Why procrastination is about managing emotions, not time Like many writers, I’m a supreme expert at procrastination. When I ought to be working on an assignment, with the clock ticking towards my deadline, I’ll sit there watching pointless political interviews … Continue reading Addressing procrastination
How busyness leads to bad decisions Let’s see if this sounds familiar: You churn through the day at work under deadline pressure, racing to meetings, dashing off emails, feeling busy, purposeful and a little breathless. Yet as the end of … Continue reading Focusing on the wrong task
Three Theories for Why You Have No Time One of the truisms of modern life is that nobody has any time. Everybody is busy, burned out, swamped, overwhelmed. So let’s try a simple thought experiment. Imagine that you came into … Continue reading Expectations and work
Slanted Toilets Are the Logical Extreme of Hyperproductivity The toilet, as a technology, has been steadily improving. Indoor plumbing is far superior to chamber pots and outhouses, and automatic-flush sensors beat pulling a grimy handle manually. But a design concept … Continue reading Nudging at the toilet
Science explains why we should all work shorter hours in winter For many of us, winter, with its chillier days and lingering nights, ushers in with it a general sense of malaise. It’s increasingly difficult to peel ourselves out of … Continue reading Our circadian clock
The Service That Makes Shame a Productivity Hack These days, the seven deadly sins are not all so sinful. Pride, greed, and envy can be framed as by-products of ambition, our most prized virtue. Wrath, when channelled properly, can be … Continue reading Focusmate
At Work, Expertise Is Falling Out of Favor In the faint predawn light, the ship doesn’t look unusual. It is one more silhouette looming pier-side at Naval Base San Diego, a home port of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. And the … Continue reading The case against specialists
