How to Overcome ‘Productivity Dysmorphia’

“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...