Compulsive productivity is killing your rest. This is why

"Productivity isn't something I do, it's become something I am-and it's exhausting. As it turns out, I'm not alone in this. For those of us who value productivity above all else, we're far more likely to experience chronic stress or burnout. One 2025 study shows just how widespread levels of chronic stress and burnout are, with over one-third of the workforce reporting they were chronically stressed or burned out last year."

"And what's making it worse, there's a constant pervading message that to be successful, we have to do it all and be it all, all at once. By today's standards, success looks like a highly paid career that we're deeply passionate about, all while training for a half-marathon, maintaining an A-list celebrity skincare routine, and jetting off somewhere new every vacation. Is it any wonder we feel the need to be compulsively productive?"

Compulsive productivity identity causes exhaustion and increases risk of chronic stress and burnout. A 2025 study found over one-third of the workforce reported chronic stress or burnout last year. Cultural norms portray success as simultaneously achieving a high-paid, passion-driven career, athletic goals, meticulous appearance routines, and constant travel, creating pressure to do it all. Early conditioning links self-worth to outputs like grades and achievements, so resting can destabilize the nervous system. Guilt around rest functions as a social emotion tied to belonging, prompting the brain to scan for interpersonal costs of not performing.

Read at Fast Company