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No longer active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: Building Momentum

  • Text expanders for academics save time and enhance communication

    Discover how text expanders can transform your academic workflow. Learn how these time-saving tools can help you compose professional responses to prospective students, create consistent email templates, and manage repetitive academic communications – all while maintaining quality and professionalism in your correspondence.

  • From balance to harmony: Rethinking work-life integration

    Moving beyond the traditional concept of work-life balance in academia, this post explores how viewing your academic career through the lens of harmony rather than balance can create a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to scholarly life. Learn how different aspects of academic work can complement rather than compete with personal life.

  • Google Scholar PDF Reader adds AI outlines

    Google Scholar has introduced AI outlines in its PDF Reader to help users read papers more efficiently. These outlines provide an extended table of contents with bullet points for each key section. Users can skim the outline for a quick overview or click on specific bullets to dive deeper into topics of interest.

  • New course on Generative AI for Academics

    Learn how to effectively integrate AI into your academic workflow with this new short course designed specifically for busy scholars. Covering everything from structured prompts to using AI as a reading companion, this practical introduction helps academics develop sustainable AI habits without adding stress.

  • Support work-life balance with a daily shutdown ritual

    A daily shutdown ritual is crucial for academics to maintain work-life balance. This post explores the importance of setting boundaries and offers practical suggestions for creating your own shutdown routine. Learn how to transition from work mode to personal time effectively, enhancing your well-being and professional contributions in academia.

  • Building momentum towards sustainable productivity

    In academia, it’s common to feel perpetually busy while at the same time, not making any meaningful progress. True productivity comes from establishing a steady rhythm of shipping important work, not just completing a high volume of tasks. Building and maintaining positive momentum is key to sustained progress.

  • Effective breaks for academics: Real rest and productivity

    Most academics fill their breaks with pseudo-productive tasks like checking emails or social media. But these aren’t real breaks at all. Learn how taking genuine academic breaks and productivity go hand in hand, and why the most effective breaks are often the ones that feel the least productive.

  • Simple guide to writing effective AI prompts

    Writing effective AI prompts is crucial for academics looking to reduce administrative workload. Using a simple framework of defining the AI’s role, stating your goal, and providing clear instructions can help you get better results. Learn how to write AI prompts that free up time for meaningful academic work.

  • Google Scholar PDF Reader

    The Google Scholar PDF Reader extension provides additional functionality to help with reading PDFs in the browser.

  • How to write a good email

  • Email-free mornings: The simplest productivity tip you’ll ever see

    Stop letting your inbox dictate the outcomes of your day by aiming for at least 2 hours of email-free mornings.

  • Writing precise AI prompts for better outputs

    Learn to write precise AI prompts that generate more useful, contextually relevant outputs. For busy academics, crafting clear, detailed prompts is essential for leveraging AI effectively. Discover practical strategies for better prompting that help preserve your cognitive energy for high-value academic work.