In a world that celebrates capitalistic achievements and success, it can be hard not to feel guilty for simply doing nothing. But the truth is, rest can be productive because it helps prevent burnout and supports overall well-being. As a chronic overachiever myself, it took me a long time to learn how to overcome my guilt over doing nothing and build healthier beliefs around work and rest.

My Story of Overcoming Productivity Guilt

Our society tends to tie people’s self-worth to what they’re able to produce, so when I’m not actively producing work, I feel like I’m not only failing myself, but everyone around me.

As a Black woman who grew up in the United States, I was taught that I had to work 10 times harder to reach the same achievements and have the same opportunities as my white counterparts. As a result, as a teenager, I overcompensated by being super competitive with my peers, striving for perfection, and often taking on more responsibilities than I could handle.

It wasn’t until my junior year of college, when I experienced a mental break so severe that it pushed me to take a leave of absence from my university, that I realized that overworking myself and deprioritizing rest wasn’t going to be sustainable in the long term. 

I packed up all of my things, moved back home with my parents, and for the first time in a long time, I had the luxury of doing absolutely nothing. If it wasn’t for this impromptu gap year, I would never have discovered that I was chasing a career that wasn’t mine, and I would have never rediscovered my love for writing and taken active steps to become the journalist I am today. However, it took a lot of reflection and ups and downs to get over my productivity guilt during that period, and honestly, I still struggle with negative self-talk from time to time. 

Ultimately, a few life lessons helped me overcome my guilt over doing nothing and prioritize self-care. I hope they might be helpful next time you feel low.

1. Reframe Rest as Productive Recovery 

I used to equate acts of self-care, such as taking the day off to read, journal, go on a walk, and cook myself a nutritious meal, with being “lazy.” Performing tasks that don’t promise a tangible financial reward? Blasphemous. 

But the truth is, rest is productive. It allows us to recover from a hard week’s work. It also guards us from falling into the “productivity trap,” a self-defeating cycle that tells us we need to be constantly producing, often at the expense of our well-being. It’s a surefire recipe for burnout, which affects all areas of life, such as relationships, mental and physical health, and, ironically, work performance, says Los Angeles-based psychotherapist Sophie Elkins, ACSW. 

“Just as we don’t expect our phones to make a call on an empty battery, we can’t expect to be our best selves when running on fumes,” Elkins says. In fact, research shows that emotional burnout is associated with increased productivity loss. Rest is not only productive, but a necessary investment in our well-being and work performance. 

Whenever I was feeling burned out at my 9-to-5, I made it a priority to either take a mental health day or ask to work from home, even when at first I may have felt guilty for doing so. But after a full day of just being cozy at home and doing activities that brought me joy, such as reading a fiction novel or watching a Hugh Grant rom-com, I was able to show up to work the next day more well-rested and able to produce work that I was really proud of.

2. Redefine Productivity Beyond Output

Often, we view our productivity as linked to our external outputs. But what if we redefined productivity to include activities where we’re not simply producing things for work or school, but refilling our personal cup?

For me, productivity doesn’t just mean writing articles as a freelancer or working toward my master’s degree. It’s also prioritizing exercise every day for my mental and physical health, scheduling time in my calendar to catch up with friends, and gaining creative inspiration by reading new fiction and visiting art museums.  

Redefining productivity beyond output looks like prioritizing relationships and things that have nothing to do with work, slowing down long enough to be in our own heads, and practicing mindfulness, says New York City-based therapist Aliza Shapiro, LCSW. In other words, “embracing moments of ‘being’ over constant ‘doing.’”

Not to mention, having a strong mental well-being and feeling socially connected to others can have major benefits to our work productivity. The alternative—i.e., social isolation and depressive symptoms—is associated with productivity loss.

3. Detach Your Self-Worth From Your Work

When so much of our society has been programmed to have us believe that our worth as a person is directly tied to how much we produce, how hard we work, and how much we accomplish, it’s not a rare feeling to feel guilty over doing nothing, says Shapiro. Most people feel some level of shame or guilt when they’re not producing. They may also secretly look down on those who are thought not to be externally contributing to society, such as the unhoused and unemployed. 

But when you start connecting your self-worth to your job title or work output, you play a dangerous game where you feel high when you’re outshining your peers and being praised for your hard work, and low when you’re underperforming or being overlooked by your colleagues. 

“Guilt over doing nothing stems from deeply held beliefs that we must earn our worth through output,” says Sotiriadis. This is called “conditional self-worth,” where you only feel valuable if [fill in the blank], she adds. For example, you may only feel valuable if you secure the promotion after taking on assignments beyond your job description or are given the reins on a major work project. 

But self-worth isn’t conditional. “We are worthy of existing just because we are human and we are here,” Elkins affirms. 

While I still struggle to separate my self-worth from my work output, when I have moments when I feel guilty if I can’t find the emotional energy or motivation to produce great work, I like to remind myself that I’m not “lazy” for prioritizing my mental well-being. I am deserving of compassion, despite how much I produce or accomplish.

4. Admit Guilt

When I’m overcome with guilt over being unproductive, I can often fall into a spiral of negative self-talk. This looks like mentally bullying myself for doing nothing and instead lying in bed, bingeing “New Girl” for the umpteenth time, and indulging in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. I might think: I’m lazy and undeserving, so what’s even the point?

The mental toll of this constant negative self-talk often results in lowered self-esteem, increased anxiety and depression, difficulty in relationships, and even having a hard time making decisions due to internal mistrust, says Elkins. In other words, talking negatively about ourselves may just stifle our productivity even more. 

For one, it provides an explanation for why you haven’t submitted your assignment yet, even though it’s past the deadline. And more often than not, people are willing to help—either by offering solutions or reminding you of all that you’ve accomplished to get you out of your spiral.

So the next time you’re feeling worthless for being unproductive, try admitting what has you in a mental rut to a trusted supervisor who may be able to offer solutions for how to move forward. Or, if you’re not in a position where you feel comfortable doing the former, reach out to a friend who can remind you of your self-worth and that it’s OK to take a few hours or the day to do nothing. 

How To Determine When Guilt Is Warranted

Like all emotions, both negative and positive, there’s a biological reason why we experience guilt. “Just like having a bit of anxiety before a test can drive us to study that extra 15 minutes, guilt allows us to recognize and reflect on questionable behavior, take accountability, and change our course of action,” says Elkins. 

When guilt is warranted, it keeps us tethered to our moral compass and empathy, and ensures we’re acting in accordance with our personal value systems, adds Shapiro. But when guilt is disconnected from our values and instead is reflective of a system we never signed up for (i.e., hustle culture), it can be counterproductive. 

Whenever you’re feeling guilty over doing nothing, ask yourself: Why? Are you feeling guilty because you’re not meeting your personal expectations, or because it’s been ingrained in you that if you’re not producing, you’re not doing your part in society? In either case, remind yourself that it’s OK to rest and do the things that refill your cup. Even if not outwardly recognized, it is productive in and of itself.