Something about work to think about while @ work, not the frisbee field...Hard Work's Overrated, Maybe Detrimental [FastCo. 10.7.09]
A co-founder of Flickr argues that hard work often doesn't amount to much--and neuroscience offers some backing for the claim.
Much more important than working hard is knowing how to find the right thing to work on. Paying attention to what is going on in the world. Seeing patterns. Seeing things as they are rather than how you want them to be. Being able to read what people want. Putting yourself in the right place where information is flowing freely and interesting new juxtapositions can be seen. But you can save yourself a lot of time by working on the right thing. Working hard, even, if that's what you like to do. ...
After all, have you ever had a great idea at your desk? But how often does that bulb go off in the shower, or in bed? Modern neuroscience actually vindicates this apparently lackadaisical approach. It turns out that the best way to find breakthrough ideas might be to avoid working hard...
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