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MANILA, Philippines — Always tired. Always on-the-go. Yet at the end of the day, the list of things to do doesn’t seem to end. Welcome to the productivity paradox: being constantly busy without making meaningful progress.

We asked Ms. April Salonga, subject matter expert of Inquirer Academy on leadership, agility and productivity, about her thoughts on this.

Here are three hidden culprits behind the whirlwind of unending tasks:

Perfectionism wears the mask of high standards, but it often hides fear: fear of criticism, failure or not being “good enough.”