Ep. 275: Understanding and Combating Toxic Productivity in Parenting with Israa Nasir

Parenting Great Kids with Dr. Meg Meeker

Dr. Meg Meeker

Kids & Family, Education, Parenting, Self-improvement

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 6 May 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Do you feel like you're constantly running on empty trying to be the “perfect” parent? In this powerful episode of Parenting Great Kids, Dr. Meg Meeker sits down with Israa Nasir, licensed psychotherapist and author of Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More, to unpack how the pressure to always “do more” is impacting parents and their children. Israa shares how toxic productivity is driven by perfectionism, fear of inadequacy, and cultural expectations—and how it leads to chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, and strained family dynamics. Together, she and Dr. Meg explore practical ways to break the cycle of overfunctioning and reclaim peace and presence at home. In this episode, you’ll learn: What toxic productivity looks like in real-life parenting How fear and societal expectations fuel burnout The long-term emotional effects on both parents and kids How to set flexible boundaries and prioritize well-being Simple tools like micro-breaks, reprioritization, and self-worth reframing Empowering advice for single moms carrying it all About Israa Nasir Israa Nasir is a NYC-based psychotherapist, speaker, and mental health educator. She helps high-achieving individuals overcome perfectionism, burnout, and emotional dysregulation. Her new book Toxic Productivity is a compassionate guide to reclaiming mental space and joy in a hustle-obsessed culture. Episode Breakdown 00:00 – Introduction to Toxic Productivity00:50 – What is Toxic Productivity?02:05 – How It Impacts Parents and Children04:31 – Parenting Rooted in Fear08:40 – Breaking the Cycle of Overachieving12:07 – Reprioritizing and Setting Boundaries26:26 – Separating Self-Worth from Productivity32:16 – Advice for Single Moms Navigating Overload36:34 – Final Reflections and Empowering Takeaways Resources & Links Toxic Productivity by Israa Nasir → Toxic Productivity — Israa Nasir Learn more about Israa Nasir → Israa Nasir Expert parenting coaching with Dr. Meg Meeker → https://meekerparenting.com Sponsored by: Amazfit Active 2 – 10% off AI coaching at amazfit.com/DRMEG Hungryroot – 40% off + a free item in every box at hungryroot.com/drmeg (code DRMEG) Acorns – Start investing with spare change: acorns.com/drmeg Heat Holders® – 15% off cozy winter wear at heatholders.com (code DRMEG) Acorns Early – Teach your kids about money: acornsearly.com/drmeg WHO SMARTED? – A podcast that makes kids laugh while they learn. Search “WHO SMARTED?” wherever you get your podcasts. KiwiCo – $15 off your Summer Adventure Series at kiwico.com/DRMEG Børn Shoes – crafted for all-day support, top-quality style, and made to move with you. Get 15% off plus free shipping with code DRMEG at BornShoes.com – comfort never looked so good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Let me tell you something. Spring might be on the calendar, but here in Michigan, we're not out of the woods yet. I've been living in my born Myra sneakers, and they've made this season so much more bearable, supportive, soft, and stylish. They're everything I need right now. But I've also been browsing Bourne's springline,
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1:02.4	That's Dr. Meg at checkout just for a limited time and only for you, our PGK listeners.
1:13.0	On today's episode of Parenting Great Kids,
1:16.7	the prevailing idea is that if you put your children in diverse activities,
1:22.0	then you are creating resilient children because they are, you know,
1:26.0	if they're doing like four different activities,
1:28.1	then they have four different teams. They have to manage time. They have to be a little bit more
1:33.4	disciplined. So the idea is that if you have diverse activities, your children will be more resilient.
1:40.1	However, there is a tipping point. If you are putting your kids in too many activities, which I think is what's happening right now,
1:47.6	it actually has the opposite effect.
1:50.0	It creates emotional overwhelm.
1:52.7	Welcome to Parenting Great Kids.
1:55.0	Here's your host, Dr. Meg Meeker.
1:59.4	Well, joining me today is Isra Nasir, a New York-based psychotherapist and author of Toxic Productivity. Reclain your time and
2:09.0	emotional energy and a world that always demands more. Welcome to Parenting Great Kids, Isra.
	...

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