Tag: high-value work
Focus on meaningful core work with AI
New research shows how AI tools might transform academic productivity by enabling knowledge workers to focus more on core intellectual work while reducing administrative burden. Like software developers using GitHub Copilot, academics can leverage AI to streamline workflows, work more autonomously, and explore new research directions – particularly benefiting early-career researchers.
Rethinking your week: The case for a scholarship day
Dedicating one day a week to scholarship can transform your academic productivity. Drawing inspiration from Iceland’s successful shorter work week experiment and Google’s 20% time policy, explore how protected time for deep scholarly work can help you produce better outputs without working longer hours.
Strategic scholarly retreats
Strategic scholarly retreats offer academics a chance to step back from daily pressures and focus on career planning. These retreats, whether a full day or a few hours, provide time for reflection on research goals, teaching methods, and professional development. Regular retreats can lead to more impactful research, effective teaching, and a fulfilling academic career.
Tony Fadell: Build
Build, by Tony Fadell, combines career insights and product innovation advice from the creator of the iPod and Nest thermostat. His book provides a blueprint for high-impact career choices, iterative development, and leadership, making it valuable for anyone interested in innovative design or who is looking for a radical perspective on academic career development.
Overcome information overload with fewer inboxes
Struggling with too many information channels? Overcome information overload by consolidating your inboxes and creating sustainable systems. Discover practical steps to streamline your workflow, reduce cognitive overhead, and create more space for meaningful academic work – all without losing track of important information.
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.
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.
Goal-driven motivation: Writing when you don’t feel like it
Goal-driven motivation is the incentive to do something I know is valuable when I don’t feel like doing it at all.
It’s not your job to read everything
Information management is about improving the quality of information in my stream, not creating an infinite list that I need to finish.
Understanding your audience: Write what the reader needs
Great writers are good at understanding their audience. They know what the reader needs, and focus their writing on that need.
Lazy productivity
A productivity approach where you tailor your environment so that the easiest, most natural action aligns with your goals. By doing so, even when taking the path of least resistance, it contributes to your overall objectives.
Meetings should enhance your productivity
Meetings should enhance your productivity, not impede it. Be choosy (if you can) about the meetings you attend or schedule.