In research, we form hypotheses, design experiments, and test them.
These steps are essential in science, but they do not always translate well to everyday life or career planning.
I believe a bottom-up stance—rather than top-down reverse-engineering—leads to a richer life. TaskChute, a time-logging practice, helps me cultivate that stance.
With a bottom-up mindset, setbacks in research or career become steps in a longer process, not proof of failure. Learning to savor both success and setback is what lets us enjoy our lives.
Philosophy of TaskChute
TaskChute is often described as time management, but in practice it is a record-first approach.
We log how we spend our time, then review the record to discover what worked.
In the review, we avoid self-blame; we observe patterns objectively, from a bird’s-eye view, without guilt.
By seeing our actual capacity, we stop over-promising and overloading ourselves.
It becomes easier to say, “It’s impossible to do everything,” and to release task pressure.
The core philosophy is not that “people who work harder or earn more are better,” but that we should pursue a life that feels comfortable and authentic to ourselves.
Savoring Research
Some may dismiss this as a consoling story told by “losers.”
There is a grain of truth to that critique, but we can also question the value system that crowns winners of the rat race as the only success.
People should be guided by their own values.
I believe most scientists are driven by curiosity—by a desire to understand the world. When did competition become the center of science?
Mindfulness has been celebrated recently, and it can help us focus. But is heartless productivity really what we want?
Mindfulness can be a useful coping tool in high-pressure environments. Without such tools, the constant stress can be overwhelming.
Still, I think there is value in feeling our irritation and hardship—in savoring even the rough edges of life—rather than numbing them out.
In a culture organized as a rat race, it can be hard to savor anything; we may need to stop and step out.
That pause is where we can start questioning the system itself.
I hope to pursue my scientific questions without turning my life into a race.
Conclusion
Top-down thinking tends to burn me out in science and in my career.
By simply recording what I do and how I feel, I can savor each moment a little more.
コメント