The hottest Productivity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

How gardening teaches you this crucial lesson about scaling your business

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 59 implied HN points • 16 Sep 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Marketing Productivity Scaling Automation
  1. Create systems that allow you to enjoy what you love, even when life gets busy. This gives you the freedom to step away without worry.
  2. Think about tasks you do daily that take more than 10 minutes. Find ways to automate them or get help to save time.
  3. Building these efficient systems might take time upfront, but once they're in place, they let you scale your business and work more smoothly.

The future of AI pricing

The AI Frontier • 259 implied HN points • 15 Aug 24
💼 Business Pricing Strategy AI Tools Market Trends Productivity
  1. AI tools should use work-based pricing instead of seat-based pricing. This means companies pay for the amount of work the AI actually does, not just who has access to it.
  2. Consumption-based pricing isn't new; it's been around in various forms for a long time. Many software services bill customers based on how much they use, which can help companies understand costs better.
  3. Work-based pricing can make customers skeptical because it's hard to measure what 'work done' means. Companies need to show how AI adds value and build trust with users.

How we could return to the productivity growth of the 1990s

Noahpinion • 4705 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
💼 Business Productivity Economic Policy Investment Labor Market Monetary Policy
  1. Productivity growth is crucial for controlling inflation, maintaining a stable economy, and improving living standards.
  2. To boost productivity growth, a combination of macroeconomic factors like full employment, investment incentives, and stable supply-side conditions is essential.
  3. Three key factors that fostered productivity growth in the 1990s were full employment, high fixed investment, and stable supply with low inflation; replicating these conditions today would require strategic policy interventions.

AI is the future of the SDLC

Dev Interrupted • 32 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🕹 Technology AI Software Productivity Development Innovation
  1. AI will make software development faster and more efficient. It can help save time and reduce the amount of work needed to complete projects.
  2. Adopting AI in software development should be done with a clear plan. It's important to set rules and guidelines for how AI is used to ensure it benefits the team.
  3. There's a debate about the impact of AI on coding. Some people are skeptical, but many believe that AI will change how we work in really positive ways.
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Learning in the Forest

Software Design: Tidy First? • 2032 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Design Learning Engineering Productivity
  1. Learning should come before production. It's important to focus on what team members need to learn, even if it slows down work at first.
  2. Juniors are still learning, so we shouldn't rush them. It's better to allow them to choose tasks that will help them grow, and to support their learning through pairing with seniors.
  3. Investing time in learning pays off. Gaining skills and knowledge today will help create better projects and more capable engineers in the future.

Four ways to prioritise tasks and optimise productivity

A Bit Gamey • 6 implied HN points • 23 Feb 25
🚌 Education Productivity Task management Time management Efficiency Strategy
  1. Use a triage system to prioritize tasks based on urgency and severity, similar to how medical teams manage injuries. It helps ensure that the most important tasks are handled first.
  2. Choose your productivity metric wisely. Whether it's deadlines, workload, completion speed, or task importance, the right focus can help you work smarter.
  3. Different strategies like prioritizing by deadlines or importance can help you manage tasks better. Each approach has its benefits, so pick the one that aligns with your goals.

Deep Research: First Impressions

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 40 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Research Design Productivity
  1. AI tools like OpenAI's Deep Research can make research tasks much faster and easier. This lets users get valuable insights quickly, which is great for decision making.
  2. Having AI ask follow-up questions before starting research helps users clarify their needs. This means the final output is more likely to match what they were actually looking for.
  3. Investing in AI tools for design teams can save money and improve work efficiency. It's cheaper than hiring extra help and helps teams stay updated with the best technology.

Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

Shenisha’s Substack • 5 HN points • 02 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Work Environment Productivity Software Development Team Dynamics
  1. Programmers often need private offices to focus better on their work. Short interruptions can really disrupt their thought processes and lower their productivity.
  2. There are two types of work: those that can be interrupted easily and those that cannot. Knowing the difference helps in managing how we communicate in the workplace.
  3. Leaders should protect their team's focus time and understand the value of uninterrupted work. This can lead to greater creativity and better results.

No RSS Feed? No Problem. Using Claude Sync, Claude Projects and GitHub Copilot Workspace to automate everything

Olshansky's Newsletter • 114 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Tools Software Development Automation Open Source Productivity
  1. Missing RSS feeds can be a hassle, but there are tools available to create them easily for any blog. Using platforms like Claude Projects and GitHub Copilot, people can automate the feed generation process.
  2. Using AI tools like Claude and GitHub Copilot can make daily tasks more efficient. They help simplify coding tasks and can significantly boost team productivity.
  3. By building custom RSS feed generators, developers can keep track of content from blogs that don’t offer subscription options. This means staying updated on favorite blogs is still possible, even without traditional feeds.

