Hey there! In today’s blog post, I dive into the recent change on macOS Sequoia where Apple has replaced the traditional rsync tool with openrsync. If you’re a fan of Unix-based command line tools for file transfers, you’ll want to check it out. Plus, I explore how ADHDers can leverage the productivity hack of body doubling to boost their focus and task completion. Don’t miss it!
ADHD body doubling is a unique and effective strategy that combines social interaction and accountability to help individuals with ADHD improve their focus and productivity. This practice involves working in the presence of another person, which can lead to reduced procrastination and increased motivation. While not yet scientifically validated, body doubling leverages the benefits of social presence to manage ADHD symptoms, making it a valuable tool for many seeking a supportive environment to tackle their tasks.
The article discusses the concept of ADHD body doubling, a productivity strategy particularly beneficial for people with ADHD. This technique involves having another individual present while working on tasks to provide a sense of accountability and focus. The practice has shown effectiveness in boosting motivation, reducing procrastination, and improving productivity by leveraging the social presence of another person. Although not scientifically proven, body doubling offers a supportive and novel way to manage ADHD symptoms by providing external accountability and focus.
Hey there, I’ve just posted a roundup of some intriguing links! I dive into topics like the sheer pleasure of a good side project, the mystery behind kids’ mental health issues, and why speeding through audiobooks might not be as bad as it sounds. Plus, there’s a little nod to Simon Monk’s work and a plea for something to finally give us all a break. Check it out!
In my latest post, I delve into a range of intriguing topics, from my personal philosophy of “strategic opportunism,” blending long-term goals with short-term needs, to evolving tech trends. I’m excited to share insights on AI’s impact on software engineering, and why these innovations hold the key to future productivity. Plus, I explore why I steer clear of political discussions with friends and much more!
In a world increasingly divided by political affiliations, discussing politics with friends can become a delicate tightrope walk. This blog post delves into the author’s hesitations in engaging in political discourse with friends, emphasizing the influence of political tribes and the challenge of fostering unbiased discussions. By examining the intricacies of personal belief systems and the social dynamics involved, the author offers insights into how we can seek truth and enhance intellectual honesty in our political conversations.
The essay discusses the author’s reluctance to engage in political conversations with friends, highlighting the tribal nature of politics and the general unwillingness of people to engage in deep, unbiased reasoning. The author argues that people often cling to political tribes rather than informed views and that most prefer the comfort of their bubble over the complexity of nuanced truth. The essay explores the intellectual challenges involved in forming well-reasoned political views and suggests methods for improving reasoning through truth-seeking and unbiased examination.
The article discusses the benefits of integrating AI-powered coding tools into software development, based on the author’s experiences. While many developers report mixed results with AI tools, the author finds them particularly beneficial, especially for experienced developers who can strategically harness these tools for productivity gains. The author shares insights and best practices to optimize AI use for coding, emphasizing the importance of structured requirements, tool-based guardrails, and file-based keyframing to ensure quality and effective implementation.
In my latest blog post, I’ve put together a diverse collection of fascinating reads for you! From boosting email deliverability in 2025 and mastering product bundling, to building AI prototypes, this list has it all. Dive into intriguing insights like GitHub Actions, AI models, product team protocols, and even geek culture with “Real Genius.” There’s something exciting and informative for everyone, so don’t miss out!
Deadlines can often be seen as rigid markers of stress, but when used effectively, fake deadlines can become a tool to enhance productivity in engineering teams. Drawing from their experiences, James Stanier and Anton Zaides delve into the practicalities of utilizing fake deadlines. They highlight how these deadlines, when properly communicated and flexibly applied, can help prevent the pitfalls of Parkinson’s Law, keeping projects on track without driving engineers to burnout.
The article explores the use of ‘fake deadlines’ in engineering management, discussing both their benefits and drawbacks. The authors, James Stanier and Anton Zaides, draw from their own experiences to explain how challenging deadlines, though seemingly fake, can boost productivity by preventing project delays caused by Parkinson’s Law. They emphasize the importance of communication and flexibility in using deadlines effectively. The article advises managers to involve their teams in setting deadlines, push but not overburden team members, and ensure expectations and post-deadline outcomes are clear.
