Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress

by John Fitch

A great work ethic isn’t about working whenever you’re called upon. It’s about doing what you say you’re going to do, putting in a fair day’s work, respecting the work, respecting the customer, respecting coworkers, not wasting time, not creating unnecessary work for other people, and not being a bottleneck.

They paid for their employees’ time, so they felt like they owned it.

Instead

of being rewarded or praised for doing your work quickly, if you’re paid hourly, you’re often punished with pointless busywork.

“Creative people have … multiple projects in progress at the same time, and they’re also far more likely than most of us to have serious hobbies,”

Felicity Mellor

“interstitial journaling.” He recommends that “during your day, journal every time you transition from one work project to another. Write a few sentences in your journal about what you just did, and then a few more sentences about what you’re about to do.”

He felt that many of his contemporaries focused too much on work and busyness, and as a result, “live out their lives in a dull and loveless stupor.”

being completely free from work, can be quite a challenge if you don’t fill the time with something new.

inactivity leads to a depressive boredom.”

My secret ‘life hack’ has also been to write it down! I can’t tell you where I’d be if I hadn’t had a pen on hand to write down my ideas as soon as they came to me.”