How social media affects productivity?

Social media can significantly affect productivity by encouraging what's called "pseudo productivity," where mere visibility and activity are used as proxies for productive effort. This trend has been exacerbated by technological advancements like email and social media platforms, which allow individuals to demonstrate small, continuous efforts, contributing to a potential decline in actual productivity and increasing burnout among knowledge workers. This has created a cycle where visible busyness is mistaken for real productivity, but it doesn't actually contribute to meaningful work output 1.

Additionally, the frequent use of social media can activate the amygdala and potentially cloud other more productive neural activations, suggesting that overuse can interfere with brain functions essential for creativity and high-level thinking. Dr. Kay Tye mentions how reducing social media use can enhance creativity by reducing unnecessary inputs to the amygdala, which processes emotional responses 2. This implies that disciplined use of social media can help maintain better cognitive function and productivity.