The Dark Source of My Extreme Productivity

It’s time for a change.

Credit: Canva Pro

Coping mechanisms…

We all have them (to one degree or another.)

Some prefer alcohol, food, or drugs to calm the nervous system and silence those “pesky” emotions.

Others use video games or endlessly scrolling on social media to “numb out.”

In small doses, these vices are socially acceptable.

However, if one goes too far, their “coping mechanism” becomes disruptive, and they’re either shunned or, in the best cases, encouraged to seek help.

But other coping mechanisms like extreme productivity, over-exercising, and calorie restriction are far more insidious because they‘re celebrated in our culture.

For example, in my former career as an attorney, working yourself to death was a badge of honor.

How I Made the Leap From Lawyer to Full-Time Content Creator

It was common to hear young associates brag with equal parts pride and smugness —

I billed 75 hours last week and slept 2 hours a night.

Wow…what a life.

I even knew a guy who missed the birth of his child to stay at work and finish a brief.

He could have passed it off to someone else, but WORK was more important to him than his newborn baby or his relationship with his wife.

But why?

I don’t know his specific reasoning, but I can definitely relate to this on some level.

I learned early on that productivity was the only acceptable coping mechanism for dealing with my emotions.

Emotional expression was not (and is not) tolerated in my family.

There was no nurturing parent at home willing to talk to me when I had a tough day at school.

Appearances were all that mattered…