14 Comments
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R.W. Richey's avatar

This is all very accurate, and I've been down this path. But I've also been down the path of waking up late, and starting the day with no idea what to do, and no motivation to do it. Then drifting through the day vaguely buffeted by the annoyance of others (or the imagination of that annoyance) until the sun sets. But I don't go to bed, I feel some vague sense that I need to extract something from the day, even if it's meaningless pleasure. So I stay up late watching mindless TV or playing a superficial video game. And then the next thing you know I'm waking up late...

I think the Way lies in between these to extremes, the path of moderation and I admit it's difficult to find.

Tom White's avatar

Aristotle has entered the chat toting his Golden Mean!

Mikey Piro's avatar

I feel seen and attacked.

Tom White's avatar

You and me both!

Deepak Shukla's avatar

This is sharp. A lot of “productivity” is just anxiety wearing a spreadsheet 😅

Tom White's avatar

I love that; I’m stealing that line!

Ian's avatar

Oof. So familiar. I’ve done 90% of these things over the course of my career. Learning to sit still with my thoughts (or no thoughts) still eludes me.

Tom White's avatar

That makes two of us!!

Kevin Reynolds's avatar

Guilty. Perfectly on point. Lobotomy is the only solution. 😄

Jeffrey Flathers's avatar

I used to write investor newsletters---30 years ago already. I remember that, as time went on, my boss increased my workload, having me write new articles for other newsletters, or to compile a databook on basic cable networks. That industry was really popping back then. Anyway, when I mentioned to him that I was having to take work home to complete all these new tasks, his comment was "You need to work smarter, not longer." Yeah. He was right. I never was skilled at checklists!

Steven Foster's avatar

Hit me right in the parent. Well done.

Arjan Broere's avatar

Half way through I felt the walls of the room I'm in closing in. Anxiety ;-)

Luckily there is always a new system that with a clean slate will change everything 🤥

Tom White's avatar

Fight those walls — get outside!!

Arjan Broere's avatar

Yes! Having a labrador makes it double the fun