Everything with AI is an optimization equation
One of the most useful things to understand about AI is that most of its use cases are an “optimization equation.” In other words,…
Articles.
Ideas on productivity, focus, and living with greater intention.
How I use AI to coordinate my 5 health goals at the same time
Every goal is a prediction and competing predictions create conflict. Instead of feeling guilty when things change, build a system where your goals adapt…
I’m sick of hearing about AI, but I also can’t stop using it
AI is either the most transformative technology of our time or a source of endless noise—and the answer is both. The difference comes down…
10 tips for using Claude Cowork
The most powerful way to use AI is as a collaborative mind you design intentional systems around starting with a clear sense of what…
The Guidance Economy
As AI takes over producing the work, human value shifts to something harder to automate: setting intention, giving direction, and judging what’s worth doing.…
No, I don’t want AI to write for me
You become a better writer by actually writing—not by writing and then leaning on AI to clean up everything you wrote. Technology can help…
What artificial intelligence will do to our productivity
Artificial intelligence will let us accomplish significantly more with our time. To best take advantage of these tools, identify the highest-leverage ways you could…
The 3 ways the digital world adds value to your life
The digital world adds value in three ways: by saving us time, by adding features to our lives, and by connecting us with others.…
Smartphones should not be this nice
The nicer the smartphone, the more time I want to spend on it—and this isn’t something I want. Any device we consider “great” should…
Here’s why I’m trading in my smartphone for a flip phone this month
My latest experiment for the month: trading out my brand new iPhone for a flip phone. Follow along here (and join me, if you…
reMarkable 2 review: A great digital tablet that feels analog
The reMarkable 2 is a beautiful digital tablet that feels like an analog one. If you have digital “paperwork” as part of your day—you…
Instagram is about two things: Bodies and comparing lifestyles
Instagram and Facebook fuel a dangerous “inadequacy loop” that can hijack our attention and sabotage our mental well-being. Awareness is key to breaking this…
Our daily screen time has risen to 13 hours+ during the pandemic
We spend more time in the digital world than we think. Generally speaking, this time staring at screens is valuable when it: saves us…
Timeular review: My time tracker of choice
Timeular, an eight-sided physical device, is the best way I've found to track my time. Time tracking is tedious—and often involves a lot of…
The future involves a lot of recharging
As we bring more devices and gadgets into our lives, we have an increasing number of devices to recharge. I call this Battery Creep.…
An ode to the mechanical keyboard
This post has nothing to do with productivity (but I couldn't resist writing it). Mechanical keyboards are awesome, and you should get one. Estimated…
The Answer to My Paper Woes
Below, my girlfriend’s review of Rocketbook’s Everlast and Wave notebooks. Rocketbook’s app lets you scan either notebook, and then automatically send that scan—a PDF…
How to change your relationship with your smartphone
Your smartphone is basically a personal computer—and an immensely personal one, at that. You should treat it as such, and not allow it to…
6 ways to become more productive while playing Pokemon Go
As you might be able to deduce, with me cranking out two articles about Pokemon Go in just as many weeks, I'm in deep.…
Pokemon Go is the most productive video game ever created
The more physical activity you get while playing Pokemon Go, the more successful you'll be in the game. That, as well as the game's hidden…
App Recommendation: Moment for iPhone/iPad
Moment, for the iPhone/iPad, tracks how long you use your devices throughout the day, and alerts you when you use them too much. I…
If you own an iPhone or iPad, download iOS 9.3 and enable “Night Shift” right away
If you own an iPhone or iPad, download the iOS 9.3 software update, and after you do, enable the Night Shift feature. The feature…
10 productivity apps to streamline your life
Productivity apps exist to support your work—not to get in your way. Here are 10 of the best apps I've found to streamline my…
5 ways to keep your phone from taking over your life
Your smartphone may be difficult to get rid of, but it's possible to keep it from seeping into your life and making you less…