I wanted to write a short blog about disassociation, and maybe a longer one later on.
The reason this subject is brought up is because I've been thinking a lot about how I can improve my quality of work. Much of my personal issues with work have to do with having the bravery to start things, but they also have to do with being too obsessed with something when I start it.
I feel like in order for there to be consistency in the quality of work that you do, you have to be able to disconnect from it, no matter how passionate you are. If I am solving a programming problem and it is taking me all day, I should not have to think about it all night when I get home. I know this is a very American concept, obsession with work, but I feel it does more harm than good.
The most efficient and balanced people I know at work do their best not to think about it when they are away. They focus on family, hobbies, and travel, and keep work on the back-burner until Monday morning. This is an incredible skill, because you have to train your mind to be able to compartmentalize it.
I really like one of Hemingway's quotes when it comes to leaving something for the next day/ over the weekend. He says about writing,
"the most important thing I’ve learned about writing is never write too much at a time… Never pump yourself dry. Leave a little for the next day. The main thing is to know when to stop. Don’t wait till you’ve written yourself out. When you’re still going good and you come to an interesting place and you know what’s going to happen next, that’s the time to stop. Then leave it alone and don’t think about it; let your subconscious mind do the work."
This is a beautiful idea and one that appears in all walks of life. To keep the mind active, you have to turn it off sometimes. To keep a wonderful relationship, you have to know when to give the other person space. This counterintuitive constraint that you learn with experience is a part of what makes you more talented, more resourceful, and more wise.
It is still weird to me that these little structural changes you can make of your life have such a huge impact on long-term performance. But as you grow up, you are exposed to more challenges, and you have to find ways to get better. I think this is a key piece of advice. Thank you Papa Hemingway.
