Hard work is about to look very different
Why staring at your inbox ain't all it's cracked up to be
šHello, my friend. Thinking a lot these days about how to prioritize my time ā and how to focus on what really matters. Sharing a few ideas on the subject with you today. Hope you enjoy!
Strategic laziness
Thereās an idea Iāve been thinking about lately.
Iāve been calling it strategic laziness, though Iām still not sure if thatās the right name. Itās not really laziness per se ā itās more about strategically ignoring things that donāt matter so you can focus on what does.
And itās probably the biggest shift Iāve made in how I think about work.
80% on What Matters
Recently, I sat down with my team and we asked a simple but important question:
What are the projects that will actually move the needle for the remainder of the year?
We came up with a short list. And we agreed to spend 80% of our time on those few things ā and only 20% on everything else.
This sounds easy in theory. In practice? It means saying no ā a lot. It means disappointing people. It means choosing not to chase every small request or ānice to have.ā
But Iāve learned the hard way: we can either work on a few high-impact things ā or drown in dozens of small ones ā and make almost no tangible impact on the business.
One lens I like to put this through:
At the end of the year, what will the CEO of the company know that you did?
If the answer is ānothing,ā then you probably played email defense all year as opposed to accomplishing anything truly impactful. Not ideal, in my humble opinion.
The End of Inbox-as-Work
Hereās something Iāve been thinking about more and more:
Sitting and grinding away at your Microsoft Outlook inbox is about to feel like a very outdated version of āhard work.ā
If it doesnāt already.
Thereās a lot of cultural momentum behind this idea that work = sitting at a desk, answering emails, typing into spreadsheets.
But thatās factory-era thinking. And it doesnāt match the kind of value weāre being asked to deliver now ā or in the future.
The best ideas donāt usually show up in front of a screen. For me, they show up:
When Iām out for a walk (often at 6:30 am with my dog and rucksack.. which seems to be getting more culturally acceptable š)
Driving and dictating into my phone ā ChatGPT & Google Gemini are becoming my BFFs
Talking something through with a colleague ā I havenāt gone full robot-only mode yet
Letting my brain breathe ā maybe listening to music when Iām on a treadmill ā instead of filling every spare moment with podcasts, social media, or emails
None of those may look like work in the way that our culture currently visualizes the term.
But in terms of impact? They are often 10x more valuable.
Iām legit seeing this daily at the moment. The time I spend doing the things above is where I am doing my best work now ā without a doubt.
Movement = Mindspace
Side note, but one thing Iāve realized: if I go a whole day without moving my body, I 100% do worse work.
My brain feels stuck in a fog. I can feel it in meetings. I can feel it in my writing. Iām justā¦ slower.
But if I take 30 minutes to go lift, or run, or walk ā itās like hitting reset. I come back sharper, more focused, more creative. For me, movement isnāt a break from work ā itās a crucial part of doing high-value work.
Delegation + AI = Leverage
Thereās also this idea Iām still thinking about:
Just because you can do something doesnāt mean you should.
We all have this tendency to hang onto tasks ā especially the ones weāve done before or feel good at. But if itās not the highest use of your time, itās probably slowing you down.
Iāve been experimenting more with delegation ā not just to people, but to AI. Tools that help with research, summarizing, or just helping me process my own thinking.
Itās not about doing less. Itās about getting the low-leverage stuff off your plate so you can go deeper on the things that actually matter.
What If the Office Didnāt Look Like That?
Imagine this:
Not rows of desks. Not a sea of Outlook tabs and Teams calls.
Instead:
Small groups of people talking through real problems ā legit using their brains, challenging each other, building upon one anotherās ideas
AI tools handling the admin ā summaries, emails, follow-ups, scheduling
Your job? Listening. Asking good questions. Coming up with creative ideas. Making challenging decisions that often rely more on values than technical skills.
To me, thatās what white-collar work is going to look like.
Not constant motion, not endless input. Not email ping pong or āgrinding awayā at your desk.
But periods of deep focus, punctuated by useful interactions, followed by rest and reset.
Like a lion: full-on intensity when itās time to hunt ā and calm when itās not.
Find Your Leverage
One of the most useful career filters Iāve found:
What are the very few things that Iām truly great at?
The stuff where Iām not just decent ā but differentiated. For me, thatās often:
Storytelling and content creation
Synthesizing complex ideas into simple terms
Finding connections and creative ways to approach projects
Helping others to see the vision and then inspire/collaborate/delegate to make it happen
If I can structure my time around that? Iām playing offense.
If Iām digging out of endless emails or stuck deep in budget spreadsheets, Iām playing defense. And someone else is almost certainly better at those things anyway.
This isnāt about ego. Itās about being honest ā about what youāre good at, and what youāre terrible at, and then trying to structure a day, a week, a career to best reflect this.
Trying to optimize for impact, not speed of email responses.
Final Thought
This isnāt black and white. Itās not realisitic in most organizations (if you wish to retain your job) to say āSorry, I donāt DO email.ā
But look around and see whoās grinding emails and who gives you a one-word response five hours or two days later.
What I notice is that the people doing the most impactful work arenāt necessarily the best at responding to messages or even the busiest.
But they are the clearest on what matters.
They know what to say yes to. And maybe more importantly, what to say no to. They protect their time. They delegate ruthlessly. And they create space to think.
So yeah, maybe it looks a little lazy. But if it leads to more insight, better ideas, and higher quality work?
Then maybe thatās the kind of ālazinessā we should all be aiming for.
Thatās it for this week, but before you goā¦
ā Go deeper: Here's how I plan my weeks to stay focused on high-impact work:
š My Sunday Planning Session
Content Diet
Podcast: Andrew Huberman x Alan Aragon ā This episode is worth a listen for anyone focused on improving body composition. Huberman and Alan Aragon cover optimal protein intake (~0.7ā1g per pound of body weight), the importance of total daily intake over timing, and how protein supports muscle growth, satiety, and metabolism. Aragon also shares his core supplement stack: multivitamin, vitamin D, creatine, fish oil, and collagen for joint and connective tissue health.
Book: In the Kingdom of Ice ā Hampton Sides
Iāve already recommended this book here, but Iām doing it again because I recently finished it and my head is still spinning. If you liked Endurance or In the Heart of the Sea, youāll love this. The story of the USS Jeannetteās epic 1879 voyage to try to get to the North Pole. Insane true story. It captivated the world in the late 1800ās. I wonāt tell you more because I donāt want to ruin it. Iāve been bingeing all of Sidesās books. They are so good.
Thatās it for today ā have a great week!
Greg