The past few weeks have been crazy at work. I haven’t worked 60-hour weeks in years. I definitely don’t handle it as well as I could in my younger days.
\nI’m hoping that I’m over the hump and things will return to a manageable pace. I’m on a huge project that will last the rest of the year, and we’re trying to find our pace.
\n", "date_published": "2026-02-13T19:27:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2026/02/13/a-crazy-busy-few-weeks.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/11/25/is-delegating-admin-tasks-to.html", "title": "Is Delegating Admin Tasks to AI Good for Deep Work?", "content_html": "AI language models are quickly becoming a key part of knowledge work. They handle many of our administrative tasks, allowing us to focus on the unique work that adds real value.
\nMicrosoft is leading this shift, and many companies now treat AI agents like regular employees, giving them their security, management, and job roles.¹ Experts predict there will be 1.3 billion AI agents by 2028. ²
\nThese AI agents handle routine tasks such as drafting emails, scheduling, entering data, taking meeting notes, and similar tasks.
\nAs AI agents become more common, knowledge workers face an essential question: how will our roles change as AI takes over repetitive administrative work?
\nIdeally, this change should let us spend more time on deep work, focusing on high-value tasks that use our expertise and creativity.
\nStill, some of us, myself included, actually enjoy task management and file organization. I sometimes use this time as a break after hours spent diagramming a solution or running a client workshop.
\nWe can only do so much deep work each day—Cal Newport suggests a maximum of 3 to 4 hours.³ So what happens when that’s all we have left? Do we work fewer hours? ⁴ Take a pay cut? Will organizations reduce work hours, or will they expect us to fill the traditional 40-hour workweek with more tasks? Could we use this extra time to build new skills or explore new interests?
\nKnowledge work is changing, for better or worse. We need to adapt, but I’m hopeful we can help shape what this change means for our future.
\nKnowing something by heart does not necessarily mean you understand it.
\nPerhaps it’s simply a matter of memorization; you’ve heard it enough times that it’s set in stone in your mind. You can repeat it without hesitation.
\nBeing able to repeat something can make you feel like you understand it with certainty.
\nBut do you truly understand it?
\nCan you explain its origins or how it has changed over the years? Can you argue it as an indisputable fact? Do you understand the counterarguments or why other people disagree? What’s their perspective?
\n“Knowledge” can be pretty complicated when you think about it long enough.
\n", "date_published": "2025-10-04T09:58:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/10/04/knowing-is-not-the-same.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/09/08/why-are-we-getting-dumber.html", "title": "Why are we getting dumber?", "content_html": "I was listening to episode 369 of Cal Newport’s podcast today and found the deep dive interesting. Cal talked about the Flynn effect, the observed increase in IQ scores over time. While our IQs have increased over the generations, they have recently started to decline.
\nThe reasons for the decline are speculated to be the rise of distracting media, starting with television, then radio, and finally the internet. While the increase in IQ has slowed over the generations, the decrease started around 2010, which is the same time smartphones became a household staple, and social media came soon after.
\nThis reminds me of what I wrote about a while ago, Losing the ability to read and thinkdeeply, where I talk about how much more difficult it is to read and understand a book than in the past.
\nOur brains are changing as the way we consume information changes. When reading a physical book, our brains are engaged with the words. The content is more thought-out and presented in a way that provides context as it explains its ideas. We don’t get this in most modern media, especially short video clips and social media posts.
\nI would also argue that the rate at which we consume information is also harming us. We often don’t give ourselves enough time to fully consider one idea before moving on to the next.
\nHere are some additional resources:
\nI was sitting on the couch, reading an article, when I realized I had finished it but had no idea what it was about.
\nI realized I was not only reading the article but was also listening to a podcast with headphones in one ear and was watching a baseball game on TV. Not only that, but my wife was occasionally talking to me about something.
\nI couldn’t tell you what I read, listened to, or what’s happening in the game. Of course, I could tell you exactly what my wife said because I hear everything she says (not).
