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If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)

calnewport.com Essays & writing Essays & articles Work & careers Candidate
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Resurfaced independently across 3 calendar years, with breakout response in 3 of them.

submissions
3
submitters
3
observed span
2011–2019
peak thread · 162 comments
499 pts
latest 20+ return · 2019-11-14
499 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

Seems like a bit of a tail wagging the dog situation. How do we know the more relaxed/organized schedule leads to success, and not that success leads to a more relaxed/organized schedule? This reminds me of some other advice I remember reading: No level of hard work or organization will substitute for talent and opportunity, and nearly all success stories to the contrary are missing key facts. ie Myth: Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Reality…

I like the hypothesis the article presents: focusing on working intently hard, followed by relaxation and you will perform better. It's something I would want to beleive. But, I find his analysis a little suspect. It appears to confuse corellation and causation. It notices a difference in behavior between the "great" and the "average" and assumes those differences to cause the difference in ability. It completely ignores the possibility that the behavioral difference might be caused by a difference in…

Here's my theory: the blocks of time the elite players spend is non-negotiable, because it's their "top idea in the mind."[0] In the past when I've worked with friends on side projects, the conversation would sometimes go like this. Me: "Hey, let's try and meet like three evenings a week for two hours to work on this. Let's start tomorrow?" Them: "Yeah -- wait, I have to meet a friend for dinner tomorrow. Can you do the day after?" Me…

nhashem·131-point thread·

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
3

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
889

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
265

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2011-11-11If You’re Busy, You’re Doing Something WrongFirst breakoutbrianwillis25955
2013-03-15If you're busy, you're doing something wrongscott_meade13148
2019-11-14If you're busy, you're doing something wrong (2011)Best thread · Latest 20+ point returnunpredict499162