I originally titled this post "momentum", but momentum is a vector quantity (i.e. has direction), whereas the abstract quality I've been thinking about doesn't feel directed. So perhaps kinetic energy is the more apt analogy?
Anyway, I've been ruminating on these ideas:
Tasks have some activation energy.
Finishing a task functions as a catalyst--although possibly through increasing energy reserves instead of lowering activation energy of later tasks?
Some potential implications:
I feel more productive at night because I've been finishing miscellaneous stuff all day.
Most morning people I've talked to have an entire routine of (lower-energy?) tasks before starting work, e.g.
Ergo, if I want to shift my sleep schedule, I should figure out some things I can knock out in the morning.
Large tasks may not only take more time than an equivalent series of small tasks--they may not even be started because the activation energy is so high.
It's best to keep going when I'm on a roll, because it's hard work to get to that point again.
Some possible questions:
How long does energy last for? Does it carry over across longer spans of time?
Is starting and failing to finish a task still better than not starting at all?
What are small things I can do to consistently reach a productive state, instead of oscillating between extremes? Is that a reasonable end goal that anyone can reach?
Need to strike a balance between long-term goal-setting and planning, but short-term execution to avoid feeling overwhelmed.