how to stop tying your self worth to productivity
I love feeling productive (I mean, don’t we all?)
I love the feeling of completing a task or project that ends up turning out well. Even more than that, I love the praise and acknowledgement that sometimes comes with performing well at work.
It fuels me and makes me feel good about the work I’m doing. I certainly don’t need validation, but there’s something so rewarding about feeling proud of my accomplishments.
These are all good things, but it starts to get messy when you start tying self esteem to work.
Once I start feeling like my self worth is determined by my achievements, I try to remind myself of other personal accomplishments, celebrate the good and bad moments of productivity and stop tying my self worth to outcomes.
read more: the struggle of self worth when feeling undervalued at work
accept the highs and lows of productivity
One thing that recenters me, when I feel anxious about my productivity and lower self worth because of it, is accepting that there will be good and bad days of productivity.
There will be high and low moments of progress. I’ll be able to accomplish more some days, and the other days I may need time to rest.
And productivity doesn’t have to be all about work. When I know that I have to deep clean my apartment this week before I have visitors, I’ll feel horrible if I procrastinate and leave a messy apartment to clean up a few hours before they arrive.
There’s a balance when it comes to productivity, and it’s completely unfair to allow for low moments of productivity to dictate how you feel about yourself and your self worth.
You are way more than what you accomplish on a given day, week, month, year, etc. Your self worth shouldn’t be tied to how productive you are. This world is way bigger than a career and way bigger than achievements.
read more: promoting mental wellness in the workplace
stop tying self worth to outcomes
Similarly, you shouldn’t tie your level of self worth to the outcomes of what you’re working toward.
It’s amazing to achieve an outcome you’ve been striving toward, and that’s definitely worth celebrating and being proud of yourself for. But you shouldn’t allow it to dictate how your future self will feel about your worth, if things don’t turn out how you wanted or expected.
It can lead to a fear of failure, which could make you not even want to start. There’s so many times that I’ve been left feeling anxious and like I didn’t want to start a task or project at all because of the what ifs.
Try to be proud of the steps along the way. Make mini goals or objectives that can allow you to feel good about yourself and your journey. The outcome is obviously the larger goal, and we all want to achieve greatness.
But allow yourself to not put so much weight on it, if you know that you can be extra hard on yourself and get upset if it’s not exactly what you were hoping for.
read more: rewiring your mindset for self worth
prioritize mental health and self worth in the workplace
If your job is negatively impacting your self worth, that’s important for you to realize and take action on as well.
Some bosses and companies can push for you to be as productive as possible, while criticizing and putting you down if you fail to deliver.
I encourage you to be transparent, open and honest when you feel undervalued or put down. We push things to the side too often.
I’m sorry to your boss, but your mental health and self worth is always more important than a job. Do not let them ruin your mindset and life. Speak up when it’s getting to be too much and interfering with your life or self worth.
“Self-worth comes from one thing — thinking that you are worthy.” — Wayne Dyer
America’s corporate scene can be draining, high pressure and major stakes, when it doesn’t have to be. I don't think anyone should feel like they have to choose between self worth and affording to live through a job.
It’s our job as a society to create healthier workplaces for people and to put a bigger focus on mental wellness instead of productivity.
read more: affirmations to improve your self confidence & self worth
