Productivity

Productivity

A person with short dark hair and a beard sits indoors wearing a brown jacket and dark shirt. The background features blurred indoor elements and a tree.
8mins
How the 40-year-old entrepreneur and media mogul learned from his struggles, and why he believes accountability is the real secret to happiness.
Unlikely Collaborators
Person in a red sweater sitting on a stool in a bright studio with white walls and colorful striped rugs.
49mins
"We try to stick to routines and we try to go through very long lists of tasks, often ignoring our mental health in the process. There is a lot more to think about on a daily basis, but our brains haven't evolved."
Three colorful ropes tied in knots against a light blue background symbolize workplace friction.
Psychologist Bob Sutton encourages leaders and teams to identify the different forms of friction — and reclaim time that would be lost to organizational drag.
A person sitting on a chair in a cozy interior with brick walls, two windows, plants, and a lamp.
8mins
Many of us wake up each morning with something Oliver Burkeman calls “productivity debt.” The bestselling author and journalist explains this term as “a sense that you’ve got to work […]
An open book reveals calm water on the left page, symbolizing serenity, while the right page showcases a silhouette of a head with a star inside, representing a well-being fix.
Major League Baseball and Ivy League research confirm that tackling well-being is hard work — but well worth the effort.
An open magazine displays a snapshot of AI efficiency: on the left page, a person types diligently on a laptop, while the right page showcases an abstract blue and white digital design, symbolizing the seamless integration of technology and human creativity.
Philosopher and author Christopher DiCarlo outlines the key areas where AI continues to reshape the labor landscape.
A vintage brass typewriter with exposed keys and mechanisms, evoking a sense of typing consciousness, displayed on a reflective surface.
The Malling-Hansen writing ball, with its potential and limitations, redefined Nietzsche’s philosophical and creative expression.
Collage showcasing a stratospheric balloon soaring over Earth and a close-up of fingers, with "The Nightcrawler" emblazoned at the top, capturing the spirit of a creative renaissance.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
Arms burdened with a large stack of papers, folders, and rolled-up documents, a person exemplifies toxic productivity. Their black bag hangs precariously from their arm as they navigate the weight of their workload.
Psychotherapist Israa Nasir explains how a “value-aligned life” can help us crush our goals — without being crushed by the need to accomplish more.
A yellow road sign reading "SLOW NOW" stands before a breathtaking mountainous landscape under a clear blue sky, reminding travelers of the art of slow productivity.
Cal Newport explains how you and your teams can accomplish more while improving quality and supercharging workplace morale.
A plant with leaves and roots resembling a dandelion has four glowing light bulbs in place of flowers, creating innovation clusters against a black background.
Studying why innovation clusters form can shed light on how to better promote research and growth.
An older man with glasses writes on paper, superimposed on a graph with a wavy purple line on a black grid background, evoking the Hemingway effect.
To maintain momentum and flow, the great novelist Ernest Hemingway didn’t burn himself out — but learned when to put his work down.
A high-rise office building at night with one illuminated corner office visible amidst the darkened windows, a lone workaholic burning the midnight oil.
In a major shift, psychologists now view an out-of-control compulsion to work as an addiction with its own set of risk factors and consequences.
24mins
“It’s remarkable how weak the correlation between success and intelligence is.” Here’s what skills do matter, from 3 business experts.
6mins
“How is it possible to do work that you’re proud of and not feel like your job is encroaching on all parts of your life?” Cal Newport, Author of ‘Slow Productivity,’ explains.
A grayscale image of a man inside a black frame with yellow, gray, and black geometric patterns in the background, subtly illustrating collaborative team skills.
Jotform CEO Aytekin Tank outlines a strategy for balancing collaboration with healthy competition.
A sailboat with a red sail navigates through icy waters surrounded by large icebergs under a full moon.
Lynda Gratton, a professor of management practice at the London Business School, explains how business leaders can navigate a future in constant flux.
Vintage sepia-toned photo of construction workers having lunch on a steel beam high above a cityscape, with a waiter generously serving them.
Across a variety of industries, trust and “upside-down management” have paid dividends.
Woman wearing pixelated sunglasses sits at a desk, with graphic overlays of a line graph demonstrating workplace equality, classical figures in discussion, and a clock indicating 2 o'clock.
Rich is brilliant at his job. He completes work in half the time of his coworkers. Should he have to sit at his desk just as long?
Two men smiling and riding in a convertible during a parade, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
According to Harvard career advisor Gorick Ng, this time-saving system can help us reclaim our work-life sanity.
Black-and-white portrait of a woman with an empathetic gaze and a black frame, set against a green patterned background.
Sam Smith — founder and former CEO of finnCap Group — argues that a culture of empathy will help superscale any business.
Mismatched socks on feet standing among wildflowers represent unique work-life hacks.
The Reitoff principle gives us permission to "write off" a day and intentionally step away from achieving anything.
A successful man standing with his arms crossed in front of a vibrant blue background.
The innovative investor and entrepreneur deals out advice for anyone looking to follow in his footsteps.
An image of a brain exhibiting the tetris effect.
Prolonged and repetitive tasks rewire us in profound ways – which can be a force for good at work.
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin in his study.
We each have the same 24 hours in the day. How will you spend yours?
A man is walking towards a crate with the number 60 on it.
6mins
People are living longer than ever, challenging our assumptions around milestones like retirement. Economist Lynda Gratton explains a “multi-stage life,” and how retiring later isn’t necessarily something to fear.
Black and white photo of a woman holding a stack of papers, illustrating Parkinson's Law.
How to figure out the right amount of time for any project.
A young girl giving her undivided attention to a TV screen displaying an engaging cartoon.
The modern attention economy hijacks our ability to focus, but an ancient technique offers a means to get it back.
The burnout antidote on a yellow background.
6mins
Burnout doesn’t happen because of too much work. Liz Wiseman, an executive advisor, suggests it’s something else entirely.