Recently, I completed 8 hours of work in 2 hours.
Recently, I completed 2 hours of work in 8 hours.
The difference between these two workdays was dramatic.
The 8-in-2 day was full of very deliberate work that was well-prepared for me. My team had given me all the tools I needed to do the important tasks at hand. I felt prepared. I listened to a specific playlist. I sat in a coffee shop full of strangers. I was at the center of a productive flow.
The 2-in-8 day was full of non-specific tasks with non-specific deadlines. Neither I, nor my work, was prepared for what was in front of me. I was listening to random playlists, sitting in a room full of buddies. I was at the center of a relational flow.
Every week, I need both 8-in-2 days and 2-in-8 days.
Every week, I need both productive flow and relational flow.
We’re not machines. We’re not built with one function. Without relational flow, we wouldn’t have the energy to create productive flow. Without productive flow, we wouldn’t have the energy to create relational flow.
No matter what your flow may be, pay attention to what gets you “in the zone” and create those settings for your workday.