Hey there! This post is part of a series:
- The Hidden Costs of Productivity: Why Efficiency Culture Leaves Us Drained [This post!]
- Aligned Building: 5 Core Elements for Creating Without Burnout
- Flow, Don’t Force: How the CARE Framework Transforms the Way We Build
I’ve been reflecting a lot on productivity lately. Specifically, the way we think about it in today’s culture.
Over the past ten years, it’s been a big focus for me, partly because I’ve fallen into the trap of chasing productivity tools, systems, apps, and processes. And honestly, I think I got hooked because I love organizing things. It soothes me.
And partly because much of my work as a project thought partner for some of my clients was all about helping them find a way to build their projects without depleting themselves in the process.
I’ve learned so much about productivity, time management, project management – you name it! – and spent a lot of time in that space, and something I’ve noticed is how much of it seems to be shaped by this Western, white, male-dominated perspective.
It’s all about creating these hyper-detailed systems to optimize every aspect of life. At some point, though, I started to see how these systems mirror the same kind of capitalistic exploitation and extraction we see on a larger scale, just applied to individuals.
The core ideas of productivity (optimization, speed, efficiency) don’t really consider the human being who’s supposed to use these systems. They push us to keep going and going, often to the point of burnout.
And for some people, especially for those already dealing with other mental and physical challenges, this pressure can be utterly overwhelming. When you layer the demands of typical productivity frameworks on pre-existing struggles, it’s a recipe for disaster.
When I started noticing how harmful productivity frameworks can be, I began to push back and explore other ways of thinking about productivity, and maybe ditching the “productivity” term entirely.
I think that embracing more aligned ways of creating, building, and working starts with refusing: becoming aware of and unlearning concepts and conditionings that hurt our well-being.
So, let’s start right there, exploring the core elements of typical productivity.
First off, let’s talk about urgency and optimization. We’re constantly bombarded with the idea that everything needs to be fast, efficient, and optimized to the max. Quick fixes, fast growth, streamlined systems. But when you think about it, this mindset completely overlooks the fact that we’re human. We need room to breathe, to create, to rest. Without that space, we lose touch with what makes us, well, us.
Then there’s the obsession with results and outcomes. It’s all about the end goal, right? But what about the process and the journey? What about how we feel while working toward those goals? Imagine launching a new project. You check off every task, hit every deadline, and finally launch, but you feel completely drained. What happened during the building journey? Most probably, you’ve kept on pushing, unconsciously exploiting and depleting yourself. And now that you’ve achieved the result you dreamt about, it doesn’t even feel good.
Another thing that stands out to me is how productivity systems are context-oblivious: your personal situation, your health, your mental state, your values, your strengths, your unique traits, your rhythms. They also don’t account for the bigger picture, like what’s happening in your community or the world. All of these factors impact your energy and well-being, and therefore the headspace you’re in and the resources you can tap into for your project, yet they’re rarely considered.
And let’s not forget the linear approach most productivity frameworks take. It’s all about going from point A to point B, with no room for flexibility, experimentation, or realignment. This rigid approach can leave you feeling pressured, overwhelmed, and drained, extracting every ounce of energy and enjoyment until there’s nothing left. And when you’re running on empty, how can you create the impactful work you’re dreaming of?
What happens, then, if on top of all that we layer the pressure to be always on? That constant pressure to always be active, effective, and productive. It’s the icing on a poisonous cake.
Well, I mean, all those core elements truly are a recipe for disaster! Noticing their effect on my clients and myself, I started rethinking my approach and flipping the script.
Because we still want to build, to turn our projects into reality, but we want to do it in a way that feels aligned and as good as possible, so that the impact that we create comes from a place of care and nurturing, instead of exploitation and extraction.
I’ll tell you more about my approach in the next blog post in this series, but for now, I want to leave you with some inspiration.
In one of her newsletters, my brilliant client Andrea Reeves interviewed Aneisha Velazquez, financial detangler and clarity guide for different-brained business owners. Here’s what she says about productivity:
I don’t use the word “productivity” much anymore; it feels too tied to output and pressure. These days, it just means moving something forward. Sometimes that’s starting a project. Sometimes it’s taking a nap (even though I’m terrible at it). Either way, the act itself is productive.
Aneisha Velazquez
I encourage you to use this quote to spark some reflection. Sit with it and then ask yourself:
What does productivity mean to me?
How can I reframe it in a way that feels aligned and not harmful?
Or maybe, how can I let go of the idea of productivity altogether?
If your community or team is rethinking its relationship with productivity and looking for more nourishing ways to build and collaborate, you can invite me to bring From Seed to Impact to you.
This workshop series helps participants explore new directions in their work or leadership without falling into extraction or burnout.
Together, we’ll create space for reflection, root into clarity, and nurture sustainable, values-aligned growth.