I think the approach has to match the task, and I think we all can pretty quickly categorize these tasks.Īnything that we have a lot of experience doing and which has few unknowns (like writing a research paper or taking data) responds to milestones and “deadlines”. In that (long abandoned) process, I would either write “do this” or “brainstorm this”. I noticed when I was trying to make “Getting Things Done” to work that you could tell pretty quickly whether a task was “work” or “invention”. I’d be interested to know if you are too, and if so, what you’ve discovered works (or does not). This is something I’m thinking a lot about recently. I’m happy with the rate at which I’m producing, but I can’t help but wonder if: (1) I could be producing even more with my ( well-defined and contained) working hours or (2) if the scheduling and tracking of this production could be greatly simplified, and, in turn, simplify my life. I’m left, in other words, with a relatively confused jumble of approaches to keeping myself on track with big projects. Right now I’m having much more success hustling to hit carefully chosen milestones probably because this work is more predictable.
I tried, but then quickly abandoned, an hour tracking approach to this work. When it comes to writing, I’m currently working on a big project (more on this later). I think I maintain the latter because of an ill-defined sense that I need to add more hustle into the mix here. My oscillation between the different styles of methods described above strikes me as non-simple.Īt the current moment, for example, I’m tracking deep hours on my key research projects (see the image above), but I also have a milestone plan for this work that seems to be almost completely useless. When it comes to productivity, I’m a big believer in simplicity. Tracking hours in this context ensures, at the very least, that these projects are getting a good share of my time, even if I can’t predict what will finish and when. Some proofs never come together some take months (or years) others fall quickly. I can commit, for example, to finishing a proof in a week, but this doesn’t mean I will succeed. The advantage of tracking hours, on the other hand, is that many of the important but non-urgent projects I pursue cannot be forced. Sometimes my projects fall into a state of stasis where hustle of this type is needed to get unstuck. The advantage of tracking milestones, for example, is that the urge to achieve a clear outcome can inspire you to hustle i.e., drop everything for a couple days and just hammer on the project until it gets where you need it to be. Part of my confusion is that both approaches have pros and cons. In my own work life, I find myself oscillating between these two types of metrics somewhat erratically, and I’m not sure why.
Ikigai lies at the intersection of four quadrants: Tap into the wisdom of Ikigai, the Japanese concept of “reason for being,” to illuminate your path. This is the essence of lifestyle-centric planning. Where do you see yourself living? What kind of work brings you fulfillment? Who are the significant people in your life? Cultivate a genuine sense of the life you desire-one that is rich in meaning and fulfillment. Envision your life five or ten years from now.
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