Ways Frugality Increases Productivity

Argument 1 makes sense. Arguments 2 and 3 mostly seem like arguments against having a life outside of work - am I reading that right?

The most important thing in life is to be free to do things. There are only two ways to insure that freedom — you can be rich or you can you reduce your needs to zero. I will never be rich, so I have chosen to crank down my desires. The bureaucracy cannot take anything from me, because there is nothing to take.

Colonel John Boyd

I’m a little hesitant to publish this because I don’t think most people should prioritize frugality.

Can you expand on why you think most people shouldn't prioritize frugality? Do you mean most of the general population, most EAs, or some other group?

I think much of the work being done by what you think of as frugality here is actually being done by slack: creating conditions under which you have enough flexibility to take advantage of situations when they arise and not be so attached to things as they are that you miss opportunities you value after taking. Only in your first case do I think frugality does the heavy lifting; everywhere else it is a way you created slack for yourself, but it could have been accomplished many other ways while living a more materially lavish life.

I super agree with the title, but I think the text actually really undersells it! Runway not only increases your flexibility to not earn, but also reduces your stress and removes all sorts of psychologically difficult power dynamics that come with having a boss or otherwise being beholden to external factors for your well being (Yes, you may still have a boss or external factors, but now you won't need their continued approval or success to pay bills, and that makes all the difference). Also, frugality enables you to really splurge without worrying when it really counts. Additionally, If you do not have any large and expensive possessions, tend to live in low cost apartments, and don't have any dependents, you can move to whatever location it is most productive for you to be in with little to no overhead - whether that be across town or across the globe. Frugality in an urban context also forces close living situations (housemates) which can dramatically increase your social network. Further, you end up building scrappy skills and habits (e.g. negotiating apartments, meal planning, knowledge of public services, biking) which can really come in handy even when you're not being frugal.

If you have the privilege to be in circumstances where you are able to make money without spending most of it, it's good to take advantage of this if you can. Don't feel bad about it if you can't - it's not always simple or possible for everyone. But if you feel like it would be pretty easy for you to be frugal and you're choosing not to because you think spending a lot more makes you more productive, I strongly suggest reconsider.

Another point worth considering is that if you are sufficiently frugal, and if "productivity" is truly your goal here, you can "increase your productivity" by taking that money and hiring a second person to work on your project with you. Can all your time saving expenses increase your productivity more than a whole second person? (I'm sure there are some circumstances for which the answer is yes, but I imagine that is rare.)

Another way that frugality can improve productivity is that it can reduce the amount of time you spend buying, looking after, organizing, tidying, and thinking about physical possessions (because you probably have fewer of them). Of course, people who aren't frugal don't necessarily have more things, but they tend to have more of them.

These don't strike me as opposite approaches. Spending frugally gives me more leeway to spend on less common time savers.

I may have misunderstood your argument, so apologies if so. As someone who has definitely tried both approaches here, my anecdotal experience is that it depends on what you value and/ or need. I value and need a life outside of work and a solid in-work support system, to be happy and maintain my mental health. If I go for too long without investing in these areas, my productivity suffers in the longer-term, ought-weighing any short-term productivity gains. I think alot of the results you cite here (i.e. "Living frugally is kind of like (metaphorically) living in an isolated cabin in the woods") have short-term productivity gains with the potential for long-term productivity detriment. For me, I think dividing it into "Happiness" and "Productivity" is misleading and for many the former feeds into the latter. So, when I buy a gym membership, while I loose the 120 minutes it takes to work out, I gain better quality and longer-sustained work later.