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43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.

If I'm so unproductive, why do I get great job reviews?

I work at a large company, have two kids, run a side business and have a hobby that takes a LOT of time. In the course of an average week, I do my job well enough to make my boss think I’m great, keep my kids and business partner happy and make adequate progress on my hobbies, but I can’t help but feel that I’m spending at least 40% of my time just zoning out and spinning my wheels trying to get a handle on things. It’s not the number of projects I’m juggling at any one time that gets me - they are all either necessary (having a job, taking care of the kids) or personally fulfilling (having a hobby and running a side gig). It’s the lack of down time and the constant feeling that somewhere, I’m dropping the ball on something.

I’m having a hard time believing that I’m the only one like this, and I’m curious to know what other folks do about it.


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jerrybrito's picture

Because you're not unpoductive but probably hyper-productive

Jungle, I know exactly how you feel. Although I don't have kids, your situation sounds familiar. I think precisely because we're so effective (the fact that we're communicating on a productivity forum is evidence that that's probably the case) is it the case that we end up being able to goof off a lot while still getting everything done gangbusters. This in turn makes us feel guilty because we think about how much more stuff we would accomplish if we hadn't goofed off at all.

I think the solution shorten the time you give yourself for each or your projects, that way you'll get them don in the same amount of time, but since you won't have time to goof off, you won't. My suggestion is just an application of Parkinson's Law, which states that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." If that's the case, shorten the time alloted to a project and I'm sure it will result in you still doing a bang-up job, but without the goofing off. Take the time you save and schedule it for guilt-free goofing off. If you have good systems, then the status of your projects shouldn't creep into your head during goof-off time.

Junglemonkey's picture

Thanks!

So, what you’re saying is to shift my “goof-offing” to the end of the project (where it’s now just free time) rather than larding it around the middle? That makes sense.

I still wish I could shake the nagging feeling of having dropped something, though.

About Junglemonkey

 
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The original 43 Folders series looking at the skills, tools, and attitude needed to empty your email inbox — and then keep it that way. Don’t miss the free video of Merlin’s Inbox Zero presentation.

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