Feeling the Squeeze: The Productivity Paradox

Dean of Academics

As the end of the year approaches, I find myself reflecting on the experiences of our Year 12 girls. Their climactic year of schooling brings with it a host of inevitable challenges, and I’ve noticed that many girls grapple with a nagging sense that they’re not doing ‘enough’. They lament nights lost to procrastination, regret weekends that slipped away unproductively, and feel guilty for indulging in that extra Netflix episode. With external exams looming—a milestone they perceive as pivotal to their futures—each moment becomes something precious they should be squeezing for its maximum value. Productive days are revered trophies, while idle hours play on their conscience.

Lately, I’ve been wondering about the origins of this relentless pressure to optimise every waking hour. This mindset isn’t unique to our Year 12 girls; I often catch myself internalising the same pressure to ‘make the most’ of my time. It seems symptomatic of a broader societal condition: the glorification of hyperproductivity. Somewhere along the line, we collectively bought into the notion that our lives—ourselves, even—are ongoing projects requiring endless refinement and improvement. If we’re not constantly moving towards ‘better’ and ‘more’, it can feel as though we’re wasting our potential; falling behind in a never-ending race we didn’t even realise we’d entered. And it’s exhausting.

Perhaps this obsession with output began in the industrial era, when progress was defined by efficiency and productivity. But in today’s world, it has seeped into our personal lives. With the rise of technology and social media, we are constantly bombarded with reminders of how we should be squeezing every drop out of our lives. There are apps to track our productivity, self-help books promising to unlock our potential, influencers sharing their meticulously planned days, and endless advice on how we should be optimising every aspect of our lives—from morning routines to sleep schedules. While there’s undoubtedly something to be said for self-improvement, one can’t help but wonder: at what point have we squeezed ourselves dry?

Perhaps most unsettling is how this need for productivity has infiltrated even our downtime. Rest is no longer a guilt-free escape—it’s something to be planned and optimised, too. Social media, in particular, has made downtime hyperproductivity a status symbol; you only need to scroll through a few posts to see perfectly scheduled ‘selfcare’ days that seem like just another kind of achievement, another way to perform. Pilates at 5 am followed by a homemade acai bowl and hours of work developing content for a side hustle… all before 9 am!

At this point, being idle seems like a personal failure. No longer is it enough to just be—it’s as though we must always be becoming.

For the Year 12 girls, this pressure to always be ‘on’ can feel especially intense. The looming end of school, external exams, and the sense that this is the year that really matters can make it feel as though there’s no room for missteps. But I wonder if this constant push for productivity really leads us away from feeling fulfilled. Paradoxically, it seems as though the more we focus on maximising our time, the less time we have to simply live. We can optimise every hour, tick off every task, and still feel unfulfilled. Maybe there’s more value in those unstructured, unscripted, ‘unproductive’ moments than we’re led to believe.

In many ways, schools are uniquely positioned to combat the pressures of this hyperproductive society on students. It’s not necessarily about working less, but about learning when to step back and allow ourselves to rest without guilt. House Group, Morning Tea and Lunch are simple ways we encourage our girls to take a pause, with no expectation to be ‘doing’ anything stereotypically productive. Similarly, events such as Blue Days, Galentine’s Day and House events bring carefree moments of joy and fun, and I love seeing the girls throw themselves wholeheartedly into the celebrations.

In a world where busyness is worn like a badge of honour, these moments of reprieve are even more crucial. The school environment, with its structure and space for reflection, can equip students with the mindset needed to navigate a world obsessed with productivity.

As the end of the year approaches, I hope the girls give themselves permission to take a breath. Yes, there’s tremendous value in working hard and striving for excellence, but there’s also value in learning to be at peace with doing nothing, to stop feeling guilty for simply being. In the end, life isn’t purely about output—it’s also about finding meaning and balance in the spaces in between.