The Paradox of Productivity: Why Doing Less Creates More

We've been conditioned to believe that productivity means working as much as possible, while rest and sleep are viewed as enemies of achievement. Most productivity and self-help books highlight the actions of high achievers but fail to reveal how these individuals rest and spend their free time.

I've recently been reading "Rest," a book by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang. The book has given me a contrasting perspective on productivity. In part 1 of this article, I'll outline the most compelling ideas from the book. I recommend everyone revisit this book periodically as a reminder that proper rest is crucial for productivity and, more importantly, for sustaining it over extended periods.

The Four-Hour Productivity Ceiling

Sometimes, we experience a surge of motivation that drives us to work 14-hour days, compromising sleep, health, and other essentials. We assume that longer hours equal greater output. While this might be true for repetitive tasks, it doesn't apply to creative knowledge work. Working longer hours is rarely sustainable and often leads to burnout.

When examining the lives of prominent writers, scientists, and engineers, we discover a consistent pattern: productivity peaks at just four hours daily, with diminishing returns beyond that point. Charles Darwin, for example, worked from eight o'clock for ninety minutes, then handled correspondence at nine-thirty. At ten-thirty, he resumed serious work. By noon, he'd declare, "I've done a good day's work," and go for a walk. Upon returning, he'd have lunch, answer more letters, nap at three, walk again, and work until joining his family for dinner at five-thirty. This balanced routine enabled him to write nineteen books, including "The Origin of Species."

Many high achievers follow similar patterns, concentrating their most crucial work within four hours. We should structure our schedules accordingly, assigning our most creative and critical tasks to this productive period and using the remaining time for less demanding activities.

High achievers in creative fields take deliberate rest and dedicate their mornings to their most important work. A pattern seen among many successful writers is that they wake up early when there are few distractions and engage in their most demanding creative work for the day.

Our willpower is limited and depletes as we progress through the day, managing the outside world's demands. Hence, doing creative work in the morning is crucial when our willpower levels peak.

An Aesthetic Work Desk

Walks are Crucial

Have you ever been scrolling through social media or casually watching TV and suddenly felt the world was full of malice and ill-intentioned people? This happens because TV and social media are designed to keep you engaged on their platforms, and shocking content accomplishes that goal.

If you walk in a nearby park or just around the block, you'll notice people smiling and waving at you. Although the world has some malice, it's not all bad. Walking is the best way to boost creativity and generate new ideas. Friedrich Nietzsche wrote many of his articles while hiking around lakes. Creative tasks require us to engage with all our senses, while social media and TV have conditioned us to engage casually without genuinely paying attention.

So go outside with a notebook and pen, walk, hike, make drawings, and write down whatever comes to your mind. Take photographs and maintain a picture book.

Morning Walk

The Benefits of Nap and Sleep

We often assume that our brains shut down and reduce activity when sleeping or napping. This isn't true—our brains maintain similar activity levels even during sleep. Sleep often hinders productivity and creativity in our modern world of overflowing to-do lists. However, sleep has significant benefits, and it would be evolution's greatest mistake if it didn't serve an essential purpose.

When we sleep, we cycle through various stages, such as light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. Particularly in REM and deep sleep phases, our brain consolidates memories and makes new connections between ideas. Many scientists, artists, and thinkers have reported their best insights occurring during or immediately after sleep.

Moreover, the downsides of sleep deprivation are catastrophic—it severely impairs cognitive functions, memory and much more.

Cat Sleeping

Have a Deliberate Pause

"The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day . . . you will never be stuck. Always stop while you are going good and don't think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time. But if you think about it consciously or worry about it you will kill it and your brain will be tired before you start". —Ernest Hemingway

When working on a creative project and feeling in the flow, it's best to leave it "hot" for the next day. This will allow you to pick it up quickly when you return. If you keep pushing without deliberate pauses, you might burn out.

Hemingway suggested that writers who leave their work mid-sentence allow their subconscious to keep working on it. The trick is not to think about it consciously; otherwise, you'll be mentally tired before you start again.

For any creative task, it's better to stop each day at a point where you could do more. If you do that, the next day goes surprisingly smoothly. In studies where participants were asked to perform creative tasks, those given breaks consistently outperformed those who worked without interruption.

Take Your Time

Buy the Book: https://amzn.to/3ETXd8S