\nAt least I’m aware of this issue. If I can set up my environment to prevent it from happening, that would be ideal.
\nOne thing I’m going to try is to set up a focus mode on my phone that triggers when I connect my earbuds and locks me out of all other apps. This would force me to disconnect my earbuds if I needed to look something up. We’ll see how it works for me. This routine was easy to set up on my Samsung using Modes and Routines.
\nAnother habit I’m trying is to put my phone in a different room while watching TV. I imagine this will be a difficult habit to form. I rarely watch TV, apart from having a baseball game on in the background, so this may not be necessary unless we’re specifically watching a show or movie.
\nLikewise, I’ve noticed a funny habit of mine: I always use one earbud, putting it in the ear facing away from the other person, just in case they say something; I will hear them. I suppose this works. Perhaps if I had the earbud in my other ear (or both ears), it would be obvious that I’m listening to something, and they would need to get my attention, if necessary. Or better yet, leave me alone (I’m joking, maybe)!
\nAnyway, I feel like I’m rambling now as I think about this through my fingers on the keyboard.
\n", "date_published": "2025-08-24T18:17:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/08/24/one-thing-at-a-time.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/07/18/plus-minus-next-journaling.html", "title": "Plus Minus Next Journaling", "content_html": "The Plus Minus Next journaling technique from Anne-Laure LeCunff’s Tiny Experiments offers a simple way to track what’s working in your life and make minor, actionable adjustments.
\nWe’ve all heard about the benefits of journaling and how it can improve your life. Expressive writing can decrease symptoms of anxiety and improve our mood. 1
\nBut if you’re like me, journaling can be a daunting task. The simplicity of the Plus Minus Next technique changes this and provides a way to keep a record of your life without much time or effort.
\nIn her book, Tiny Experiments, Anne-Laure LeCunff discusses the technique in detail. 2 In the context of the book, the Plus Minus Next journaling technique serves as one of the key tools to review your “pact,” a purposeful, actionable, continuous, and trackable building block of personal experimentation.
\nYou can use this technique weekly, daily, monthly, quarterly, or all of the above! Choose whatever works for you. You can implement this technique in a paper notebook, your favorite notes app, or even on the back of a napkin.
\nCreate a table (or three headings), with a column for Plus, another for Minus, and the last for Next. In the Plus column, list what worked well during the week. In the Minus column, list what didn’t work well. In the next column, list what you’re going to do next. When writing, create simple bulleted lists. You don’t even need complete sentences.
\nThe purpose is to reflect and plan, not to obsess over the details. 3
\nA simple example of the Plus Minus Next Journaling Technique
\nI find the Plus Minus Next technique very valuable because it’s fast, flexible, and easy to commit to. It provides a great way to journal without overwhelm and, since it’s actionable, delivers excellent value.
\n\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-19T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/19/embrace-the-parts-of-you.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/18/focus-your-reading-on-whats.html", "title": "Focus your reading on what's relevant to you now", "content_html": "“Embrace the parts of you that others call weird. Don’t hide what makes you different. Allow those parts to float to the top and be seen by all. Your uniqueness is what makes your creations original, effective, and memorable.” (Joey Cofone, The Laws of Creativity)
\n
When you read to learn, choose topics that interest you. This makes a significant difference in your reading experience.
\nIf you’re currently transitioning your team to SCRUM, read books about SCRUM. If you’re trying to create more technical documentation, read books on that topic.
\nIf you’re already a productivity expert, don’t bother reading books about productivity.
\nRead to solve a current problem. You’ll be much more interested and will absorb the information like a sponge.
\nTaking it a step further, you don’t have to read entire books! Read chapters that are relevant to you right now. Save the rest for later.
