I’m currently recovering from major surgery, which means life has slowed down significantly. But with all this stillness, I’ve found myself wrestling with feelings of guilt—like I’m not doing “enough,” not being “productive” enough. It’s unsettling how quickly those thoughts sneak in, making me question my worth.
Who am I when I’m not constantly accomplishing things? This unease sparked some reflection: Why does being productive feel so important? What lies beneath that drive?
As I dug into these questions, I realized this topic deserves deeper exploration. So, I’ve decided to write a series of blog posts about it. This one is number two. There’s a lot to untangle—both for myself and, hopefully, for others navigating similar thoughts.
The Pressure to Always Be Productive
While productivity can provide a sense of accomplishment, it also has a dark side. In many ways, the concept has been weaponized to create unrealistic expectations about how people should spend their time. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, the pressure to stay productive lingers. This mindset turns rest, relaxation, or downtime into something that feels wasteful, feeding into guilt for not “doing enough.” In this way, productivity begins to feel less like empowerment and more like a moral imperative.
This expectation is especially harmful when it infiltrates personal spaces, such as mental health recovery or times of grief, where productivity becomes a way to measure healing. For example, people recovering from surgery or illness may be praised for their ability to remain “productive,” reinforcing the idea that even rest must be purposeful. Instead of viewing recovery as inherently valuable, we are taught to see it as valuable only when it leads to renewed productivity.
Productivity as a Tool of Capitalism
The modern obsession with productivity cannot be separated from capitalism, where economic growth depends on maximizing efficiency and minimizing downtime. From assembly lines to remote work tools, every innovation has been evaluated in terms of how it improves productivity. In a capitalist context, the worker is seen as a resource—valuable only as long as they continue to produce. This commodification of labour contributes to burnout, as individuals are rewarded for long hours, multitasking, and always being available.
Productivity culture also upholds the notion that a person’s worth is tied to their economic output. Those who are unable to meet productivity standards—such as the disabled, the elderly, or caregivers—are often marginalized or made to feel inadequate. This system reinforces social hierarchies where value is determined by contribution to economic activity, ignoring the richness and importance of unpaid care work, emotional labour, or creative processes that don't result in immediate, tangible outcomes.
Productivity and the Environmental Crisis: Rethinking Our Approach
The relentless pursuit of productivity, driven by capitalism, significantly contributes to overproduction, resource exploitation, and environmental degradation. This obsession with maximizing output often leads to unsustainable practices that prioritize profit over the planet, resulting in pollution, deforestation, and climate change. In contrast, the concept of degrowth advocates for a reduction in consumption and production, emphasizing sustainability and well-being rather than relentless growth. By embracing a slower, more mindful approach to life and work, we can align our actions with ecological values. This shift encourages us to prioritize quality over quantity, fostering a culture that values conservation, community, and a deeper connection to the environment. In doing so, we not only address the environmental crisis but also create more fulfilling lives grounded in meaningful interactions and responsible stewardship of our planet.
Time Poverty: Another Hidden Cost of Productivity
Time poverty refers to the phenomenon where individuals—particularly working parents, caregivers, and low-wage workers—struggle to find time for activities beyond their basic survival needs. As productivity demands escalate, many people experience acute time scarcity, leaving little room for rest, leisure, or meaningful relationships. This relentless pressure to produce not only exhausts individuals but also erodes their quality of life, making it challenging to cultivate personal connections or pursue hobbies that enrich their existence. To combat time poverty, solutions like shorter work weeks, universal basic income, and fairer labour practices are essential. These changes would help redistribute time more equitably, allowing people to escape the cycle of relentless productivity and reclaim their lives for leisure, self-care, and community engagement.
The Role of Patriarchy in Productivity Culture
Patriarchal systems intersect with productivity culture by placing unequal burdens on different genders. In many societies, men are expected to excel in public, economic spaces, while women are tasked with both paid labour and unpaid care-giving roles. This phenomenon, known as the “double shift,” requires women to be productive both at work and at home. The expectation that women should excel in both arenas not only leads to exhaustion but also diminishes the value of unpaid domestic labour, reinforcing gender inequality.
