Is your to-do list dictating your life? Have your productive hours expanded to the point where you are constantly squeezing in tasks? Is the distinction between your work and personal life blurred (or completely absent)? The phenomenon of toxic productivity has become all too common.
Toxic Productivity
Toxic productivity refers to an incessant drive to remain busy and engaged in tasks, which ultimately undermines one’s well-being. This cultural mindset permeates our professional and personal lives, creating an expectation that perpetual busyness is the norm.
However, just because this mentality has become widespread does not make it healthy or sustainable.
The Reality of Productivity
In my university courses centered on learning, coping, and happiness, when I inquire about workload and well-being, nearly every student raises their hand to express their fatigue. The same sentiments are echoed in the learning strategy groups I host for learners, parents, and educators. Many of us, including myself, feel trapped in a cycle of overwork and overwhelming demands.
The narrative has shifted recently; instead of examining the costs of lost productivity, we are now addressing the repercussions of unchecked productivity. Individuals—from parents to professionals to students—often share their struggles with overwhelming to-do lists, heightened stress about starting tasks, and the detrimental effects that life’s demands have on their relationships, sleep, mental health, and physical well-being.
A Call for Change
Fortunately, the dialogue around the need for rest, play, and ease is becoming increasingly prominent. Advocates such as Tricia Hersey, author of Rest is Resistance (Little, Brown Spark, 2022), and founder of The Nap Ministry, are emphasizing the importance of taking breaks that may seem unproductive as a radical and necessary act of self-care.
My TEDx talk, titled “How to Get from To-Do to Done,” explores fostering a more compassionate approach to our to-do lists and the constant urgency that accompanies them.
A Healthier Perspective
When productivity is viewed solely as a measure of completed tasks over a given time frame, vital aspects such as planning, reflection, and taking pauses get overlooked.
Dana Daniels, the founder of Blue Sky Learning, conveys that non-toxic productivity is “a celebration of the process itself rather than just the outcome.” This shift in perspective emphasizes effort, creativity, and meaningful interactions throughout a project, rather than solely focusing on the final result.
When Marc Proudfoot, an ADHD coach and owner of Proudfoot Education Coaching Advocacy (PECAT), engages with a task, he prioritizes meaningfulness and fulfillment, valuing interactions and connections as the opposite of toxicity.
Reevaluating Expectations
Our to-do lists extend beyond external demands. Proudfoot notes that even tasks we create for ourselves can contribute to toxicity: “I can have a list of objectives I aim to achieve. While the tasks may be purposeful, I might not need to tackle them all at once, often neglecting essential self-care activities like exercise, sleep, or meditation.”
The Impact of Burnout
For those unfamiliar with the term “toxic productivity,” it may seem daunting to envision an alternative approach. However, burnout—a direct result of excessive demands—is increasingly prevalent.
Navigating the balance between acknowledging and managing stress can be challenging. Daniels explains that burnout is not just a common occurrence: “It thrives in a prideful hustle culture, where we sacrifice wellness to highlight skills, exceed expectations, overcome unrealistic standards, and ignore the fundamental human need for rest and recovery.”
This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of Intomodel magazine.
