The Airfoil Workday

The most valuable insights come from unexpected places.

I watched my colleague draw a simple wing on the whiteboard. "Here's something interesting about air," he said. "When it moves fast over the top of a wing and slow underneath, it creates lift. That's what keeps planes in the sky." He was describing the Bernoulli principle.

He wasn't talking about airplanes — he was discussing work.

Consider your typical busy day. Emails rush in, messages ping, and meetings fill your calendar. They create pressure that pulls your attention up and away.

Our typical response?
To resist: we multitask, work longer hours, and push harder against the pressure.

What if we worked more like airplane designers?

They don't fight the air.
They shape it.
They create spaces for fast and slow flow.

The pressure difference between these spaces enables flight.

Design Your Workday Like an Airfoil:

• Let quick tasks flow efficiently at set times
• Create quiet spaces for focused thinking
• Use the difference between busy and quiet times to enhance your best work

I've started viewing my calendar differently. The gaps between meetings aren't empty spaces to fill — they're crucial zones that keep my important work afloat.

Next time you feel underwater, remember the wing. It's not about fighting the flow but shaping it.

Just as pilots don't blame the air but learn to work with it, we can learn to work with — not against — the natural rhythm of our days.

The real lesson?
Stop resisting your busy days.
Start designing them instead.