How I Conquered Multiple 100 Hour Weeks In A Row
It was another 100-hour work week.In fact, it was the 5th one like it in a row.
I didn't think it was possible before I did it. How could it be?
At a 60-80 hour work week, you sacrifice the extras. You sacrifice things like social engagements, lunch hour, TV, and weekends.At an 80-90 hour work week, you sacrifice the basics. You sacrifice things like exercise, time with your family/partner, and the last of any personal time left.At the 90-100 hour week mark, you sacrifice the essentials, like sleep.Seems ridiculous to only have 5 hours of sleep per night for 5 weeks in a row, right?It is.
But there's so much more work to be done!
Does anyone else have a voice in their head that says this??Sometimes you can't work smarter. Sometimes the only person who can get it done is you!Guess what?
There is always an infinite amount of work.
If you are obsessed with social impact and making continuous improvements, you'll never get to a place where you've done enough work to stop working.Even if you somehow are the 1% of people that figure it out, if you're like me, you'll get bored really fast.
So, give up that idea.
Even retirement can stir up the urge to volunteer or be helpful in other ways.
The mantra of living a productive life focused on social impact is about being happy with the pace and intensity.
It's up to you to constantly push the comfort zone of your own intensity and pace. This means that if you're constantly pushing your comfort zone, you're never really in it.I think you get the point.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
You will not grow strong enough to achieve your dreams without internalizing this belief.Understand your needs for rest, relaxation, re-focusing and whatever else you need. It's your responsibility to understand yourself and take care of your needs.It's your responsibility to understand how much sleep you need to avoid making excessive, stupid mistakes.It's your responsibility to understand how much you can take on to maintain long-lasting productivity.It's your responsibility to understand your weaknesses and discomforts so you can conquer them and grow stronger.
2 Minute Action
What's a part of your job that makes you feel really uncomfortable?What's something you really are not looking forward to doing today?What's something that you've been avoiding for some time?You guessed it. Make it happen.You've got 2 minutes to set up the conversation, push the button, or ask that embarrassing question.Everyone has 2 minutes to take action.
One Reason You Should Avoid Productivity
You might be making one of the biggest mistakes you can make.Please don't think productivity is the same as happiness.Checking off boxes may feel good, but it's not the fuel for fulfillment.Do not presuppose that being productive with your time will create sustainable, long-term happiness.
- No job in the world is going to make you happy unless you're already happy.
- No work in the world is going to make you happy unless you're already happy.
- No partner in the world is going to make you happy unless you're already happy.
If you truly think being productive is the source of your happiness, please take time to zoom out and observe your own narrative.What's good about being productive?Usually, it's the hit of dopamine from checking off a box.Groceries? Done.Dry cleaner? Done.Birthday card? Done.You get the point.
2 Minute Action
Are you willing to forego happiness in exchange for output?Set a timer for 2 minutes and give yourself the space to consider what you want to focus on, today.Turning gears faster in a gearbox is a great way to make more widgets, but it's also a great way to let the world pass by.
What's the next action?
One of the habits we don't learn in school is how to take action.
- We learn to follow the directions on the box.
- We learn to sit still for 9 hours.
- We learn to use a #2 pencil and fill in the circles.
But we don't learn how to regulate our emotions, find out what really motivates us, or pursue an idea with relentless fervor.In fact, as adults, it's amazing that we can come up with any ideas at all. The good news is that there's still time. Your brain is never actually done learning--well, not until you've given up on it.One way to increase your productive output and hunt down more fulfilling work is to ask yourself "what's the next action?"If your massive end goal is to disrupt an industry or change legislation, chances are that the first step is actually very small.It's probably something like "call my friend Jules, who works in the industry."Or something like "Google: 'how bills move through Congress.'"Even if you're wrong about the first step, you're falling forward. You've given yourself the opportunity to learn from that mistake and bring that experience to your next step.You're building momentum.And by constantly asking yourself "what's the next action?" you're building a preventative habit.If you're still not sold on this, just look at this list of a bazillion quotes on the misery of inaction.
2 Minute Action:
What's something that's been on your to-do list for a few weeks?It could be personal or work related.Are there any dependencies? (Things you're waiting on to get started?)What might you do if you knew you'd never get what you needed to start? Could you start anyway? Maybe in a different way?What might be the next action?What might be the first action?I bet it will only take you a few minutes.