%% ID: 13204975 Updated: 2022-01-28 %% ![](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article1.be68295a7e40.png) # About Title: [[Other/Obsidian Starter Vault(Second Brain)/Readwise/Articles/Seven Habits That Seem Lazy]] Author: [[scotthyoung.com]] Category: #articles Number of Highlights: ==21== Last Highlighted: *2021-11-15* Readwise URL: https://readwise.io/bookreview/13204975 Source URL: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2020/01/20/lazy-productivity/ # Highlights A bad economist reasons from the seen and argues that we ought to break windows to stimulate the economy. The wise economist knows that breaking things makes people worse off. ^278320476 --- We focus on being visibly productive, often subtly undermining the unseen ability to do important work. ^278320477 --- He never has time to think, and thus fails to think of brilliant ideas that would propel him forward. Despite his drudgery, his lack of progress only convinces him that he has failed to work hard enough. ^278320478 --- Actually getting enough sleep ^278320479 --- Not only does sleep consolidate memory, enhance cognition and improve your mood, but its absence is disastrous ^278320480 --- its not obvious to outsiders what we’re thinking about, it’s often the case that those staring off into space or “taking a break” are seen as slackers. ^278320481 --- long walks just to think are one of the most productive things you can do ^278320482 --- humans did not evolve to reason well about things in isolation. Our faculties of deduction, logic and insight were developed to win arguments, not to determine the truth. ^278320483 --- setting up time to chat about hard problems with colleagues is rarely a waste. ^278320484 --- our lives don’t always permit perfect sleep. Sometimes we’ll find ourselves struggling to stay awake during work, barely making any progress. ^278320485 --- A difficulty with taking midday naps is that you oversleep and feel groggy after (not to mention wasting time). Thus, if you’re in a position where napping is an option, you can use the spoon trick. This involves napping with a spoon in your hand raised off the ground. When you slip too deeply into sleep, your muscles will relax, the spoon will drop and the clatter will wake you up. ^278320486 --- The combination works especially well because adenosine, which makes you feel sleepy, is removed from receptors following a nap, and the freed receptors can then be “plugged” by caffeine, keeping you awake ^278320487 --- Busy people are those who have the hardest time saying no to those who make demands on their time. That’s why they’re busy ^278320488 --- His solution to avoid people interrupting him with busy-work? Tell them he’s lazy and irresponsible: ^278320489 --- I’m irresponsible. I tell everybody, I don’t do anything. If anybody asks me to be on a committee to take care of admissions, no, I’m irresponsible.” ^278320490 --- I have invented another myth for myself—that ^278320491 --- Productivity doesn’t mean doing the most, but getting the most from what you have done. ^278320492 --- Even if you love your job, taking space from the work you do and having your mind elsewhere is essential to break out of the habit patterns that keep you stuck in your work. ^278320493 --- Instead of expecting it to be leisure, he sees it as an opportunity to expand his knowledge. ^278320494 --- most diligent and productive who end up accomplishing the least. That’s because their tolerance for drudgery prevents them from quitting on work that’s unrewarding ^278320495 --- To really do work you love, sometimes you need to stop doing work you hate. ^278320496