The work that doesn’t look like work

Do you struggle with this?

Doing work that doesn’t “look like work”?

Work that looks like work can be batching emails, applying a technical or creative skill, attending meetings, all sort of things. They are commonly considered to be “work”, and so we feel justified in our efforts.

And yet a day with only this kind of work can feel linear, like we didn’t grow, like we didn’t increase momentum.

Work that doesn’t look like work can be thinking. Or reading. Or exploring ideas on paper that don’t work. They are commonly considered to be “having a break” or “procrastinating” or “playing around”, and so we sometimes feel guilty when we do them.

And yet a day without these things can feel linear, like we didn’t grow, like we didn’t increase momentum.

Sheesh: What do we have against asymmetrical returns, growth, and increased momentum?

Maybe it’s time to stop feeling guilty.