Rest for Normal People

Energy, not time, is usually the scarce resource. The best note is the one you can find again. Rest is not the reward for work; it is part of the work.

The short version

Two focused hours beat a day of half attention. Meetings without an agenda tend to produce more meetings. Saying no early is kinder than saying yes and disappearing.

Writing things down turns worry into a list. Most of my productivity came from doing fewer things on purpose.

A small example

The best note is the one you can find again. Energy, not time, is usually the scarce resource. Meetings without an agenda tend to produce more meetings.

Rest is not the reward for work; it is part of the work. A weekly review is a conversation with your future self.

Going further

The best note is the one you can find again. The system that survives is the one simple enough to restart after a bad week. Most of my productivity came from doing fewer things on purpose. A weekly review is a conversation with your future self.

Two focused hours beat a day of half attention.

Calendars show commitments; task lists show wishes. Writing things down turns worry into a list.

The best note is the one you can find again. Rest is not the reward for work; it is part of the work.