5 Ways to Stop Toxic Productivity at Work

Hustle. Grind. Climb the ladder. The mentality of American entrepreneurs and professionals in today’s work culture can be exhausting. By working yourself and your employees to hard-hitting deadlines with fewer breaks, it’s possible to get lost in a vicious cycle of toxic productivity.  

What is Toxic Productivity? 

 
Toxic productivity is when you go beyond healthy productivity and have an obsession to be productive at all times. This behavior can quickly lead to burnout or other health consequences once pushed to the extreme. It can take the joy out of everyday things like going for a walk or hanging at the dinner table. 

Some examples of toxic productivity include: 

• Working when ill to meet deadlines 

• Avoiding using PTO because of worries about productivity  

• Feeling anxious when resting from work 

• Always sending emails on nights and weekends 

 
Ways to Stop Toxic Productivity at Work 

1. Analyze Workloads for Employees 

Spend time assessing your workload and the responsibilities delegated to the team. If your employees are overworked, make incremental reductions to the identified areas so the change is lasting. You’ll find that when employees are rested, workplace productivity is likely to increase. 

2. Make Meetings Less Toxic 

Think about the work-life balance of your team. Is every meeting pressuring employees to over-perform, distracting them from their current workload? Consider priorities and how focusing on smaller, achievable goals helps the team exit the meeting with a “win.” Before booking, reassess whether the meeting’s location format or the time allotted is necessary.  

3. Practice Professional Detachment 

Don’t let your self-worth be defined by the productivity of your job. Set aside time to explore other parts of your identity that aren’t connected to work, whether that’s playing golf, writing a book, or learning how to salsa dance. Avoid burnout and toxic productivity when you find time to connect with yourself outside of work. 

4. Make Breaks a Part of Your Routine 

To foster workplace productivity, rest for employees is essential! To encourage more breaks in the workplace, create fun, gourmet snack times or invite your team to go for a walk when they least expect it. Employees will find themselves more rejuvenated and alert when they can take time each day to unplug. 

5. Consider Acting Before Reacting 

Let’s say an executive speaks up in a meeting about a task involving you. While tempting, everything doesn’t always need to be resolved immediately! Be selective about your actions when these situations arise. Don’t think of this as avoiding an opportunity, but consider how this can help you create stronger boundaries and diminish the likelihood of someone else forcing you into toxic productivity. 
 

Find a role that better suits your work-life balance now with our open jobs.  

For more ways to stop toxic productivity, check out these articles: Why You Shouldn’t Call Your Team a “Family," How to Manage that “Always-On” Feeling, and Do You Manage Too Many People?