The Problem with Productivity
Our devices enable us to do things faster. So why don’t we have more time?
Anita, a 42-year-old small-business owner and mother of three, approached her family life the way she approached her business—with extreme competence. With her husband frequently away on business, Anita told psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin that she maximized her time with productivity tools, meal delivery services, Task Rabbit errand runners, etc.
But no matter how efficiently Anita ran her household, she still felt stressed out. In Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included) Lakshmin writes:
[E]ven when Anita came up with the ‘perfect’ productivity and organization solution for her family’s needs, she didn’t feel complete. She still felt like she was managing her kids instead of being with them. The meal delivery service and time-saving techniques weren’t hurting. The problem was that Anita couldn't turn her brain off and stop thinking about what she could …