We live in an era obsessed with efficiency. Organization apps, time management methods, productivity hacks—every week there’s a new tool promising to save you precious minutes. But what if the real problem isn’t about organizing your time, but about choosing what should or shouldn’t be on your list in the first place?
This is one of the most dangerous traps of so-called toxic productivity: the habit of optimizing tasks that, in reality, should have never made it to your schedule.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into this topic. You’ll understand how this behavior happens, what its impacts are, and—most importantly—how to break this cycle of exhausting inefficiency. All based on scientific studies, real examples, and actionable reflection.
Toxic Productivity: When Doing More Actually Means Doing Worse
The term toxic productivity gained traction during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A study conducted by Ohio State University (2021) analyzed how the need to “be productive all the time” during lockdown led many people to emotional and physical burnout. According to the researchers, excessive productivity has become a modern form of compulsion.
But the problem isn’t just doing too much. It’s about putting effort into irrelevant tasks, trying to refine routines or processes that, if honestly assessed, should simply be eliminated.
A Real-World Example: The Overloaded Professional
Picture a manager spending hours optimizing weekly reports, tweaking fonts, spreadsheets, and dashboards to make them more efficient. The catch? These reports are never actually read by decision-makers.
This is a classic case of improving useless processes. Instead of questioning the task’s value, the person makes it “faster” and “prettier,” when the right question should have been: “Do I even need to do this?”
If you’d like to learn how to prioritize better, check out our guide: How to Define What Really Matters in Your Routine.
The Efficiency Bias: Why Do We Optimize the Unnecessary?
There’s a cognitive phenomenon known as the efficiency bias. It was described in a study from the University of Virginia (2020), led by Professor Leidy Klotz. According to the research, the human brain tends to improve systems by adding or adjusting elements, while the most effective solution is often to remove or simplify.
In other words: we’d rather organize drawers than throw them away.
This behavior is rooted in our performance culture. From an early age, we’re taught to do more, to fill schedules, to handle everything. But real productivity—the one that brings positive impact and quality of life—comes from doing less, with more intention.
Signs of Toxic Productivity
Are you falling into this trap? Here are some signs:
- Constant guilt when not producing
- A schedule filled with tasks that don’t move your main goals forward
- An obsession with optimizing irrelevant routines
- No time left to reflect, create, or rest
- Burnout disguised as “high performance”
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to rethink how you’re running your day.
How to Escape the Trap: Practice Productive Subtraction
The solution isn’t to stop being productive—it’s to be productive in the right things. For that, you need to learn to delete before you optimize.
Here are some practical strategies:
1. Perform a Routine Audit
Take 30 minutes to list the recurring tasks in your day or week. Ask yourself:
- Does this bring real value, or is it just filling space?
- Does anyone read, use, or depend on this task?
- Is this task aligned with my purpose or project goals?
If the answer is no, consider eliminating or delegating it.
2. Practice Productive Minimalism
Instead of always trying to do things faster, try to do fewer things with greater impact. Productive minimalism, a concept developed by author Cal Newport (2021), suggests that real efficiency comes from subtraction and focus.
To explore this concept further, read our article: Productive Minimalism: How to Do Less and Achieve More.
3. Learn to Leave Things Unfinished (When Necessary)
According to psychologist Adam Grant, from the University of Pennsylvania, the obsession with finishing everything can lead to wasted time on low-value tasks. Knowing when to abandon projects or ideas that no longer make sense is a sign of strategic intelligence.
Also read the article You Want to Be Productive, but Your Mind Freezes? Read This…
Your Brain Needs Space, Too
Here’s an interesting fact: according to Stanford University (2019), the human brain processes about 6,000 thoughts per day. When your routine is packed with unnecessary microtasks, you block your ability to think creatively and strategically.
If you want to understand more about cognitive overload, check out this article on Wikipedia: Cognitive Load – Wikipedia.
The mind needs free space. Only then can we truly see what matters.
Conclusion: Doing Less Isn’t Laziness—It’s Intelligence
Clearing your agenda of the unnecessary isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of clarity.
Instead of investing energy in making useless tasks more efficient, ask yourself: “Does this really need to be done?”
Productivity isn’t about tightening bolts faster. It’s about figuring out which bolts actually need tightening—and letting the others go.
If you want to transform your relationship with work and time, start now. Do less. But do what really matters.
Sources and References:
- Klotz, L. et al. (2020). University of Virginia – “Subtracting Improves Solutions”.
- American Psychological Association (2021). The Hidden Costs of Toxic Productivity.
- Newport, C. (2021). A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload.
- Stanford University (2019). The Neuroscience of Focus and Cognitive Load.