Elaine loves her work. A biology professor and the coordinator of undergraduate research, her days are filled with lectures, mentoring students, attending department meetings, and managing projects. Yet, every evening as she drives home, nagging guilt settles in. Has she done enough? Could she have volunteered to chair another committee? Should she have read that extra paper? Why didn’t she get to every student email asking for help?
Sound achingly familiar?
Productivity guilt is the persistent feeling of not doing enough despite being overly high functioning at work. It is common challenge among staff and faculty. Campus norms demand multi-tasking, relentless drive, extended hours, and constant availability. This fosters an environment where it feels we can never do enough.
The Origins of Productivity Guilt
Elaine’s guilt is from several sources. Campus culture loves its overachievers, with an unspoken expectation that one should publish, teach, serve, and innovate constantly all at the same time. Elaine frequently scrolls through colleagues’ social media about new grants, awards, events they planned, or conference invitations. “Am I falling behind?” she wonders, even though her CV is a mile long.
Alex, a Dean of Students, finds himself swamped with emails from students in crisis. He works late answering messages, worries that any delay could cost a student their academic standing or peace of mind, and frets he is not staying ahead of everything that could happen. Alex feels the weight of always being “on” and struggles to separate his work and personal lives.
What the Heck Should I Do: Be Gone Productivity Guilt!
Elaine realized she needed to reframe her mindset after an honest conversation with Julie, her department chair. Julie shared she had previously struggled with similar feelings and suggested:
Define “Enough." Julie encouraged Elaine to set boundaries and redefine what “enough” means. Elaine decided responding to emails within 24-hours, rather than immediately, was enough. This gave her evenings back without diminishing her feeling effective. We can benefit from identifying clear expectations, rather than aiming for perfection.
Everything is Not the Same. Elaine prioritized activities that aligned most with her goals: mentoring students, preparing quality lectures, and advancing research. Dedicating time to these high-impact areas felt accomplished and less scattered. Alex batched emails during set times, creating templates for common student concerns, which streamlined his workload and reduced stress.
If You Don’t Care, Who Will. One of the most transformative shifts for Elaine was being kinder to herself. Instead of rolling around in doubt all the time, she reminded herself of the contributions she made each day. She adopted a mantra of grace, “I’m doing my most, and that’s all I have to expect from myself.”
Tech is Not a Mandatory Relationship. Alex instituted an email disconnect rule after 7 p.m. He shared this with his colleagues and students. He worried about backlash but received appreciation for setting limits. We feel pressure to be perpetually available but setting boundaries models for students and colleagues.
Seek Support and Connection. Elaine joined a campus group where colleagues shared work struggles. This helped her realize she wasn’t alone and provided ideas for managing stress. Alex began attending monthly colleague lunches. Informal check-ins became a source of support and a reminder that it wasn't just him.
We Can Do This Differently
Addressing productivity guilt requires systemic change. Julie, as department chair, implemented policies encouraging work-life integration. She advocated for “email-free weekends and nights” and structured meetings to focus on collaboration and efficiency. These changes signaled resting and recharging are part of our work, not exceptions to it.
Valuing quality over quantity. Instead of only emphasizing metrics like the number of committee chairs or student appointments, we can celebrate mentoring one struggling student.
It is Reasonable to Be Reasonable
Productivity guilt still creeps in, but Alex and Elaine no longer feel defined by it. Setting boundaries, prioritizing high-impact process, and connecting with others, they discovered degrees of freedom for themselves. They thrived without sacrificing well-being. They even started sharing strategies that worked for them.
Productivity guilt feels so baked in that it is hard to even see it. It is possible to let go of the “always on” mindset and embrace a more satisfying, more fulfilling approach to work. The best of us are not those who work themselves to exhaustion—they are the ones who model reasonableness, resilience, and care for their students and colleagues.