Lin

“He identified six major factors that determine knowledge worker productivity: The ability to define their task. The autonomy to manage their own time. The need for continuing innovation. The need for constant teaching and learning. An emphasis on the quality of the work produced over quantity. The requirement that creative workers be recognized by the organization as assets rather than costs to be minimized. Sounds pretty great, right? There’s just one problem. As Drucker put it, “each of these requirements (except perhaps the last one) is almost the exact opposite of what is needed to increase the productivity of manual workers.” Yikes. He’s right. How can we, as creatives, excel in workplaces that equate performance with metrics like the”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“The first dimension is about being more than “just professional.” It’s about giving a damn, sharing more than just your work self, and encouraging everyone who reports to you to do the same. It’s not enough to care only about people’s ability to perform a job. To have a good relationship, you have to be your whole self and care about each of the people who work for you as a human being. It’s not just business; it is personal, and deeply personal. I call this dimension “Care Personally.”
― Kim Malone Scott, Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity

“The right nostril is a gas pedal. When you’re inhaling primarily through this channel, circulation speeds up, your body gets hotter, and cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate all increase. This happens because breathing through the right side of the nose activates the sympathetic nervous system, the “fight or flight” mechanism that puts the body in a more elevated state of alertness and readiness. Breathing through the right nostril will also feed more blood to the opposite hemisphere of the brain, specifically to the prefrontal cortex, which has been associated with logical decisions, language, and computing. Inhaling through the left nostril has the opposite effect: it works as a kind of brake system to the right nostril’s accelerator. The left nostril is more deeply connected to the parasympathetic nervous system, the rest-and-relax side that lowers blood pressure, cools the body, and reduces anxiety. Left-nostril breathing shifts blood flow to the opposite side of the prefrontal cortex, to the area that influences creative thought and plays a role in the formation of mental abstractions and the production of negative emotions.”
― James Nestor, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

“In white water rafting, riders battle waves, heavy rapids, and unpredictable drops. They have to hustle hard to avoid obstacles, respond quickly to changing river conditions, and paddle with all of their strength to safely reach their destination. These heart-pounding bursts of strenuous activity are punctuated by periods of rest, when the water becomes calm enough that riders can float and enjoy the scenery. As any experienced river guide will tell you, the ideal trip is comprised of both hustle and floating—a balance between focused exertion and intentional recovery. Too much hustle leads to exhaustion that can jeopardize the split-second decision-making that’s needed to avoid injury. Too much float will result in a boring and aimless ride, devoid of challenge or purpose.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work