I love the paradox that forms the subtitle of the book REST:
“Why You Get More Done When You Work Less.”
It ties in perfectly to one of my major themes for the year: Working Smarter, NOT Harder.
And while this is often about seeing what I can most successfully delegate…
I’m profoundly interested in going deeper with this philosophy.
That’s why I’m having an open FB Live Dialogue with REST’s author this Thursday, May 13th at 1:30 p.m. EST HERE.
Although I learned a lot of new things from this book, one chapter resonated particularly strongly with me.
In fact, it’s something I’ve shared with numerous creative clientsfor years.
Namely, knowing when to stop.
And, it may be counterintuitive, but that moment is actually when things are going well, when you know exactly what’s next, that you should quit for the day.
Rather than trying to cross the finish line, in other words, stop while you’re hot.
In my youthful arrogance, I briefly thought I had personally discovered this creative hack.
Years ago, though, I learned no less than Hemmingway had written:
“Always stop while you are doing good and don’t think about it or worry about it until you start to write the next day. That way your subconscious will work on it all the time.”
And from REST I learned that so many other writers and creatives and even athletes practice this.
Indeed, authors as diverse as Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) to espionage novelist John le Carré have shared how this process worked for them.
In a world that glorifies being busy, that assumes the more time we spend working the more productive we will be, this approach is both quietly and surprisingly revolutionary.
Part of this strategy is definitely psychological.
It’s a thousand times easier to start creative work knowing that you have scheduled an early win for yourself.
However tempting it is to keep working until you’re creatively spent, by stopping early you experience a feeling of excitement and anticipation for tomorrow that carries your through.
You’re generating an inspiring, forward-moving momentum for yourself, one that motivates you to continue.
And, at the same time, you’re actually doing something more than that.
Recent studies indicate that after you punch your timecard for the day and step away from the task at hand, as Hemingway thought, you actually are indeed inspiring your subconscious to get to work.
To summarize the experiment at the University of Sydney Center for the Mind I learned about in REST, essentially taking a break and doing something completely different has been proven to be “much more beneficial than working on a similar task or continually generating ideas.”
Your subconscious actually does process information and generate solutions when you’re no longer staring at the problem in front of you.
I find it enormously encouraging that science proves we can cultivate those “Eureka” moments NOT by keeping our nose to the grindstone, but by stepping away at the right moment.
So consider this newsletter a permission slip to quit before you’re ahead; in other words, to stop when the going is at its best.
Beyond this, it isn’t enough just to stop at the right point in order to maximize success.
What’s truly powerful is applying this practice in tandem with your established creative routine.
It’s as important that you simultaneously stop at the right point and have a commitment to showing up again faithfully.
As charming as the ambassador of the American songbook Michael Feinstein’s admission is that he puts sheet music under his pillow so it can seep in at night, that’s not the secret of his success.
He’s at the keyboard or conducting every day.
As Picasso said:
Inspiration must find you working.
I’ve been thinking about these ideas as I’m reviving my extreme drop back practice for my July birthday…
–– (I do one fall into a wheel and then spring back up, once for each year of my life) ––
And I was reminded of one of my favorite photos: my mother watching me do them two years ago on my old terrace.
A lot has changed since then.
Covid, of course…plus I’ve moved to another borough with another terrace, one closer to the sky…
Even my tree has changed their gender.
But I’m still applying the same timeless principles:
I know when to stop my practice at the right moment, having never gone so far as to be injured.
And I know that I have to keep showing up on all levels for both the physical challenges and the creative miracles to happen.
Let’s discuss these and other paradoxes together on Thursday!
Until then…
Namaste for Now,
P.S. If you want a reminder email on Thursday––just sign up HERE. I’m happy to remind you the night before and morning of the FB Live.
Or just show up HERE on Thursday and we’ll connect over REST.
