Most productivity advice focuses on managing time, setting goals, or finding motivation. Yet these approaches miss something fundamental. The hardest part of any project isn’t doing the work – it’s starting the work. I learned this lesson while watching Laura Mae Martin, Google’s executive productivity advisor, coach some of the world’s smartest people through their… Read More »The 5-Minute Preparation Hack
You’re either being productive (good) or procrastinating (bad). You’re either working on what matters, or you’re wasting time. This black-and-white thinking dominates every productivity book, app and system on the market. For years, I saw my tendency to avoid big tasks as a moral failing. Why couldn’t I just buckle down and focus like everyone… Read More »Getting Things Done When You Don’t Want To
A groundbreaking study has uncovered a secret that can change how you work. Workflow music doesn’t just sound good. It rewires your brain for peak performance. Forget downing another espresso or forcing yourself through gruelling late nights. The key to unlocking your most efficient and motivated self is hitting play on the right tunes. The… Read More »Workflow music to boost your productivity
Do you keep pushing daunting tasks to the bottom of your to-do list? Maybe it’s launching a new project, writing a lengthy report, or tackling a challenging problem. Whatever it is, it feels like an impossible mountain to climb. You keep pushing it off, promising to get to it later. But ‘later’ never seems to… Read More »The Start, Continue, Finish Technique
It’s easy to operate on autopilot. We float from task to task, decision to decision, without true intention. But what if there was a way to jolt ourselves awake? Turns out, the key is simple. Not an app, not a planner, but the power of putting pen to paper. Write down every decision to supercharge… Read More »Decision journaling for increased productivity
I dreaded the telltale of nerves before a big exam or presentation. My heart pounding, sweaty palms, thoughts spiralling into a maze of what-ifs. I’d take deep breaths, try to relax, attempt to banish the butterflies. But fighting my anxiety only seemed to make it worse. What I didn’t realize then was that anxiety was… Read More »Reframe your anxiety to increase performance
When was the last time you did absolutely nothing? No scrolling, no skimming, no mental chatter. Just pure, uninterrupted stillness. If you’re like most people, it’s probably been a while. We’ve been conditioned to equate “doing nothing” with being unproductive and lazy. But embracing regular doses of silence and stillness may be the missing ingredient… Read More »Silent breaks for enhanced productivity and well-being
Have you ever found yourself constantly racing from one commitment to the next, wondering how your schedule got so tightly packed? Nodding along to invitations out of FOMO or a misplaced sense of obligation? Watching helplessly as your calendar morphs into a stressful game of Tetris? Hi, I’m a recovering overcommitter. And I’m here to… Read More »The “Right Now” Test
I once had a complex work project that I avoided for weeks. It loomed over me, growing more daunting by the day. The solution? Breaking it into tiny, manageable steps. Each time I completed a small task, I gained momentum. The project shifted from impossible to inevitable. How do you eat an elephant? One bite… Read More »How to eat an elephant
I used to view thinking as a passive activity happening in the background while I was busy doing “real” work. I’d sit at my desk, convinced that more effort would lead to better ideas. But my best insights always came when I stepped away from my desk. In the shower, walking or reading something unrelated… Read More »Think Day
