You Are Not Your Productivity

Be honest, how often have you been racing down the road of life and had that brief moment where you can see everything you've been doing, everyone you're taking care of, and all that you're accomplishing, only to wonder if that's what makes you truly valuable - your productivity? You may be feeling exhausted, emotionally and spiritually numb, or wired and tired; and you're wondering why you feel like you can't stop being productive.

If you're like a lot of women I know, including myself, you probably immediately dismissed that thought, laughed it off by telling yourself that you're "just fine" and were simply being dramatic. Then you got right back into rushing around to be even MORE productive to make up for the time you wasted thinking about your productivity.

Am I right? Why do we do this to ourselves? You may be wondering the same thing right now and I'll tell you the answer is likely one of the three reasons below if not a combination of all three. Let's take a look at why we seem to relentlessly pursue productivity.

1. Productivity Equals Control

One of the main reasons we struggle with believing that we are our productivity is because we're trying to convince ourselves that we're in control. The need to be in control comes from our struggle with fear and anxiety. You might worry about how you're going to pay an upcoming bill, how to cope with the workload at your job, whether a relationship is going to last, and so on.

You want to control things because when you feel like you are in control, you feel safe. When something happens to rip away the illusion of control, you are forced to face the truth - you never had control to begin with.

Do you identify with any of these statements?

• I can't sit down and do nothing.

• Spending an afternoon relaxing feels like I'm wasting time.

• I have to finish my to-do list before I can relax. (does that to-do list even have a finish line?)

Are you wired with anxiety about tomorrow and tired because you're refusing to rest? When I say rest, I mean the Sabbath rest that God designed to give us the recovery we need. A time we carve out to spend with Him and let Him restore our souls. God set the example for us in Genesis when He created everything - He worked for 6 days and then He rested. You were not created to work nonstop.

2. Productivity Equals Value

I wonder how many of you were nodding your head, agreeing with an mm-hmm, or even saying out loud - oh yeah! as you read the second point. Unfortunately, too many of us have experienced conditional love - love that is given only when we do or say things that meet another's expectations - and so we believe that our productivity is what gives us value.

When you rely on your productivity to prove your worth, you treat every task like a spiritual emergency. When you do this, you put your body in a constant state of fight or flight, which causes you to feel wired and tired. You are trying to earn the peace and approval that God has already freely given to you. You feel wired because your nervous system can't figure out how to turn off and tired because you're carrying burdens you were never meant to carry.

3. Productivity Equals Good Opinions

   
   

This one is probably the toughest things to admit to ourselves - am I doing all of this (whatever this is) just so others will think I'm worthy?

Be honest with yourself, are you staying busy because you feel like you have an "invisible audience" watching you and judging you to see whether you're doing enough? Your invisible audience might be composed of social media, your peers, or your belief that God is more of a demanding taskmaster rather than your loving Father.

Trying to look like you always have everything together, are always giving to others, and always doing something is incredibly draining. This is absolutely going to put your body into a state of wired and tired. You feel wired because you're always "on" (performing) and you feel tired because no one can maintain a 24-7 performance of perfection. You're not just doing the work, you're managing the perception of the work.

Your value is not defined by your productivity. Your value is defined by the One who made you. Let's look at some of the things God has to say about you:

You are His workmanship - Ephesians 2:10

You are fearfully and wonderfully made - Psalm 139:13-14

You are priceless and redeemed - Romans 5:8

You are chosen and adopted - 1 Peter 2:9

You are loved beyond measure - Jeremiah 31:3

You are precious and honored in His sight - Isaiah 43:4

Do you see it now? Your productivity has NOTHING to do with your value! You are loved for who you are - the woman God created, knows intimately, and loves unconditionally! Productivity has a place, but if you are chasing after it to feel a sense of control, to earn a sense of value, or to gather good opinions, please stop!

You are not your productivity, you are God's precious daughter, and He longs to help you lay down your burdens and find true rest in Him.