Therapist Israa Nasir reframes productivity—and rest—in her new book

It’s hard to escape the pressure to be productive all the time. But is there such a thing as too much productivity? Author, speaker, and therapist Israa Nasir thinks so. She explores this topic and more in her new book Toxic Productivity, which comes out Tuesday and strives to dismantle the myth that doing more makes you more worthy and invites readers to reclaim their time, energy, and joy.

We sat down with Nasir to learn more about how writing Toxic Productivity helped her understand her own relationship to productivity, why she’s redefined what rest looks like, and what publishing this book means to her as a Pakistani Canadian woman and child of immigrants.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

Aleenah Ansari: There are a lot of self-help books that talk about productivity, particularly how to be more productive. What makes your book Toxic Productivity different?
Israa Nasir: Productivity literature often focuses on behavioral changes, like improving time management. The challenge I'm putting forward in my book is for people to reflect on their relationship to productivity. In order to have a healthy relationship with productivity and sustainable productivity, we have to understand the emotions and things that drive us, which could involve shame, perfectionism, social comparison, or fear. And when we are in a state of toxic productivity, we may be afraid of being rejected, not fitting in, or living up to the expectations of others.

What can help is looking at yourself as an evolving work in progress. If you see yourself as water that’s shifting with each life stage, age, or season, you’re less likely to be judgemental of yourself.

AA: What was the most surprising part of writing this book?
IN: I didn’t realize how much writing this book would improve my relationship to productivity. It helped me decouple the connection between what I work on and the outcome. It helped me realize that feeling good about myself doesn’t hinge on how much I produce. When I started making content about mental health, I often felt like the performance of my content was a direct reflection of my productivity and worth. Now, I see my achievements and productivity are domains of my life, like relationships and hobbies, and not what I am. 

AA: What can help readers unlearn deep-rooted messages about productivity as a reflection of self-worth?
IN: A lot of people learn about productivity during their formative years, usually from families of origin, peers, or in school and structured competitive education systems. Unlearning things is challenging because we often become judgemental of ourselves. Approach yourself with genuine curiosity and ask, “Why am I behaving this way? Why am I feeling this way?” If you’re having a hard time answering that question, ask someone you trust. The goal is to become aware of your habits and patterns so you can start to make small changes.

AA: Your book talks about the importance of rest, which some readers might not expect in a book about productivity. Why was it important to you to include that section?
IN: The chapter about rest is one of the first I wrote because you can't have healthy, sustainable productivity without taking time to rest. Rest is also not something you do as a reaction where you’ve done too much. For example, children may have to “earn” rest or play by doing chores or finishing their homework. In reality, rest is a fundamental human experience, and we need to do it every day. For example, when corporations provide a structure where employees can take more vacations, they’ll come back as better problem solvers. 

AA: In the book, you also talk about how rest doesn’t come from scrolling on social media. Instead, it needs to be something that’s rejuvenating. What does this look like?
IN: Rest is also not an antidote to burnout. It’s disconnecting from outcome and productivity, and reconnecting to something that fills your cup. Scrolling on your phone does not allow your body to truly rest, but it allows you to disassociate or disconnect from uncomfortable thoughts.

Instead, rejuvenation comes from enjoying the process, whether it’s gardening, doing a puzzle, or going on a walk and not listening to a podcast. That’s why rituals like afternoon tea are so helpful—they can help you feel more immersed in the present moment.

AA: The world is always telling us to be productive, or that our worth is tied to the outcomes of our work. How can readers help reconcile those narratives as they’re trying to embrace the idea that rest is productive too?
IN: We need individuals to examine their relationship with rest and productivity. Systems at work, school, and home need to allow time for people to rest—and having a ping pong table at the office isn’t enough.

Because our world is often challenging the idea that rest isn’t productive, I operate based on the 80/20 rule. If you do a habit change, it’s okay if you’re successful 80 percent of the time. It’s okay if you don’t succeed every time, but you want those moments to be an exception. It’s okay to be flexible as you start incorporating rest into your routine. 

AA: What do you want readers to notice as they go through the book?
IN: I hope people use the prompts and exercises as a gentle entry point. There are some people who do a lot of inner self-reflection and those who don’t, and the book is for both kinds of people. If something feels familiar, I invite you to pause, notice, and feel it. You also don’t have to go through it end to end. Use it in a way that works for you, whatever that looks like.

AA: As a Pakistani Canadian woman and child of immigrants, what does it mean to you to see this book out in the world?
IN: When I was younger, I always wanted to write a book. There was a period of my life where I passively believed it was too big of a dream. I still shared a lot of my ideas through my newsletter for several years, which is how my publisher found me. To actually see it happen and go from an idea to something I can hold in my hand is incredible. I wish I could go back to my 10-year-old self and tell her that this is happening. 

I’m also the first in the family to write a book, and I’m proud of this as part of my legacy. If even one person sees me as a source of representation and feels like they can do this too, it would mean so much to me.