Regarding personal productivity, there are generally two approaches to completing tasks and projects: the heavy lift approach and the slow burn approach. While both methods have their respective advantages, I prefer the slow burn approach as I find it more sustainable and effective for making progress. In this post, I will delve into the benefits of gradual progress and explain why it has become my preferred method.
Understanding Heavy Lifts and Slow Burns
To better convey the advantages of slow burns, I want to define my terms in the context of productivity. Tiago Forte, a well-known productivity expert, defines heavy lifts as tasks or projects that require significant effort, resources, or expertise. For me, these are typically complex endeavors that need concentrated bursts of energy over a short period.
On the other hand, slow burns involve maintaining a list of ongoing projects that are in progress in the background. Instead of trying to complete them all at once, we gradually engage with them over time. This approach allows us to incorporate new ideas and insights as they arise, leading to a more comprehensive and thoughtful outcome.
The Power of Incremental Progress
Taking things slow has its advantages, especially when it comes to making progress in multiple areas. As I consume information through reading, watching, and listening, I often find interesting ideas to integrate into my insights. I use my second brain (Roam Research) to create a repository of these insights for future reference.
Rather than tackling one large-scale project at a time, taking things slowly allows me to work on smaller tasks in incremental progress. I can build on existing foundations by adding value continuously over time, which helps prevent burnout and allows for greater flexibility in adapting to new information or changing priorities.
Leveraging Existing Resources
Embracing a slow and steady approach has its advantages. One of the benefits is that it allows me to make the best use of the resources we already have. Gradually collecting ideas and insights over time creates a vast pool of knowledge that can be applied to any project. This accumulation of compelling examples, facts, illustrations, and personal experiences provides a solid foundation to work from.
On the other hand, taking on heavy tasks often requires starting from scratch and completing the entire project in one sitting. This typically requires significant time and effort to gather all the necessary resources and complete the project. I find that it also causes stress and anxiety. Choosing a slow burn approach saves me from this daunting task and allows me to use my time and energy to refine and build upon what I already have.
Conclusion
In today's world, it's all about getting things done quickly and getting immediate results. But I've found that taking things slow and steady can be a game-changer. Rather than pushing too hard and risking burnout, why not make progress gradually, working on different tasks over time? Sure, sometimes I need to put in a lot of effort, but I've found that slow progress is less stressful and a more sustainable and satisfying way to achieve my goals. Life is a journey, so why not enjoy it one step at a time?
