Some Thoughts on Productivity

Some Thoughts on Productivity

Many of us are invested in productivity. After all, in a capitalist society, our worth is measured by our productivity. It’s easy to internalize these messages - & to feel guilty, judge, or even hate ourselves when we can’t live up to the absurd expectations capitalism sets for us.

 Gillian Giles writes, “In evaluating our life purpose & the value & purpose of others within a framework of capitalist productivity, we not only shame & isolate bodies that aren’t valued as productive — we unleash a form of body terrorism that communicates it is not one’s body that should be valued but rather what that body can effectively produce.” 

Our lives are both defined & valued by how much we achieve in a day, a month, a year, a lifetime. This is a recipe for burnout. But while many of us recognize these signs & symptoms in our lives, how many of us are able to press pause & take time to do nothing? Ironically, doing nothing can be hard work. I’ve found much-needed guidance on this topic from books like How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell & How to Not Always Be Working: A Toolkit for Creativity & Radical Self-Care by Marlee Grace.

Many conversations about productivity are about optimizing, time management, a lot of things that feel super gross to me as a disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, queer femme.

(Or we have conversations about doing nothing, which is 100% valuable & important, but are all-or-nothing strategies.)

I really appreciate Dr. Kate Henry’s work on slow & intentional productivity which addresses how we can approach our goals, work, & time in a way that accounts for how many spoons we have day-to-day (for people with chronic illness/pain), setting boundaries, & creating space for rest.

I’m redefining how I think about productivity & approach work. I want a more sustainable relationship. One major aspect of this is separating who I am (& my inherent self-worth) from my work/what I do.

I created a few prompts to jumpstart this process that I want to share with you, bb!

💫 What communities do you identify with?

💫 What are your core values?

💫 What brings you joy, makes you laugh, & inspires you?

💫 Practice introducing yourself to a stranger & describing what you do - but you cannot mention anything related to work or your career.

💫 What impact do you want to have in your communities?

💫 How would people close to you describe you?

💫 Journal about how you’re genuinely feeling. Note: “busy” is not a feeling.

💫 What activities make you feel truly relaxed & restored, even rejuvenated?

💫 What does your ideal day look like?

💫 Write a list of 10 ways to say “no”.

What's your relationship with productivity like? Let me know in the comments 💕