In a country that places profit over people, it’s only inevitable that it’s been ingrained in our minds that if we’re not working ourselves down to the bone then we have no value or worth. We constantly have to create. We constantly have to build. We constantly have to work. Our lives always seem to be reduced down to forty hour work weeks and anything we do outside of that is arbitrary.
But as people, we have to remember that our bodies are our bodies. They don’t belong to corporations, so we must protect them, cherish them, and acknowledge that it’s okay to take a break. Sometimes, I struggle with my worth if I had a less than productive day. I felt as though I should be working on assignments, projects, or anything that would be productive. It brought about a sense of shame. I didn’t realize that it’s okay to not be productive.
We’re humans. We’re allowed to rest. Life isn’t always about hustling and grinding nonstop. The notion that our productivity is intertwined with our worth is simply not true. Our worth is independent from anything else; it’s God-given, and at the end of the day, there is always work to be done. If we keep equating our worth to how productive we are, we’ll never truly be satisfied. We’ll only keep being on an endless loop, and as humans, we’re allowed to rest and take everything in.
The next time you feel ashamed or worried that you haven’t done anything productive, just remember that our worth is inherited and no one can shame you for wanting to do nothing. In a capitalist society, it may be hard to do this, but disassociating how much we do with our work is essential.
Worth isn’t based on results or productivity. Your worth is your worth, and it should be unwavering.