Freshman Christine Williams said she often experiences over productivity affecting her life.

“It gives me constant stress about the future and about my priorities and all I have to get done,” Williams said. “I might do things other people wanted me to do before things I need to do.”

Williams said she finds herself getting caught up in trying to do things for other people instead of herself. She said she has also noticed other students at this school getting stressed about all the things they have to do, for themselves and especially for other people.

Williams isn’t alone. The month of January introduces a heightened awareness for self-care during Self-Love Month. Counselor Casey Danubio said many students at this school experience toxic productivity, which is brought to light during Self-Love Month. The pressures of high school lead some students to being overly productive, which can bring some negative aspects countering the long-sought productiveness.

“You’re obviously getting a lot done, so you might feel like an achiever,” Danubio said. “You might feel like your self-worth is high and you might feel confident that you’re ‘succeeding’. From the outside, people looking in, it probably looks like you are very productive, successful human beings.”

Danubio said toxic productivity can cause students to burn out or to cause students to be involved in activities they’re not emotionally invested in, just to check a box.

“Sometimes it’s better to do a few things really well than a ton of things (in an average way),” she said.

Danubio said she has definitely seen students affected by toxic productivity over the years.

“Just feeling like the more they cross off their to-do list, or the more they add on their college application or their resume means better all the time. I always say, ‘Pick a few things you care about deeply and you feel like you could have a good impact on and which fill your own soul. Don’t just write down hundreds of things for the purpose of filling up a resume. In the long run that’s not good for anybody,’” Danubio said.

Sophomore Belle Davis said she likes to take time for herself by planning her outfits for the week or cleaning her room.

“I like to go on walks, I like to listen to music or podcasts,” she said. “It can have a positive outcome on the things I do.”

Davis said she thinks it’s helpful to just let go of some activities. She said she thinks there’s a way to do everything without overdoing it.

Danubio said balance is the key when managing productivity.

“You always have to recalibrate and figure out, ‘How do I take care of my mental health but still be involved?’” she said.

Williams said something she found has helped her with her over productivity is by letting certain things go, and not stressing about things that other people want her to do.

“Just really letting yourself believe what others are saying (helps with toxic productivity),” she said. “Because they’ll usually say, ‘I don’t care, don’t worry about it.’ Not everything has to get done right now.”