A Much Needed Rest | The Harmful Effects of Productivity Culture

Image by @kstonematheson

Oh, to be an adorable kitten taking your umpteenth stress-free nap of the day. I often find myself in awe of my cats and how incredibly relaxed they can be, and then I remind myself that I am effectively their servant. They have no need for a job, money, shelter, food, or anything else their little hearts desire because we take care of it. So yeah, they can just nod off at any given moment, feeling comfortable, fat, and quite happy.

In a world that glorifies busyness and equates worth with productivity and achievement, the simple act of resting has become a radical, almost rebellious act. Our modern society, driven by relentless schedules and an ever-present need to achieve, often leaves little room for genuine rest, leading to burnout. This cultural conditioning makes it incredibly difficult to give ourselves the space and grace to simply be. Neglecting rest in favor of constant productivity and the pursuit of “success” is inherently flawed, creating a vicious cycle of exhaustion and inefficacy. Rest is not a luxury; it is a fundamental necessity for our well-being. And I mean genuine rest—not distracting ourselves with entertainment, social media, and overwhelming thoughts and worry. Embracing true rest can help us break free from this cycle, allowing us to rejuvenate and reclaim our vitality.

The Value of Genuine Rest

Genuine rest goes beyond mere physical relaxation. It encompasses a state of mental, emotional, and spiritual renewal. When we rest deeply, we allow our bodies to heal, our minds to clear, and our spirits to rejuvenate. This holistic form of rest is vital for maintaining our overall health and well-being. Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of Why We Sleep, emphasizes the importance of rest: “Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health each day.”

Without adequate rest, we become more susceptible to illness and injury. Mental rest helps reduce stress and anxiety, improving cognitive function and creativity. It allows our minds to process information, solve problems, and generate new ideas more effectively. Emotional rest provides space to process feelings and experiences, leading to greater emotional stability and resilience. It helps us navigate our relationships and daily challenges with more grace and understanding. Spiritual rest connects us to our deeper selves and the world around us. It offers a sense of peace and purpose, grounding us in the present moment and aligning us with our true values.

The Cost of Toxic Productivity Culture

Despite its vital importance, genuine rest often feels elusive due to deep-seated societal conditioning. From a young age, we’re taught that our worth is tied to productivity and accomplishments, with hard work celebrated and taking it easy frowned upon. This relentless drive can make rest seem like a luxury or even a weakness. For me, the toxic nature of this mindset became painfully clear when I had to work just three days after my mother passed away—I had no choice and didn’t have a career that allowed me any grace for personal needs. I had to show up with a smile on my face and suppress my grief to get through the day without falling apart. It’s not healthy, and it sure as hell shouldn’t be normalized, but that’s exactly what we’ve allowed to happen and actively participate in—the normalization of prioritizing jobs, careers, money, worldly achievements, and so-called success over our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs.

This toxic productivity obsession haunts us in ways we may not even realize. For many, the ingrained belief that worth is tied to constant activity leads to a perpetual state of busyness. Even in moments of potential rest, there is often a compulsion to find a project, create a task, or run errands simply to avoid the discomfort of doing nothing. In the end, it can make us feel unworthy or not good enough, making us even more susceptible to the endless treadmill of relentless productivity. Personally, I feel guilty simply doing nothing. So, even when I have nothing to do, I find a project, create a task, or go outside to run errands or buy things just to be “doing” because it’s so deeply ingrained. I never felt like I was ever “off.” Even at “rest,” I was still trapped in the productivity mindset, like a battery being slowly drained because it’s always on. This led to burnout, compounded by work, running my own business, relationships, financial stress, and the seeming 24/7 access of modern tech and social media. I never felt like I could switch off. For my birthday every year, I would schedule a yurt retreat at my friend's farm to unplug and unwind, which made me realize that I had unwittingly enslaved myself to the productivity culture grind. This left me feeling guilty, not good enough, and completely burnt out. I’ve been actively working to recondition my brain to accept that rest is valid and that it’s okay to shut off and shut down. In fact, it’s just as important and isn’t a sign of laziness, complacency, or any sort of “lack.”

