Slow and steady wins the race. Yet the modern work world often compels us to be fast and furious all the time.

Indeed, the working world encourages us to do hard things. And the faster we get those hard things done, the bigger the praise and admiration we earn from anyone who’s watching.

The ability to get big results fast — regardless of its toll on one’s health, relationships, or personal well-being — is the holy grail of modern productivity.

But here’s the thing.

While most things worth doing are hard, not every hard thing is worth doing. And even when we’re fortunate enough to have found the hard thing worth doing, going a thousand miles per hour — a hundred percent of the time — working at that hard thing is not the wise thing to do.

That’s because when we work too hard for too long, we lose sight of what’s most important in life, like family, faith, and friendship.

We also put the quality of our work at risk when we work too hard for too long. I like how English Plus put it:

Our culture often emphasizes getting things done quickly, but speed can sometimes lead to mistakes, shortcuts, or a lack of thoroughness.

By going slowly and paying attention to detail, we give ourselves the chance to produce high-quality work. When we slow down, we’re more likely to make good decisions, avoid costly errors, and produce results we’re proud of.

And don’t get me wrong. I’m no stranger to hard work. It is deeply fulfilling. There is a great joy that comes from knowing that one has gone to work and given the day his best. Anything short of doing one’s best would be very unsatisfying.

Yet, slow but consistent effort in service of our long term goals is a better way to go. Also from English Plus:

When you’re consistent, you’re less likely to burn out, and you give yourself a chance to actually enjoy the journey.

As I write this note, I recall a conversation with my then-fiancée’s dad (now my father-in-law).

At the time of this conversation, I had decided that I was going to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage and this was one of many conversations with him before I formally proposed. My hope from those conversations was to hear his insights on the role of a man in marriage and learn from his experiences leading a family and raising kids.

To my surprise, work was an anchoring point for that discussion. Below are my father-in-law’s words, recorded in my journal, on April 22, 2022:

A good leader knows when to stop for water. A good leader knows when to rest. Don’t be so focused on business and leave your family behind because God did not intend for work to keep a man away from his family.

He continued:

Any business that takes you away from God and family is not God’s plan, not God’s business. A good leader knows how to lead in a way that’s good for his family.

Reflecting on this conversation, and my work life over the last decade, leads me to this conclusion: our best work comes from a place of deep rest and intimacy with God and our loved ones. And, sometimes, the most productive thing we can do is rest.

One wish for your week

As you forge ahead at work this week, may you be blessed with the discernment to know when to push hard and the strength to do so in those moments.

May you also find the courage to slow down as often as you need to, so you can give your best to the hard thing that’s yours to do.