This summer, I did something unusual for me: I hit pause. After a year that included launching an in-person summit for nearly 200 women, hosting a retreat in Cabo, launching my podcast (with co-host Dr. Nicole Martin), and releasing a book, I was, in a word, tired. The kind of tired that no amount of coffee or color-coded planner could fix.
As part of an AI trial across government, more than 1,000 tech workers across 50 different departments trialed AI coding assistants from Microsoft, GitHub Copilot, and Google Gemini Code Assist between November 2024 and February this year. Figures published following a review of the scheme shows developers are saving around one hour each day, equivalent to around 28 working days a year. Technology minister Kanishka Narayan said the trial scheme highlights the benefits of rolling the technology out across government.
This article won't start out well, because I'm sort of at rock bottom in my career and it seems that I'm projecting my frustrations of the industry out in the open. But I promise you, my rants are merely neutral observations and opinions. I love talking to people, and over the last 2 months of unemployment (I am now employed), I called upon designer friends all in Asia and Europe to get their opinion
You know that feeling when your to-do list is a mile long, but nothing seems to be getting done? The problem, often, isn't the workload-it's how the work is structured. Large tasks can be overwhelming, making it hard to know where to start or how to move forward. Breaking them down into smaller, actionable steps helps you stay on track and make real progress.
Businesses are rightly obsessed with productivity. This is the primary parameter of their profitability. And productivity, basically, is the product of three human-related factors: Individual abilities Motivation Knowledge Organizational and methodological factors could be mentioned, but they actually come down to knowledge. The methodology is only a factor of productivity insofar as it is known and controlled. To be complete, we should add a nonhuman factor: the work tool, whether robots or software.
Multitasking is the biggest con the modern world has ever sold us, right up there with fad diets that promise you can eat nothing but cheddar cheese and still lose ten pounds. Dr. Steve Robbins, the 2024 keynote speaker at the American Marketing Association Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education, reminded us that people are not wired to process multiple high-level tasks simultaneously.
He calls b.s. when he sees it, but he isn't a hater. As fast as O'Leary is to declare "I'm out!" he also doesn't hesitate to throw his full energy behind the things he loves. If you follow Mr. Wonderful on social, you know he loves watches. WORSHIPS watches. We talked about where his passion for collecting rare timepieces came from and how that obsession led to his latest venture, WonderCare, a partnership with the 1916 company.
In July, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou proposed eliminating Easter Monday and Victory in Europe Day (May 8) from France's annual list of 11 public holidays. Outrage ensued, with political leaders from across the spectrum attacking the plan. Bayrou said the move would help France ease budgetary pressures. He is not the only one to come up with such a proposal.
When we talk about leadership, we often draw out the distinctions between a transactional approach and a transformational one. One is seen as efficient, mechanical, or even emotionless. The other is seen as empathetic, perceptive, or relational. That's why many leaders flinch at the idea that AI can be a productivity partner or a collaborator. It feels cold. Robotic. The opposite of what leadership is supposed to be.
In my work as a productivity coach, I've come to see why. We're hardwired to link failure with finality, which fuels self-doubt and causes motivation to fizzle out. Yet, failure is just another stepping stone on the path to success. So if you hit a bump, don't take it as a sign to give up; take it as an opportunity to learn, adjust, and go again.
Sam sits in his noisy apartment, surrounded by the distractions of his digital life. His research is scattered across a dozen tabs. He writes a sentence, then deletes it. Doubt creeps in: "Is this the right way to start?" Before long, he's scrolling through social media, half-heartedly checking his email, and staring at his chaotic desk-a mirror of his cluttered mind. After two hours, he has little to show for it but frustration and dread.
If you're running a business-or even just trying to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital world-you probably already know that your tech stack matters. Operating systems are often overlooked, but they're foundational to everything you do. And if you're still working with an older version of Windows, now might be the smartest (and least expensive) time to upgrade to Microsoft's latest and most innovative operating system.
The digital nomad lifestyle may look chaotic from the outside, but it really comes down to mastering two things: planning ahead and having the right tools. From a versatile backpack and reliable power bank to a VPN, noise-cancelling headphones, portable displays, and external storage, these essentials make it possible to stay productive anywhere while keeping work secure, comfortable, and stress-free.
99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life By Adam Chandler An enlightening and entertaining interrogation of the myth of American self-reliance and the idea of hard work as destiny. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Adam Chandler, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living By Amina AlTai Drawing on her work with Fortune 500 leaders, Olympic gold medalists, start-up founders, and former "girlbosses," AlTai guides you through the process of reconciling your ambition, starting with healing the core wounds and insecurities currently driving you. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Amina AlTai, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
In 2022, at the newly elected Labor government's jobs and skills summit, economist Danielle Wood put women in the workforce front and centre. I can't help but reflect that if untapped women's workforce participation was a massive ore deposit, we would have governments lining up to give tax concessions to get it out of the ground, she said. As the CEO of the Grattan Institute, Wood had long been a powerful advocate for women to create a more productive economy.
It is undeniable that, for many people, a clear workspace correlates to higher productivity. Less clutter means fewer things your mind has to process at one time, allowing you to focus better for longer.
For about 12 years, I was a French horn player in Barcelona. At 28, I went back to school and got my bachelor's degree through distance learning. Then, I became a behavioral scientist. First, I got my master's in economics. For my Ph.D., I focused on public policy analysis and human behavior, learning what makes people tick. I thought: "Where's this stuff been my whole life?"
With their back to me, Poe, the name I gave the animated brown bean in the Focus Friend app, is stitching up a little storm that will eventually become socks-if I can leave them alone. Unfortunately, I need to check my texts. I cancel the timer after six minutes, which warns me that Poe's knitting will unravel and "they'll be really sad."
