The best workflows are buttery smooth

A substantial portion of my working hours is dedicated to crafting and thinking about workflows, both on paper and in my head.

Over time, I’ve developed a “puzzler’s mindset.”

I enjoy exploring how different elements interlock and how to accomplish tasks as efficiently as possible.

This likely began when I realized I could simply look up book summaries in high school. Before large language models, we had to at least engage with the content when rephrasing others.

But speed doesn't always correlate with desired output.

Over time, I wanted to learn how craftsmen excel in their crafts.

I discovered that those who achieve exceptional speed focus precision.

Concentration enhances precision, and precision builds concentration.

In an attention economy - where everyone else buys our own - we must master the art of channeling our focus inward.

People have varying attention spans for different subjects.

Someone might immerse themselves in a video game for hours yet struggle to watch TV for fifteen minutes.

Often, when initiating a project, we rely on an emotional investment to fuel us.

However, if those emotions wane, or stronger emotions take over, we’ll consciously notice our new decrease in energy.

In our modern work environment numerous intermediary steps feel like distractions from our core work, especially when digital.

Our core work is where we can really create value.

In agrarian society, we woke up, seized our pitchforks, and plunged into shoveling hay.

We are wired to want to want to witness progress.

But even a sales role doesn’t just involve talking to customers. You need to update your pitch deck, edit CRM data, compile reports.

Our brain says: "We know we’re working, but where is the progress?"

For our mindset, the most effective strategy is to attribute equal value to every action.

"Small things are just as important as big things."

We should see everything as a whole.

I came across a video of a woman who stands around 4 feet tall (roughly 120cm). Rather than struggling with a standard home, she rebuilt everything to her height.

Her sink rested at knee level for most individuals. I found this awesome.

The key to achieving buttery smooth workflows is breaking tasks down into their smallest components.

Recognize that every click, context switch, and shift in thought is significant.

Our workflows resemble machines with large gears, varying conveyor belts, screws of all sizes, and people managing and linking diverse parts.

If you desire that machine to work faster, you must identify the components taking excessive time.

If you desire for that machine to work better, you need to reconfigure existing components and/or introduce and remove new ones.

And if you desire for that machine to work flawlessly, you must lubricate each part until it’s buttery smooth. This is your mindset.

Divide your workflows into smaller steps and envision them as a machine. Then, much like an inventor, get to work.