In the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom is tasked with painting his aunt’s fence. Tom is bored by the thought of having to do all that work and comes up with a plan to recruit his friends to do it for him willingly. He convinces them that the task is fun, and before he knowsContinue reading “The Sawyer effect”
My 2022 morning routine
A good morning routine lays the foundation for a good day. I’ve been trying to stick to a routine for quite a few years now, and my days always feel more productive and coherent when I start them off in a good way. With the new year, I wanted to think about if there wasContinue reading “My 2022 morning routine”
Nine guidelines to stay productive with group chat
The odds are that you’re using some group chat at work. If it’s called Slack, Teams, WhatsApp, or Skype makes no difference. If you don’t manage it properly, it will wreak havoc on your productivity. These are nine guidelines that I use to turn group chat from a nuisance to a valuable tool. 1. ManageContinue reading “Nine guidelines to stay productive with group chat”
Why writing is more important than reading
I’m an avid book reader. I’ve read hundreds and hundreds of books of the years, both fiction and non-fiction. At any given time I’ll have at least two books that I’m reading, and a long list of books to read after that. Whenever I have a problem that I’m thinking about I turn to booksContinue reading “Why writing is more important than reading”
Five principles for great asynchronous communication
When working in a distributed setting, moving towards async practices is the last level-up. And it’s not easy. Especially not if you’re someone who’s been working in an office setting your entire life. It will take time and effort to become an excellent async communicator. And writing. A whole lot of writing. It’s way tooContinue reading “Five principles for great asynchronous communication”
How to use Linear with Hook
I use Hook for all kinds of things. Together with Alfred, Keyboard Maestro, and Drafts, it’s one of my most-used apps. Unfortunately, Hook doesn’t support Linear out of the box. Fortunately, Hook is extendable! Here’s what I did to enable Hook in Linear. I use two of Linear’s keyboard shortcuts. Cmd + Shift + ,Continue reading “How to use Linear with Hook”
Gratitude > complaints
Appreciate what you have. Such a simple lesson, yet one so hard to live by. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the wants and desires and lose sight of what is already in front of you. As the stoic philosopher, Epictetus once wrote He is a wise man who does not grieveContinue reading “Gratitude > complaints”
Leader-to-leader
Leader-to-leader is easiest explained by contrasting it with leader-to-follower. It’s common for people to unconsciously divide people into leaders and followers and make assumptions about what each group can do. These assumptions will influence the way we think and act and have an impact on performance. In the “leader-to-follower” model, leaders tell followers what to do. The leader becomesContinue reading “Leader-to-leader”
Position your product for market fit
I recently read April Dunford’s book ”Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It”. This is my summary of the key concepts and ideas from it. The main point of the book is that you need to be deliberate about the context that you place your product in.Continue reading “Position your product for market fit”
Work with the garage door open
I have an affection for work done in the open. I love how OSS projects morph and take shape in front of everyone who’s interested. I love how an open-minded conversation can totally re-frame a project. I love the tension and inspiration that comes with putting your work on display. Not the output of theContinue reading “Work with the garage door open”