I think this is all a misconception about what "productive" really means. It means making progress towards some goal.
If you're some temporarily embarrassed billionaire, then the startup grindset is quite productive towards your goal.
If filling your life with momentary happiness is your goal, then playing videogames is quite productive towards your goal.
If you're a good little worker bee or someone at the Bureau of Labor Statistics is holding your family hostage, then clocking in 18 hours a day/7 days a week at $BIGTECH is quite productive towards your goal.
If you're religious, then going to church, improving your behavior/mindset, etc. are quite productive towards your goal.
It just all comes down to: What do you want out of life? What do you see as the purpose of life? The purpose of your life? Looking at this problem any other way is just deferring your personal philosophy, beliefs, and values to someone else—someone who probably doesn't care one bit about you and what you want.
If you're some temporarily embarrassed billionaire, then the startup grindset is quite productive towards your goal.
If filling your life with momentary happiness is your goal, then playing videogames is quite productive towards your goal.
If you're a good little worker bee or someone at the Bureau of Labor Statistics is holding your family hostage, then clocking in 18 hours a day/7 days a week at $BIGTECH is quite productive towards your goal.
If you're religious, then going to church, improving your behavior/mindset, etc. are quite productive towards your goal.
It just all comes down to: What do you want out of life? What do you see as the purpose of life? The purpose of your life? Looking at this problem any other way is just deferring your personal philosophy, beliefs, and values to someone else—someone who probably doesn't care one bit about you and what you want.