BALANCED LIVING: Breaking Up with Toxic Productivity — Starter Tips for the Workaholic Seeking Balance

It’s 7 pm. Your family is sitting down for a meal. Your workday was supposed to be over at 6, but your mind is still churning. Shoot. You forgot to reply to that email from your co-worker. Your son starts telling you about his day. You pull out your phone. There’s too much to do and not enough time. “Hold on, honey. Just a minute,” you say as you type, oblivious to his disappointment.

When productivity and work become your obsession, life is far from balanced. And like any addiction, it impacts more than your physical health and mental state. It can also harm your relationships. The good news is that humans are resilient, and we can change.

Here are a few tips to help you begin the process of breaking up with toxic productivity:

Recognize your habits are no longer serving you (or others)

Make a list of all the ways your obsession with productivity is controlling your life. How is it impacting your moods? Your mind? Your physical health? Your family? Friends? Get really specific.

Now, list all the ways life could improve if you prioritized balance over productivity. Again, be specific. How would you feel? Content? Calm? Happy? Get clear on all the reasons you’re ready and willing to change. Keep this list handy. Refer to it when you notice yourself defaulting to old habits.

Give yourself permission to rest and recharge

Repeat after me:

“I am allowed to rest. Downtime is essential for my well-being. I’m honoring my body and recharging my mind.”

Adjust the wording or come up with another affirmation that feels right, but remind yourself again and again. You can write it down or say it out loud. Put a bright sticky note on your laptop. Or schedule pop-up reminders on your phone. Listening to affirmation meditations can help shift your mindset, too. I even know someone who records personalized ones (wink, wink).

Set boundaries around productive time

Put work and your to-do list away at a specific time. Ask your family and friends to help you stick with it. That means letting them call you out (in a kind way, of course). I aim for 5 pm most weekdays. My future stepson has shouted up the stairs, “It’s after 5,” on more than one occasion. Sure, his mom told him to tell me, but it’s cuter coming from a 5-year-old than an adult, right?

Honor your boundaries by turning off email notifications on your phone. You can see what you’ve missed the next time you log in. It’ll be there tomorrow. I promise. And if your social media accounts blend work and personal life, nix those notifications, too.

Have some fun and reap the benefits

Not sure how to have fun anymore? Give your inner child a chance to come out and play. Turn on your favorite song and dance. Ride a bike and relish the wind against your face. Swing on a swing set. Color. Go for a walk and pick wildflowers. Even 5 minutes of play can make a difference. Just do your best to be fully present. You can handle your tasks and resume adulting later.

And guess what? Having fun has some other bonus side effects. It increases your energy levels and makes you feel happier and more relaxed. It might even make your working hours more efficient, but don’t let that be your motivator.

Breaking free from toxic productivity requires conscious effort (and some mindset shifts), but it’s worth it. Because the sooner you find balance, the more you can enjoy life and be fully present with the people you love most.

Sign up for Danielle’s Joyful Rising email newsletters to receive access to a free 5-minute mindfulness meditation for stress & anxiety and order your personalized affirmation meditation at www.joyfulrising.com/links. 

Photos courtesy of Unsplash.

Fifteen years of professional experience in nutrition & bodywork fields and eight years of small business ownership taught Danielle Ratliff to value balanced living over hustle. Rising from the ashes of trauma, mental illnesses, burnout, and societal expectations led to an awakening. Now she empowers overwhelmed humans with guided meditations and articles so they can calm their minds and create aligned, joyful lives. Learn more at www.joyfulrising.com or contact her directly at [email protected].