The hottest Productivity Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

ChatGPT & the Future of Work

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Productivity
  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.

The Need for Speed | 2025 Engineering Benchmarks

Dev Interrupted • 14 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Smaller pull requests can increase both speed and quality of software development. This helps teams work faster without compromising standards.
  2. Longer cycle times often lead to more errors and project failures. It's essential to keep cycle times short to maintain software quality.
  3. Investing in developer experience (DevEx) is important for a team's productivity. If you don't invest enough, unexpected work and issues can slow down progress.

Managing Developer Feedback Effectively | Atlassian’s Andrew Boyagi

Dev Interrupted • 14 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Using surveys alone isn't enough for getting developer feedback. It's better to use data and metrics to understand their issues more clearly.
  2. Setting clear goals for improving developer experience can help align teams better and boost productivity. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
  3. Company culture plays a big role in connecting development efforts with business goals. A positive culture makes it easier for teams to work together effectively.
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Engineering teams are like ADHD brains

peoplefirstengineering • 17 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Engineering teams have high cognitive load, just like ADHD brains. Both need to manage a lot of information at once, which can be overwhelming.
  2. Interruptions can hurt focus for both ADHD individuals and engineering teams. Managing distractions is crucial for getting work done effectively.
  3. Breaking down tasks helps both ADHD individuals and engineers. Smaller tasks make big projects feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

Thoughts for the Second Half of 2025

Jay's Data Stream • 5 implied HN points • 15 Jul 25
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Being 'in-the-pocket' feels safe and comfortable, like following the crowd. But sometimes, taking risks and stepping 'out-of-the-pocket' is necessary for growth.
  2. Mornings can be super productive for many people, while afternoons often lead to distractions. Finding the right routine can help you get a lot done.
  3. It's important to prioritize your time wisely. Too often, we focus too much on small issues instead of what truly matters in our lives.

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

Solresol • 1 HN point • 01 Jul 24
🕹 Technology 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.

A gift guide for your internet friends

The Ask Newsletter — by Ellen Donnelly • 15 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Consider giving gifts that support big-picture thinkers and business owners. These gifts can offer new perspectives and help them grow.
  2. Look for gifts that inspire creators, such as courses and tools that help them express their ideas and build their projects.
  3. Gift tools that assist planners and dreamers in organizing their thoughts and achieving their goals for the upcoming year.

UX Roundup: Wealth and Happiness | Wealth and AI | ASI and Unemployment

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 13 implied HN points • 27 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. There's a strong link between wealth and happiness. Generally, richer people tend to report being happier, showing that money does matter to a degree.
  2. AI has the potential to significantly boost our living standards over the next couple of decades. Even a doubling of wealth can make a big difference in people's lives.
  3. Superintelligent AI won't make humans obsolete. History shows that when smarter workers enter the workforce, new jobs and opportunities usually arise, benefiting everyone.

Rethinking Ownership in the New Normal of AI Work

Building Rome(s) • 5 implied HN points • 11 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. AI tools can help us create documents faster, but we need to rethink what ownership really means. It's not just about who writes the words, but who shapes the ideas.
  2. Using AI doesn't take away from our skills; it can actually enhance our work. Just like having editors and collaborators, AI can help us focus on the bigger picture.
  3. We should change how we evaluate work. Instead of just looking at the effort put in, we should focus on the outcomes and the impact of what we create.

Socially Sober

Tech Ramblings • 19 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Productivity
  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.

Small Oven Syndrome

Castles in the Sky • 60 implied HN points • 25 May 23
📖 Philosophy Productivity
  1. Small Oven Syndrome is when people do things without questioning why they do them.
  2. Resisting Small Oven Syndrome can lead to improved productivity, career, and life.
  3. Investigating the rationale behind our choices and confronting Small Oven Syndrome can make our lives more meaningful, happy, and intellectually rich.

The Tech Industry Winter is Good for Business

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 23
💼 Business Productivity
  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.

Manufacturing Jobs Might Come Back: Safer and Fair? Not Clear

Gad’s Newsletter • 38 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Manufacturing jobs in the US are seeing an increase in employment due to domestic production efforts and legislation like the Chips Act.
  2. Wage fairness and safety remain concerns in the manufacturing industry, despite some improvements over time.
  3. Enhancing productivity and improving worker conditions must go hand in hand for sustainable progress in the manufacturing sector.

Applying the Core 4 (Part 1)

Engineering Enablement • 12 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Use a survey to gather Core 4 metrics easily. It's designed for simplicity, so anyone can set it up.
  2. Calculate your metrics by averaging survey responses for Speed, Quality, and Impact. For Effectiveness, look at the positive responses overall.
  3. Once you have your results, compare them with industry benchmarks to see how you're doing. This helps you understand your team's performance better.

Introducing the DX Core 4

Engineering Enablement • 14 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. The DX Core 4 is a new framework that combines existing models like DORA, SPACE, and DevEx to measure developer productivity more effectively. It aims to give clear guidance on what companies should measure.
  2. This framework focuses on four main areas: speed, effectiveness, quality, and impact, each with specific metrics to help organizations understand and improve their developer processes.
  3. The DX Core 4 is intended to be transparent and helpful for developers, promoting conversations around their challenges rather than using metrics against them.

