Alexander Beletsky's development blog

My profession is engineering

It's Writing Time

There are great series of stories called “Azazel” by Isaac Asimov. They are about 2 cm demon named Azazel and George, guy who is able to talk to him. Azazel knows actually nothing about demons or angels, hell or haven.. But he understands the nature of things able to change them. The stories are short and fun and smart, so I would recommend it to read.

In particular, there is one great story called “Writing time”. It’s about the man whose name is Mordehai and he is writer. He has a great issue. He always need to wait for something, like wait for doctors, waiters, cab drivers, wait in a shop lines etc. Mordehai treated that time as completely wasted, because he could not spent it for job.

He shared that problem with George. George asked Azazel if it’s possible to help to poor Mordehai. As always Azazel was angry about peoples misery, but agreed to help. He could introduce change that make it possible to Mordehai never need to wait for somebody. That change required a little cost, literally the sun will stop shining in 2 million years earlier, but who cares.

George met Mordehai again in several month. For his great disappointment, writer created simply nothing in that time! Not even a small story. Instead of being hyper productive he became non productive at all.

How could it be, that person who spend all his time for work are not able to do the work? As Mordehai understood as he sat behind his type writer - he had no ideas. Simply, he don’t know what to write about.

As it turned out all that time he waited actually spent for thinking. It was absolutely not a waste for him, otherwise it was the most productive time.. But he did not realized that before. Unfortunately, Mordehai’s career totally ruined.

You know what? I think that I’m wasting the time instead of doing “cool things”. I work as hard as I can, but the results aren’t impressive. I neither could find good idea nor have good rest recently - I’m exactly like Mordehai who blames waiting line for his problems.

I’ll try not to repeat this issue. Having a rest, spending time with family or sport activities are equally important as job (perhaps even more important). And even if you are “doing nothing”, something is still going on your head. If inputs are right, outputs will be right as well.. Sooner or later.