Episode 80 - Why Productivity is Overrated (if not Downright Destructive)

Do you constantly contaminate your time by multitasking? 

Are you only able to be content when you feel productive? 

Then tune in to this week's episode to learn how to uncouple your self-worth from your productivity, and design a much more fun, healthy, and energising life. 

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Transcript

 Episode 80 - Productivity is Overrated if not Downright Destructive 

Hello smart human!

The wonderful peeps in Shamelessly Smart have just spent an entire month investigating and improving their relationship with Time. 

And one of the things that comes up again and again with almost all the smart humans I work with is an abusive relationship with productivity. 

As in: self-abusing under the guise of productivity. 

Why does this especially show up with fast-brained humans? 

Because we LOVE to optimise. 

Our brain is so amazing at finding ways to improve processes, stack tasks, solve those kinds of puzzles. 

One of my favourite film examples of this is the opening scene of Back To the Future (Google it if you have no idea what I’m talking about, in which case, you’re in for a treat). 

We see the clocks triggering the action chain that makes breakfast AND feeds the dog (not necessarily very successfully). 

And this is what my brain for sure loves to do - think of ways to make the mundane, the humdrum, easier AND more fun. 

But the problem with the brain is that it has a kind of one-track-mind, as in, it will then tacitly assume that this is what you want for everything, ALWAYS. 

So in addition to automating, you start multitasking. 

Now lots has already been written about how bad this is, but what really brought it home for me was when I came across the concept of ‘Contaminated Time’. 

You contaminate your time when you make yourself ‘do useful stuff’ whenever you’re free. 

Usually, this is driven by an underlying - often unconscious - belief that your value lies in your productivity. 

That you’re only worthy when you produce something useful. 

So when you DO have time to relax, instead of sinking back into those darn comfortable sofa pillows, you message with friends whilst combing the cat or whatever pet you have that needs to be combed just after you’ve put another load in the washing machine. 

Just thinking about this makes me feel overwhelmed - imagine living like this day in day out. 

Yet this is what we do. 

We don’t get to rest. 

We don’t get to loiter. 

We don’t get to PLAY. 

And the last one is another important reason so many of us feel miserable. 

Play gives us a feeling of joy, of freedom, of delight. 

It makes us present to the moment, and happy to be alive. 

Yet our productivity thinking really messes with our ability to PLAY. 

I saw this a lot when I was still teaching art and creativity. 

As soon as someone wants to reach out and grab their paint, or starts thinking about taking pictures, this voice inside their head kicks in that says ‘this better be useful!’. 

Many of us don’t even allow ourselves to mess about - and it makes us miserable. 

So we have to be more specific when we ask our brain to help us be more efficient, and make it context-dependent. 

I for sure want to ask my brain to help me find easier and semi-automated ways to do my admin. 

But I don’t want to allow that smart, efficient (and, let’s face it, pretty useful) part to start judging and domineering everything I do. 

You MUST uncouple your worth, and your activities’ worth from the productivity scale. 

How? 

First of all, start noticing where you judge yourself for ‘not doing anything useful’. 

Whenever your brain offers up those types of thoughts, notice it. And then simply counter it with something like: ‘useful to whom?’ or ‘so what?’

Second, stop the multitasking already. 

One thing at a time only. 

Get engrossed in a novel. 

Walk your pet lizard without taking any devices with you. 

Scrub the bathroom without dictating your Medium article. 

And, for the next level ambitious ones amongst you: 

Learn to do nothing. 

To REALLY rest and take breaks. 

Nap luxuriously. 

Stare out the window. 

Without guilt. 

Without having to explain yourself. 

Simply because it FEELS GOOD. 

Yes, that’s right. 

You get to do stuff because it FEELS GOOD. 

Even stuff that seems completely useless. 

So, this week, start noticing where you’re taking productivity too far. 

Where it’s barring you from being playful and having fun. 

Refuse to multitask. 

And rest. 

It’s like going on vacation without having to travel. 

Have a wonderful week, 

Else a.k.a. Coach Kramer

Do you want to fall back in love with your life and work? I can help. DM me on LinkedIn, or Instagram to learn how you can work with me, or email me via podcast@elsekramer.com. 

Thank you for listening to the Managing the Smart Mind Podcast, I love that at 

the time of recording this, there are smart humans listening in 101 countries! 

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