Beyond Productivity: Prioritizing Your Needs Over the Hustle

By: Nicole Chinery | March 2025

One thing I have grown passionate about is the concept of productivity- not to say that I am a steadfast proponent of the grind but rather I have become interestingly intrigued by the way that singular word alters the way we perceive the world and ourselves. Because we have been socially programmed to measure our worth against a yardstick of productivity, we limit our experiences to ticking off to-do lists, churning out material, and without surprise- consuming without savouring, leaving us in a constant state of insatiety, always yearning for more.

While we can redefine productivity to better suit ourselves, sometimes what we need may not be to produce but maybe to show kindness or assertiveness. In many ways, it is almost dehumanizing to apply the sole criteria of productivity when in fact our needs are extensive and diverse. By focusing only on how productive we are, we neglect various parts of ourselves.

This week I decided to do something new and base the value of my day on creativity as opposed to productivity. The focus for me then shifted from how much work I can do in a day to how expansive and expressive I can be, how curious I am in my approach to daily tasks and how open I am to trying new things. I’ll admit though that it was not the easiest thing to get accustomed to and many times I found myself struggling with self deprecating talk because I felt as though my days were too slow or that I was being lazy.

This is when awareness becomes a powerful tool to keep us grounded in our intention so that we do not fall back into old and negative thought patterns. It may be difficult but it is worth a shot; today or for the rest of the day even if you have just an hour before bed, bring your awareness to your body and check in with yourself. In what areas would you like to show up more for yourself? What do you need from yourself? In which areas are you experiencing anxiety and why? Try to answer these as honestly as you can and maybe instead of focusing on how much you can get done, focus on meeting yourself in the areas you need to be met in.

The system we find ourselves in benefits at the expense of our mental well-being. On one hand, we are being sold pseudo wellness and on another we are being exploited so it’s difficult to have tools and the emotional bandwidth to begin to rewire our thinking and behaviours. If you are struggling to find where you land or experience difficulty to identify what you need, it may be helpful to seek professional support. Feel free to book a consultation today.