Is There Such a Thing As Being Over-Productive? We Think Yes

Focusing too much on productivity can be… counterproductive. That’s right: There is such a thing as being over-productive – and it can affect both well-being and performance.

“I would define the idea of being over-productive as placing too much emphasis on producing or completing work at all costs without regard to the health and well-being of yourself and others,” says Rashelle Isip, productivity consultant and coach at TheOrderExpert.

Both Leaders and Individual Contributors Can Be Over-Productive

An unhealthy focus on productivity manifests differently in leaders and individual contributors, so if you suspect that your team has veered into an over-productive territory, consider the following examples of what it can look like in action.

According to Isip, in leaders, it can appear as “an interest in production or getting things done through the overuse or mismanagement of software, hardware, tools, resources, policies, and guidelines without regard to results or team well-being.” It can also look like implementing new strategies and techniques without evaluating the effectiveness of current ones.

Individual contributors who are too focused on being productive may be obsessed with completing tasks or taking on additional responsibilities purely for the sake of accomplishing work assignments. “Examples include completing tasks as quickly as possible without reviewing or proofing one’s work, becoming overly engrossed in the functions of a tool or resource to the detriment of competing assignments, and working at all hours of the day with no clear delineation of work or personal life,” says Isip.

The downsides of too much productivity

Not only can that kind of environment be detrimental to mental health (hello, burnout), but it can also decrease productivity and work quality. Have you heard of the law of diminishing returns? “If one input in the production of a commodity is increased while all other inputs are held fixed, a point will eventually be reached at which additions of the input yield progressively smaller, or diminishing, increases in output,” according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

In simpler terms, more is not always more. There comes a point in time where if you throw more resources at something, you’ll get less “bang for your buck.” And this economic principle applies just as much in the context of personal or team productivity.

“The downsides of too much productivity include unsatisfactory work. This includes subpar production, frequent errors, preventable mistakes, and accidents. Other downsides include poor health and well-being,” says Isip. “This includes being overworked, experiencing exhaustion, feeling stressed out, dull or foggy thinking, poor judgment, lack of focus, and disregard for tact and diplomacy.”

So it’s not a great way to reach your goals, even if you have good intentions. According to Kelly Harris Perin of Little Bites Coaching, being over-productive can even cause us to lose sight of our end goal, especially when fancy systems are at play. Systems and routines should keep you organized and efficient so you can focus on your real work – they shouldn’t become the bulk of your work. “I’ve worked with clients who are so focused on maintaining inbox zero that they spend way too much time in their email, and clients whose organizational systems need hours of upkeep per week,” says Harris Perin.

Tips to avoid being over-productive

The solution? Keep work that supports your actual work to a minimum. Harris Perin recommends a “minimum effective dose” approach: “Your productivity systems and routines should be as efficient and small as possible so you can spend more time on your most important priorities.”

A few mindset shifts can also ensure optimal levels of productivity without seeing diminishing returns. First, focus on prioritization over the output for the sake of output. You should always be reviewing your priorities and making sure they are still relevant – and ditching any to-dos that won’t move the needle towards getting the most important things done. Second, be intentional about work-life balance and set healthy boundaries. And if you have a team, don’t reward “over-productive unicorns,” as Harris Perin describes them – it’s better to set reasonable goals and expectations for each team member.

“Companies and organizations are setting themselves up for long-term failure if they rely on over-productive unicorns to keep their organization running,” she says. “Staff transitions are inevitable, and always come with productivity hit when hiring needs to happen and new staff members need to get up to speed. Focusing on reasonable, measured expectations for each role and person is a much better strategy in the long run, and will feel more supportive to staff members to boot.”