Think About Your Productivity Not in Days, Weeks, or Months. But Years.

That way, you’ll do the work you REALLY love.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

I’m a big fan of Cal Newport’s work, his books and pieces in The New Yorker. He went on Tim Ferriss’ podcast last week and talked about how to see through your most ambitious projects.

This is also the focus of a couple of Newport’s books: How to be productive. My favorite is Deep Work, which argues the only way to work well is to honor it. Turn off your notifications. In fact put away your phone. Physically distance it from you while you do your creative work.

I took Newport’s advice after finishing Deep Work and not having my phone in my pocket as I write has made me a better writer. Full stop. I get deeper into the work. I stay in a flow state longer. If you’re not doing it, you should put your phone in the other room the next time you write.

But that’s productivity is not exactly the Newport’s point these days. Nor is it mine. The point in the Year of Our Lord 2022 is to think about THE MEANING OF IT ALL.

Yes, I’m all-capping that idea because in Newport’s discussions of productivity he hits on something profound:

How to do the work that sustains you.

So: How DO you do the work that sustains you?