Approaching work
Issue 268: The mindset I have to work
I’m returning to work after vacationing in Paris to relax and decompress. One of the challenges of taking time off is actually being able to disconnect—especially in a fast-moving field like tech and AI. When you take a week off, it can feel like the world has advanced by a year. New features, breakthroughs, and launches pile up quickly.
But you have to step away. If you don’t, you burn out and lose perspective. After a few days of rest, I finally felt my mind clear. Now, on the flight back home, I’ve been reflecting on my relationship with work and how I approach it.
The mindset to work
Work as craft and the craft of work
Your work is not always your craft, but there are times when they overlap quite a bit. One of the greatest privileges in life is to love what you do. I’m fortunate enough to be in a profession where I get to work on the things I love: building software, working with great people, and applying design in an expressive and useful context.
Productivity is a measure of output per hour; effectiveness is a measure of impact per effort. The two are not the same. Craft is the bridge between them—it’s what converts effort into lasting value.
Paul Graham defines great work as the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, and what the world values. When these align, work becomes more than a job; it becomes a calling.
Craft is about mastery over time—attention to detail, repetition, and refinement. Work is the system that channels that craft into something that creates value for others. When those two converge, you achieve a rare state of creative alignment.
The professionalism of the work
In some ways, the way you conduct yourself professionally is a craft to be learned. Though I love having fun at work, I value professionalism and it’s something I want to uphold. I don’t want to bring all of myself to work; only what’s most important to me.
“Final Company” mindset
Whether I’m leading a startup, working independently, or part of a large organization, I try to operate with what I call a Final Company mindset. I approach each role as if it were the last one I’ll ever have. That doesn’t mean I’m done evolving—it means I give it my full weight of intention.
When you think that way, the focus shifts from career optimization to meaningful contribution. You start asking deeper questions:
If this were my last role, what legacy would I want to leave behind?
What results would define my body of work if I stayed here for the rest of my career?
How does this change what I prioritize in the next year, five years, or decade?
Most people don’t think big enough within the boundaries of their current role. The Final Company mindset encourages you to design for impact that outlives your tenure.
How I do work
The best way to approach work is with intention. That means designing how you spend your time, how you use your tools, and how you connect with others.
Using your time effectively
Paul Graham’s classic essay on Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule is still as relevant as ever. Managers often face fragmented days filled with meetings, while makers—designers, engineers, writers—need long, uninterrupted blocks for deep work.
Even as a manager, I try to preserve as much maker time as possible. In the AI era, it’s essential for leaders to stay close to the work—to experiment, prototype, and understand how new shifts actually feel in practice.
That’s why I created a ritual called Future Friday. I started it while managing at One Medical, where the daily pace made it hard to think beyond the next sprint. Future Friday is my way of protecting time for vision work—thinking, exploring, and staying sharp.
On Future Fridays, I focus on:
Researching emerging concepts I need to understand deeply
Prototyping and building with new tools and materials
Practicing my core skills to stay fluent in my craft
Doing deep, non-urgent work that compounds over time
Your calendar is a reflection of your priorities. If you can’t make time to explore new frontiers, you’ll eventually be led by those who do.
Tools
Throughout history, every craft has had its essential tools—the katana for the samurai, the brush for the calligrapher (and also the samurai), the chisel for the sculptor. For me, the core tools are paper, pen, and a clear mind.
Working on paper and off-screen
The simplest productivity hack I know: work on paper.
Writing or sketching on paper removes distraction. It creates a physical boundary between thinking and executing. When I’m off-screen, I can focus. When I’m back on, it’s with intent—to design, write, or collaborate.
You wouldn’t start shaping metal without a plan or “vibe-code” an engine. The same applies to design. Tablets are useful for certain tasks, but for me, pen and paper remain unmatched for clarity and flow.
Connection
Networking is one of those words that makes people cringe, but connection—real connection—is fundamental to how great work happens. The best professional relationships grow organically, not transactionally.
Several designers who’ve joined Atlassian came through my network, not through recruiting pushes. We stayed in touch over the years, exchanged ideas, and when the time was right, our paths aligned. That’s how networks should work—built on mutual curiosity and long-term trust.
Develop your craft of working to be effective
For centuries, humans have obsessed over productivity—a trait better suited to machines. What we should aim for instead is effectiveness: the ability to produce meaningful results in a sustainable way.
It’s not about 996 schedules or clocking long hours. It’s about disciplined focus, deliberate learning, and staying connected to others who sharpen your thinking.
A few reminders I keep for myself:
My work is my craft. That’s the mindset I bring to every role.
Discipline is freedom—structure creates space for creativity.
Connection is part of the craft; relationships are how work travels.
When you treat work as a craft and craft your way of working, your effectiveness compounds over time. The result isn’t just productivity—it’s fulfillment.
Recap
The craft of work is about effectiveness, not activity.
Craft converts effort into value. Productivity measures motion; effectiveness measures impact.
Adopt the Final Company Mindset. Design for depth and legacy, not just output.
Protect maker time. Focused work creates leverage far greater than long hours.
Use tools intentionally. Choose mediums that sharpen your thinking, not just speed your tasks.
Cultivate connection. Effectiveness is amplified through networks of trust and collaboration.
When you pursue effectiveness over productivity, you stop counting hours and start creating meaning.
Hyperlinks + notes
Atlassian CEO, Mike Cannon-Brookes on Why Everything is Overvalued & Are We in an AI Bubble | 20VC
Decode → Very cool product by Francois Laberge—long live the canvas!
Schema by Figma → Great to see this event return
The Art of Context Engineering, Part 1: Introduction |
On Shutting Down, Five Years of Learnings, and What’s Next |
→ Incredible run by the Plumbe team. I appreciate Chase’s openness and sharing all the learnings
ooo loving the Future Friday ritual!
Thank you for the thoughtful and well written reminder that it’s OK to just sit down with pen and paper and get things out of your mind.
I’ve been using my notebook to consolidate all my daily tasks from all my various project task list and write down the why. Why am I trying to accomplish these things during this week?
I’m working on printed versions of the missions of the projects. I’m working on so that they remind me of that why.
Pen, Paper & a Clear Mind ftw.