TIMEBOX BULLSHIT

Even if I have only one major project that other people depend on, I somehow always end up with a bunch of minor chores to do—responding to emails, deflecting secondary obligations, buying household necessities, powdering my nose, filing expense reports, etc.

For these, I employ a “bullshit timebox”—a one-hour period a few times a week when I do all the things life is too short for. During the remaining 165 hours per week, I do my resolute best not to think about any of the bullshit, no matter how much people bug me about whether a 1.5" tungsten cube is really a legitimate work expense.

The output of knowledge workers is extremely skewed based on focus. The productivity tiers seem to be:

1. <10% focused on the job at hand: meaningful risk of getting fired.

2. 10-50% focus: “meets expectations,” gets regular raises.

3. 50%+ focus: superstar, 10x engineer, destined for greatness.

Being vague might feel “nicer” or “more collaborative” but it’s actually just three cowardices in a trench coat.

“50%+ focus” is roughly when something becomes the top idea in your mind. It’s when you start caring enough to think about it in the shower. It’s when you start habitually asking “how could this go faster?” It’s when you get relentlessly resourceful. It’s around when you start annoying your coworkers and/or significant other, although that part is avoidable with practice.