Mental Health and Its Effect on Productivity

If you have been on social media lately, you may have noticed a growing trend promoting the necessity of productivity during social distancing and isolation. Many influencers have been promoting the opinion that, during all this “free time,” we should be obtaining new skills, chasing ambitions, achieving goals, and starting side hustles. On social media alone, I have noticed countless fitness challenges, sourdough starters, cleaning challenges — the list goes on.

When we consider the positive outcomes of setting and achieving goals, it can make sense that people have been pushing for productivity to increase while we seemingly have more time on our hands than usual. I can appreciate the idea that goal setting and staying busy is a positive approach, as this can be empowering to our well-being. Setting and achieving goals can be very effective in creating a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives.

Where I begin to question the promotion of productivity is the implication some of these posts carry: that if you are choosing not to engage in these self-enhancing activities, you lack motivation and drive, and are essentially lazy. Such a statement is concerning and problematic, as it does not account for the very real impact this period has had on our mental health. Everyone experiences these situations differently. For some, a slower period creates space and time to stay busy, set goals, and thrive. For others, it intensifies uncomfortable feelings and worries, and increases mental health concerns. If you are someone with pre-existing mental health concerns, or experiencing an increased level of anxiety for the first time, it might be incredibly challenging to expect yourself to be productive during this time.

Mental health’s effect on productivity

Productivity is an interesting topic to consider in its relationship to mental health. Research suggests that mental health plays a significant role in productivity levels, and that individuals who experience depression are less likely to be productive both at work and in daily living. For some people, productivity might be viewed as a coping mechanism. When driven by fear and feelings of helplessness, people begin to search for areas of their lives they can tangibly control. Productivity is often extrinsically rewarded, meaning people may find a sense of accomplishment in working harder to prove to themselves and others what they are capable of achieving.

If you have attended therapy, you will know it is often encouraged to establish a routine, set realistic goals, and find effective ways to manage mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression. When used within reason, routines and goal setting can be very effective in managing symptoms. However, as we increase the pressure on ourselves to achieve goals, this can increase the impact of potentially failing. Studies have suggested a link between perfectionism and depression, and that the need to be perfect can lead to avoidance of a deeper underlying concern. Productivity can also be a way of avoiding feelings — the idea being that if we busy ourselves with tasks, then there is less chance we have to confront our challenging emotions. When we focus solely on productivity and performance-based coping strategies, we shy away from emotion-focused coping that can help us process our feelings.

When we consider all that we endure during a major upheaval, it can be overwhelming to navigate our emotions. Significant shifts occur in our daily lives, routines, and structure. For many, this means an increase in mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, fear, and worry. Busying ourselves with tasks might help to manage these feelings, but this isn’t the case for everyone. Understanding yourself and attuning to your personal needs is vital. Instead of pressuring ourselves to achieve goals and push the limits of achievement, we first need to understand our own needs. Maybe this looks like slowing down, taking time to process our emotions, healing, meditating, or living in the present moment. Not everyone will find solace in busying themselves with goals and tasks — and that is entirely okay. This is your time to choose what is best for you.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

When considering how to attune to your own needs, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs comes to mind. Abraham Maslow is well known for developing this model, which holds that people are motivated by five basic categories of needs: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. Although this theory has been challenged in more modern thinking, it has contributed to the research and development of positive psychology. Simply put, Maslow believed that until the first layer of needs is met, humans will not be able to move to the next level of motivation. Physiological needs are the first level: if someone is tired or hungry, they often are not able to focus on anything else until those needs are met. Based on this hierarchy, it’s not until we reach the levels of esteem and self-actualization that motivation, goal achievement, and self-betterment become possible. We must first experience physiological needs — shelter, food, water, sleep, and clothing — before reaching safety, which includes personal security, employment, resources, health, and property.

During a widespread crisis, many of us sit on the lower end of the pyramid, hovering between physiological and safety needs. Some have had to adjust to ensuring their physiological needs are met amid shortages, increased difficulty grocery shopping, financial insecurity, and the challenge of affording housing and rent. For the first time in many of our lifetimes, we have experienced extreme difficulty obtaining our basic needs. Beyond that, many have lost or seen reductions in employment, and are experiencing concerns about health and well-being. Considering all the needs that must be met before someone feels the level of safety necessary to even begin setting goals, we can begin to understand why it’s so important to attune to our own needs before placing the expectation that we must be productive.

How are we supposed to consider achieving unrealistic goals and reaching self-actualization if our basic needs aren’t being met?

Setting realistic expectations and goals

As noted earlier, evidence suggests goals do play an important role in providing us with purpose and meaning. Setting goals can be effective in promoting your well-being — as long as you understand your limitations and what you are able to manage in your current situation. Once we attune to our own needs, we may have to adjust our expectations and set realistic goals within our means. During especially difficult periods, many people experience higher-than-usual levels of anxiety or situational depression, along with worry, fear, and increased concern for themselves and those around them. These changes in your mental health may require you to lower or alter the expectations you have of yourself.

Set short-term goals

Often, people set long-term goals based on big dreams they want to strive toward. When we have big expectations for ourselves, it can feel as though we are failing if we aren’t actively able to achieve them. It’s therefore very important to adjust our goals and expectations to our current abilities and situation. Short-term goals are often the most effective and realistic to set. These are goals you want to achieve in the near future — within the next week, month, or even year. Depending on circumstances, you might find it more effective to think of these goals in terms of what you can achieve within hours, days, or weeks. Research suggests that achieving short-term goals has a positive impact on our well-being by increasing mood along with feelings of motivation and achievement.

Set personal goals

Goals are very personal, and therefore important to set for yourself alone. Social media has promoted goal setting as somewhat universal, which encourages comparison and feelings of failure when we are unable to achieve those goals. Focusing on our own needs and abilities is how we begin to understand our limits and effectively construct goals that fit us individually. To set yourself up for success, first check in with yourself and where you are at. Ask yourself simple questions: Are your basic needs met? Are you tired? Hungry? Stressed or triggered? What is your anxiety level on a scale from 1 to 10? These questions should provide a basic understanding of where you are, and can help you set realistic goals that are achievable within your current needs.

Start small

When setting short-term goals, start by setting three small intentions or goals for your day. Try setting goals that feel easy for you to attain. Remember, the size or significance of the goal depends on you alone. Every night before bed, reflect on the goals you set. Were you able to achieve them? If you did, how did it feel? Did you feel a sense of satisfaction? If you didn’t, check in with yourself. Did you set an unrealistic goal? Use this information as a way to gauge your goal setting. By bringing awareness to your tolerance and productivity level, you set yourself up for success and allow yourself to work within your means.

It’s important to remember that difficult periods are challenging on people mentally, emotionally, and physically. Everyone has a different tolerance level and ability to cope with adversity. Allow your feelings to exist, adjust your expectations, and do what you can to the best of your ability. Instead of worrying that we are not doing enough, being enough, or producing enough, try to simply focus on the here and now.

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If you are finding it difficult to cope with the changes in your life, you are not alone. Book a free 20-minute consult to see if we might be a good fit for you. We would be more than happy to support you through challenging times.