My sample size is one, but it’s a useful experiment to carry out in your own life. I proved to myself that I don’t need forty to sixty hours a week of focused work. In fact, despite a drastic cut in hours, I’d been more productive by the end of the thirty days. On average, I write about 1,000 words a day, respond to 54 emails and messages, and read about 400 pages of research. During the time when I was not watching the clock but focusing on my tasks until I couldn’t focus any longer, I wrote an incredible 1,600 words a day and read about 550 pages. My email numbers stayed about the same.
