i'm not productive, and that's okay
on not seeking meaning through productivity
Hello again and welcome back or welcome in, dear friends! Today we have quite a doozy of a topic: productivity. Specifically, why I'm not the type of person who actively seeks to be “more productive.” I know, I know! *cue horrified looks from internet influencers and other so-called “productivity gurus”* It's true, though. So, let's talk about why!
It seems like these days, as it becomes increasingly apparent that capitalism is pretty much starting to collapse around us with us metaphorically locked inside the building, there is also an increasing push for us to be not just productive, but hyper-productive. I see this manifest in many ways, but I want to focus on how it seems like many people feel the need to be doing something “productive” 24/7, and why I don’t necessarily feel that need.
First, it might be good to define the term “productive,” and to discuss what I mean when I talk about it and productivity at large. So, let’s grab a hand dandy definition from our good friend Google:
productive
(1) producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or other commodities
(2) relating to or engaged in the production of goods, crops, or other commodities.
(3) achieving or producing a significant amount or result.
Now, with these three definitions, it is easy to see just how much the term “productive” is tied not only to industrialism, but also to capitalism. To be productive means you’re not just working, but also producing a noticeable and desirable economic result.
I often notice people try to seek meaning in their lives through “being productive.” Which, like, okay, but I’d like to point out that the definition of productivity that we just reviewed says nothing about personal meaning or purpose. It purely talked about…well, about an economic function. Which is why I think so many people get lost when it comes to trying to use productivity to find meaning in life. Doing a task for the sake of doing the task just to produce a result doesn’t mean anything in and of itself, ya feel me?
The above qualm is part of my contentious relationship with productivity. And, look, as an ADHD girly (yes, diagnosed), my relationship with productivity was kind of doomed from the start. BUT STILL!!! What does productivity do for us??? And why do so many folks feel so fucking pressed to make every second of every day “productive”?
I’ll be real with y’all: productivity has never been something I've felt super pressed to hyper-prioritize in my own life. By that I mean, I of course want to get the necessary work required of me done in a relatively timely manner to the best of my ability... but when I see people focused on organizing all of their time including their free time to be hyper-productive and super efficient... couldn't be me, fam, couldn’t be me…
I mean, in my mind, is it truly free time if I feel like that specific time must be organized to be doing something “productive” (whatever that means lol)??? I see a lot of my peers feeling like they gotta put all of their time, including free time, into the service of something, even if it's not something they enjoy and I'm just like “Why would you do that to yourself in your free time???” In the current Capitalist Hellscape™ we get so little time for ourselves to spend with the people and things and activities and experiences we love, why don't we consider that to be “productive” too, ya dig?
Anyhoo, being the silly ADHD girly that I am, after having all of these thoughts I then went down an internet rabbit hole looking up the anthropological, sociological, historical, and philosophical concepts of productivity and work. The search results were massively interesting, and I thought y'all might enjoy some of the articles and video essays on these topics that I found and that y'all (like me) might find them if not helpful, at least reassuring! Definitely interested in hearing y'all's thoughts if you read and/or watch any of these!
“Can We Stop Chasing Productivity?” by Nia of the Substack newsletter Not Controversial
“Work” by Historia Civilis
“ADHD: A Nightmare Under Capitalism” by Elliot Sang
“How Work Took Over Our Lives” by Jared Henderson
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