I Want to Strive for Better Work, Not More Work.

“Sometimes you just need to take the afternoon off” — @pippinsplugins

As a self-employed, remote worker, and co-founder of a small company, the pressure to get work done and constantly produce can be overwhelming.

In my world, and I suspect the world of most other passionate workers, there’s no such thing as a small to-do list. In fact there’s hardly such a thing as a ‘list’. It’s more like a pile of things that you need to do. An ever-mounting, looming pile. Each item more pressing than the last.

I do what I do because I love it. Time is too short to do something you don’t absolutely love. I love my work. But some days it’s hard to get beyond even looking at the list/pile of the weeks work.

When I am overloaded, and overwhelmed with work I have this tendency to just grit my teeth, sit down, and barrel my way through it. Or so I intend. What really happens, more often than not, is I do poor work. Or little to no work.

The more work I do the more I find that my best work is done in moderation. My best work isn’t done when I try and marathon through. My best work is done when I try not to marathon through.

As my brother timely put it:

“Sometimes you just need to take the afternoon off” — @pippinsplugins

Taking the afternoon off, or going for a run, or taking a nap, or simply doing something that is purely for your own enjoyment can do more for the quality of your work then crunch-time ever has.

Give yourself a chance to clear your head, re-inspire yourself, and then come back to the work with a fresh mindset and focus.

I believe we should all put a greater emphasis on better work, not more work.