Redefining Productivity

REDEFINING PRODUCTIVITY Serene Karunaratne

When you think of productivity, what comes to mind?

Maybe the first thing you think of is someone who studies all the time, who checks off to-do lists like there's no tomorrow, does so many extracurriculars, and has so many achievements that their resume is surely something to be envied. This buzzword "productivity" has taken over the internet. Social media platforms are just saturated with content such as “How to be THAT girl” “Productive day in the life” “The real secret to productivity” to the point that its true meaning is lost. We live in a world where productivity is synonymous with a type of success in which hustle culture and creating tangible output is valued more than your mental health and well-being.

This is where something like productivity starts to become somewhat toxic. This “toxic productivity echo chamber” as it has been called by YouTuber Eve Cornwell, is something that we’ve all encountered or been trapped in at some point in our lives. This “echo chamber” is a place promoting the obsession to always be doing something and ideas such as working more more success are created. Yet it also punishes us for taking time off by leaving us with these feelings of guilt, stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction.

Sometimes we see or hear of people online who “study 100

hours a week” or have “3 am productive morning routines' ' and

subconsciously compare ourselves to these unattainable standards. Hustle culture and workaholism just glamorise this self-sacrificial mindset which people often use to prove their worth creating an unhealthy relationship with “productivity” . Don’t get me wrong, wanting to work hard and having a good work ethic is fine but this constant obsession with work and productivity can be toxic. This is where we need to remind ourselves that productivity is a tool created to help us which we should be able to use whenever we want and not be something that dictates our lives or in turn happiness.

So then what does productivity mean? Regardless of what social media will tell you, productivity in the most basic terms means spending your time well. It means optimising time and getting your work done efficiently so you have more time to spend doing what you love. Productivity is not doing more, but doing what needs to be done. In other words, time well spent. As suggested by author and YouTuber Jade Bowler, “I define productivity as focusing on what is really important at a moment in time, with intentionality” . So does this mean that bingewatching Squid Game, face-timing your friends for 3 hours straight, or taking a bath with rose petals and candles is productive? Yes! Yes, it is as long as it’

s done with intention such as when you’re winding down at the end of the day. Just keep in mind that knowing that you should be doing something else and avoiding it is called procrastination.

This idea of productivity originated in the industrial era where productivity meant producing foods in the most efficient way to maximise output.

It generated the following productivity equation:

Productivity = Output/Time

However, the last time I checked, we’re people and not machines. So, we need to keep in mind that productivity does not just mean creating a tangible output but rather optimising for a chosen output based on your priorities. For example, when revising for an exam, we want to optimise for the most knowledge and deepest understanding possible in the least amount of time. Essentially if we want to increase productivity and maximize the quality of our work, there are a few more variables we should take into consideration (outlined from the book “The Only Study Guide You’ll Ever Need”). These are, focus, forethought, and fun.

Focus = the lack of distractions and giving undivided attention into a single task Forethought = planning and preparing in advance so that you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done Fun = enjoying what you are doing and reframing your mindset to make doing a task easier Essentially, when you do something with intention, clarity, and a growth mindset you can be more productive; leaving us with this final productivity equation:

Productivity = Output/ Time x focus x forethought x fun

Unfortunately, something that is often overlooked in regards to productivity is your well-being. The key to truly being productive is being aware of your own physical and mental health. For example, if you’re physically or mentally exhausted, anxious, or burnt-out then you won't be able to make much progress or have a quality study session. Rather than further depleting the little energy you have in spending time trying to work, the better way to spend your time would be to rest and recharge so that afterward, you will be able to work with efficiency and intention. Over time, you will find that by enforcing such habits that promote a healthier lifestyle, your productivity will also increase.

Hopefully, this clarified the difference between toxic and healthy productivity, explained how productivity is simply time well spent, broke down the different aspects of productivity, and showed you how to be more intentional with your time and energy to boost your productivity game.