time. If you're inclined, try deep breathing during this time. "This is both an assessment and an intervention," Dattilo says. "It's a good technique to train ourselves at getting better at doing nothing."

All three strategies can prove to be important forms of self-care, she says. "Doing them sends us the message that we're worth the time and effort it takes to take care of ourselves," she says.