A few nuggets from last week

My Home Office Hacks • 5 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Tools Home Office Productivity Digital Tools
  1. Ideogram is a cool tool that creates images based on your descriptions. There's a free version available, so you can try it without spending money.
  2. You can save money easily by putting a penny in a jar on January 1 and adding an extra penny each day. By the end of the year, you'll have a nice amount saved up for gifts.
  3. The Rocketbook Core is a reusable notebook that lets you write and save your notes to the cloud. It's a great way to stay organized and reduce waste.

TBM 335: "Simple" Dependency Coordination

The Beautiful Mess • 753 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
💼 Business Team Dynamics Project management Collaboration Productivity
  1. It's better to focus on fewer tasks and do them well, rather than spreading yourself too thin and making mediocre progress on everything. Aim for a clear main focus.
  2. Collaboration patterns between teams are more effective than just relying on lists of tasks. Discuss how to work together instead of getting bogged down in details.
  3. Starting with a conservative approach is usually smarter. Leaving some room for capacity means you can tackle tasks better rather than cramming everything in and ending up with nothing to show.

The Four Anxieties of Engineering Leaders

Maestro's Musings • 140 implied HN points • 02 May 25
💼 Business Leadership Management Productivity Engineering Metrics
  1. Engineering leaders worry about losing top performers to burnout. These key team members are crucial, and their departure can hurt projects and team morale.
  2. There's a constant push and pull between achieving exceptional results and maintaining a healthy team culture. Leaders need to find a balance that works for everyone on the team.
  3. Most current metrics used to measure engineering success are flawed. They focus on activities rather than real impact, making it hard for leaders to see what's truly happening in their teams.

TBM 321: "Reducing Complexity"

The Beautiful Mess • 1480 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
💼 Business Management Leadership Productivity Work Culture Organizational Behavior
  1. Product work is naturally complex because it involves many changing factors and teamwork among different groups. This complexity isn't bad; it's just part of making meaningful products.
  2. A company operates as a complex system influenced by habits, processes, and people. This can lead to mismanagement and stress when priorities clash and workloads become heavy.
  3. Leaders should not try to simplify the work itself but instead create an environment where teams can handle their complexity efficiently. Reducing friction and improving communication can help people do better work together.

How to Work Harder and Get Worse Results

Range Widely • 2771 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Productivity Cognitive Performance Research
  1. Individual differences in brain chemistry can influence how people respond to stressful situations and medications.
  2. Using 'smart drugs' like Ritalin and Adderall may make people try harder but perform worse on certain tasks.
  3. It's important to understand your own ideal level of arousal for peak performance and adjust your work environment accordingly.

Which Jobs will AI Take?

In My Tribe • 653 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Jobs Automation Industry Productivity
  1. AI will change many jobs, especially in sectors like transportation and finance, where automation is expected to replace a lot of workers.
  2. Some industries, like health care and entertainment, will likely grow and adapt to include both humans and AI, creating new types of jobs.
  3. The future job market will be different, with many traditional roles disappearing, but it’s believed there will still be plenty of new jobs created in emerging fields.

Measuring developer productivity? A response to McKinsey 2

Software Design: Tidy First? • 3380 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Productivity Team performance Investment decisions Incentives Management
  1. Measuring outcomes and impact alone can lead to gaming the system and disadvantages for the business
  2. Team performance is often more important than individual performance, as seen in sports like soccer
  3. Investing in engineering should be treated as research & development, making small bets and doubling down on promising ones

AI makes scientists more productive and less happy

Philosophy bear • 264 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Research Productivity Innovation Science
  1. AI helps scientists work faster and discover more new materials, increasing their productivity significantly.
  2. However, many scientists feel less happy because they spend less time on creative idea generation, which they found enjoyable.
  3. The gap between top and bottom performers in science has widened, with skilled researchers benefiting more from AI, leading to concerns about inequality in the field.

When Will AI Take Your Job?

Uncharted Territories • 2908 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Automation Employment Productivity Innovation
  1. Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly and may lead to job automation, especially in intellectual and unregulated fields.
  2. Industries that can withstand automation vary based on factors like demand saturation, regulations, and non-informational work components.
  3. New businesses are easier to start but may not create a large number of jobs, leading to a future with more billionaire founders and few employed individuals.

How Do You Make Email and Texts Steal Less Time?