2024: the year in review

The Engineering Manager • 13 implied HN points • 29 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Efficiency is really important now. Companies need to do more with less and find ways to be productive without hiring more people.
  2. AI tools are becoming essential. Embracing technology like LLMs can boost productivity and help engineers work smarter.
  3. There’s a generational divide. Staying updated with technology is crucial, or you risk being left behind, both personally and for your company.

Improve Your Remembering and Achieving

Mental Models • 63 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Productivity
  1. Temporal landmarks are special events that help us remember and organize time.
  2. Temporal landmarks can boost productivity and goal-setting by providing a mental separation between past and present.
  3. Using temporal landmarks can create momentum, structure, and motivation, aiding in achieving goals and improving well-being.

Shhhhh it

CTOrly • 19 implied HN points • 11 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Productivity
  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.

2024 benchmarks for the DX Core 4

Engineering Enablement • 13 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Smaller companies are quicker at delivering work than larger ones. Tech companies with fewer than 500 developers are particularly fast, completing more tasks per week.
  2. Tech companies spend more time creating new features and have a better experience for developers compared to traditional businesses. This helps them innovate more effectively.
  3. Large traditional companies may work slower, but they often have fewer errors in their work. This makes them safer, even if they don't deliver as quickly as tech firms.

The UK's Stagnation

Apricitas Economics • 51 implied HN points • 10 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Productivity
  1. UK's economy has shrunk by 0.5% since the pandemic while other economies have grown
  2. UK has the worst labor market recovery in the G7 with declining employment rates
  3. British inflation crisis remains severe with high CPI and real growth weakness

AI Coding Tools (May 2025)

Anant’s Newsletter • 6 implied HN points • 12 May 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. AI coding tools are changing how software developers work. Using these tools can make coding faster and help solve complex problems more easily.
  2. There are different types of AI tools for coding, like IDEs that assist with writing code and AI agents that can handle bigger tasks on their own. Each type serves a unique purpose in the coding process.
  3. There is a need for better tools to create personalized AI agents and improve project management. These improvements could help teams work more efficiently together.

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

Wisdom over Waves • 3 HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Productivity
  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.

I want Apple's Vision Pro

SatPost by Trung Phan • 47 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Apple's Vision Pro headset is priced at $3,500 and focuses on creating the ideal workspace experience.
  2. Vision Pro offers a unique spatial computing experience, differentiating it from VR and AR technologies.
  3. The headset's potential lies in transforming work productivity, offering advanced hardware, and enhancing creativity through virtual spaces.

The MKT1 B2B marketing tools survey + my future predictions

MKT1 Newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
💼 Business Productivity
  1. B2B marketing tools are rapidly changing, with more emphasis on AI features and automation. This makes it important for marketers to adapt and embrace new tools that enhance their processes.
  2. Data management and how information is used are becoming more automated. Future tools will blend functionalities, making it less about traditional CRMs and more about using AI to manage data seamlessly.
  3. Marketers need to be versatile, blending creativity with technical skills as new tools evolve. This means being able to design, create, and optimize content with ease using different AI-powered tools.

Run your 1:1 with your manager the best way

Askwhy: UX Research, Product Management, Design & Careers • 50 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Your 1:1 with your manager is crucial for building trust and working on your relationship.
  2. Set clear goals for your 1:1 meetings, including understanding priorities, receiving feedback, and discussing career development.
  3. Organize your agenda, prepare in advance, and follow up effectively to make the most out of your 1:1 meetings.

You Don’t Need Moderation

Path Nine • 25 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Productivity
  1. Moderation may not be necessary for everyone in work and creativity.
  2. Creative work often benefits from chaos and pushing boundaries.
  3. Some individuals find fulfillment and inspiration in embracing chaos and avoiding strict moderation.

Can Anyone Multi-Task?

Tribal Knowledge • 19 implied HN points • 18 Sep 22
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Context switching is a focus killer, it interrupts deep work and takes time to get back into the right mindset.
  2. Multi-tasking is often just quick context switching between tasks, leading to partial effort on each. Focusing on one task at a time can improve efficiency.
  3. Transitioning between different levels of thinking - task, project, and owner level - is essential in startup environments, requiring adaptability and focus.

Rolling out developer productivity metrics

Engineering Enablement • 7 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Productivity
  1. Communicate openly with leaders about new productivity metrics to avoid surprises. It's important to have conversations, not just send emails, to build trust.
  2. Be clear about what the metrics cover to reduce fear. Focus on process-related data, and explain how it helps teams improve.
  3. Invest time in change management, as it’s crucial for success. Engage key players early, ask for their input, and keep everyone informed through various channels.

On happiness

Austin's Analects • 39 implied HN points • 16 Jun 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Productivity
  1. Happiness comes from defining what it means to you and taking steps to create more of it.
  2. Identify the drivers of your happiness and prioritize time management to increase joy.
  3. Building assets can lead to freedom and more happiness; focus on generating capital through agency building and selling products.

What is it you do?

Path Nine • 25 implied HN points • 17 Dec 23
💼 Business Productivity
  1. Reflect on how you define yourself and your work - it's unique to you.
  2. Use tools like calculators to help set financial targets for your digital products.
  3. Reframe marketing and self-promotion as essential parts of sharing your craft and creations.