Impostor Phenomenon and the Pressure of Productivity During a Pandemic

You may be familiar with the definition of Impostor Phenomenon (or Impostor Syndrome). This is a pattern where one questions one’s own accomplishments. This questioning is accompanied by a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud when successful. With an estimated 70% of individuals experiencing Impostor Syndrome¹you may be acquainted with the feeling as well as the definition.²

While Imposter Syndrome affects both men and women outside factors such as environmental and institutional discrimination can play a major role in spurring the feelings asscociated with it. As such, it affects women³and minorities disproportionately.⁴

The Pressure of Productivity

How we measure time changed as industry became a dominant force across societies. The “time is money” messaging was used to measure the successful use of time in production goals. This message has been absorbed to an unhealthy degree by many people. A fact made evident during the quarantine and distancing measures of COVID-19.

You likely noticed responses ranging from posting freshly baked bread on Instagram, complaining or joking about weight gain during isolation, to some high-pressure tweets or memes like the following:

While the degree of pressure applied might vary, the overall messaging is the same; that this is an opportunity to do more. This fails to take into account the variance in people’s situations; are you working remotely with children at home who now need assistance with online learning? You are now working twice as hard, not less. Moreover, even if you are in an “ideal” quarantine situation, nothing about quarantine is ideal. It holds uncertainty about the future on both personal and professional fronts.

Productivity coach Rose-Anne Uwague weighed in on expectations during a recent interview in Forbes⁵ Magazine, “expectations are the biggest hindrance to productivity. People often don’t give themselves enough grace and sometimes employers don’t curb their expectations in difficult times or transitions. Depending on the reason for the shift, there needs to be an adjustment period. For those making the shift because of COVID-19, there are emotional and psychological factors that come into play and both parties need to allow for time to transition.”

Allowing grace when thinking of productivity generally would lead to happier and healthier societies.

How Pandemic Pressure Fuels Impostor Phenomenon and How to Manage It

If you’re suffering from Imposter Syndrome during this time consider the following steps:

• Manage your stress – there are lots of techniques to help with this; exercise, meditation, social or professional support.  Find the one(s) that work for you.
• Reframe your beliefs – You’re worth more than your last achievement (or next)
•  Appreciate Your Unique Talents-Write down a few things that you are good at, and remind yourself of that throughout the day.
• Redefine Productivity– Adjust your expectations! Be kind to yourself. Show yourself grace
• Change Plans – Take on one thing at a time and try to improve it. Don’t set impossible goals.

You Don’t Have to Write King Lear: A Lesson in Grace

An important part of showing yourself grace could involve the limiting of social media or unfollowing accounts that make you anxious. Or simply take a moment to critically assess the message shown

Rose Cash recently gathered a good deal of attention with the following tweet:

This is true. But as pointed out by a recent article in The Guardian, “during a previous terrible plague outbreak in June 1592, when the theatres were closed for nearly six months, Shakespeare turned to poetry.”

He would likely have been desperate for a source of income, so, “If the playhouses had stayed shut and his pandemic-forced career as a poet had taken off, there might have been no Lear”⁶.

Being kind and showing yourself patience are essential to grace. Do not hesitate to tune out needless pressure on social media.

The Main Goal

It can be difficult to see our accomplishments as the results of our labor. And to view our failures as experiences to learn from and not as evidence of our character flaws. But it is essential during life altering situations to show ourselves compassion. And perhaps this time can be viewed as a way to adjust the metrics of success and to reassess the value of societal pressures.

The goal is to be as constructive in your criticism of yourself as you would hopefully be with others.

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Sources

1) The Journal of Behavioral Science

2)Yes, Impostor Syndrome is Real-Time

3) Impostor Syndrome is a Response to a World That Doesn’t Believe in Women-The Guardian

4) How to Overcome Impostor Syndrome-The New York Times

5)To Be Productive During a Pandemic or Not-Forbes

6)Personal Development: how to cope with imposter syndrome during a crisis-hrzone 

7) Shakespeare in lockdown: did he write King Lear in plague quarantine?-The Guardian

8) Featured photo by Kevin Ku on Unsplash