The Pressure to Be Productive All the Time

A reflection on toxic productivity

Image credit: Alisa Zahoruiko/Getty Images

St Andrews encourages students to reach for the stars, aim high. After all, our school motto, Sic Itur Ad Astra (“thus one journey to the stars”) reflects an ambition deeply rooted in our community. Whether through academics, athletics, community work, arts, leadership roles, or extracurricular activities, opportunities to grow and challenge oneself are always available. 

However, this creates pressure for students. Don't get me wrong, being part of a community where individuals are encouraged to grow their strengths, while pursuing excellence across academics, socials and extracurriculars is a privilege. Still, opportunities like these carry responsibilities. Along with it, comes the quiet sense of inadequacy and burn out, and the thought that another task will always await, another goal to achieve, a new record to be broken, and that, somehow, what you've already achieved isn't good enough. 

To explore this idea further, a survey was conducted Years 7 to 12, studying students’ experiences with the pressure of productivity, academic stress and self confidence. Although most respondents were at very different stages in their school journey, a noticeable pattern emerged. Whether they were in their first year of middle school, or senior students preparing for post-grad life, their experiences consistently converged on one central theme: academic performance had a big influence on their self confidence. 

Honestly, this poll is not surprising. A large percent of a student’s life happens within classrooms. Homework, lessons to follow, tasks to finish, tests to prepare for, futures to imagine. When so much time and effort is invested into academics day after day, it is only natural that strong results boost teenagers’ confidence, while disappointing ones leave them questioning their abilities. Over time, grades can begin to feel less like a measure of performance and more like a measure of self worth. 

Surprisingly, the survey revealed that students pointed to themselves when asked about principal pressure sources. Although a few mentioned teachers, family, or fellow peers as their principal source of stress. For many, effort is driven not by external factors, but by an internal desire to be the “best”. The pressure comes from within, the constant urge to be better, achieve more, and live up to the standards they have set for themselves. 

Furthermore, comparison was also frequently mentioned in responses. Some mentioned seeing top marks in classmates quietly sparked a feeling that they are not doing enough. Balancing schoolwork, sports, and responsibilities seemed “effortless” for certain peers. Even when a huge effort is being made, it is easy to look around and feel like everyone else is always achieving more. A sense of falling behind crawls in, and pressure is multiplied.

Surprisingly, the survey revealed students see success as more than just marks. When asked to sum up “success” in a single word, they replied with words like happiness, effort, integrity, friendship, achievement, and personal goals. Clearly, many students understand excellence isn’t measured only by report cards. Instead, their views stretch well past test scores into broader life values.

That idea is important. Pride comes from grades, yet effort matters just as much. Report cards don't capture the full picture. Character is shaped by qualities that tests often overlook, such as leadership, resilience, creativity, kindness, and service. These stay with us far longer than grades ever could, shaping the people we become.

The way students view achievement might not always align what they truly value. Under pressure, their personal standards become too narrow, focused solely on measurable outcomes, like grades. While many define success as joy, personal growth, strong connections, or inner satisfaction, a single mark can strongly influence how capable they feel. What people say matters most does not always guide their daily sense of worth.

It is important to understand that what actually matters often lies beyond  academic goals. Though aiming high is important, making the most of opportunities is equally valuable. Achievement wears different faces; it can take many forms and how a person grows means more than what they can gain. The qualities acquired along the way have a far greater effect on one’s character than any final grade. 

Perhaps, the main problem is not so much the striving for success, but rather our willingness to recognize that reaching for the stars can take many different forms. After all, Sic Itur Ad Astra is not simply about how high we can reach, but about who we become on the way there.