Tag: productivity
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Ground Decisions
Planes don’t fly themselves – they just cruise themselves. Takeoff, landing, and the big decisions happen with humans. Same with AI. What are the ground decisions in the software factory era?
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The Spreadsheet: Using AI to Understand How I Spend My Time
For years, I’ve known intellectually that my best days aren’t my busiest days. That sustainable productivity requires balancing multiple priorities. That beating myself up about not accomplishing “enough” is counterproductive. But knowing something intellectually and remembering it when you need to are very different things. So a couple of months ago I started trying something…
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How I’ve Been Using AI
I feel like the whole AI conversation is dominated by two extremes. Those who believe in AGI, and AI skeptics. I’m trying to approach it as a tool that may or may not be useful. Here are some things I’ve found so far. Useful as an editing partner. For things where I have a clear…
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Most Productivity Advice is Bullshit
I’ve been having a productive time, up the mountain. I’ve achieved things at work, blogged regularly, sent out Technically Speaking with Chiu-Ki, made some progress on The Dark Place that is my personal inbox, I feel fit and healthy. I’ve achieved this by skiing for two hours weekday mornings (longer at the weekends) – hard,…
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One of Those Days
I had one of those days last week. I woke up later than I wanted to, and it took me a while to get moving. Then just as I was getting started, I realized that I had to deal with some insurance thing, which was – of course – a complete pain. Eventually, I was out…
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Being Productive Offline
Normally I embrace flights as a chance to generally disconnect (who else is unenthused about in-flight wifi? Holla!). I read, sometimes I write, but I’m not too concerned about “achieving things”. Sometimes I try to find something to work on offline, typically at the last minute in the lounge and it’s not been very successful.…
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A Small Focus Hack
I decided that my word for 2015 was “ship”. Part of this is that it’s easy to flounder in an unstructured environment (which I did a bit at the end of 2014). The way I decided to solve this was to give myself structure, and goals. How do you measure bigger milestones though? It makes…
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Creative Solitude
Before I left for South America I kept being asked “aren’t you going to be lonely” like loneliness is some terrible thing to be avoided at all costs. Since I’ve been here, people have been commenting “you seem to be very productive” and it’s true. I have been. I say, “I’m embracing a kind of…
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Rest Day – Buffer Day – Focus Day
My friend introduced me to this concept recently and I’ve found it really helpful. Rest days: complete break from work (I call them “no computer” days). Buffer days: get through the myriad of small things that pile up. Focus days: move the needle on Big Projects. Some observations: Rest days need to happen before they are…