The productivity question "Am I hunting antelope or field mice?" has revolutionized my work life. This metaphor, popularized by Tim Ferriss, helps me as a busy professional to distinguish between high-impact endeavors and less important tasks. It guides my prioritization from daily activities to long-term objectives. ## The Antelope vs. Field Mice Metaphor This metaphor offers a compelling way to view our work across different time scales: - **Hunting Field Mice**: Focusing on small, easy-to-accomplish tasks that provide a sense of immediate gratification but have minimal long-term impact. - **Hunting Antelope**: Pursuing larger, more challenging objectives that require more effort but yield significant results over time. ## The Game-Changing Question Ferriss suggests a powerful approach to prioritization. He advises looking at your to-do list, quarterly goals, or yearly objectives and asking: > "Which one of these, if done, would render all the rest either easier or completely irrelevant?" This question is a game-changer. It forces us to identify the tasks and goals that truly move the needle – the antelope in our professional lives, whether in daily work or long-term planning. ## Recognizing Antelope and Field Mice in Tech ### Daily Planning: Field mice might look like: - Constantly checking and responding to non-urgent emails - Overoptimizing on minor issues that don't affect overall performance - Attending meetings where your presence isn't crucial or required Antelope could be: - Implementing a new system that significantly improves efficiency - Developing an automation that saves hours of manual work - Resolving a critical security vulnerability ### Quarterly Planning: Field mice might include: - Focusing on minor system tweaks that don't address core inefficiencies - Continually putting out small fires without addressing root causes - Attending numerous training sessions without a clear application plan Antelope could be: - Implementing a major infrastructure upgrade - Developing a comprehensive disaster recovery plan - Creating a roadmap for migrating to cloud services ### Yearly Planning: Field mice at this level might look like: - Setting vague, unmeasurable goals for the year - Focusing on maintaining the status quo rather than innovation - Allocating resources to projects without strategic alignment Antelope could include: - Architecting a complete overhaul of the organization's IT infrastructure - Developing a multi-year cybersecurity strategy - Initiating a digital transformation project that will redefine business processes ## The Allure of Field Mice Hunting It's easy to fall into the trap of field mice hunting across all time scales. Here's why: 1. **Instant Gratification**: Checking off small tasks provides a quick dopamine hit. 2. **Illusion of Productivity**: Being busy with minor tasks can make us feel productive. 3. **Comfort Zone**: Field mice hunting often involves familiar, low-risk activities. 4. **Short-term Thinking**: It's easier to focus on immediate, visible results rather than long-term impact. ## The Power of Antelope Hunting While more challenging, antelope hunting offers significant benefits in daily work and long-term planning: 1. **High Impact**: Antelope projects often lead to transformative changes. 2. **Professional Growth**: Tackling big challenges enhances your skills and reputation. 3. **Job Satisfaction**: Accomplishing significant goals provides a deeper sense of fulfillment. 4. **Strategic Alignment**: Focusing on "antelope" keeps you aligned with larger organizational goals. ## Strategies for Effective Antelope Hunting 1. **Identify Your Antelope**: Regularly ask Ferriss's question about which task or goal would make others irrelevant or easier. Do this daily, quarterly, and yearly. 2. **Time Blocking**: Dedicate uninterrupted chunks of time to antelope projects. Use techniques like the Pomodoro Method for daily tasks, and schedule "strategy days" for quarterly and yearly planning. 3. **Learn to Say No**: Politely decline field mice tasks that don't align with your main objectives, whether they're daily distractions or projects that don't serve your long-term goals. 4. **Embrace Discomfort**: Remember, if it feels a bit scary or challenging, it's probably an antelope worth pursuing. This applies to daily tasks, quarterly projects, and yearly objectives. 5. **Regular Review**: Set up daily, weekly, quarterly, and yearly review sessions to ensure you're staying focused on your "antelope" at each level. ## Finding the Right Balance It's important to note that some field mice hunting is necessary. Not every task can be an antelope, and some field mice are essential for smooth operations. The key is to be intentional about how you allocate your time and energy across different time scales. Ferriss often advocates for the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto Principle): 80% of your results should come from 20% of your efforts. In our context, this means focusing most of your time and energy on the antelope tasks and goals, whether you're planning your day, quarter, or year. By applying the antelope vs. field mice metaphor to your daily, quarterly, and yearly planning, you can ensure that you're not just busy, but truly productive. --- Inspired by "17 Questions That Changed My Life" by Tim Ferriss. Read more: [17 Questions That Changed My Life (PDF)](https://tim.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/17-Questions-That-Changed-My-Life.pdf) Disclaimer: Inspired by others. 💡 Thoughts are my own. 🧠 Some words may be borrowed. 🤖 Date: Sep 18, 2024