What if you produce almost as much in 20 hours, as in 90?

Part of succeeding with creativity is not putting your “Art” last on the list. I’ve been thinking about this because of a fascinating book by a young other who is obsessed with productivity. Chris Bailey funded his own research and writing instead of accepting either of two job offers he received after graduating from college.

He brainstormed a big list of experiments that might improve his productivity. Then, with great discipline he tried them all. The Productivity Project is the book resulting from his empirical research.

Does limiting you smart phone usage to 1 hour a day improve productivity? How much more productive are you working 90 hour weeks vs 20 hour weeks? How could wearing blue blocker sunglasses at night improve your efficiency?

I mistakenly thought being more productive wasn’t an issue for me. Then it dawned on me that as an entrepreneur I needed all the productivity I could get.

Artist Robert Irwin, spoke of how the previous generation of artists, would mentally prepare for days, in order to be prepared for the existential struggle of applying the paint. I thought of this because the message I get from Chris Bailey is that with sufficient focus on do everything necessary to hit an energy peak big things can be accomplished in small amounts of time.

Assume this 20 hour work week is productive as a 50 or 60 hour week…What would you do with this time? Shouldn’t you be paid as much for the accomplishments, no matter how efficiently you create them. Some of the gain time needs to go towards meditation, eating well, and other things that enhance your energy levels, but what to do with the rest?