The hottest Productivity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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From Procrastination to Productivity: The Pre-Coding Checklist

Weekend Developer • 19 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🚌 Education Productivity Routine Preparation Success Habit formation
  1. Having a pre-coding routine can help you focus and get started on your tasks more effectively.
  2. Visualizing and planning your tasks the evening before can help your subconscious start working on solutions.
  3. Creating cues, like setting reminders and writing down intentions, can help you establish productive habits and reduce the need for constant motivation.

Structured rollouts boost Copilot adoption and satisfaction

Engineering Enablement • 6 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software AI Engineering Training Productivity
  1. A structured rollout of tools like Copilot can significantly improve user satisfaction and adoption, with increases seen by up to 20%.
  2. Training and support during the rollout process lead to better tool usage, helping teams realize the full benefits of their tools.
  3. Creating community spaces for users to share experiences and asking for feedback can enhance overall satisfaction and engagement with the tool.

Google Developer shares How to become a 10x Engineer[Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 26 Jun 22
🕹 Technology Engineering Productivity Career growth Skill development Interdisciplinary
  1. 10x engineers focus on mastering tools they know, but balancing that with exploring new technologies can lead to career growth.
  2. Being a good coder isn't just about coding more; thoughtful consideration, communication, and engaging with stakeholders are vital.
  3. Avoiding constant context switching, deep work blocks, and using the F.R.E.E framework (Focus, Results-Oriented, Efficiency, Empathy) can boost productivity.
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Adopting AI: patterns and tensions in the wants/needs of software company’s leaders and their teams

Nadia’s Substack • 1 HN point • 17 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Development Leaders Artificial Intelligence Productivity
  1. Technical leaders are feeling pressure to adopt AI tools to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.
  2. There is a disconnect between the expectations of AI capabilities and the reality of using AI for software development, leading to concerns about proper utilization and potential issues.
  3. Despite challenges, there is excitement about AI code generation tools for accelerating software creation and a focus on improving software development processes through tools like software simulation.

How to Make Your Organization Run Like a Well-Oiled Machine

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 31 Oct 22
💼 Business Management Organization Workflow Productivity Collaboration
  1. Assign roles based on individual strengths to help team members excel. For example, creative people can focus on brainstorming, while organized individuals can handle project management.
  2. Encourage open communication and collaboration by holding regular meetings where everyone can share their ideas. This helps everyone feel valued and can improve overall productivity.
  3. Use the Pareto principle, which says that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Identify those key activities and focus on them to boost efficiency in your organization.

How to Say No

Perspectives • 6 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-care Personal Growth Productivity Work-life balance
  1. It’s important to say 'no' to things that don’t align with your goals. By doing this, you can focus on what truly matters to you.
  2. Making space for others is key. When you overcommit, you might be stopping others from growing and taking on challenges.
  3. Celebrating your achievements helps combat feelings of not doing enough. Keeping a list of what you're proud of can remind you of your contributions.

Social media malaise

My Home Office Hacks • 2 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
💼 Business Remote work Productivity Social media Workplace culture Subscription services
  1. Many people are feeling bored or less interested in social media lately. It's not just you if you find yourself using it less.
  2. A good read for those working from home is about improving feelings of belonging in the workplace. It's essential for your mental health and work vibe.
  3. If you want access to home office tips, there's a subscription deal ending soon. You can save money if you sign up before the price goes up.

Why we should never prioritize our tasks

trydeepwork • 6 implied HN points • 26 Oct 24
💼 Business Productivity Task management Systems Prioritization
  1. Relying on our own judgment to prioritize tasks often leads us astray. We tend to focus on what's easy or urgent, neglecting the most important work.
  2. Using systems and data can help prioritize tasks more effectively. By measuring things like urgency and time investment, we can make smarter decisions about what to work on.
  3. A good prioritization system constantly updates based on changing circumstances. This means you can always see what to tackle next and keep low-impact tasks from taking up your time.

Why it matters

My Home Office Hacks • 5 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
💼 Business Remote work Productivity Workplace culture Employee Wellbeing
  1. Using a clear writing style like Smart Brevity helps people get the main point quickly. It's good to know the main idea within the first couple of sentences.
  2. This writing style allows for more information after stating the main point, giving readers a chance to dive deeper into the topic. You can also include calls to action for more interaction.
  3. It's important to keep movement in your daily routine, especially when working from home. Small changes can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.

