The world says that productivity is about speed, hacks, and just cramming more things into each day. But from God’s perspective, that’s a lie. Real productivity is about wisdom. It’s about stewardship. It’s about doing the things that matter most with an attitude that most honors God.

As I have sought to filter my concept of personal productivity through a biblical lens, here are nine so-called “productive” things I’ve stopped doing.

1. I Don’t Own a Smart Phone

This month marks one year since I stopped using a smartphone. And it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

The irony is that these amazing gadgets promise to make us more productive, but I found that for me, it was mostly just a distraction machine. Sure, I could answer emails anywhere, but that’s rarely the most effective thing I should be doing.

Now, I use an Apple Watch with its own cellular plan. I can call, text, and do basic things with it, but I can’t scroll mindlessly. And as a result, I’m less distracted and more focused. I read more books, spend more time in the Word and in prayer, I think more deeply, and I’m more present in the relationships I value.

I’d call that a net positive.

2. I Don’t Hustle All the Time

God calls us to faithfulness, not frenzy. Constant busyness isn’t sustainable, and it’s not actually all that productive in the long run.

Yes, there are seasons when I work fast and long hours, but I have learned to avoid letting that become the norm. When I slow down and move deliberately, I produce better work and live with more peace.

Slow and steady faithfulness is what I’m aiming at.

3. I Don’t Work on Weekends

I’m not a strict Sabbatarian, but I take Jesus seriously when He said,

“The Sabbath was made for man.” (Mark 2:27)

Rest is a gift. When I stop working for the week, I’m acknowledging that it’s God—not me—who keeps the world running.

This is never easy. I work for myself, so there’s always more work I could be doing. But the Lord has shown me (often through some hard seasons of burnout) that I am only human.

Not working on the weekend shouldn’t be a revolutionary thing, but in today’s hyperactive work culture, it feels like some kind of luxuriant indulgence.

But time and again I’ve found that when I shut my laptop on Friday afternoon and put it in a drawer until Monday morning, the world keeps spinning without me.

I’ve come to see that refusing to work all the time is an act of faith.

4. I Don’t Fill My Calendar to the Brim

I believe in structure. I even teach people to create an ideal weekly schedule—a plan for their work, rest, and responsibilities. But I also believe in margin.

Leaving space allows me to focus on higher-leverage activities instead of reacting to whatever feels urgent.

Busy ≠ Productive.

The Domains of Stewardship

Furthermore, productivity isn’t just about work; it’s about every domain of stewardship God has given you. You can’t steward those well if your calendar is packed to the edge, or at least I can’t.

5. I Don’t Get Everything Done

And that’s because… that’s impossible. But we like to tell ourselves that if we just grind hard enough, we will eventually reach that mythical day in which every task is finally checked off the list and we can rest.

But the truth is that “done” isn’t when you cross the last item off your list, it’s when God calls you home. Done is when you die. Until then, there will always be more work to do.

So what do we aim at? Faithfulness (noticing a theme here?).

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. – Psalm 127:1

Every day is a new opportunity to serve the Lord. I do what I can with the day, then I rest. And tomorrow we do it again. But this attitude is only workable when we recognize that it’s God who is ultimately accomplishing the work; we just enjoy the privilege of being used by Him.

6. I Don’t Do Side Projects

This one was hard for me to learn. But dividing your attention doesn’t make you twice as productive. It makes you half as effective.

I talked about this more in The Power and Pitfalls of Side Gigs, but the headline is that every additional “side thing” comes with hidden costs: mental overhead, context switching, and stress.

Focus is a superpower. I’ve learned to keep my attention on the one thing God’s called me to do right now. And this, in turn, creates leverage to do that one thing with excellence (Lord willing).

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.” — Proverbs 4:25

7. I Don’t Sacrifice My Family on the Altar of Productivity

If you think productivity is only about your job, you’ll neglect everything else God has entrusted to you.

Your work is just one domain of stewardship. True productivity means being faithful in all of them.

“If someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” — 1 Timothy 3:5

Your family is not a distraction from your productivity. They’re part of it. And that often means I have to make an effort of the will to not just limit my working hours, but also to be fully present with them mentally.

8. I Don’t Multitask

Multitasking is a myth. What we really do is rapid task-switching. And it makes us slower and less focused.

It feels productive when we jump between email, messages, and spreadsheets because you are busy and your mind is fully engaged. But it’s actually less efficient than working on one thing at a time.

A few ways I’ve employed a “no multi-tasking” rule in my work:

Only open email during scheduled times.Close unused windows or browser tabs.Define the task before I start.Utilize an egg timer to force myself to stick to one thing until the clock runs out.Keep a pen and paper nearby to jot down ideas or other work that needs to be done instead of letting them interrupt what I’m doing.

God gave us one mind. We glorify Him best when we bring it fully to one thing at a time.

9. I Don’t Neglect Sleep

Productivity culture often glorifies the person who gets up at 3 a.m. and works late into the night.

But Psalm 127:2 says:

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil,
for He gives to His beloved sleep.”

Sleep is an act of faith. You can’t get anything done while you’re sleeping, and that’s just the reminder we need.

I’m an early riser, but that’s only because I go to bed early. Sacrificing sleep for the sake of “productivity” is not a sustainable strategy.

The thing to remember is that when you close your eyes at night, you’re declaring, “God’s got this.”

He never sleeps. So you can.

The Bottom Line

The world measures productivity by output and speed. God measures it by stewardship and faithfulness.

I don’t do these nine “productive” things because I believe God is sovereign. My role is to be faithful with the little He’s given me each day, to seek first His kingdom, and to rest in His care.