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If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

calnewport.com

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Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#101

Post by Loughla »

rusk wrote: post #61
war1025 wrote: post #3

I think this might be somewhat tangential to what the article has to say, but I think there is a fair amount of mindset to the "busyness" thing. Some people seem to think that "busyness is next to godliness", so they make sure never to let anyone see them idle. They don't so much focus on what they are doing, just that they are doing something . I've always taken the opposite approach. I go out of my way to make it l…

I think its borne of insecurity - if you cant be good at your job at least look like yoy care about your job

You read that wrong. OP never said s/he wasn't good at their job, nor did they say they didn't care.

They said they do it in such a way as to make it seem easy.

I'm in that camp as well. I never get flustered. I never get overwhelmed. I never get bothered to run around like an idiot or panic over everything, like so many other administrators in my field do.

And it's all on purpose. I never get flustered, because I want everyone around me to understand and believe that I'm doing what comes naturally to me, and that I'm the best at what I do because of it.

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#102

Post by mark_l_watson »

I think Cal Newport, and the study discussed in the article, are right on.

By most measures I have had a very successful career developing software and doing research.

My deliberate practice has been learning new languages, solving very difficult problems both on my own, and for work, and for most of my career averaged about 30 hour part time work weeks (even when working for large companies like SAIC).

I work very hard for a few periods during the day. The exception to this was my last job before retiring this year where I really had three jobs in one, so I had very few breaks in my work day except for a couple of long walks.

Deliberate practice is the way to get good at things and achieve success.

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#103

Post by rusk »

Loughla wrote: post #101
rusk wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think its borne of insecurity - if you cant be good at your job at least look like yoy care about your job

You read that wrong. OP never said s/he wasn't good at their job, nor did they say they didn't care. They said they do it in such a way as to make it seem easy. I'm in that camp as well. I never get flustered. I never get overwhelmed. I never get bothered to run around like an idiot or panic over everything, like so many other administrators in my field do. And it's all on purpose. I never get flustered, because I wa…

No, I think you and a few other people read me wrong.

You see these people going around in a flap, all heat, little light. Meanwhile there's other people in the office quietly getting on with things. The noisy one is compensating for inability with visibility.

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#105

Post by sk84life »

babygoat wrote: post #90
jonathanstrange wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a false dichotomy here. Talented people who have seized the right opportunity can get overwhelmed or disorganized like everyone else. I've always assumed that all those tips for getting organized, getting this done, etc., are primarily intended for talented people who otherwise already know what they're doing. > No level of hard work or organization will substitute for talent and opportunity I find that very…

Why doubtful? Bill Gates is incredibly talented, and being in the right place at the right time is more or less the definition of opportunity.

Well, offtopic a bit but.. People say you never know what they have to sacrifice for they success.

Listening lately news about Bill and he's circles of friends.. I can honestly say I am not surprised why these certain billionaires are never prosecuted of anything..

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#106

Post by eloff »

babygoat wrote: post #90
jonathanstrange wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a false dichotomy here. Talented people who have seized the right opportunity can get overwhelmed or disorganized like everyone else. I've always assumed that all those tips for getting organized, getting this done, etc., are primarily intended for talented people who otherwise already know what they're doing. > No level of hard work or organization will substitute for talent and opportunity I find that very…

Why doubtful? Bill Gates is incredibly talented, and being in the right place at the right time is more or less the definition of opportunity.

To be such an extreme outlier success as Bill Gates took extreme talent, extreme, all-consuming hard work, and extreme privilege and opportunity (luck) all combined in a perfect storm.

He still would have been successful without all of those things together, but not at the same level.

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#107

Post by dawg- »

DoingIsLearning wrote: post #18

I think as usual Cal raises important points. But this feels a bit like Malcom Gladwell's proposals were he goes out looking for data that aligns with his initial conjecture. As a man of science, I am sure Cal appreciates the weakness of a study with self reported journals, collected at a single site, in a single problem domain (Violin players). My point is that it's ok to propose this and clarify it is your opinion…

Keep in mind that this is just a blog post. I don't usually follow Cal Newport's blog but in general, academic blogs are meant to be more informal and just exploring different ideas without the rigor of a peer reviewed journal. If he put this stuff in a published book I would agree completely. Sadly it's par for the course for pop science writing.

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#108

Post by dullgiulio »

sk84life wrote: post #105
babygoat wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why doubtful? Bill Gates is incredibly talented, and being in the right place at the right time is more or less the definition of opportunity.

Well, offtopic a bit but.. People say you never know what they have to sacrifice for they success. Listening lately news about Bill and he's circles of friends.. I can honestly say I am not surprised why these certain billionaires are never prosecuted of anything..

What are you trying to imply?

Microsoft paid hefty fines for its monopolistic behavior...

Re: If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

#109

Post by throw1234651234 »

I have filled my schedule with study time, working out, cleaning time, full sleep time, cooking time, etc. The result is that I am a super efficient, productive employee that gets absolutely nothing done outside of work, has not learned anything past canned employee skills, and has no life.

Looks like there is a huge benefit to leaving some waste time in the schedule.

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