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The Hidden Cost Of Over-Productivity & How To Find True Joy
At first glance, the high achiever looks like the picture of success. They’re productive, reliable, always juggling multiple roles—whether it’s running a household, leading meetings, or training for their next race.
But according to psychiatrist Judith Joseph, M.D., M.B.A., this nonstop hustle might not be a sign of thriving. In many cases, it's a mask for high-functioning depression, low self-worth, and unresolved trauma.
At mindbodygreen’s annual Revitalize event—a world-class gathering of top health experts, inspiring talks, and immersive well-being experiences—Joseph offered a compassionate but eye-opening reframe on what high achievement can sometimes hide.
Her message: “It is your birthright as a human being to experience joy.” And many of us have forgotten how.
What is high-functioning depression?
Most of us associate depression with visible symptoms like crying, fatigue, or being unable to get out of bed. But Joseph explains that there’s a quieter, more insidious version: high-functioning depression.
“These individuals check every box for clinical depression—low mood, sleep issues, poor appetite, guilt, hopelessness—but instead of breaking down, they over-function,” she explains on the mindbodygreen podcast. “They’re numbing themselves with busyness. Or they’ve been taught, culturally or through upbringing, to push through and keep achieving.”
This subtype of depression can easily fly under the radar, especially in people who are praised for their drive and productivity. It’s why Joseph believes in proactive—not reactive—mental health care: “Let’s not wait for people to break down. Let's give them the tools to prevent a breakdown.”
Signs you might be silently struggling
High-functioning depression doesn’t always look like sadness or withdrawal. In fact, some of the key signs are subtle—like anhedonia, or a lack of pleasure in things that once lit you up. “People think it’s normal to feel ‘meh’ all the time,” Joseph explains. “But losing your spark? That’s a red flag.”
Other quiet signals include:
- A relentless need to stay busy
- Restlessness when sitting still
- Emotional numbness despite success
- Chronic people-pleasing
- Feeling empty or disconnected, even in joyful moments
According to Joseph, as many as 75% of people with high-functioning depression experience anhedonia. It’s not a minor symptom—it’s the canary in the coal mine.
Pathologically productive? It might be trauma
Why do so many high-functioning, driven people feel restless, disconnected, or emotionally flat—despite checking every box of success? According to Joseph, the answer often lies in unprocessed trauma.
“There are over 30 symptoms of trauma,” she explains on the podcast, “and one of them is chronic busyness.” Another common sign? A persistent sense of low self-worth.
For many high achievers, productivity isn’t just a habit—it’s a shield. If you grew up in an environment where love felt conditional or your needs were dismissed, you may have learned to equate being valuable with being useful. Achievement becomes a way to earn approval, distract from emotional discomfort, or prove, over and over, that you matter.
In this light, workaholism, perfectionism, and the inability to rest aren’t signs of ambition. They’re coping mechanisms. You’re not just chasing goals, you’re outrunning the fear that, without constant doing, you’ll be exposed as not enough.
But Joseph explains that true healing comes not from striving harder, but from learning to sit with yourself—without performance, without distraction, and still believe you are enough.
The 5 Vs: A roadmap back to joy
During her talk at mindbodygreen’s Revitalize event, Joseph shared a powerful framework she developed after visiting over 30 countries studying mental health: the 5 Vs. This method helps individuals reconnect to themselves and rediscover the joy that overachievement often masks.
1. Validation
Acknowledge that what happened to you wasn’t your fault. You’re still worthy of love, joy, and healing.
2. Venting
Find safe, authentic ways to express emotion, whether it’s crying, praying, journaling, or laughing. Suppressed feelings have a way of popping up in unhealthy ways.
3. Values
Anchor yourself to what’s priceless, like your faith, your family, your purpose. These are often the first things sacrificed in the pursuit of superficial success.
4. Vitals
Prioritize your physical and emotional health through movement, breathwork, and even laughter. Joseph notes that even silly laughter—like a group cackle—can reduce blood pressure and lift mood.
5. Vision
Don’t just schedule meetings and deadlines, schedule joy. Whether it’s a coffee break, a walk, or a moment of stillness, planning for joy ensures you actually experience it.
How to break the cycle
If any of this resonates with you, the good news is that healing is possible. But it requires slowing down and getting honest with yourself. Here are a few steps Joseph recommends:
- Get curious about your productivity: Ask yourself, Why am I so driven to keep going? What am I avoiding?
- Recognize joy in the small moments: Instead of waiting for something big to bring happiness, notice what already feels good—tasting your food, hearing laughter, watching the sunset.
- Put down the badge of busyness: “When I go home, there’s no laptop,” says Joseph. “I sit with my child. I eat slowly. I take in beauty.” These simple sensory moments release dopamine in a healthy, grounding way.
- Take a look at past trauma: If you notice patterns of low self-worth or avoidance, therapy can help you make sense of what you’ve carried and how to let go.
- Lead by example: “Joy can be contagious,” she says. “When you slow down, other people notice. Your family, your workplace, your community—all of it can change.”
The takeaway
Ultimately, Joseph believes that joy, not productivity, should be our compass. She’s seen firsthand that when people prioritize sensory experiences, rest, presence, and connection, it transforms not just their mental health but their communities.
So if you’ve been feeling numb, restless, or joyless despite “doing everything right,” ask yourself: Am I pathologically productive?
And if the answer is yes, you’re not broken. You’re likely protecting yourself the only way you’ve known how. But there is another way—one that starts not with doing more, but with being still long enough to notice the joy that’s already there.