Culture Study • 2654 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Communication Productivity Social media
  1. Emails, texts, and messaging apps can make us worse at maintaining deep friendships by offering false comforts and distractions that replace meaningful connections.
  2. Efficiency in emails and texts is important, but it's crucial not to let these tools take over our lives and prevent us from engaging in activities we truly value like hanging out with friends or pursuing hobbies.
  3. The goal is to communicate in more present and meaningful ways, where our attention isn't constantly divided. Finding a balance between digital communication and real-life interactions is key.

On 40 Hours: A Book For A Time Like This

Day One • 938 implied HN points • 09 Mar 24
💼 Business Productivity Self-help Entrepreneurship Personal Finance Marketing
  1. Time is the most valuable asset as it cannot be created or bought back. Focus on utilizing your time effectively to reach your goals.
  2. Distractions such as social media, excess entertainment, and procrastination can hinder progress. Identify them and work towards eliminating them to achieve success.
  3. Prioritize learning from helpful resources and taking action. Choose a few key lessons to implement, banishing distractions until they become part of your daily routine.

How to communicate the reality of AI-assisted engineering in today’s hype cycle

Engineering Enablement • 14 implied HN points • 11 Jun 25
🕹 Technology AI Software Engineering Productivity Data
  1. When adopting AI tools, focus on solving real problems instead of just their flashy promises. It's important to communicate how the tools address specific issues in your organization.
  2. Implementing AI tools requires serious support and training for developers. It's not just about giving access; you need to ensure the team knows how to use them effectively.
  3. Share the impact of AI in ways that matter to your audience. Use metrics that show how AI helps the team and the business, and tell a story that highlights its value to different stakeholders.

TBM 324: Goal-O-Rama

The Beautiful Mess • 780 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🚌 Education Goal setting Workshops Personal Development Team Management Productivity
  1. There are different types of goals you can set, like overarching goals that define your main purpose, target goals that have specific targets to reach, and anti-goals that clarify what you want to avoid.
  2. Using a mix of goal types can make your plans more fun and effective, like combining continuous progress goals for day-to-day improvements with milestone-oriented goals for big achievements.
  3. Keeping track of leading and lagging goals helps you understand the connection between your actions and their outcomes, allowing you to adapt your approach as needed.

The beautiful theory of TDD and the reality check of practice

Bite code! • 2568 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development Software Testing Programming Pragmatism Productivity
  1. TDD can make your code more flexible, reliable, and less error-prone by focusing on testing upfront.
  2. TDD may not work well for everyone, as it requires experience, ability to hold complex models in mind, and sustained focus.
  3. Not all projects are suited for TDD, and it's important to assess the cost and benefit of testing based on project needs and constraints.

Top Links 634 Amerikanizm, tariffs and inflation. The UK's productivity stagnation, & the war-risk business.

Chartbook • 414 implied HN points • 30 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Economics Trade Inflation Productivity Geopolitics
  1. Amerikanizm can have impacts on tariffs and inflation. This means policies can affect prices and trade in significant ways.
  2. The UK's productivity is not improving much, which suggests challenges in its economy. This stagnation can lead to slower growth and less innovation.
  3. There are increasing risks related to war for businesses. Companies might face uncertainties that could influence their operations and profits.

On Klein on Construction

Construction Physics • 10021 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🔬 Science Construction Regulations Productivity Costs Technology
  1. Construction industry productivity issues may be due to organized special interests influencing the process with complex regulations and stakeholder approvals.
  2. Regulations have increased costs in construction through additional input requirements and negotiation delays.
  3. Increased regulation in the construction industry might not be causing productivity stagnation more than in other sectors, but it is a significant factor to consider.

OpenAI’s Deep Research: The "Big Bang" Event for AI Agents

Enterprise AI Trends • 400 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Software Productivity Research Innovation
  1. OpenAI's Deep Research feature allows users to get thorough research done quickly, acting like a smart research assistant. This can save a lot of time compared to traditional searching methods.
  2. Deep Research is designed to work on its own, leading the research process instead of needing constant input. This makes it more productive and user-friendly.
  3. As Deep Research becomes popular, competition in the AI space will change. Companies will now need to clearly explain how their offerings are better than Deep Research, raising the standard for AI tools.

AI Will Bloom When the Grifters Leave

The Algorithmic Bridge • 222 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Innovation Engineering Consumer Tech Productivity
  1. AI will improve when people who care about technology and helping others take over, rather than those focused only on making money.
  2. As AI becomes more common, it will naturally integrate into our lives just like other everyday technologies have.
  3. For AI to succeed, people need to build trust, work together, and take action rather than just hoping for the best.

