Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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February 4, 2009

Whoa! Could You Stop for 1 Second? Or Are You a Work Snob?

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 8:16 am

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You’re Not Doing Yourself or Anyone Else Any Favors

Hey, I know you’re busy, gotta get a lot of things done. But whoa!



But, could you stop for 1 second? It’s barely that –> . <-- long.
Just stop. Don't do anything, before you read on.

–> . <--

If you don’t stop once in a while, you’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors.

About Things Humanly Possible

When I first got into publishing, I was an adrenaline junkie. I loved getting things done. I prided myself on being able to find more seconds in an hour than anyone could. I could arrange, rearrange, multi-tier, multi-task, and multi-delegate the same page to multiple people while I was doing multiplication for multiple project quotations in my head. I could spin 23 plates on sticks and watch 18 fishing poles in the river, while I was juggling 6 balls in the air and talking on telephone. I even said things like, “I want to be known as the person who can do the impossible.”

It all embarrasses me now.

Because more isn’t more. Not one of those things got my full attention. I was good, they all got B work or better. But none them got my best. And in the end, they got the best of me instead.

When I finally got a job, where they wouldn’t let me do that, I learned the value, the fun, and the excitement of going deep and doing quality work. Less really is more. That’s when I found out what I was really capable of. That’s when I did the work that I’m still proud of, the work that lasted.

So if you’re

You might be what I was — a work snob — I thought I was better than the rest.
A work snob because every human can only do what’s humanly possible — even if they do it well. Slow down just enough to show folks how damn good you really are. Take a rest.

What are you doing to keep the human in you around?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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28 Comments to “Whoa! Could You Stop for 1 Second? Or Are You a Work Snob?”

  1. February 4th, 2009 at 8:31 am
    Mihaela Lica said

    I stop to read a poem, to plant a flower in my garden, to paint a dreamcatcher, to say “I love you” to the man I love.

    I was like you once too, but as time passes by we all get wiser, don’t we? We see what really matters and we learn to value the moment. Thank you for the beautiful reminder, Liz.

  2. February 4th, 2009 at 8:38 am
    Emil Wisch said

    It was the other way around for me, Liz. I felt inferior. I took longer to try to understand problems and do one thing at a time :(

    Wow. I was a genius! :)

  3. February 4th, 2009 at 8:42 am
    DaveMurr said

    When I unplug - I unplug.

    I don’t have an iphone or blackberry. Just my laptop which I don’t carry around me wherever I go.

    I know myself all too well and if I was 100% mobile I’d probably end up a work snob as you suggested. Sometimes it would be nice to have the immediate connectedness - but always being connected is incredibly stressful!

    Plus I am able to enjoy the conversations more when I’m not half talking, half twittering, half emailing, half not paying attention… that’s a lot of halves…

  4. February 4th, 2009 at 8:51 am
    Andy Hoffman said

    I use workrave to help keep me grounded. I take a ten minute break every hour in addition to a thirty second break every fifteen minutes. I also limit my time on the computer to five hours a day. If I am on there for longer than that, workrave locks me out. There is always work that I can do away from the computer, if I still feel the need to work.

    Real human interaction is also key in my daily life. I eat lunch at a coffee shop, run errands, do something outside of the house at least once a day.

  5. February 4th, 2009 at 8:58 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Mig!
    Good to see you hear with flowers and poems. Thank you! Thank you! Yeah, we get wiser or we get pulled as thin as a wire.

  6. February 4th, 2009 at 9:01 am
    Misty Belardo said

    I totally agree with what you posted.. there are times when we do have to stop and just be still even for just a moment and truly enjoy what we are working hard for. Thanks for the reminder.. cool incite : )

  7. February 4th, 2009 at 9:02 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Dave,
    Yeah, me too. I leave my computer when I’m on the phone. I like listening to people when they talk. It’s hard to do that when I’m near the screen.

    I don’t want to ever feel I have to be connected all of the time. So I make a point not to be at certain hours. :)

  8. February 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
    Andrea_R said

    Darn it Liz, did I ever need to read this. :D

  9. February 4th, 2009 at 9:11 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Andy,
    What a great tool. That workrave seems particularly important for folks who hyperfocus. I could have used that a few years ago.

  10. February 4th, 2009 at 9:12 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    #2
    Emil!
    Yes, you were! Taking the time to understand things is the right way.

  11. February 4th, 2009 at 9:14 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Misty,
    That one sentence, “You can only do what’s humanly possible,” became a mantra that I’ve passed on plenty. Whenever I know I’m digging myself into a hole, I bring out and dust it off.