The Covid-19 Guide To Profiting From Boredom

Day One • 139 implied HN points • 21 Apr 20
💼 Business Productivity Entrepreneurship Remote work Self-development Income Generation
  1. During times of boredom, focus on feeding your mind with productive inputs to harness the power of your brain.
  2. In the midst of challenges, find opportunities to create and profit, just like individuals who launched successful initiatives during the pandemic.
  3. Use periods of hibernation or slowdowns to study, learn, and enhance your skills for future success.

Applying the SPACE Framework

Engineering Enablement • 23 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Developer Tools Software Metrics Frameworks
  1. The SPACE Framework for developer productivity includes dimensions like satisfaction, performance, activity, communication, and efficiency.
  2. SPACE is useful for software organization leaders defining productivity, teams seeking comprehensive measurements, and leaders involving teams in productivity improvement.
  3. Implementing SPACE involves understanding various metrics, balancing workflow and perception measurements, and considering the holistic approach to developer productivity.

Maximize your coding productivity with ChatGPT using these tips

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Coding Productivity Tools Development
  1. Break down tasks into smaller steps to help ChatGPT understand better. It’s like taking one small bite at a time instead of a huge chunk.
  2. Keep past conversations handy so ChatGPT can give you better suggestions over time. It’s easier to work together when you both remember what’s been said.
  3. Always double-check the code ChatGPT gives you before using it. It might not always be perfect, so reviewing is important!

ChatGPT & the Future of Work

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Work Automation Productivity Industry
  1. AI is unlikely to replace jobs like programming. Instead, it's expected to assist and improve how programmers work.
  2. Everyone might have their own personal AI assistant in the future. This AI will help manage daily tasks like scheduling and information gathering.
  3. Instead of making workers obsolete, AI will enhance people's productivity and efficiency, especially in white-collar jobs.

Accelerating Code Reviews With Nudges

Engineering Enablement • 19 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development Productivity Tech Culture Experiment Software Engineering
  1. Code reviews at Meta were taking too long, so they experimented with NudgeBot to speed up the process.
  2. The team identified a correlation between slow code reviews and dissatisfaction, leading to the implementation of NudgeBot.
  3. By using NudgeBot to nudge reviewers to act on 'stale' diffs, Meta successfully reduced the time taken for code reviews.

Why have economies become less dependent on labour?

Klement on Investing • 4 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
💰 Finance Economics Investing Labour Globalization Productivity
  1. Many economies are using less labor to create goods and services, shifting more towards machines and technology. This means jobs are being replaced by machines, which can work faster and more efficiently.
  2. Countries like Brazil, Russia, and the UK are seeing a slower growth in labor share, possibly because they haven't invested enough in technology. This might make it harder for them to keep up with productivity improvements seen elsewhere.
  3. Factors like the cost of capital, globalization, and the decline of workers' bargaining power can also impact how much labor is used in these economies. Understanding these various elements helps explain recent economic trends.

More on the Apple Vision Pro

Don't Worry About the Vase • 11 HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Reviews Hardware Software Entertainment Productivity
  1. Reviews highlight the Apple Vision Pro's impressive entertainment features but express disappointment in its productivity capabilities.
  2. There are concerns raised about the weight, battery life, and setup process of the device.
  3. The potential for the Apple Vision Pro to excel in specific use cases, such as watching movies and immersive experiences, is noted, while its value for productivity is still uncertain.

Social mobility and GDP and some predictions on the possible effect of AI

Solresol • 1 HN point • 01 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI Social Mobility GDP Predictions Productivity
  1. Social mobility is a key indicator of societal fairness, showing whether individuals can move up or down in society based on opportunities, rather than birth.
  2. Wealthier countries tend to exhibit higher social mobility, providing more opportunities across all levels of society.
  3. The increasing role of AI in the workforce may lead to significant changes in social mobility: boosting GDP and potentially causing political upheaval as elites shift.

😎 Developer’s Private Spot: “Harmlessly-Interruptible” vs. “Do Not Disturb”

ppdispatch • 5 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Development AI Tools Workplace culture Data Management Productivity
  1. Hiring a separate Scrum Master can create unnecessary overhead, and teams might manage the process better on their own.
  2. AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot can actually increase bugs and may not reduce developer burnout as expected.
  3. Creating a work environment that supports both deep focus and collaboration can boost productivity for programmers.

Socially Sober

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Productivity Social media Mental health Work-life balance Personal Development
  1. Using separate laptops for work and personal use helps keep things organized. It makes it easier to focus on work tasks without distractions from personal accounts.
  2. Taking a break from social media can improve mental clarity and productivity. It allows more time for activities like exercising, spending time with friends, and reading.
  3. Social media can be a waste of time and negatively impact your brain. It's important to recognize its addictive nature and consider cutting back.