\n", "date_published": "2025-01-18T12:11:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/18/focus-your-reading-on-whats.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/12/there-comes-a-point-where.html", "content_html": "\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-12T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/12/there-comes-a-point-where.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/09/in-the-space-between-stimulus.html", "content_html": "“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in. —Bishop Desmond Tutu” (Peter Attia MD, Outlive)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-09T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/09/in-the-space-between-stimulus.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/08/you-can-also-think-of.html", "content_html": "“In the space between stimulus and response, one of two things can happen. You can consciously pause and apply reason to the situation. Or you can cede control and execute a default behavior.” (Shane Parrish, Clear Thinking)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-08T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/08/you-can-also-think-of.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/07/real-toughness-is-experiencing-discomfort.html", "content_html": "“You can also think of complexity in terms of cost and benefit. In a complex system, it takes a lot of work to implement even small improvements. In a simple system, larger improvements can be implemented with less effort.” (John Ousterhout, A Philosophy of Software Design)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-07T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/07/real-toughness-is-experiencing-discomfort.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/06/by-focusing-intensely-on-a.html", "content_html": "“Real toughness is experiencing discomfort or distress, leaning in, paying attention, and creating space to take thoughtful action. It’s navigating discomfort to make the best decision you can.” (Steve Magness, Do Hard Things)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-06T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/06/by-focusing-intensely-on-a.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/05/two-simple-journaling-techniques.html", "title": "Two simple journaling techniques", "content_html": "“By focusing intensely on a specific skill, you’re forcing the specific relevant circuit to fire, again and again, in isolation. This repetitive use of a specific circuit triggers cells called oligodendrocytes to begin wrapping layers of myelin around the neurons in the circuits—effectively cementing the skill.” (Cal Newport, Deep Work)
\n
I’ve never been one to journal much, at least not in the “deep reflection” approach where I would write pages about what’s on my mind every day.
\nThe journaling technique I started doing naturally is Interstitial Journaling, which is a log of my day as it happens.
\nI especially use Interstitial Journaling while I’m working. It has a couple of benefits (that may not apply to everyone): 1) At the end of the day, I know what I worked on and when, so I can enter the time in my timesheet. 2) I can copy these notes and run them through Microsoft Copilot to generate a nice, bulleted summary of each project I worked on and what tasks I completed. I then paste that into my daily update that each of us sends over Microsoft Teams every workday.
\nThe other technique that I started just this week is Plus Minus Next Journaling. It allows me to note what went well the previous week, what didn’t, and then list any changes I want to make in the next week. I feel like this could be a great technique to reflect and plan without being too complex.
\nI’ve been using the Reflect notes app for both techniques. The Daily Notes in Reflect are perfect for Interstitial Journaling, and for the Plus Minus Next, I created a template that I can add to my daily note each week.
\n", "date_published": "2025-01-05T12:29:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/05/two-simple-journaling-techniques.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/05/externalizing-your-thoughts-through-writing.html", "content_html": "\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-05T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/05/externalizing-your-thoughts-through-writing.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2025/01/01/instead-of-wondering-when-your.html", "content_html": "“Externalizing your thoughts through writing will both challenge and reinforce your beliefs.” (Bob Doto, A System for Writing)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2025-01-01T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2025/01/01/instead-of-wondering-when-your.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2024/12/29/the-map-of-reality-is.html", "content_html": "“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” (Peter Voogd, 6 Months to 6 Figures)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-12-29T09:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2024/12/29/the-map-of-reality-is.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2024/12/27/life-is-the-sum-of.html", "content_html": "“The map of reality is not reality. Even the best maps are imperfect. That’s because they are reductions of what they represent. If a map were to represent the territory with perfect fidelity, it would no longer be a reduction and thus would no longer be useful to us.” (Shane Parrish, Rhiannon Beaubien, The Great Mental Models)
\n
\n\n", "date_published": "2024-12-27T15:34:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2024/12/27/life-is-the-sum-of.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2024/12/22/a-quiet-week-at-work.html", "title": "A quiet week at work, a good time to reflect", "content_html": "“Life is the sum of what you focus on. Living the focused life is not about constant happiness, but about being mindful of what you allow in your mind, akin to tending a private garden. Your experience of the world is shaped by what you pay attention to.” (Deep Questions with Cal Newport, Ep. 311: Finding Focus in Distracting Times)
\n
Last week was pretty chill at work; everyone was wrapping up their tasks so they can start their time off for the holidays. You can tell nobody wants to start something new as they try to clear their plate. I do the same.
