5 Signs You are Obsessed Too Much Over Productivity

So you are the “productivity king” of your organization, getting all the accolades and recognition for all the hard work you’ve been putting in. 

Congratulations! That’s a job well done. 

In professional workspaces, it is believed that if you're productive, then you’re bound for success, or else you may as well pack your bags and go home. 

And that’s where the problem starts, and quite a big one. 

You tend to overwork yourself when you’re made to feel like a workaholic superhero in the office or in society.

Below is an eye-opener stat in case you want to know how people are addicted to productivity more than ever before. 

Did you know? People in America spend 390 more hours a year at work than they did thirty years ago. 

You feel a sense of pride in showing others how engaged you’re at work that you hardly have time for anything else. You feel you have to live up to this image of being a tireless workhorse, and in this pursuit, you end up doing more harm than good to yourself. 

Many years ago, when I started my professional career, I was guilty of being obsessed with productivity (unconsciously).  

I was too keen on proving my efficiency to my peers and senior management, so I used to spend extra hours at work. I wanted to finish all assignments within set deadlines, even if that meant allowing professional life to infringe upon my personal life. 

What began as a constant endeavor to prove my worth turned into a compulsion to keep pushing myself beyond my limits, day in and day out. 

I didn’t know where I was heading until I got there-the dreaded, all-consuming burnout. 

A recent report from Indeed found that employee burnout is rising: 52% of all workers are feeling burned out, up +9% from a pre-COVID survey.

It’s incredible how modern work environments judge people solely based on their daily output. As a result, we are putting excessive pressure on ourselves to please employers, colleagues, and society. 

How do you figure out if you are obsessed with productivity before it gets too late for comfort?

Based on my personal experience, I would like to share with you some telltale signs that show you’re addicted to being productive more out of compulsion than anything else. 

1. Do you think hustling is cool and relaxing sounds lazy? If you take great satisfaction in staying busy all the time, working on weekends and late nights, then you’re truly on your way to being a productivity addict. 
2. Do you feel guilty about leaving even one of your daily to-dos unfinished? Do you feel restless even when there’s one task not ticked off on your daily to-do list? Are you kept awake at night due to incomplete assignments? 

Give yourself a break and add the article's wonderful tips to your not-to-do list .

3. Do you carry your work home? Are you carrying your work home and dedicating your time, meant for close and dear ones, to tasks instead? Do you think that working more is better and relaxing is more of a lazy thing? 

1. Do you curse yourself for not utilizing time efficiently? Do you feel you should be doing more work and you are not utilizing your time efficiently? Do you think that taking short breaks from work is nothing but a waste of time? 

Read more about why time management at work is so important.

5. Do you feel anxious that not being productive could cost you your job?

Do you feel insecure that not working more and not hitting a productivity peak can make you lose your position or job? Are you constantly worried about your job safety, which makes you work more out of compulsion than anything else? 

Have you answered “yes” to any of the questions above? 

It could be that some of you have replied in the affirmative to all of them! 

Whether you are on the brink or have already reached the danger mark, it’s a clear sign that it’s time to take your foot off the gas. 

The first thing you can do to change your current approach to productivity is to identify and recognize your obsession with it. 

But what to do next? Here are a few suggestions to curb your addiction to productivity. 

1. Kick out negative self-talk. "You've got a lot of work to do." You should cancel all your weekend plans and rather work more to get the job done. " or, “You are not productive enough." No surprise that you are not promoted yet. " 

How many times have you said these words to yourself? You have created so much tension in your mind that all you can think of is work, work, and more work. Counter such thoughts the next time you criticize yourself for not getting enough work done. Remind yourself that you are a human being, not a programmed robot. Everyone can have an off day, and everyone can make mistakes. 

Here, you can read a very good article on how to stop negative talk by Forbes. 

2. Take regular, short breaks from work. When you’re obsessed with productivity, you likely take your tea or coffee at your desk while working. You must give your mind and body some much-needed rest from continuous, exhausting work.

Get away from your workstation, go for a walk, meditate, listen to your favorite songs, and have tea or coffee. Do anything you enjoy during these short breaks and totally distract yourself from work. 

Short intervals allow you to divert your attention to other things that are equally important in life, i.e., personal space, interests, hobbies, etc. 

3. Set limits and don’t cross them. “I have to do this, that, and that too.” When you are addicted to overwork, you want to be Mr. Do-it-all. Even if you do more than enough, it feels like there’s more to be done. You have to draw a big, bold line and not cross it. 

You should prioritize your tasks for the day. Only work on urgent or high-priority tasks first and delegate low-priority tasks to others. Do not work beyond scheduled working hours and do not take on more tasks when you’re already working on others. 

4. Don’t mix work with procrastination. Many productivity addicts are working overtime because they are running behind on deadlines most of the time. Completing tasks on time is a big challenge because they mix work with activities like checking social media notifications, gossiping with colleagues, texting, calling, and so on. 

You should not lose focus at work. Instead, set aside a specific time slot for the aforementioned activities. Use a time tracking tool to set time estimates and start and due dates for tasks. It will give you a sense of purpose and direction to complete a particular task on time. 

5. Achieve a fine work-life balance. Stop carrying your work home. Stop checking your emails when you are with your family. You cannot let work interfere with your regular life responsibilities (work, relationships, health). Achieving a work-life balance can be tricky, but it is essential and attainable. 

Unplug from work at a scheduled time, don’t work on weekends, go out on vacation, and spend quality time with near and dear ones. Indulge in activities that will help you de-stress, relax, and rejuvenate so you can go back to work with a new zeal instead of feeling mentally and physically exhausted. 

Find out how you can achieve a fine work-life balance by learning these productivity hacks . 

There’s a thin line between productivity and productivity addiction, and we should not cross it. It’s time you pull the brakes before this obsession with productivity can wreak havoc on your overall well-being. 

I hope that after reading this article, you are now in a better position to change your approach to work and productivity. 

Thank you for reading my post. I regularly write about diverse issues related to work, productivity, management, technology, etc. 

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If you want to streamline your daily tasks and be more productive, check out and try ProofHub.

About Author:

Vartika Kashyap is the Chief Marketing Officer at ProofHub  — a leading project management software. From contributing to websites such as The Huffington Post, Bussiness.com, Elearning, Dzone, and The Next Web to becoming LinkedIn Top Voices  in 2017 and 2018, she has recognized amazing new ways to reach the audience. She weaves stories about productivity, team building, work culture, leadership, and common workplace events. She also loves to read and travel to new places.