Furthermore, the productivity ideal is deeply intertwined with traditional masculine values, such as competition, self-discipline, and control. These traits are celebrated as the path to success, while traits like rest, collaboration, or emotional care are often seen as signs of weakness. As a result, individuals of all genders who prioritize these "soft" traits may find themselves struggling to fit into the productivity-driven narrative of success.
Unseen and Undervalued – Women, Care Work, and Invisible Labour
While productivity culture celebrates measurable achievements, much of the work that sustains society remains invisible and undervalued. This is particularly true for women, who carry the burden of unpaid labour, such as care-giving, emotional support, and household management.
The Invisible Labour That Keeps Society Running
Invisible labour refers to the work that often goes unnoticed and unrecognized, such as planning meals, managing children’s schedules, or providing emotional support to family members. While essential for well-being and stability, this labour is not included in economic measures of productivity.
The expectation that women should handle both paid work and unpaid care-giving reflects deep-rooted patriarchal values. Historically, men have been associated with public, economic productivity, while women’s labour has been confined to the private sphere. Even as more women enter the workforce, they remain responsible for the bulk of domestic work—a reality that often leads to burnout and resentment.
The Mental Load: A Hidden Cognitive Burden
Beyond physical tasks, many women also carry the “mental load”—the invisible work of remembering, planning, and organizing. This cognitive burden is emotionally draining and reinforces the idea that women must always be thinking ahead to meet everyone’s needs.
Why Productivity Metrics Exclude Care Work
Traditional productivity metrics, rooted in capitalism, prioritize profit and measurable outcomes. As a result, unpaid labour—like care-giving or emotional labour—is not considered productive, even though it plays a crucial role in sustaining society. This exclusion further marginalizes women and perpetuates inequality.
Recognizing and valuing invisible labour is essential for building a more equitable society. It requires expanding our understanding of productivity to include care work and rejecting the idea that only measurable achievements matter.
I believe that is all for today.
I would be so happy to hear from you.
Thank you in advance for your comment.
See you soon, for my next online adventures!
Until then I send you love, light and gratitude.
Isaya
PS: Maybe you feel like you want to support me as I navigate the Cancer journey?
I am OK and grateful to receive any Reiki, Prayers, Light, Love, Hugs or any other healing modal sent with pure intentions and love.
As far as advice and "recipes" are concerned, please ask me before you download your knowledge, links or recommendations onto me. Overwhelm is always lurking…
On a very practical way, because I’m going to be focusing on my healing, I will have less money coming in…
One way to help and support me is to actually buy something from me!
You can find some of my Goddess Connected programs here:
https://isayabelle.com/the-magic-goddess-online-programs
or here: https://isayabelle.com/tech-goddess-academy-2
PPS: Please bear in mind that I am reclaiming my journey and that my solutions and my path are mine and mine only. They are not intended to be a guide or a list of advice, a handbook or manual or any kind, least of all medical. This is just me sharing my journey.
PPPS: Many of you have been asking for news and updates. This cancer path has been kicking my ass on so many levels, but the main one is the very vocal reminder that I have to be selfish and take care of myself first. I'm doing my best and will share as soon as possible!
Oh, this is so true! Thank you for putting that into words. We as a society need to change that!
We do… we also have t work on that individually… and for ma, it has proven more difficult than expected!
I absolutely loved reading your piece today, thank you so much for such an in depth eye opening piece 🙏🏽🩵🦙
In particular I resonate with this …
“The Mental Load: A Hidden Cognitive Burden
Beyond physical tasks, many women also carry the “mental load”—the invisible work of remembering, planning, and organizing. This cognitive burden is emotionally draining and reinforces the idea that women must always be thinking ahead to meet everyone’s needs.”
I don’t have children and my husband sire a lot of domestic tasks very pro actively and yet I do calls the mental loss for organising our lives.
The patterns go deep 🙏🏽
They do indeed go deep… and still we have to move forward and let go…