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We live our lives around the clock. We wake up at a certain time, work on a schedule and base our performance on the amount of time it takes us to do things. More things done in less time = good. More time needed? Deadline not met? Unacceptable. But it’s not just the clock that gives us anxiety; it’s basing our worth on how productive we are. We have this false belief that if we just finish everything on our to do lists, we’ll be done. After that, we can finally be happy, right? Unfortunately, that time never comes. We always find more things to do, more projects to work on, more ways to improve and optimize. But when we base our happiness on achievement, we’ve joined the cult of productivity. Being productive is no longer a means to an end. It’s the end entirely. And it’s a sickness. Here are some signs you’ve contracted the productivititis: • Inability to sit still for prolonged periods of time while playing games or spending time with friends. • Accidentally leaving your planner at home causes you to break into a cold sweat. • Lack of a highly-detailed action plan induces blurred vision, lack of ability to focus, and severe anxiety. • You feel that saving time is a serious accomplishment. Clearing your inbox in 40 seconds less than yesterday is cause for a monumental celebration. • Painting, laying out on the beach, and other non time-based activities are considered a horrendous sin against productivity. Part of the reason for this obsession with productivity is we think time is money. But time is not money. Time is life. Now, I’m not trying to throw the baby out with the bath water (actually, I don’t want to throw any babies anywhere — I’ve always thought that was a morbid expression). There is certainly a need for productivity and accomplishing goals. Without them, we would probably be pretty damn bored. But the problem is that we think more is the answer. We want bite-sized happiness and short bursts of satisfaction. We go to theme parks and insist on going on every ride. We take trips and vacations, where we require that every attraction and monument be visited. We schedule our weeks trying to fit as many appointments and tasks in it as possible. All of this is done with the thought that someday, far away, we can relax. If doing more isn’t the answer, maybe it’s doing less. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to actually enjoy the experience. Maybe it’s slowing down enough to remember what the hell you did two days ago, without having to look to your day planner. With technology, we can get more done quicker than ever before. So isn’t that supposed to result in more free time and increased happiness? If so, why is it that most of us feel that when we’re not doing something productive, we’re uneasy? Why is it that when our time isn’t structured, we feel guilty?