The TechCrunch article provides an overview of advanced AI models released in 2024 and 2025, focusing on their features, applications, and requirements. These AI models are developed by major tech companies and startups, showcasing a range of capabilities including reasoning, image and video generation, coding, and enhanced user interaction. This guide aims to help users differentiate between models and understand which might best suit their needs amidst a rapidly evolving AI landscape.
The content discusses effective strategies for developing AI systems, emphasizing the importance of focusing on measurement, iteration, and experimentation rather than solely on tools and architecture. Successful AI teams prioritize error analysis, simple data viewers, empowerment of domain experts, use of synthetic data, maintaining trust in evaluation systems, and structuring roadmaps around experiments rather than features.
In my latest blog post, I’ve curated some fantastic reads for you! We’re diving into a coding face-off between Gemini 2.5 Pro and Claude 3.7 Sonnet, exploring how to build an AI Assistant, and discovering why being “normal” might be overrated. Plus, we’re checking out how journalism schools are teaching newsletter skills, celebrating the 2025 Inbox Awards winners, and much more. Enjoy the exploration!
Normalcy often signifies conforming to societal standards, but doing so can lead to unhealthy living patterns and mediocrity. This blog explores why it’s crucial to embrace unique, health-focused lifestyles despite potential social isolation or judgment. The journey against normalcy involves making intentional life choices that balance personal growth with the need for connection and occasional indulgence.
The article discusses how conforming to societal norms, or being ‘normal,’ often leads to unhealthy habits and mediocrity. The author emphasizes the value of adopting healthier, more mindful living practices, albeit with the social consequence of feeling isolated or judged as ‘different’ by peers. The battle against normalcy involves making intentional choices about personal development while balancing the need for social connection and occasional indulgence.
The article discusses how journalism schools are incorporating newsletter skills into their curricula as newsletters become increasingly central to modern journalism. It explores how educators use newsletters as teaching tools to convey various journalism skills, both traditional and novel, such as editorial bias management, digital engagement, and revenue strategies. The piece emphasizes the evolving landscape of journalism, where newsletters serve as a direct bridge between journalists and audiences, highlighting the need for diverse skills from both editorial and marketing domains.
The Pragmatic Open Source Contributor guide outlines a comprehensive approach to contributing to open-source projects effectively. It emphasizes understanding the open-source environment, securing legal permissions, communicating efficiently with maintainers, and focusing on meticulous coding and documentation. Its primary aim is to overcome common barriers programmers face when contributing to open source, such as perceived irrelevance to their job, legal challenges, past frustrations, or time commitment fears. By fostering a shared knowledge ecosystem and providing a structured plan for open source contributions, this guide empowers developers to enhance and refine essential software tools they rely on.
Dotdash Meredith has collaborated with OpenAI to enhance its contextual ad product, D/Cipher. By integrating OpenAI’s large language model, Dotdash Meredith aims to improve the ability to make connections between pieces of content by understanding language and sentiment beyond keywords. This technology enhancement has resulted in a 30% increase in identifying connections across content. The company uses first-party data and human oversight to ensure the quality and relevance of these connections.
The article discusses Immediate Media’s strategic approach to maximizing return on investment (ROI) in content creation by innovating across the publishing process. Immediate Media, organized around three key verticals: Entertainment, Food, and Knowledge, uses a customer-led strategy and emphasizes the importance of repurposing content to best serve various consumer needs. They focus on knowledge sharing and innovation, allowing them to test formats and technologies across different brands, such as BBC Gardeners’ World’s multiplatform initiatives. This approach includes the development of digital assets, like podcasts and apps, to expand market reach and adapt to evolving consumer expectations.
In this blog post, I dive into various aspects of productivity and expertise, sharing intriguing insights like the science-backed steps to becoming an expert, the surprising impact air filters can have on education, and the truth about productivity myths. Plus, there’s an exploration of how AI is impacting creativity and advertising, and essential advice from a seasoned decision coach. It’s a fascinating blend of knowledge, perfect for anyone looking to optimize their performance and understanding.
