The Hustle Culture Hamster Wheel 🎡

Toxic Productivity: The Unseen Enemy of Well-being (Ep. 15)

Author

Tameem Rahal
07 May

THE CULPRIT…
The Hustle Culture Hamster Wheel 🐹 

Picture this - it's Monday morning, the start of a new week filled with possibilities. You dive headfirst into your to-do list, fuelled by the relentless pursuit of productivity. You skip lunch, work late into the night, and sacrifice sleep for the sake of getting ahead. You wear your burnout badge proudly, convinced that your worth is measured by your output. But amidst the hustle and bustle, you find yourself feeling exhausted, anxious, and unfulfilled. Welcome to the world of toxic productivity.

…a never-ending race to nowhere.

must. keep. hustlin.

The Dark Side of Productivity
In a society that glorifies busyness and productivity, it's easy to fall into the trap of toxic productivity - it can be so intoxicating. This mindset prioritizes quantity over quality, leaving little room for rest, relaxation, and self-care. It's fuelled by the belief that our value as individuals is tied to our ability to constantly produce and achieve. But the reality is, constant hustle often leads to burnout, stress, and a diminished sense of well-being.

THE SHIFT…
Ride The Energy Wave 🌊

TRUTH BOMB ALERT - Forcing productivity is actually counter productive 💣. The theory of Productivity Cycling can be really powerful in actually allowing you to get more work done in less time. It’s when we use our energy levels, mood and focus capacity to determine how productive we can be and planning our work around those times. Feeling super inspired? Hit a deep work session. Feeling like a bag of rocks? Take that break and revisit when the levels spike back up. Of course, this is a privilege and many aren’t able to adopt this in their daily lives, but give it a shot even on your non work days.

weeooo

The Art of Doing Nothing (even for a hot sec)
Contrary to popular belief, doing nothing is not a waste of time. In fact, it's essential for recharging your mind, body, and spirit. Taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in activities that bring you joy are all forms of self-care that contribute to your overall well-being. Remember, it's okay to slow down, rest, and recharge. Your productivity will thank you for it.

THE TOOLS…
See What Sticks

1 // Deep Work Sessions
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again. Join a deep work session, start your own, use an app, listen to a focus podcast. Whatever you choose, using these tools to help put a time box on your work (and limiting distractions) will help you get more done in your day and relieve the guilt of unproductive breaks.

2 // Check-In
Sometimes we can’t realize that we’re caught in a hustle trap until we carve out time to truly check-in with ourselves and see how we’re feeling about the life we’ve created. Taking a few hours for ourselves with the intention of reassessing our values, what life we want to live, and what we need to do to get to that dream life and can be eye opening to making changes that will allow us to drop the productivity pressures of today’s society.

3 // Do Nothing Cheat Days
Implement a do nothing day into your schedule. If it’s not a day, it can be a block of time you consistently show up to and commit to being unproductive. Sometimes by labelling our ‘do nothing’ moments we actually can commit to them and fully enjoy them without feeling guilty.
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More to Explore:
👉🏼 A chuckle: The Hustle
👉🏻 A read: Hustle Culture Does More Harm Than Good
👉🏿 A book: Pivot to Purpose

Happy Shifting!
- Tameem

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