I really like the term "productivity dysmorphia." I don't think it makes sense to dismiss it as just another part of burnout. Like other forms of dysmorphia, I think it can lead to all sorts of unhealthy behaviors, such as overwork.
I think the main discomfort people have is that they associate it with body dysmorphia and in their mind, it’s categorized in a bucket with things that women experience and thus not taken seriously. As a trans non-binary person, I can say for sure that if something is slotted into one category, most people will violently resist that placement being altered
Thank you so much for sharing this! It's such an important perspective and one that I hadn't considered. Because you are so right: the term comes under the umbrella of "silly women problems" and therefore anything associated with it also gets the same treatment.
Well that's a chin-tugger Anna, thanks. Language usage really does seem to be plumbing new heights of deceptiveness (a variation on the Geordie, "That's the height of low, that is"). Saying what we want to say within the bounds of the way we normally speak still seems a worthy objective and achievable (doable?). Part of journalistic responsibility, just like fact-checking, might be to get back to fiercely seeking out and ousting the jargon/cliches from our own writing. Here's a big current one for me: "unacceptable". A politician's word which has infected general speech ergo the way we look at our world. What is deemed "unacceptable" has nearly always been done, unopposed, i.e. been accepted. So the word hardly ever means what it says, replaces saying what the speaker means and replaces the need for the speaker to decide what they do mean … in partricular what they're going to do about the thing in order to express unacceptance in some practical way. It seems to me such language – most jargon – arises from and intensifies a collective numbness and inertia. Let's say words instead of doing or even being. Journalists bringing language back to life can help bring themselves and readers and society back to life.
Yes this makes sense and resonates with the overuse of terms like “gaslighting” and “toxic” when describing something unpleasant but not abusive. When used incorrectly, these terms lose meaning and thus are not taken seriously when being reported accurately as serious experiences and behaviors.
Really enjoyed this article. I also write about employment and mental health. I think putting words to a vague feeling helps people understand whether a problem is internal or external and can help point them toward a path of recovery from work abuse.
I really like the term "productivity dysmorphia." I don't think it makes sense to dismiss it as just another part of burnout. Like other forms of dysmorphia, I think it can lead to all sorts of unhealthy behaviors, such as overwork.
I think the main discomfort people have is that they associate it with body dysmorphia and in their mind, it’s categorized in a bucket with things that women experience and thus not taken seriously. As a trans non-binary person, I can say for sure that if something is slotted into one category, most people will violently resist that placement being altered
Thank you so much for sharing this! It's such an important perspective and one that I hadn't considered. Because you are so right: the term comes under the umbrella of "silly women problems" and therefore anything associated with it also gets the same treatment.
That's so insightful, Margot. I think you're absolutely right.
Well that's a chin-tugger Anna, thanks. Language usage really does seem to be plumbing new heights of deceptiveness (a variation on the Geordie, "That's the height of low, that is"). Saying what we want to say within the bounds of the way we normally speak still seems a worthy objective and achievable (doable?). Part of journalistic responsibility, just like fact-checking, might be to get back to fiercely seeking out and ousting the jargon/cliches from our own writing. Here's a big current one for me: "unacceptable". A politician's word which has infected general speech ergo the way we look at our world. What is deemed "unacceptable" has nearly always been done, unopposed, i.e. been accepted. So the word hardly ever means what it says, replaces saying what the speaker means and replaces the need for the speaker to decide what they do mean … in partricular what they're going to do about the thing in order to express unacceptance in some practical way. It seems to me such language – most jargon – arises from and intensifies a collective numbness and inertia. Let's say words instead of doing or even being. Journalists bringing language back to life can help bring themselves and readers and society back to life.
Yes this makes sense and resonates with the overuse of terms like “gaslighting” and “toxic” when describing something unpleasant but not abusive. When used incorrectly, these terms lose meaning and thus are not taken seriously when being reported accurately as serious experiences and behaviors.
Also jingle jangle fallacy as surprisingly fun 😅
Really enjoyed this article. I also write about employment and mental health. I think putting words to a vague feeling helps people understand whether a problem is internal or external and can help point them toward a path of recovery from work abuse.
this was excellent! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Looking forward to next instillments of the A-Mail!
This piece has given me fodder to feed. To contemplate on Tetris Effect, Productivity Dysmorphia would be liberating.