Valuable work doesn’t look like “work.”
The working world has changed, but few people and companies acknowledge this.
Do you?
Most operate as if we’re still in an industrial age, not an information and connection economy.
While things have started to change — more flexibility in work hours and locations, more entrepreneurs, freelancers, and side hustlers — those changes have yet to impact how most of us perceive our jobs and responsibilities on a day-to-day basis.
For me, what looks like traditional “work” tends to be the least productive part of my day. My most productive moments don’t resemble “work” at all.
Getting “lost on the Internet” — as I like to call the hours I spend surfing far corners of the web — is way more valuable than time spent in meetings.
Working outside an office is always more productive than working in one.
And time spent learning and absorbing new ideas (especially seemingly unrelated ones) deliver bigger results than trying to solve problems by committee or doing what’s always been done.
I was recently asked how I know what I know about social media and audience growth— after all, none of this was around when I was in school and much of it wasn’t even around six months ago.
Here’s my secret — I don’t let my “work” get in the way of my WORK.
I carve out time to explore what I need to explore to learn the things I need to know — and even things I may not need to know.
I recognize my job isn’t just what’s in my job description.
My real job is to experiment, learn, and discover better ways to create value for myself and others.
It’s to stay a year ahead of the people that don’t do that.
But in fairness to them, they probably don’t do that because they’re too busy doing their “work.”
BONUS: One easy way to improve your work…
One of the best ways to get better at your work is to learn from how others do it.
And I’ve got a secret weapon for you when it comes to that — my For The Interested newsletter.
Every Sunday I share 5 ideas (similar to the one you just read in this post) about how to get better at your life, work, and art.
It’s a cheat sheet to help you get what you want out of life.
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