You're definitely not alone. I tend to gauge myself by my own productivity as well and feel like shit when I'm a lazy bastard and it's taken a lot of work to accept the fact that not every day is going to be a productive one. And that rest is absolutely essential sometimes, so taking that break, especially when you're not feeling productive, is generally worth it.
Discussion
This is where I want to be. There’s so many factors to it that are more subconscious I think. Logically, I understand that energy fluctuates and rest is essential, but then my mind wanders to how much rest is essential and how much work is essential. Then of course, there’s the observations of highly productive people around me and the self-comparison. It can be a real mental mess, but I do believe that accepting it as just what it is, is probably the healthiest way to look at it.
Everyone has different capacities. I do better when I compare myself to how productive I was yesterday or last year rather than say my husband, who never stops.
Spot on.
I find it frustrating when I have what I perceive to be a lazy day. However, I accept that I can't be 100% productive 100% of the time. To be at your optimal best, rest is required at some point.
At the end of the day, if you're the type of person who is bothered by unproductive days, you're the same type of person who will make up for it in the future.