> The whole point of knowledge work is that you are doing things that have not been done before.
I don't think this is true, and treating this kind of work as a sort of magic does the profession a disservice. The details change, but the process of organizing and performing exploratory work can be standardized and improved.
In the chef analogy, even inventing new dishes can benefit from structure. I'll use painting as a different analogy. Painting a brand new scene is creative work, and you're doing things that haven't been done before. But most painters will start a major work by first creating a few lesser works to explore the theme. They might collect some references. They'll often sketch a guide on their canvas. They'll build the composition in multiple layers. They'll lay out their tools before they start. They benefit greatly from having routine and formula to fall back on, so all their cognitive load can go to the creative parts.
> If you are overwhelmed with tasks as a knowledge worker, the solution is not to seek greater efficiency in handling them. The solution is to do incredible work on the ones that actually matter, and half-ass or ignore the rest. If you’re not sure which is which, finding out is job #1.
> People who efficiently do everything they are asked are rewarded with more asks. People who do great high-impact work are not held back because they dropped some emails along the way.
I agree with you, but that's a different issue. Yes, I'd love to see a companion piece on work-life balance and managing and pushing back on expectations. Yes, "efficiency" often just means upper management is trying to squeeze more blood out of a stone.
No, that doesn't mean a professional shouldn't be thinking about improving their workflow. These improvements help you achieve your point:
> The solution is to do incredible work on the ones that actually matter, and half-ass or ignore the rest. If you’re not sure which is which, finding out is job #1.
I don't think this is true, and treating this kind of work as a sort of magic does the profession a disservice. The details change, but the process of organizing and performing exploratory work can be standardized and improved.
In the chef analogy, even inventing new dishes can benefit from structure. I'll use painting as a different analogy. Painting a brand new scene is creative work, and you're doing things that haven't been done before. But most painters will start a major work by first creating a few lesser works to explore the theme. They might collect some references. They'll often sketch a guide on their canvas. They'll build the composition in multiple layers. They'll lay out their tools before they start. They benefit greatly from having routine and formula to fall back on, so all their cognitive load can go to the creative parts.
> If you are overwhelmed with tasks as a knowledge worker, the solution is not to seek greater efficiency in handling them. The solution is to do incredible work on the ones that actually matter, and half-ass or ignore the rest. If you’re not sure which is which, finding out is job #1.
> People who efficiently do everything they are asked are rewarded with more asks. People who do great high-impact work are not held back because they dropped some emails along the way.
I agree with you, but that's a different issue. Yes, I'd love to see a companion piece on work-life balance and managing and pushing back on expectations. Yes, "efficiency" often just means upper management is trying to squeeze more blood out of a stone.
No, that doesn't mean a professional shouldn't be thinking about improving their workflow. These improvements help you achieve your point:
> The solution is to do incredible work on the ones that actually matter, and half-ass or ignore the rest. If you’re not sure which is which, finding out is job #1.
(Which I also completely agree with).