Work In Spurts
Naval has said before that knowledge work is a series of sprints that are high-energy that may last a short period of time.
Between the sprints, you rest. You take a break from what you are doing. And gear up for your next sprint which could be spurred by —
- A stroke of inspiration about a problem you were having and couldn’t solve
- Or just because you have to go into work again
For me, this idea has proven true — especially in the part-time research position that I currently work at. I come in 3 days a week, and I have found that the MWF schedule is the best iteration I have found yet.
And I believe it has something to do with this sprint mentality. I have encoded breaks into my larger work schedule that last a whole day.
Maybe this is why the future of work is going to have a feel of heterogeneity to it. The influx of articles and blog posts about remote work, or letting your employees come in and out of the office as they please, or having large swaths of vacation given to them — are part of a growing trend.
We have to evolve from the 40-hour work week that many of our institutions have engrained in their DNA.
Many of the students that come out of these institutions have had the freedom to determine, more or less, their own work & study schedule. They set their class schedules, meet up friends at the library, and grind until the late hours of the night.
Why do we not think that they know their best work schedule?
Work freedom is going to be part of the next generation’s aura. Try and find yours.
Whether it is working in spurts in different frequencies, don’t succumb to the idea that the 8–5PM schedule is for you. Get creative.
Thanks for reading.
