How Productivity Olympics Sabotages Your Sanity (Do This Instead)
Remember that feeling in elementary school when the teacher handed out those giant reward charts with enough stickers to fuel a unicorn stampede?
That was my entire adult life, except instead of gold stars, I craved the validation of crossing things off an ever-growing to-do list. I even tried to convince myself that my ADHD was some productivity superpower.
Like a caffeinated squirrel on meth, I'd bounce from one task to another, convinced I was one hustle away from enlightenment (or at least a spotless office). The future was this blurry Shangri-La where I'd finally be "enough," every to-do list item was a stepping stone on that path.
Except, the only thing I ever reached was peak exhaustion.
Like, the kind of exhaustion where you start alphabetizing your sock drawer just to feel accomplished. Turns out, chronic low-level anxiety, fueled by the constant hum of "gotta do more, gotta be more," isn't exactly a recipe for inner peace.
It's a wrecking ball.
In the tapestry of our daily lives, the undercurrent of chronic low-level anxiety weaves a subtle yet profound impact on our Return On Time.
This pervasive unease, often unanchored to any tangible threat, erodes our life's fabric, manifesting in restless nights, unsettled stomachs, and constant worry. We use busyness in our everyday lives to distract ourselves from some level of suffering. Suffering, we don't really recognize.
It's akin to perpetually bracing for a predator's pounce that never comes. This ceaseless vigilance frays our mental and physical well-being, squandering our precious moments in a haze of apprehension. Even if that suffering is something small, like low-level anxiety or even boredom. We're a society that's always anxious, even when there's no real threat to our existence. We remain tense, fists clenched, all for that one unknown. The fear of death, the unknown future event, or the perpetual 'waiting.'
The troubling part is that most anxieties can't be traced to a triggering event. We're anxious for no reason. Anxiety has become a part of who we are. Living in an anxious state negatively affects your life and all the people who are on the journey with you—if they decide to stay.
Being anxious dramatically decreases your quality of life. You're always running from a tiger that's never going to eat you. It's never even around the corner. The constant stress impacts your physical, mental, and emotional health. Chronic stress leads to:
Poor sleep
Digestive issues
Behavioral changes
Irritable
Always worried
Substance abuse
It's like marinating in stress with a side of self-doubt.
Imagine living like that—constantly scanning the horizon for some unknown threat, your stomach churning like a washing machine full of rocks.
All because, deep down, you're convinced a tiger of existential dread is about to pounce (even though the closest jungle is probably your neighbor's overgrown bougainvillea). Talk about living life on the edge!
And the worst part? This anxiety became my identity. Perhaps it's yours too.
The good news is I finally woke up and smelled the metaphorical burnt toast of my own stress levels, and you can, too. It turns out the present moment is pretty darn cool, even if it doesn't involve color-coding my computer folders (although, don't judge, that was a productive afternoon).
So, here's my message to all my fellow anxiety ninjas and future-obsessed friends: put down the to-do list, step off the hamster wheel of stress, and take a deep breath.
The world doesn't need your "anxious about everything" persona; it needs your love, your compassion, and the best version of you that isn't fueled by constant worry. And trust me, the best version of you is probably not alphabetizing their sock drawer (unless, you know, that truly sparks joy).
Remember, the present moment is your oyster, not your to-do list. Now go shuck that bad boy open and enjoy the pearl of existence, anxiety-free!