  12. February 4th, 2009 at 9:14 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Andrea,
    Lots of folks do right about now. I wish I could send it to everyone I know who needs to hear it. Some wouldn’t think so. :)

  13. February 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am
    Tracy said

    Shopping!
    When I feel tied down to work and blogging and feel that I’m on the computer too much i go shopping. I wander around the nearest mall for a couple of hours looking at the lastest fashions or looking at people and how they interact. Sometimes a friend comes with me for some company.

  14. February 4th, 2009 at 9:36 am
    reasonable robinson said

    An important theme. In the world of academic and management learning we talk about the difference between ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficiency’ and how many people think that somebody who is ‘action jackson’ likes to convey the impression that its only they who can hold down the job. A favourite writer of mine Bob Garrat (wrote The Fish Rots From The Head)has a great quote about ‘busy’ people who make the mistake of believing that ‘proactiveness is frequently reactiveness in disguise’

  15. February 4th, 2009 at 10:02 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi RR,
    That Bob Garrat point has come home to me over the last few months. When I send off an email and realize that it didn’t need to go that fast, that had I waited to give it more thought I might have written something shorter and more cohesive.

    It’s a grownup thought that, if take the time to invest, those folks on the other end who notice will be the ones I want to work with.

  16. February 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am
    Bean said

    Oh boy, been there and done that! Somehow, I got it in my head that diversity of activities and interests was the key. That I wouldn’t burn out if worked not on just one but three different cancer research project, taught sewing, worked as a freelance researcher for small businesses and non-profits and oh yeah, sewed wedding dresses on the side AND had a small body work practice. Yep, that was going to keep me energized and on the top of my game.

  17. February 4th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
    Kelly Parkinson said

    So I was having breakfast while reading your post, and you totally caught me. I realized that even though I’m slowly starting to overcome my Work Snob tendencies by taking breaks to actually EAT, I’m revealing another problem: I’m a Distraction Snob. It’s uncomfortable to just sit at a table and eat breakfast and not be reading anything or listening to anything. I’m having awkward silences with MYSELF! You totally caught me. One more thing to, um, work on, I guess.

  18. February 4th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
    Amy said

    Hey twin — stop reading my diary. :-p

    Hehehe.

    Yeah, I’m a work snob. But I enjoy being a work snob. I do stop once in a while though… you know, to Twitter or take a long walk to the coffeemaker or something. ;-)

    Maybe one day I’ll stop enjoying being a work snob. If I ever disappear from the interwebz, you’ll know… that’s what happened. :-)

  19. February 4th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
    Detlef Cordes said

    I go shopping for groceries and doing that I am eager to use every opportunity to chat with people I know or don’t know - whenever there is a chance. I talk to folks from a variety of backgrounds. Just short exchanges most of the time, but very refreshing and heart-warming.

  20. February 4th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
    Todd Smith said

    Oh, that’s just want I needed to hear this morning. I haven’t even had time to update my blog for a week and I was feeling guilty. Thanks for reminding me that I’m human… hehehe!

  21. February 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
    Amy said

    PS - I’m with Kelly P, also ready for Distraction Snobs Anonymous. Seriously, that’s an even bigger problem for me than the work thing. Sigh. :-)

  22. February 4th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
    David Atkinson said

    Been in the office all day trying to multi task so coming home to this awesome post as been a great reminder for me to slow down and tell the one closest to me how much I love her.

    Much thanks Liz for this post.

    David Atkinson

  23. February 4th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Bean,
    I know what that lifestyle be so good at everything until it wipes you out. Glad you recovered. :)

  24. February 4th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Kelly,
    Get to know yourself slowly. You’ll find you make good company. But expect yourself to talk much … heh heh. :)

  25. February 4th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Amy,
    You’re not a work snob. You just like it a whole lot better than being bored or with boring people. I’ve never seen you throw something together just to get on to something else. You don’t seem on some quest to do the impossible. :)

  26. February 4th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Though I do buy your Distraction Snob thing, Amy, … Maybe you and Kelly should start a group.

  27. February 4th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hey Dave,
    What a good guy you are to stop for something as nice as that. :

  28. February 4th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
    Christa M. Miller said

    I used to be a much worse work snob, taking myself far too seriously at the expense of family. Now, though I have more work, I try to be more accessible to the kids - showing YouTube videos of volcanoes for 10 minutes, or something that has been really key, taking my older son (5) swimming 3 or so times a week. And, I am learning to accept the trade-offs. :)

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