Comments on: Why am I doing this?

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:27:46 +0000

Peter, great point (and one I reflected on in a twitter a couple weeks ago). I do understand how inefficient I am getting at the moment, and am mostly managing it by allocating the mindless tasks that need to get done to the times when I will be mindless after too many hours. That being said, I'm starting to run myself down. Things are starting to get better, as part of the long hours has been automating those mindless tasks, so that I can then be more effective on the mindful work. Still don't have the bandwidth to start blogging consistently again, but hopefully in a month or so.

By: peter

peter — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:03:58 +0000

Well, Eric, I’ve worked in South Korea where it is usual for white-collar and professional staff to work twice the hours of the hardest-working American. Yet an American will produce twice the output of a Korean manager. Why? Because there’s a Laffer-curve effect here — ie, after some point, total work output FALLS with increased hours. As a friend used to say, it is physically impossible to day a week’s work in more than 5 days, and physically impossible to do a year’s work in more than 48 weeks. Without knowing anything about you, I would bet a year’s salary that your output would rise, and its quality improve, if you spent fewer hours at work.

By: Jo Jordan

Jo Jordan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:14:49 +0000

Glad its working out.

But you’ll need a break eventually. Good firms also make sure there is a good rhythmn and people don’t get “bush-happy”.

Still, as most people are bored witless at work, better this than not!

By: john

john — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:58:16 +0000

Hi Eric,
I am in kind of the same situation as you are, but in an earlier stage as it seems. I always knew that I am a generalist, but only during last year really was able to value it (thanks to your blog that had some part in the process.

Right now I experience the “backside” of what you describe in this article – working for a company that does not make me feel contributing to a thing thats worth it.

Interestingly, I found myself to work even harder in order to compensate for the lack of ehthusiasm – to some degree this helps, but in the long run there has to be something to “connect” to…

greetings from good old europe

j.w.