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How to Overcome ‘Productivity Dysmorphia’
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How to Overcome ‘Productivity Dysmorphia’

You’ve accomplished too much to feel that you haven’t done enough.

Lindsey Ellefson
Lifehacker, 2022
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6

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At the end of the workday, do you ever feel like you haven’t achieved enough, even though you’ve put out several fires and crossed multiple items off your to-do list? If so, you may be suffering from “productivity dysmorphia,” an emotional state that lies at the “intersection of burnout, imposter syndrome and anxiety.” Lindsey Ellefson, a features editor at Lifehacker and CNN, explains this modern phenomenon and offers advice on how to combat productivity dysmorphia with a few easily incorporated strategies.

Summary

“Productivity dysmorphia” is the discrepancy between your perception of your productivity and how much you actually achieve.

A deluge of newfangled terminology has emerged in recent years to describe the negative emotions that many people associate with work. “Imposter syndrome” and “burnout” are just two such labels to enter the lexicon.

In 2021, journalist Anna Codrea-Rado coined another term – “productivity dysmorphia” – to describe the phenomenon of feeling as though you are unproductive or failing, even when you clear many tasks from your to-do list each day. Productivity dysmorphia is a combination of burnout, imposter syndrome and anxiety, all of which contribute to feelings of inadequacy and failure.

Avoid productivity dysmorphia by creating a task list to...

About the Author

Lindsey Ellefson is a features editor at Lifehacker and CNN. She covers myriad topics, including health, relationships and home life.

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