Quality work beats everything. More doesn’t always mean better. It’s hard to measure the impact of work, so we often simplify it: equating more working hours with more value. This principle has become the guiding principle. We even pay people for the hours they work.
But here’s the truth: for most knowledge workers—especially in software—hours don’t matter as much as outcomes. The focus should be on the quality of work, not the quantity.
When we shift away from just clocking hours and instead ask, How can I maximize my impact? we start finding ways to achieve more with less.
Suddenly, doing more starts to feel less productive—and that’s because it is. Our minds crave simplicity, so we think, If I can accomplish X amount of work in Y hours, then doubling my hours will double my output. But does it really work that way?
Ask yourself: Does working more hours lead to better features—or just more features? Have you considered how to build features that take the least amount of effort but deliver the greatest benefit to users?
I’m not saying quality doesn’t take time. It absolutely does. But the key is to be honest with yourself. When faced with the choice to work longer hours, pause and ask: Instead of doing more, how can I make the work I’m already doing better?
Don’t ship average. Ship magic. If you have the luxury of time, don’t waste it building ten average features. Instead, invest it in enhancing the quality of each feature before you ship.