Beyond the grind: Toxic productivity and how it sabotages your well-being

Toxic productivity is an obsessive preoccupation with being productive at all costs. It’s not a diagnosable health condition, but can take a toll on people’s mental well-being, leading to insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Toxic productivity is marked by a false sense of urgency, an inability to relax, and guilt or shame over not accomplishing “enough.” People coping with toxic productivity can combat the impulse by doing deep breathing, journaling, and examining their relationship to downtime.