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Working All the Time is Not the Vibe
Whether you’re trying to make as much money as possible, as soon as possible, or you’re an overachiever, or you’re just in a terrible job with bad employers, you’ve probably felt, at some point, the trapped feeling of having to work all the time. This then leads to burnout and a whole slew of other mental and physical problems. At the end of the day, it’s all toxic productivity: 👇👇
Toxic Productivity:
Call it whatever you want, Hustle Culture, Bootstrapping, The Grind etc, it’s a desire to always be productive. That’s because we tend to tie our identities and self-worth to our ability to be productive. This creates a toxic cycle of overworking and stress. Being idle is seen as slacking off, whereas constantly being busy means we’re doing something right. There may even be a sense of guilt for not working hard enough. But like an overstretched rubber band, it’ll eventually snap. A 2019 survey found that 51% of Malaysians are overworked, with 53% getting less than 7 hours of daily sleep. Eventually, we get more tired, and we perform worse, leading to a greater sense of guilt to do better. Like a flame consuming its own oxygen, it’s a vicious cycle of burnout.
Breaking the Cycle:
1. Work Smart, Not Hard
Push yourself but know when to step back to reframe and refocus, giving yourself more time to think and generate ideas instead. Utilise better tools and resources, including colleagues and teammates to delegate tasks.
2. Practice Sound Discernment
Not all work is urgent. Choose your battles and actions cause not every situation or issue requires your immediate attention. This sets a healthy boundary for you and makes space for others to get involved. So, reduce the work emails after hours if it can wait.
3. Make Time for Yourself
Spend time for yourself and do the things you enjoy. It could be your hobby, exercise, self-care or maintaining relationships. Remember what you’re worth outside of your work deliverables, remember your life outside of work.
It’s ironic that the need to constantly be productive can lead to being unproductive. With the Raya Holidays coming up, take the opportunity to reset your work habits, you deserve it!
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