The “larger questions” often can’t be tackled at work, because creativity and critical thinking require uninterrupted focus – like going for a walk or sitting quietly on a couch by yourself. Or a bike ride. Or talking to someone outside your field.

But it’s pretty obvious, really, that busy is not the ultimate metric here. It’s not the end game. After all, sheer quantity of work is not the aim. Rather, I’m searching for depth. And originality. [...]

What I’m questing after, instead, is an idea with power. That new framework that helps us see a relationship we’d previously missed. The essay

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