We glorify being “busy.” We measure our worth by how much we check off our to-do lists. But have you ever noticed—no matter how productive you are, the list never ends?
I once had a client who followed every productivity hack out there—time blocking, Pomodoro, deep work. Yet, he constantly felt behind. The more he optimized, the more anxious he became.
Why? Because productivity is a moving target.
Psychologists call it the Hedonic Treadmill—the more we achieve, the higher our expectations rise. We don’t feel satisfied; we feel pressured to do even more.
Studies show that overwork increases cortisol (the stress hormone), leading to burnout, insomnia, and even decision fatigue. The irony? Anxiety kills focus and reduces the very productivity we chase.
So how do we break free?
✅ Shift from “more” to “enough.” Define what a productive day truly looks like.
✅ Schedule rest like a task. Your brain needs downtime to function at its best.
✅ Celebrate progress, not just completion. Productivity isn’t just about output; it’s about impact.
Let’s stop treating ourselves like machines. What’s one way you balance productivity and peace? Drop your thoughts below! 👇
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