The productivity trap

By Samantha Shepherd, MSW, LICSW • JFCS Therapist

“There’s not enough time in the day…” “I’m so tired after work…” “I wish I had time for that…”

So many folks have internalized messages regarding productivity and using time “well.” This often stems from European American influence in the United States. According to a local organization, Healing Roots, European American cultural characteristics include productivity, “doing is more valued than being,” and the belief that time is objective– “time is a limited commodity, we spend it, waste it, save it – like it is currency.” This can create anxiety and stress and is a frequent topic brought up by clients.

When reflecting with two of my loved ones about their own messages around the concept of time, they both had statements about productivity and worth. One said it feels like, “all time needs to be used productively,” and the other stated, “the big message [growing up] was to stay productive at all times and make your fun productive too.”

When we view time as a series of fixed moments that move us forward, focusing on what is “next” can rob us of the present. With this definitive “beginning and end,” we can be in a scarcity mindset regarding our time, which is a recipe for burnout. It can lead to ignoring body cues, impact sleep quality, and increase stress; when combined, this leads to increased risk for different chronic conditions. There are also very real external barriers to our time as well – financial challenges, lack of support, chronic health conditions, lack of flexibility at work, etc., which influence how we experience our daily rhythms. These external barriers are different factors than our internal narratives of time and productivity.

Devon Price, author of “Laziness Doesn’t Exist,” stated in an interview with NPR: “I think animals help us remember that we shouldn’t have to earn our right to exist. We’re fine and beautiful and completely lovable when we’re just sitting on the couch just breathing. And if we can feel that way about animals that we love, and about, you know, relatives that we love, people in our lives who we never judged by their productive capacity, then we can start thinking of ourselves that way too.”

Culture can be shifted and it’s important to change the unhelpful narratives around productivity and worth that so many experience. For example, cultures that support the idea of cyclical time, like the seasons of nature and in life, are offered comfort and understanding in their view of time, which influences how they use their days. It’s helpful to explore how the story was written, as well as remembering we hold the power to make edits.

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