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The Productivity Paradox: Chasing Our Tails in the Land of Efficiency
We live in a world obsessed with productivity. From self-help gurus to corporate titans, everyone seems to be pushing the same message: do more, achieve more, be the best. But amidst the constant pressure to optimize our every waking moment, a paradox emerges: the more that we chase productivity, the more that we find to do.
The Rise of “Always On” Culture
Advances in technology have blurred the lines between work and personal life. Our phones keep us tethered to emails, they ping incessantly, and the dopamine reward cycle of social media calls out to you from dawn till dusk. This “always on” culture fragments our attention, creates information overload, and ultimately reduces our capacity for deep, meaningful work.
The Myth of Multitasking
Our brains are simply not capable of multitasking. Juggling multiple tasks at once leads to increased errors, decreased efficiency, and heightened stress. Rather than focussing on doing a single task well, we attempt to do many badly whilst wearing our multitasking abilities as a badge of honor, mistaking it for productivity when in fact it’s closer to controlled chaos.
The Quality vs. Quantity Trap
