Productivity as a Means to a Fulfilling Life

Productivity has emerged as a central theme in self-help literature, revealing an intriguing, albeit somewhat troubling, aspect of our society. Somewhere along the way, the quest for productivity intertwined with our existential pursuit of meaning and personal growth. We now feel compelled to "optimize" our lives, striving to extract every possible benefit the world has to offer.

But are we merely going in circles? Morrissey encapsulated this dilemma in his song "Hairdresser on Fire": "You are repressed but you’re remarkably dressed / Is it real? / And you’re always busy, really busy, busy busy."

No one is immune to this pressure. I, too, feel its weight, particularly after liberating myself from the constraints of corporate law and the relentless tracking of time in six-minute increments. My mood dips if I don’t manage to read a third of a novel, write 2,000 words, practice the piano for 30 minutes, and spend an hour outdoors each day. It’s vital to conclude the workday feeling that I’ve genuinely achieved, learned, or proven something.

The Time Investment for Mastery

In his book Outliers: The Story of Success (2008), Malcolm Gladwell famously posited that attaining world-class proficiency in any skill largely hinges on practicing effectively for approximately 10,000 hours. He referenced a study from the early 1990s by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson and colleagues at Berlin’s Academy of Music, which found that elite musicians had all practiced over 10,000 hours. Gladwell observed that, after reaching a certain level of ability required for top music schools, the differentiating factor among performers was their work ethic.

Gladwell extended this 10,000-hour principle beyond music, suggesting it applies across various fields, including computer science, hockey, and law. However, he also noted that any time spent beyond 10,000 hours does not yield significantly better results; you either master the skill or you don’t.

This insight is crucial when considering productivity. If we are perpetually searching for ways to amplify our productivity, we may find ourselves falling short. There exists a limit beyond which additional effort may be counterproductive. Working longer and harder does not equate to greater effectiveness.

The Limits of Our Attention

Research indicates that excessive focus can deplete our mental resources. We are not built for prolonged concentration, and most of us struggle to maintain it for extended periods. In fact, we perform best when alternating between focused and unfocused states. The latter activates the default mode network (DMN) in our brains, which helps us integrate new experiences and ideas.

Initially, scientists regarded the DMN as a passive state, but it actually consumes a significant portion of our body's energy. This explains why many of our best ideas often emerge when we step away from our desks.

Consequently, it becomes clear that we require downtime. I learned this lesson later in life, recalling the surprise I felt when an ex-boyfriend suggested we unwind with an episode of The Apprentice. At that point, I was in my early 20s, and the idea of relaxing without guilt seemed foreign to me.

Productivity in the Context of Neoliberalism

Psychologist Maria Kordowicz, PhD, posits that the current obsession with productivity represents a flawed neoliberal mindset, attempting to optimize human potential akin to how Victorians harnessed machinery during the Industrial Revolution.

This perspective resonates with my corporate experiences. In a rigid bureaucracy, we operated like machines, donning uniforms to save time on outfit selection while tirelessly chasing peak performance. Rest was viewed solely through the lens of productivity—something to be minimized. Colleagues often boasted about their limited vacations or how many they canceled to secure a deal. While resilience workshops and mindfulness sessions proliferated, Kordowicz argues they merely perpetuated individualism within the workforce, with employees bearing the burden of stress while corporate systems remained unexamined.

Where did this "always-on" culture originate? Many attribute it to the overwhelming influx of information in our lives, which leads to "decision fatigue." However, this mentality predates technology. Since America's Gilded Age, individuals—regardless of their wealth—have worked excessively hard.

Thorstein Veblen captured this paradigm shift in his engaging book The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899), highlighting how new commercial practices necessitated different ways to showcase wealth. The idea of having free time due to affluence faded, replaced by conspicuous consumption and the decline of utility-based consumption theories, a trend that persists today.

The Challenge of Concentration

So, how long can we push ourselves before our brains demand a break? The average attention span is surprisingly short, affected by factors such as the subject matter and time of day. Generally, concentration ranges from about 15 minutes for young children to around 20 minutes for adults—far from the expectations we impose on ourselves.

It’s no wonder that many of us turn to productivity apps, trying to resist the urge to scroll through our feeds by cultivating a digital forest. But is this merely another way to berate ourselves for not measuring up, fighting against our inherent limits?

The burnout culture has galvanized support for a four-day workweek. Personally, I often work through all seven days, but that’s a privilege of autonomy. If I were under corporate constraints, I might favor a four-day schedule. Emerging evidence supports the efficacy of this approach: a recent University of Cambridge study found that companies adopting a four-day workweek saw significant reductions in sick days and employee turnover.

Despite this, there’s little indication that such proposals are gaining serious traction within the business world. Critics often dismiss them as the indulgences of the "work-averse." Additionally, work imparts meaning and structure to our lives. We’ve all heard stories of individuals who, after retiring from long careers, struggle to find purpose and direction.

Rethinking Productivity

So, where does this leave us? One could argue that productivity is one of the more elusive concepts of our time, akin to work/life balance and workplace morale. These ideas are well-meaning but often impractical, leaving us feeling worse about ourselves.

However, I have found a small victory. I continue to use productivity apps, but with a twist. Instead of focusing on concentration and avoiding distractions, I now use them to limit the time spent on tasks. This approach prioritizes freeing up time for unstructured activities, which I believe is the essence of true productivity.

Niall Stewart is the author of The Beautiful Anatomy of Despair (2022).