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[INFP] INFPs, Do You Feel Workaday Norms Interfere with Flow?

SquirrelTao

New member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
198
MBTI Type
INXX
I have always felt frustrated by the requirement to do things the way that most people consider to be practical, efficient and comprehensible. The way that I like to operate might be described as organic, as opposed to mechanical. If I am free to operate the way I like, I can actually be productive and creative, because I can get into a state of flow.

I'm wondering if other INFPs, or other NFs for that matter, feel the same way.

An analogy for what I mean might be a forest ecosystem as opposed to a tree farm. The first is rich but slow to develop, as well as unpredictable and wild compared to a tree farm. The second satisfies requirements for efficiency and profit but is poor in biodiversity. I feel that the world wants my behavior to resemble the tree farm more than the forest ecosystem.

We INFPs have a reputation for being dreamers more than doers, but I wonder if we would be able to do more if we were more free to work the way that best harnesses our energies.

Thoughts? Anybody relate?
 

prplchknz

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
34,397
MBTI Type
yupp
yup, I find when I tend to feel suffocated if you try to schedule me too tightly. I'm fine with making my own schedule or someone can be like this project is due this date. But once I have the due date don't start hounding me or telling me I don't have alot done. It will get done. so shut up cuz every time you criticisize me or tell me I'm lazy I lose motivation. let me do my thing.
 

Clover

New member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
131
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
5w4
I can get anything done if I am getting paid (or people are counting on me) and there's a schedule. Give me freedom and I'll just screw around until the last minute.
 

scantilyclad

almost nekkid
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
2,106
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
yeah i hate not having the freedom to do things the way i want to.

I've been training for a new job recently, and they expect you to do things a certain way, and i've found about 100 things that i would do totally different or not do at all.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
3,166
MBTI Type
INFP
An analogy for what I mean might be a forest ecosystem as opposed to a tree farm. The first is rich but slow to develop, as well as unpredictable and wild compared to a tree farm. The second satisfies requirements for efficiency and profit but is poor in biodiversity. I feel that the world wants my behavior to resemble the tree farm more than the forest ecosystem.

Nicely put...

Yeah, I relate. But it makes a difference if the job is something that really needs my personal skills. If it is some no-brains-or-commitment-needed job, then it doesn't really matter.
 

SquirrelTao

New member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
198
MBTI Type
INXX
And you married an INTJ? :D

Well, I was overgeneralizing a tad :)

My husband and I don't have a lot of conflict over this, because he gives me my space to do my thing the way I want to do it, if I'm say, writing, or something like that. When we work together on the house or the yard, I do it his way, and I'm amazed how much we accomplish in a short time. Even though I always have the wish to do things when I'm in the mood and not to keep working so long and so hard. I don't want him to end up doing most of the work and viewing me as lazy.

Where we come into conflict is in situations where he asks me for help with something and then looks over my shoulder with impatience. I have to tell him to go away and let me do it because I don't mind doing it my way. He says it drives him crazy. I reply that he's not the one doing it, and it's not driving me crazy. I tell him to go away if watching it is annoying him. Otherwise, he sometimes insists he doesn't want me to do this or that to help out - either because he thinks how I'm doing it is stupid or is not worth the effort, or because he doesn't have the patience to wait, or something.

One thing he seems to lack patience for is an open-ended trial and error process without any way of knowing how long it may take. Another thing he seems to lack patience for is fuzzy "playing" without a clear plan. He also hates it if I change my mind or if I go in one direction, then backtrack and go off in another.
 

SquirrelTao

New member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
198
MBTI Type
INXX
But it makes a difference if the job is something that really needs my personal skills. If it is some no-brains-or-commitment-needed job, then it doesn't really matter.

I agree. I do it other peoples' way if their way is the most efficient way to do something routine or mundane.

When I was younger, though, I had the dream of all work being fun in some way. I imagined, for example, that a factory could be set up so that people could play a video game by using machine controls as a sort of joystick, thus doing their job but having fun at the same time.
 

Noel

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
613
MBTI Type
INFP
Punctilious analogy SquirrelTao, well done. Welcome to the forum and hope to hear more from you.
 

anii

homo-loving sonovagun
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
901
MBTI Type
infp
Enneagram
9
Good question and yes I have felt suppressed by the 9-5 grind.

But I've learned to make peace with the structure; I like getting a paycheck.

To compensate, I maximize my energy so that I can follow my bliss in my free time.
 

Endolori

New member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
15
MBTI Type
INFP
hmm I've never felt anything like a flow before, actually. Because it is kind of true that the way I tend to do things happen to be the most impractical and inefficient way ever, and for a simple task I can take 3 hours while others can take half an hour.

so yup, I just tend to follow what others tell me to do. I think if I'm given my own freedom and time I'd just laze around until the last minute and rush up everything till the deadline. Although too strict a schedule or working manner is not good, regardless of whether it interrupts my flow or not. I just simply balk at too much rigidity.
 

Abhaya

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
97
MBTI Type
INFP
I own my own business with my brother who also tests as an INFP. It is great having the freedom to schedule my work week and days off. But then there's the problem of getting enough work. We both struggle with the motivation to seek it out and often we will be broke, but spend that time playing music and learning about things unrelated to our trade. I still wouldn't want to work for the man again though, but I am still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.
 

bravesthope

New member
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
19
MBTI Type
INFP
When I was in high school and obsessed with my 'ideal' of becoming a journalist; I would always do my homework as soon as I got it. I was really efficient in that respect, but depressed and stressed out.

When I gave up on that 'ideal', I felt like a whole load had been taken off my shoulders and loosened up a lot. I got into the habit of leaving things until the last minute. Even now when I have to do homework I leave it to the last minute. I could probably do it better and more efficiently if I did it earlier but oh well, I just don't have the motivation.

I guess yeah, I tend to do things in my own flow.

Even doing everyday things such as cleaning, I'm sure everyone else can do it better than I could.
 
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