The Tech Industry Winter is Good for Business

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 23
💼 Business Technology Industry Innovation Productivity Startups
  1. The downturn in the tech industry can benefit other sectors as businesses focus on improving productivity instead of new digital investments.
  2. AI may see growth across various industries during a recession, especially with advancements like Generative AI and chatGPT.
  3. Despite setbacks for big tech companies, the tech industry slowdown can lead to innovation from startups, a focus on improving existing technology, and increased emphasis on productivity.

How (in)efficient are engineering organizations?

Engineering Enablement • 14 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Efficiency Organizations Research Productivity
  1. On average, developers report 22% of their time being wasted, resulting in significant potential productivity loss.
  2. Efficiency in engineering organizations varies widely within teams, showing room for improvement and optimization.
  3. There is a correlation between the size of an organization in terms of employee count and revenue with the amount of developer time wasted, indicating larger organizations may struggle with efficiency compared to smaller ones.

Shhhhh it

CTOrly • 19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care Mindfulness Well-being Productivity Balance
  1. Setting time aside for silence and unplugging can lead to feeling more at peace and productive.
  2. Taking breaks from work to sit in silence can help spark creativity and re-energize when feeling stuck.
  3. Unplugging from distractions like technology and noise can allow for personal and professional growth.

Three-Bucket Framework for Engineering Metrics

Engineering Enablement • 38 implied HN points • 10 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Metrics Engineering Leadership Productivity Development
  1. Deciding what metrics to track and report to stakeholders is a common challenge for engineering leaders.
  2. Reframing the problem and using a three-bucket framework can help in choosing relevant engineering metrics.
  3. The three buckets for engineering metrics include business impact, system performance, and developer effectiveness.

What Predicts Software Developers’ Productivity?

Engineering Enablement • 23 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Development Productivity Research Tools Feedback
  1. Factors like job enthusiasm, peer support for new ideas, and useful feedback strongly correlate with developer productivity.
  2. Non-technical factors like job satisfaction are crucial for productivity, while technical factors can vary among companies.
  3. Improving job enthusiasm, supporting new ideas, and providing feedback can enhance developer productivity.

trydeepwork discord server

trydeepwork • 4 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Communication Social media Collaboration Community Productivity
  1. The community is moving from Google forms to Discord for better communication. This will help people share ideas and feedback easily.
  2. Discord allows for direct chatting with others, making discussions faster and more efficient. You'll get quicker responses and solutions to issues.
  3. Joining Discord helps you connect with other users who are also focused on productivity. It's a good chance to share experiences and tips with like-minded people.

The UK’s failed Annual Investment Allowance

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
💼 Business Investment Policy Economics Technology Productivity
  1. The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) was created to encourage UK businesses to invest in equipment to boost productivity. However, it ended up incentivizing investments in outdated technology instead.
  2. While businesses did increase spending on IT hardware and software due to the AIA, they significantly reduced their investment in modern cloud-based services. This shift has left UK companies behind in adopting the latest technology.
  3. As long as the AIA excludes newer IT options like big data and AI, UK businesses may continue to fall short in improving productivity and competitiveness on a global scale.

Making some Headway

My Home Office Hacks • 2 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Apps Productivity AI Tools Self-help Remote work
  1. The Headway app offers useful book summaries that help you learn key points quickly. It’s a great way to stay informed without having to read full books.
  2. Using tools like TinyWow's FAQ Generator can simplify content creation for websites. It helps you answer common questions easily, even if you're not a professional writer.
  3. Listening to book summaries can be a good alternative to traditional media. It can fill the time you would spend on the news and provide valuable insights instead.

The Busy Trap: How to Distinguish Being Busy from Being Productive

Wisdom over Waves • 3 HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Software Development Collaboration Code Review
  1. The bulk of a work item's lifecycle in software development is often spent waiting in queues, not in active development or QA activities, highlighting inefficiencies in the process.
  2. More planning and parallel tasks do not necessarily lead to increased productivity; streamlined processes and effective collaboration are key for true productivity.
  3. Individual busyness does not equate to team productivity; focusing on removing bottlenecks and promoting collaborative efforts leads to faster project timelines and meaningful progress.

The Curse of Optimization

Path Nine • 12 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Productivity Self-care Time management Books Personal Growth
  1. The article discusses the allure of constant optimization in work and life, warning about the negative impacts of over-optimization like reduced efficiency and wasted time.
  2. A recommendation is made to strike a balance between productivity and creativity, emphasizing the importance of not getting lost in the quest for perfection.
  3. The post suggests practical tips for effective time management, such as filling your schedule, leaving room for spontaneity, and estimating task times accurately to improve planning.