✨ The future of AI and the US economy, according to Goldman Sachs

Faster, Please! • 365 implied HN points • 14 Oct 24
💼 Business Economics Finance Technology Market Trends Productivity
  1. Goldman Sachs sees AI improving productivity, but not as a big game changer right away. They think its impact will be more like the rise of personal computers and the internet.
  2. While AI might boost GDP growth in the coming years, it will mostly help with efficiency by automating easier tasks. The real economic benefit might take some time to show up.
  3. There’s a lot of uncertainty about how AI will play out, with both potential upsides and realistic challenges. Many companies are testing AI, but significant impacts may still be a few years away.

The weekly review

Austin Kleon • 3437 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🚌 Education Productivity Self-reflection Time management Personal Growth Creativity
  1. Scheduling a regular time for a weekly review helps you reflect on what you've done and plan what you want to do next. It’s about taking a moment to think and organize your thoughts.
  2. Using a method that works for you, like making mind maps or lists, can make your review more effective. Visualizing your tasks can help you see connections and prioritize better.
  3. A private weekly review can lead to clearer mind and focus for the upcoming week. It allows you to 'clear your psychic decks' so you can enjoy your time off without distractions.

How To Get 40 Hours Daily

Day One • 1058 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Time management Sleep Productivity Self-Improvement Consulting
  1. Prioritize and manage your time effectively to make room for more tasks, even in a busy schedule.
  2. Focus on getting a good night's sleep for increased productivity and take advantage of Kairos moments for important actions.
  3. Implement time blocking by budgeting your time hourly, helping you stay organized and productive throughout the day.

How I'm Building My Business To Run Without Me

VERY GOOD PRODUCTIZED GUIDES • 179 implied HN points • 04 Jul 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Management Productivity Marketing Operations
  1. Many business owners think their business can't run without them due to fear of losing quality. But with the right systems, it can thrive even in their absence.
  2. Bottlenecks come from controlling client communication and deliverables too tightly. Letting go and empowering others can free up time and improve efficiency.
  3. Creating clear processes and hiring help allows business owners to focus on growth. Shifting to scalable models can also help in generating consistent income.

AI Scaling Laws 4 & 5: More Engineers and Designers

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 17 implied HN points • 07 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Engineering Design Usability Productivity
  1. AI will get smarter and better with more talented engineers and designers working on it. The more skilled people we have, the more breakthroughs we'll see in AI technology.
  2. Improving how people interact with AI is crucial. Making AI easier to use will greatly increase its value, so more effort should go into user experience and design.
  3. As AI technology advances, we will likely see more AI systems improving themselves, leading to rapid growth in AI capabilities and applications over the coming decades.

Now is the time to rethink engineering productivity

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 03 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software AI Productivity Engineering Coding
  1. Engineering teams need to focus more on actively improving productivity rather than just collecting data. It's important to turn insights into actions for better results.
  2. AI coding assistants can struggle and require guidance, as they might not always provide accurate code. Understanding when to rely on AI and when to take control is key.
  3. Using pen and paper can boost creativity and memory. Sometimes stepping away from screens leads to fresh ideas and deeper thinking.

Internet: a user manual

Escaping Flatland • 1749 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🕹 Technology Internet Social media Productivity Information Consumption Habits
  1. The internet is like an alien entity that we are still learning to navigate, and it requires practice to use it well.
  2. Approach internet use as a practice, with structure and clear goals to focus your efforts and make better decisions.
  3. Block or prune distracting or negative online habits to make space for things that truly bring value and joy.

Lean In, 10 Years Later

My Sweet Dumb Brain • 1749 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Work-life balance Mental well-being Self-care Grief Productivity
  1. The author has transitioned from focusing on 'leaning in' or 'leaning out' to simply trying to lean in different aspects of life.
  2. Taking on extra work can alleviate financial worries but bring new stressors of time management and choices.
  3. The societal view on work and success has shifted from a 'work harder' mentality to recognizing the importance of balance, mental health, and avoiding burnout.

Materials of Fraud

Some Unpleasant Arithmetic • 14 implied HN points • 20 May 25
🚌 Education Cheating AI Academia Ethics Productivity
  1. AI is making it easier for students to cheat in school. Many students use AI tools to write essays or complete assignments without actually doing the work themselves.
  2. Recent incidents of academic fraud show how high the stakes are for getting published in top journals. The pressure to perform can lead some researchers to cheat to meet their goals.
  3. Cheating is influenced by economic factors, like the perceived benefits of doing well versus the risks of being caught. This creates a situation where more people might try to cheat, especially in competitive environments.