A workshop’s silence can mean someone is measuring before the noise begins.

Quiet in a place built for noise looks like nothing happening, which is why careful preparation goes uncounted. The measuring, the checking, the standing still with a pencil are what make the cut worth making, and none of them sound like work. Anyone judging by volume will conclude the afternoon was wasted. The visible part of any craft is usually the shortest part.

Watch for this in your own week, both directions. When you catch yourself feeling unproductive because nothing is moving, ask whether you are in the measuring stage. And when you look at someone else’s slow start, hold off on the conclusion until you see what it produces.