Head Space

Calm productivity for academics

No longer active

This site is now an archive of my previous work. I have moved all my ongoing writing to https://michael-rowe.github.io/home-michael/

Category: Career development

  • Steven Johnson (2011) Where good ideas come from

    Steven Johnson’s “Where Good Ideas Come From” reframes creativity as a social and environmental process rather than individual inspiration. The book identifies seven innovation patterns emphasising interdisciplinary collaboration, incremental progress, and learning from errors. For academics, it offers practical strategies for cultivating creative environments through “liquid” networks, serendipitous encounters, and embracing adjacent possibilities.

  • Mustafa Suleyman (2023) The Coming Wave

    Mustafa Suleyman’s “The Coming Wave” examines the control challenges posed by advanced AI and synthetic biology. The book argues that containment of these technologies is critical, as they risk amplifying inequality and require global coordination. For academics, it emphasises developing complementary skills, ethical engagement, and using AI strategically to enhance rather than replace human expertise.

  • Cal Newport: Deep work

    Deep Work by Cal Newport explores how focused, undistracted work boosts productivity and fulfillment in a world filled with digital distractions. Through strategies and routines, Newport shows how cultivating deep work can lead to higher quality output, helping professionals, especially busy academics, achieve more meaningful results in their work.

  • Use constraints to boost creativity

    Limited time, resources, and information can sometimes represent opportunities to use constraints to boost creativity

  • Strategy drives outcomes

    If you want your productivity output to change, then your habits, routines, and workflow need to change. Strategy drives outcomes.

  • Excellent work is mundane

    What looks like excellent work from the outside is simply a commitment to small, iterative improvements in practice over time.

  • Finding purpose in academic work

    Feeling exhausted yet unfulfilled in your academic work? The solution might surprise you. Instead of working less, maybe the solution is to work harder on what truly matters. Redirecting your effort toward meaningful goals can transform your relationship with academic work and boost your career impact.

  • Rest may be your most urgent task

    It’s time to challenge the notion that rest comes after completing urgent work. In academia, there’s always another task waiting. By treating rest as your most urgent daily priority, you create sustainable conditions for high-quality academic work. By prioritising rest in academia you can transform your productivity and well-being.

  • Start before you’re ready

    Procrastination often stems from waiting for perfect conditions before starting important work. This waiting usually complicates things further. The truth is, starting immediately, with whatever resources are currently available, is advisable. Embarking on a task before feeling completely ready enables progress and refinement along the way.

  • Beyond research: Understanding the four types of scholarship in academia

    Many academics feel pressured to pursue traditional research careers, but scholarship encompasses more than just research. Boyer’s model describes four distinct areas: discovery, integration, application, and teaching. By understanding these different types of scholarship, academics can build more fulfilling careers that align with their natural strengths.

  • Make tomorrow easier

    If you’re faced with a choice between doing the hard thing or the easy thing, ask “What will make tomorrow easier?”

  • Academics should be weirdos

    The presence of weirdos is a sign of a healthy, vibrant ecosystem. Too often, the idea of what an “academic” is supposed to look like is far too narrow. But when you embrace your unique identity, you’re not just being true to yourself – you’re contributing something invaluable to your field.