Do you know?

It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose

Did you know that it's impossible to hum while holding your nose? Humming requires air to pass through your nasal passages, and when you hold your nose, you block this essential airflow. Here's a closer look at the science behind this curious phenomenon.

When you hum, your vocal cords vibrate to produce sound, and for that sound to resonate and be audible, it needs to pass through your nose. This process is known as nasal resonance. By pinching your nose shut, you obstruct the air's exit path, causing the sound to stop abruptly.

This effect is due to the way our respiratory and vocal systems are designed. Humming involves both the oral and nasal cavities. When the nasal cavity is blocked, the air pressure builds up and has nowhere to escape, thus stopping the hum. This simple experiment highlights the interdependence of our vocal mechanisms and respiratory pathways.

To explore further, you can try humming with your mouth closed and your nose held shut. You'll notice that while you can start the hum, it quickly stops as the air pressure builds and has no escape route. This interesting fact about human physiology is a fun and easy way to understand more about how our bodies produce sound and manage airflow.

Today's Productivity Tip

Redefining Productivity: Lessons from John McPhee's

In 1966, New Yorker writer John McPhee found himself immobilized by anxiety while trying to craft a complex article. Despite his extensive experience, he lay on a picnic table for nearly two weeks, overwhelmed by the task. McPhee had spent eight months gathering an immense amount of research, yet felt paralyzed at the prospect of starting to write. His breakthrough came with the realization that Fred Brown could serve as a central figure to structure his narrative, a method that ultimately helped him produce one of his most admired works.

McPhee’s process highlights a significant point about productivity: it’s not about constant busyness but about thoughtful, deliberate work. Despite his seemingly unproductive periods, McPhee has authored 29 books, won a Pulitzer Prize, and received multiple National Book Award nominations. This perspective challenges the modern, frantic approach to productivity, suggesting that meaningful work requires time and space for deep thought and creativity.

Cal Newport’s book "Slow Productivity" builds on this idea, proposing a new philosophy for knowledge work. It advocates for doing fewer things, working at a natural pace, and prioritizing quality over sheer activity. This approach counters the prevailing notion that productivity equates to busyness, arguing instead that professional efforts should balance intense work periods with relaxation, and focus on creating high-quality outcomes.

The relentless busyness of modern work culture, with its emphasis on quick responses and constant tasks, lacks a solid foundation. Newport suggests that adopting principles from McPhee’s work habits can transform our understanding of productivity. By embracing a slower, more intentional approach, we can achieve substantial, meaningful professional accomplishments without succumbing to the exhaustion of perpetual busyness.

Reference: Newport, Cal. "A New Philosophy of Productivity." The New Yorker, March 25, 2024.

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