Redefining Success

If you ask me, we need to reevaluate what we define as success. It shouldn’t be linked to external factors like money, materialism, and status, which are often ego-based benchmarks that keep us shackled to a relentless pursuit of validation and superficial accomplishments. True success should be gauged by more spiritually significant measures—our personal growth, our capacity for compassion, our ability to maintain inner peace, and our alignment with our true values. It’s about nurturing our relationships, contributing positively to our communities, and living authentically and purposefully. Our society isn’t built to nurture the spirit, and that needs to change. We’ve been conditioned to equate our value with what we produce, which pulls us away from our true spiritual needs. Psychologically, this conditioning perpetuates a cycle of stress and burnout, making it difficult to find inner peace. Burnout, characterized by chronic stress, exhaustion, and a sense of inefficacy, is a direct result of our obsession with productivity. This state of physical and emotional depletion undermines our health and well-being, leading to a multitude of problems, including anxiety, depression, and impaired cognitive function. We need to integrate the best aspects of our structured, goal-oriented culture with the gentleness, space, and rest necessary for our well-being.

You’re not a failure if you’re not constantly achieving something. We’re not here to accumulate wealth or make others richer—we’re here to grow, evolve spiritually, and live in harmony with the natural rhythms of life. By recognizing the psychological toll of our productivity obsession and embracing rest as a spiritual practice, we can reconnect with our true selves and find balance in our lives. Brené Brown, the famed research professor at the University of Houston who has extensively studied vulnerability, courage, and empathy, notes, “We live in a culture with a strong sense of scarcity. The antidote to this sense of scarcity is not to produce more, but to cultivate what we already have. It’s the realization that ‘I am enough.’”

In many cultures, being busy is seen as a badge of honor. We often hear phrases like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or “hustle until you make it,” which perpetuate the idea that rest is unnecessary or counterproductive. The constant barrage of notifications, emails, and social media updates keeps our minds in a state of perpetual activity. Even during supposed downtime, we are often still engaged with our screens, preventing true rest. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and author, highlights this in his work, noting how our digital age makes it even harder to rest. “We are always accessible, chronically online, and this constant connectivity is detrimental to our health, our relationships, and the reality we create for ourselves.” Many workplaces reward long hours and constant availability, blurring the lines between work and personal time. This creates an environment where taking breaks or resting can be seen as lacking dedication or ambition.

The Power of Rest

To counteract this conditioning and embrace genuine rest, we need to consciously create space for it in our lives. Start by expanding your definition of productivity to include rest. Recognize that taking time to rest enhances your overall efficiency and creativity, making you more productive in the long run. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Designate specific times for rest and relaxation, and protect these periods from interruptions and distractions. Engage in mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. These activities can help quiet the mind and cultivate a sense of inner peace, making it easier to embrace rest. Rituals can be a great way to signal to your body and mind that it’s time to rest. This could be a warm bath, reading a book, listening to calming music, or spending time in nature. Rituals help create a restful environment and make rest a regular part of your routine.

Be a rest advocate. Challenge the cultural norms that glorify busyness by modeling the importance of rest in your own life. Share your experiences with others and encourage them to prioritize rest as well. Surround yourself with people who value and respect your need for rest. Engage with communities or groups that prioritize well-being and self-care. Practice self-compassion and let go of guilt associated with resting. Remind yourself that rest is not only a right but a necessity. Give yourself permission to rest without feeling lazy or unproductive. In a culture that often equates busyness with worth, embracing genuine rest is a courageous and necessary act. By redefining productivity, setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, creating rest rituals, challenging social norms, seeking support, and practicing self-compassion, we can reclaim the space and grace to simply be. Rest is not a luxury—it is a fundamental component of a balanced, healthy, and fulfilling life. Let’s honor ourselves by making rest a priority and allowing it to restore our minds, bodies, and spirits.