The Basics Don’t Change

Yesterday, I stumbled upon a picture of me, writing, nine years ago. I looked at the photograph, then my surroundings. I was in the exact same spot I had been back then: Sitting on the couch, legs extended, with a cup of coffee next to me and a laptop on my lap.

Sure, it was a different city. A different couch. A different apartment, in whom I’m living with a different person. But the basics? They’ve stayed the same. I don’t need to sit in a fancy coffee shop to write. Or an office. I don’t need a breathtaking ocean view or a height-adjustable desk. I just need the basics.

Chances are, whatever your work, you do, too. Especially when times are tough, it’s tempting to want to change everything, but actually, the basics are the source of comfort you need. It’s much more reassuring to remember that the fundamentals still work a decade later than to go on a bold campaign trying to champion new habits, unsure any of them will stick.

The comfort zone is where work gets done—and comfort feels effortless when you stick to the basics. Don’t forget them.