\nI find it’s a good opportunity to clean up systems and reflect on what’s working and what’s not.
\nI’ve been making heavy use of Azure DevOps lately. Not only for managing our project tasks, but also utilizing the Wiki for documentation, and even dabbling in Pipelines for some automated deployments. I’ve been cleaning up our projects in Azure DevOps and creating new processes to streamline our work.
\nIt can be a challenge to find time to create and maintain documentation for work like mine (consulting work dealing with dozens of projects a year across several clients). Things tend to get forgotten or lost over time. I find a simple Wiki for each client is a great way to point the way, by containing documentation about how the solutions work, how to maintain them, and linking to any external documentation and resources.
\n", "date_published": "2024-12-22T17:15:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2024/12/22/a-quiet-week-at-work.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2024/07/09/losing-the-ability-to-read.html", "title": "Losing the ability to read and think deeply", "content_html": "I’m losing my ability to read deeply and understand what I’m reading, and I’m not alone.
\nI used to be able to sit with a book for hours at a time, fully immersed. I’d put the book down and still think about what I read, processing it and making connections. This led to a deeper understanding of the material and a longer-term recollection.
\nToday, we’re so consumed by digital email, chats, TikTok, social media, short blog posts, video clips, and other forms of consumption that are meant to be short and quick - in and out. The content is designed to keep us engaged.
\nThere must be a connection between today’s method of consumption and the ability to read and think deeply.
\nI struggle to read a book with information I want to understand. My mind is jumping around to other things. I can’t focus enough to comprehend what I read. I even read the prior text and don’t recall it. I have to read a paragraph over and over to understand it.
\nThe book is too difficult to read because it requires more direct attention, the opposite of other material I consume. My mind is no longer wired in a way that provides me with the focus I need.
\nThis is concerning.
\nOddly enough, it doesn’t apply to everything. I often become fully engaged when writing code and building software solutions. It may take a few minutes to get going, but once I do, I can be so completely engrossed in my work that it requires someone shaking my shoulder to get my attention.
\nDo the books need to be more attractive to grab my attention in the same way as writing code? Is it because I’m creating and not consuming?
\nToday’s books are written differently. Old books are denser, with complicated words, paragraphs, and less fluff. Today’s books are more straightforward, full of short stories, and tend only to skim the material’s surface. All of this is to keep the reader engaged. [@wolfReaderComeHome2018]
\nFortunately, if I had the abilities in the past and slowly lost them over time, it could be reversed. Right?
\nMy next steps sound simple enough but will be challenging to execute. Reduce the short, mind-numbing consumption and replace it with more time spent with evergreen material that forces me to slow down and think. This should help rebuild the muscle of deep reading and thinking.
\nWhat does this problem mean for my children? How will they solve the world’s problems if they can’t sit with something for over 20 minutes?
\n", "date_published": "2024-07-09T11:06:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2024/07/09/losing-the-ability-to-read.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] }, { "id": "http://focustivity.micro.blog/2023/12/14/take-care-of-your-eyes.html", "title": "Take care of your eyes with the 20-20-20 Rule", "content_html": "As we all know, staring at a screen causes eye strain. When you do this too long and often, your eyes may not recover. This eye strain is typically called computer vision syndrome (CVS) and can cause headaches, fatigue, dry eyes, and long-term damage.
\nEvery 20 minutes you spend using a screen, look away at something 20 feet (ca. 6 m) away for 20 seconds. 20 feet (ca. 6 m) for 20 seconds is the optimal distance and time to allow your eyes to relax.
