Beware of Fake-Work and Make-Work
Gretchen Rubin
6x NYT Bestselling Author | Host of the "Happier with Gretchen Rubin" Podcast | Pre-order "Secrets of Adulthood," out April 1st
I remind myself that just because I’m busy doesn’t mean that I’m being productive.
Working is one of the most dangerous forms of procrastination.
I imagine that every kind of work has its fake-work and make-work. For example, as a writer, I remind myself:
- create, don’t fiddle around with italics and formatting
- typing isn’t the same as writing
- cruising around the internet isn’t the same as “research”
- answering emails, checking LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and similar tasks, while important, must not be allowed to get in the way of writing and thinking
- if I’m finding it very hard to write, I should stop trying to write and instead, start thinking harder
- if I’m finding it very easy to write, I’m probably falling into cliché and should start thinking harder
Of course, one of my Secrets of Adulthood is that the opposite of a profound truth is also true, and I have several resolutions aimed at helping me not to worry constantly about being efficient, but instead, to Force myself to wander and Schedule time for play.
Virginia Woolf noted in her Diary: "My mind works in idleness. To do nothing is often my most profitable way." Sometimes, I work best by doing things that don’t look like “work.” But I enjoy them as play; I don't pretend that I'm "working."
In your job, do you have to fight the urge to do fake-work and make-work? What form does yours take?
Do you schedule time to goof off?
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Gretchen Rubin is the author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. She writes about happiness and habit-formation at gretchenrubin.com. Follow her here by clicking the yellow FOLLOW button, on Twitter, @gretchenrubin, on Facebook, facebook.com/ GretchenRubin. Or listen to her popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin.
Southern Colorado Mountain Home Real Estate Consultant
7 年Fake Work... I will now think about this frequently. So many corporate report assignments, processes and more are created by someone who is employed to do something. These tasks they have designed and rolled out add nothing to the bottom line or quality of customer experience yet demoralize staff. I always wondered what purpose all this busy work serves. I now know -- Fake Work! Allows someone to look busy but the "work is fake."
Retired at Retired
7 年This drives me crazy. I know so many people who are judged because they're always "so busy" but most know they're the ones who take 2 hrs - 2 days to do what it takes most of us 15 minutes to accomplish.
Stepping into a New Chapter of my Life. Looking Forward to Learning & Growing
7 年I work for an organization where every moment is scheduled and rigidly proscribed. Even here in a place where the employees are expected to but aside all human needs even going to the bathroom unti " scheduled times" we do find timr to laugh and have a few moments to share conversations about our families or the type of day we're having. Due to how rigid and inflexible my work world is I make sure that during my evenings and weekends I take time to play and see friends. Also I allow my self lots of down time, quiet and solitude.
Associate Professor at Shanxi University, School of Foreign Languages
8 年I begin to think abuot that I am been crazy busy but no so productive.
Co-Founder@MyndStories: A Content-Led Mental Health Ecosystem | Author | Sunday Features Writer for Deccan Herald | Content Consultant
8 年I am most productive when I am meditating!