#19: High quality worktime and creative productivity.

Creative work depends far more on the quality of work time than its quantity. From times of deep work and in a state of flow come breakthroughs.

Compare work time with sleep. The benefits of deep sleep cannot be gained by any increase in light sleep.

Working in a distracted environment, or while greatly fatigued — where you find yourself pushing to gain more time quantity even while the quality of your work time slips as you become more prone to self-interruption — does not produce great output.

The cost of distraction is high, and you pay for it in lost creative productivity. Conversely, in a highly distractible and distracted work, your ability to find space for deep work is a competitive advantage. Focus on the 20% that has the greatest impact.

Related: 19a