\n20 seconds is not very long. But there are some healthy things we can do during this time.
\nI recently switched my setup to a Mac. As a long-time Windows user, this is quite a jarring transition. There were some things I immediately missed from Windows and some things that I had to spend some time figuring out because they make no sense on a Mac.
\nI will share some critical apps and tips I learned while setting up my Mac mini to be a lean, productive machine.
\nSince I’m already moving to a Mac, I may as well get better at using keyboard shortcuts and use the mouse less.
\nLearning keyboard shortcuts is one of the best things you can do for productivity. It takes so much time to reach for the mouse and move it to click on something.
\nKeyboard shortcuts allow you quickly search and execute tasks without removing your fingers from the keyboard.
\nLearning these keyboard shortcuts can be daunting, and I still struggle with them, especially with various applications using different shortcuts for different purposes.
\nSeveral utilities help make the Mac faster and easier to get things done. Here are a few that I’ve discovered so far.
\nSetapp is a service that consolidates hundreds of Mac and iOS apps into one subscription. Setapp can save you a ton of money, depending on your apps, and it’s worth checking SetApp before purchasing any apps on the Mac. Like I did, you may find it cheaper to get a SetApp subscription that includes the apps you want and hundreds of other apps and utilities.
\nMac OS has a built-in Spotlight search that triggers when you click CMD-Space. If you find Spotlight lacking, check out Raycast.
\nRaycast is a fast and extendable application launcher that does so much more. You can search anything, open anything, manage windows, and perform various other tasks that I have yet to explore.
\nBe sure to take the time to go through the provided walk-through. Once you realize the power of Raycast, the sky is the limit.
\nAlternatives include Alfred.
\nWhen setting up any OS, I first install 1Password, where all my passwords and other information are securely stored.
\nYou could get by with Apple’s Keychain if you only use the Apple ecosystem. Other alternatives include LastPass and Dashlane.
\nNearly every app you install on your Mac creates a menu icon in the top-right that gives you quick access to some of the functionality. Eventually, you’ll end up with a menu bar that spans the width of your monitor, which is distracting.
\nBartender allows you to configure this menu, only showing the icons you want to see and hiding the rest under a menu.
\nI’m constantly installing and uninstalling applications, testing to see what they do and if they help me. Unfortunately, this leaves clutter on the MAC, including files and folders and other settings that get left behind even when you uninstall.
\nCleanMyMac helps remove all of this unnecessary clutter from your Mac.
\nI have a widescreen monitor, and the biggest thing I missed from Windows is the ability to snap my windows to various positions on the screen.
\nBetterSnapTool does this on the Mac. You can easily position your apps and create custom areas for them to snap. Very handy!
\nSome alternatives are Mosaic and Magnet. I’ve begun using Raycast to manage my windows using keyboard shortcuts, which I’m enjoying.
\nCleanShot X provides some excellent screen-capture capabilities. Quickly take screenshots, annotate them, then share them.
\nOne of the biggest reasons I switched to a Mac for my setup is the great apps. It feels like apps on Windows are an afterthought and are usually only ported web applications anyway.
\nThings 3 is probably one of the most elegant task management applications.
\nMy favorite writing and note-taking application, Bear, is a straightforward markdown-based app that lets you focus on writing. You can organize your notes using tags.
\nCraft may arguably be the best all-purpose note-taking and documentation creation app. It is simple to use and has a beautiful design, and I use it to organize my life.
\nFantastical is an excellent calendar app that goes beyond the out-of-the-box Apple calendar. Its most prominent feature may be the autocomplete functionality, and you can type an event or task in natural language, which will set all the details for you!
\nI’ve only been using the Mac for a few weeks. I hope what I shared is useful. What are your favorite apps and tricks for the Mac? I’d love to learn more.
\n", "date_published": "2022-05-27T20:00:00-04:00", "url": "https://focustivity.blog/2022/05/27/new-to-mac-here-are.html", "tags": ["Productivity"] } ] }