Productivity

Takeaway: The digital world adds value in three ways: by saving us time, by adding features to our lives, and by connecting us with others. Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute, 50s. My latest experiment to switch from a smartphone to a flip phone for a month has made me think a lot about the time

Takeaway: 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 make us feel better, not worse, about the time we spend on it. Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes, 45s. When I started my most recent experiment to use only a

On this episode, we chat about Chris’s latest experiment, to switch to a flip phone from a smartphone for a period of a month (to start). Topics covered include: How great the flip phone era was; How Ardyn feels about this experiment; The 6 reasons Chris is giving up his smartphone; The downsides to large

Takeaway: A calm state of mind makes you more focused, engaged, and deliberate. Here’s why. Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes, 10s. In my most recent book, I contend that the calmer our mind, the more productive we become. Let me explain. When it comes to knowledge work—tasks we do with our minds and not with

On this episode, we welcome Laura Vanderkam back on the podcast to chat about her new book, Tranquility by Tuesday. Topics covered include: The three categories to use to plan your days and your life; Why we should plan our weeks on Friday afternoon; Laura’s daily planner of choice; How doing something three times a

Takeaway: My latest experiment for the month: trading out my brand new iPhone for a flip phone. Follow along here (and join me, if you want!). Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes, 46s. Today I stowed away my shiny new iPhone 14 Pro and transferred its SIM card into a flip feature phone. I’ve grown a bit

On this episode, we chat about how we like to go “novelty hunting,” especially in the digital world. Topics covered include: What “novelty hunting” is; The connection between novelty and dopamine; The three dopamine factors; The “novelty bias”; How novelty hunting is more stressful than we give it credit for; Superstimuli; How novelty changes our

Takeaway: There are two kinds of productivity advice: advice that helps you work smarter, and that which helps build your capacity for getting things done in the first place. Both are critical. Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 13s. In exploring the research about calm and productivity while writing How to Calm Your Mind, I realized

Takeaway: As a simple experiment, try alternating between waking up with and without your phone. Observe the difference. You may be surprised by how much more calmly and deliberately you act when you don’t begin your day in the digital world. Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes, 20s. Here’s a simple experiment: Tomorrow morning, wake up

On this episode, we chat about the science of “savoring”—the process through which we enjoy our lives. Topics covered include: How “savoring” is the process of converting positive experiences into positive emotions; The productivity benefits of savoring; How savoring helps us become less anxious; The psychological and neurological benefits of savoring; The balance between striving