Ignoring the value of “quiet work” starts in the classroom
Measles, Pride Month, and imperfect role models (Issue #344)
Some people talk their way through a task — checking in, workshopping, circling back. Others dive in and stay quiet until it’s done. Both approaches can produce results, but only one tends to get recognized.
In a recent piece, software engineer tells the story of two colleagues assigned the same task. One posted updates, asked questions, and collaborated loudly. The other stayed silent and shipped clean code. Both delivered. But only one was praised as a “great team player.” Jain’s point is simple: In many work cultures, we conflate visibility with value. If you speak often, we assume you’re contributing. If you’re quiet, we assume you’re not.
Why does this happen? Science teacher explores how quiet focus often goes unnoticed from the start, as classrooms often reward surface-level participation while disrupting the conditions needed for real focus. He writes about the kind of sustained attention that allows someone to get fully absorbed in a task. That state — what psychologists call flow — can be productive, satisfying, and self-reinforcing. And for some, it’s not just beneficial, but mandatory:
This is central to the idea of monotropism: some people really only function at their best when they can focus their attention tightly. Outside of hyperfocus, monotropic thinkers tend to be restless and intensely distractible, like there’s a fountain of attention that has to go somewhere; or else we get mentally depleted, with little energy for anything.
Instead of protecting focus, classrooms often reward the performance of it. It’s easy to see the transference of this to work culture, where collaboration, confidence, and the ability to speak on cue are celebrated. But those traits can just as easily cover for a lack of follow-through. I once worked with someone who made a show of busyness — always jumping to answer the phone, narrating every delay — but rarely finished the work she was actually assigned. The most consistent work often happens quietly, without theatrics or self-promotion.
Maybe it’s time to recognize that the best work doesn’t always make a scene.
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Stories that go beyond the headlines
- As measles outbreaks rise in the U.S., is the medical industry prepared to respond? provides information on specific tests and protocols to confirm with your local clinic or primary care physician, complete with a downloadable checklist.
- Author , who suffers from “a full GI symphony” of ailments, highlights the lifesaving medical research that federal funding of private universities helps make possible. She breaks down the specific contributions Harvard University has made such as: mapping the human genome, CRISPR gene editing (used in curing sickle cell disease), and identifying the Epstein-Barr virus as the likely trigger for multiple sclerosis.
- In honor of Pride Month, urges allies to look beyond corporate honorifics and spend time directly supporting local causes. “Before picking up that limited-edition bottle of booze plastered in rainbows, consider donating to local LGBT mutual-aid funds that keep queer people housed, fed, and alive.”
Your daily dose of practical wisdom on pushing perfectionism aside
If your perfectionism is rooted in comparing yourself to someone, recommends finding an imperfect role model and considering how those imperfections are what makes them admirable.
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