Week 2, Day 13

Week 2: Taking Action

Day 13: Three Hours

Summary: The human brain only has a limited capacity for intense concentration, usually no more than three to four hours per day. Burkeman suggests that we embrace this limit and refrain from adding too much structure to the rest of the day. He believes that accepting our limits may be beneficial. We will no longer hurry, trying to squeeze in a few extra minutes thereby overlooking important details. Also, we may be forced to accept that our work will never be done. It’s up to us to set a limit.

             I enjoyed reading this chapter, perhaps because I’ve tried to implement this structure for a long time. When I’m working on my novel, I know that my focus will start to flag after a few hours. Also, I know that my best creative solutions and leaps in my imagination usually arrive when I’m not at my desk. To get my writing done, I therefore need both focused work and unstructured time. My problem, however, is that I’m always feel like I’ve not reached my limit of focused time and that I SHOULD be capable of working for a little longer. Every time, I get tired, I take it as a cue to berate myself, which is not helpful to my writing.

Homework: Accept the limits of intense concentration.