We do not like doing hard things. At the same time, we know that the only way to be happy and satisfied is to do hard things. I found myself quite incapable this morning of doing things that I knew I should, but which seemed daunting given my current mindset. I managed to overcome this quite successfully, using two principles:
- Use your preferred mode.
- Remember Slow Productivity.
Let’s start with the second first, because it is the more philosophical, whereas the first is more practical. Slow Productivity is best explained by Cal Newport, but the essence of it, as I currently understand it, is that your planning should be about achieving significant things over years, instead of achieving small, ephemeral wins in the short term. In this context, I see it as giving myself permission to make steady and incremental progress, without needing to put in a teeth-grindingly intense session of deep work. As such, I told myself that I did not have to master an enormous amount of background reading today, I can simply learn a few things, which I will mull over and try to relate to what I currently know, and which will contribute to my foundational knowledge of my field. This is indeed taking the long-term view: I am not trying to master anything today, but am planting seeds of concepts which will be used and refined for years to come. By taking away the pressure of having to work that hard, the barrier to entry of actually accomplishing something has been lowered, increasing the chances of a successful day and an enjoyable work session.
As far as the first point goes, I have repeatedly stressed the value of working in the way which fits you best. With me, that means writing. This could take the form of typing, but I take even more pleasure in writing by hand. To implement my slow productivity then, I took the small task I set myself, moved to the writing desk, and laid out my instruments. A big A3 pad of paper, Sharpies and the book I’m working on. Instead of focusing on the hard mental work of understanding difficult concepts, I concentrate on the pleasure of pen on paper, trying to sketch the concepts I’m busy with, doodling when I don’t understand something. There is something in this haptic environment which I take great joy in, and before I know it, I don’t want to stop, which is my most reliable indicator of flow.
The Flow Diaries 