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No longer active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/

Tag: high-value work

  • How to share what you’ve learned

    You’ve figured something out that could help others. But how to share what you’ve learned without seeming like a know-it-all? The skill isn’t whether to share, it’s knowing what’s worth sharing, where it belongs, how to frame it, and when staying quiet is the better move.

  • How to test your assumptions (before they waste more of your time)

    You’re probably not testing your assumptions—you’re confirming them. Before your next big decisi, use this method to test your assumptions: write down what you currently believe, generate alternatives that would require different approaches, then actively look for evidence that would prove you wrong. Either you’ll find it, or you’ve genuinely tested your belief.

  • AI for academics: From prompting to professional practice

    Most approaches to AI for academics stop at prompting techniques. But the academics most comfortable with AI have progressed through three stages: substitution, adaptation, and transformation. This progression develops context sovereignty and professional taste—capabilities that turn AI from occasional tool into integrated professional practice. Here’s how to move beyond mere prompting and integrate AI use…

  • Read-it-later apps for academics

    Academic reading in the digital age demands systematic curation, yet most scholars manage incoming information chaotically. Read-it-later apps for academics transform scattered consumption into intentional workflows, offering unified reading experiences, robust annotation systems, and reliable export functionality that supports sustained intellectual engagement across disciplines and research projects.

  • Annie Duke (2023) Quit

    Annie Duke’s “Quit” provides essential tools for academics who face intense pressure to persist despite diminishing returns. Her research-backed frameworks offer systematic approaches to complex decisions about research directions, career transitions, and resource allocation that typically rely on intuition or cultural pressure. The book’s combination of cognitive psychology research and practical application makes it particularly…

  • 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.

  • Presenting research without over-reaching

    Academic presentations often suffer from overstated claims that undermine credibility rather than strengthen impact. Effective presentations acknowledge limitations whilst clearly articulating specific contributions. Using precise, qualified language and positioning work within proper scope demonstrates scholarly integrity. This balanced approach—presenting genuine strengths without exaggeration—typically earns more respect than grand claims and allows colleagues to recognise broader…

  • Stop using email as a to do list

    Using your email inbox as a to do list seems convenient but creates a chaotic system where other people’s priorities dictate your workflow. Learn how to separate email communication from task management with a simple approach that helps academics regain control of their daily priorities.

  • I am not my h-index: Rethinking scholarly impact metrics

    Academic metrics like the h-index can drive unhealthy behaviours and distance us from our core purpose as scholars. While these traditional academic metrics provide comfortable validation, creating meaningful impact often requires looking beyond citation counts to measure how our work benefits real people outside academia.

  • Use AI to focus on meaningful core work

    New research shows how AI tools might transform academic productivity by enabling knowledge workers to focus more on meaningful core 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.