Thanks, I appreciate this detailed response! My advice for what to do in practice is something like “focus on output against priorities, not marginal hours”. I no longer believe that, for most people, there is a real trade-off between hours spent on self-care* and amount of impact. If someone is making themselves miserable, I think “put real effort into becoming less depressed” is a likely good short-term bet for increasing productivity, but this post is meant to be about a general pattern, not just advice for people struggling with their mental health.
* aside: I don’t love “self-care” as a phrase, since it always conjures images of someone, like, reclining in a bubble bath whilst eating chocolates. Which is a fine thing to do, obviously, but I would love a phrase that more clearly points to “taking the time and actions you need to feel okay doing your life”.
Thanks, I appreciate this detailed response! My advice for what to do in practice is something like “focus on output against priorities, not marginal hours”. I no longer believe that, for most people, there is a real trade-off between hours spent on self-care* and amount of impact. If someone is making themselves miserable, I think “put real effort into becoming less depressed” is a likely good short-term bet for increasing productivity, but this post is meant to be about a general pattern, not just advice for people struggling with their mental health.
* aside: I don’t love “self-care” as a phrase, since it always conjures images of someone, like, reclining in a bubble bath whilst eating chocolates. Which is a fine thing to do, obviously, but I would love a phrase that more clearly points to “taking the time and actions you need to feel okay doing your life”.
yeah that seems right to me