When unfinished is good

Image via Unsplash

Last week I talked about how speed is good in creative work. Creative work requires getting into a flow state. Flow state can be difficult to get into and you can only do a few hours of real creative work per day. So once you get into a creative flow, you need to protect it by setting aside non-creative work to do later, during regular work hours. 

Generally speaking, you want to shunt off less demanding, boring, or tedious tasks for later. But there is an exception. I picked this up from the realm of woodworking.

Some craftspeople who do woodworking recommend leaving a rough edge between work sessions. When you start your next session, there’s a simple and obvious task to do. This allows you to quickly gain momentum and get into a flow state.

Don’t keep working until you’ve done everything you can think of doing. Because when you return, you’ll struggle to figure out what to do next. If you leave something obvious to complete, the next task is more likely to flow intuitively from the previous one. This is handy not just in a fresh work session, but whenever you lose momentum and want to get rolling again.

Rather than completing that final bit you’re working on, leave it unfinished. It’ll help you get moving more quickly in your next work session.