Thinking in Notion
Productivity systems succeed only when they conform to your mental models for organizing information. I’ve written extensively about Notion… Keep reading…
Blog
On design, development, productivity, leadership, and more.
Active Analysis
I recently watched The Social Dilemma and, although it contained information I was mostly already aware of, it generated new insights I've… Keep reading…
Plan Your Day
After much experimentation, I've settled on the following method for planning my day. And this method works at all time horizons (weekly… Keep reading…
No Regrets
Regret is a funny thing. Nearly all situations we encounter in life are replayed and dissected, each one's essence distilled into a "How… Keep reading…
Invest in Relationships
How you categorize and prioritize your relationships is important. I believe quality over quantity applies to relationships as much as… Keep reading…
Invest in Quality
Invest in quality products you need and actually use. The older I've become, the more I've focused on owning quality items and products. I… Keep reading…
Optimize for Energy
The two biggest learnings I've had about productivity and effectiveness are centered around the two most important components we have: time… Keep reading…
Assume the Best
I do my best to believe other people are inherently good; that is, they want to do the right thing. And this is more tightly focused within… Keep reading…
Introspection
My effectiveness and ability to get things done derives (partly) from being completely in touch with how I'm feeling at any given moment… Keep reading…
Time
Time is the most important and valuable resource in life. This is the recurring lesson I provide to anyone I give advice about productivity… Keep reading…
One In, One Out
After reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo — a book about how to tidy up by discarding items that don't "spark joy… Keep reading…
Understand First
A common mistake I see in junior software developers is prescribing a solution before understanding the problem. You need to ensure you're… Keep reading…
Don't Dwell
When someone says something that bothers you, don't dwell on it; follow up immediately . Perception is everything. We all hear and perceive… Keep reading…
Tomorrow
I can't tell you how many times I've struggled with a problem at the end of the day only to solve it within 5-10 minutes the next morning. I… Keep reading…
Walk Away
One of the best ways to solve a problem is to walk away from it. Change the environment in which you're attempting to solve the problem… Keep reading…
Breaking It Down
I believe most people fail to accomplish goals because they don't break them down. If you want to read 20 books this year, you need to find… Keep reading…
The Little Things
In situations like the one we currently find ourselves in, it's an opportunity to focus on the little things. An opportunity to cherish… Keep reading…
Learning About Habits
There are two books I recommend for learning about habits: " The Power of Habit " by Charles Duhigg and " Atomic Habits " by James Clear… Keep reading…
Should I Use?
Good ideas always come back. You don't forget about them. They sit in the corner of your mind, craving your attention. For me, Should I Use… Keep reading…
Scheduling Creativity
Creativity is free-flowing, open, and spontaneous work that cannot be confined, right? While occassionally true, creativity can be… Keep reading…
Coping in Times of Uncertainty
The world is facing a pandemic: the novel coronavirus is spreading exponentially, most people are isolated, our daily lives have radically… Keep reading…
Nothing in Perpetuity
I struggle with stopping what I start. It feels like quitting; not following through; leaving a trail of unfinished work. But that's not the… Keep reading…
Reaction
Sometimes we think we have control, but we really don't. And sometimes we really want control, but we can't have it. And I believe those… Keep reading…
Staying Focused
Glowing screens beckon for attention, chat applications bounce with new messages, notifications effortlessly slide onto the screen, and the… Keep reading…
Nobody is Ready
"Do you think I'm ready to be a leader?" Whenever I'm asked this, I always answer the same way — "No." Nobody is ever ready to become a… Keep reading…
Small Windows
Being a good partner is about knowing when and how to support your partner. It's about finding those small windows at just the right… Keep reading…
Appreciation
Appreciation was a big theme in 2019, and I've grown increasingly focused on it, particularly as a parent. It's an important concept when… Keep reading…
Weekly Planning
When it comes to looking ahead, I don't care about the month, the quarter, or the year. I care about the week. I work hard to distill all my… Keep reading…
Saying No
At the beginning of 2017, I read the book "Essentialism" by Greg McKeown. The book covers, in-depth, the idea of focusing on only the most… Keep reading…
Working Remote
This is everything I've learned about working full-time remote (and at home ) the past several years. Have a dedicated workspace If you… Keep reading…
Writing
Writing is fantastic for many things. It's a tool for communication, a vessel for gaining clarity, and a proving ground for ideation. But… Keep reading…
Development Principles
One of the great parts of software development is the ability to solve a given problem in a variety of ways. But that’s also an aspect that… Keep reading…
Principles
Throughout my career, I have experimented with a vast array of methodologies around productivity, organization, software development, and… Keep reading…
Your Craft
Your work is a reflection of yourself, your values, and your commitment to what matters. Regardless of what you do in life, take pride in… Keep reading…
Working Smarter
At the beginning of 2017, I had just left a job of 5+ years, I was exploring new opportunities, and I decided to spend some time building… Keep reading…
Using Variables to Improve Conditionals
Programming and software development is replete with conditional logic. That is, creating a flow of the program based on certain events. And… Keep reading…
Productivity vs. Effectiveness
In the productivity world, the terms "productivity" and "effectiveness" are largely conflated, but I define them differently. And I believe… Keep reading…
Time Blocking
If you don't account for your time, plan for what's unavailable, and optimize the time you do have, you're going to waste time on… Keep reading…
Time Budgeting
I've found it useful to think about managing time just like managing money. This is beneficial because the concept of budgeting — in the… Keep reading…
Control
One of the biggest learnings I've had in my career around leadership is the idea you must give control in order to get control . I've… Keep reading…
I Don't Know
"I don't know." is a perfectly acceptable answer. I've regularly encountered this in the tech industry, particularly with leaders in the… Keep reading…
Validation
I recently read “I Hear You” by Michael S. Sorensen. The book discusses the act of validating someone else’s emotions. That is… Keep reading…
Preemptive Reflection
I don't know where I picked up this technique, but I've found it to be a powerful method for assessing the priority of a situation, or… Keep reading…
30 Lessons
For the month of November last year, I participated in National Novel Writing Month — abbreviated as NaNoWriMo — to write 30 lessons, one… Keep reading…
Implementing Dark Mode
I'm a big fan of Dark Mode. I use all the dark variations of applications (where possible), and I wanted to bring Dark Mode to my site. Here… Keep reading…
A New Decade
With the ushering of a new decade, I've decided to start from scratch once again on my little corner of the web. I've archived all my old… Keep reading…