5 Reasons Not To Be Productive

Welcome to Zheano Blog, a place where I post content related to design, technology and wallpapers. I’ve been into productivity for a few years, but I haven’t written about it. Maybe, I’ve never written about productivity because I have a different picture about productivity compared to average “productivity guru”.

I think productivity is uniquely personal. There isn’t only one golden rule to be productive. I believe that being a so-called “productivity addict” can have a huge negative effect on your life. I think productivity should be about doing more in less time, so you can spend the rest of the day with people you love.

Here are 5 reasons why being too productive might not improve your life.

1. Why Should You Be Productive In The First Place?

A lot of people, including myself, fall into the trap of wanting to be more productive for the sake of being more productive.

In my opinion, productivity is a tool that helps you do your work as efficiently as possible, so you have more free time, to do things that you like.

2. End Goal That Doesn’t Exist

A year ago I’ve realized something important, there is no end goal. Even if you want to be the most productive human, you will have setbacks. Taking that into account can lift off some pressure and allow you to be more calm about the future.

I think there are more and more people who are getting trapped in this productivity mindset of being more and more productive. I don’t think having goals is bad, but being mindful of your expectations is important.

There’s a great video on this topic by Nathaniel Drew called How Self Help Brainwashed Me.

3. Always Busy

I absolutely hate being always busy and it’s another productivity trap I fall into from time to time. Sometimes being busy might help you to feel more alive and in control. Being busy allows you to forget about some of the problems and issues you might be facing.

That’s why we’re having an epidemic of workaholics. There’s a great article about this topic in Harvard Business Review called How Being a Workaholic Differs from Working Long Hours — and Why That Matters for Your Health.

Wanting to do more might set you on a path where you neglect some of the most important aspects of your life. Productivity should be about doing what you have to do as quickly as possible so you can spend more time with your friends and family.

Setting boundaries and creating space for yourself can go a long way.

4. It’s Hard To Take The Time For Yourself

I’ve been practicing mindfulness for a few years now. I like to meditate and I’ve recently started doing Yoga. A couple of years ago I couldn’t imagine myself doing Yoga, now it’s one of my favorite physical activities.

Wanting to always optimize your time, you might neglect taking care of yourself. Not just physically but also mentally. Even if you aren’t into productivity it might be hard to unplug and take some time for yourself.

5. Not Being In The Moment

Always keeping in what else you have to do is a hard job by itself. It’s even harder to live a happy and fulfilling life when you aren’t in the moment.

Sometimes wanting to be more productive makes you think about work or other items on your to-do list even when you have your time off.

Not being able to unplug is a huge problem I want to address in future posts. The best way to keep in touch with Productiveness on Zheano Blog is to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Thank you so much for reading this. I appreciate you took the time. If you read this far and you find something valuable, please share this article with your friends. 😊