The Best Articles in Productivity
The most useful articles and videos in Productivity from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Productivity Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Productivity by Refind users in 2023 so far.
Videos
Watch a video to get a quick overview.
I learned a system for remembering everything
Go to https://squarespace.com/mattdavella to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MATTDAVELLA. Thanks to Squarespace for sponso...
Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad
Explore what happens in the brain to trigger procrastination, and what strategies you can use to break the cycle of this harmful practice.--The report you’ve...
How to manage your time more effectively (according to machines)
Human beings and computers alike share the challenge of how to get as much done as possible in a limited time. Over the last fifty or so years, computer scientists have learned a lot of good…
Don’t have 10,000 hours to learn something new? That’s fine — all you need is 20
Writer Josh Kaufman shares his own tried-and-tested technique to learn a new skill by putting in just 45 minutes a day for a month. We all have them — the lovelorn musical instruments, the dusty sp…
What is ...?
New to Productivity? These articles make an excellent introduction.
How to Learn Anything: A Beginner's Guide to Ultralearning
Learn how to learn anything using the Ultralearning method, and set yourself up for success with our Ultralearning Template for Notion.
«Feedback is simply the process of comparing your results with the desired results. It sounds easy in theory — but can actually be quite hard.»
What is underneath productivity?
I’ve been obsessing about productivity for a long time. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about tools for thought and second brains. But these days, I spend most of my time thinking about…
«When you go deeper into the stack you realize this: in order to be productive, you need to have an end toward which you are working. You also need to have a means or a strategy to get there.»
What Is Decision Fatigue And How To Combat It
Are you struggling to make good decisions? Adopt these strategies to overcome decision fatigue and start making the right choices.
«block scheduling is the practice of allocating large chunks of time to related tasks. For example, you might designate Mondays for meetings and Tuesdays for strategy.»
What Is Procrastination? How To Identify & Stop This Destructive Habit
Welcome to this procrastination guide. You'll learn what procrastination is. In this guide, I also share tested and proven ways to beat it.
How to ...?
How to conquer digital distractions
Digital distractions are all around us. Here's how to combat them so you can stay focused and productive at work.
«Users were gambling every time they shared a photo, web link, or status update,»
How to Break the Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop
Are you dealing with problems related to procrastination and perfectionism? Learn about the perfectionism-procrastination loop and how to break it.
«I think you could substitute the word “unrealistic” for the word “vague,” and you’d have a more accurate assessment of the problem.»
How to Have a Powerfully Effective Day
By Leo Babauta A lot of people I talk to are unhappy with their ability to get stuff done in their lives. They feel they’re wasting a lot of time, never really getting anything important done. What I…
«Wonder — how can I see wonder in everythingCuriosity — how can I learn something from every moment?Love — how can I bring love into everything I do?Aliveness — how can I feel lit up about my life?»
How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done
How do we get motivated? The latest research has secrets that can help us get going and get things done even when we don't feel like it...
How to switch from Notion to Obsidian
Are you thinking of switching from Notion to Obsidian? As a rule of thumb when choosing a note-taking app, Notion tends to better suit architects, while Obsidian suits gardeners better. If you feel…
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Productivity on Refind.
The Paradox of Goals
Here lies the paradox of goals: Setting goals is a guarantee for disillusionment whether we reach the desired state or not, and yet working toward goals is an important part of evolving as a person.…
«It is tempting during such liminal moments to cling on to a ladder – any ladder – to regain an illusory sense of control and progression.»
The Red Carpet Technique of Getting Things Done
What if you could visualise your day for maximum success? Here's how.
Persistent Stress: What Every Productive Worker Needs to Know
Most people love a challenge—and the jolt of stress that comes with it. But persistent stress at work? Here's how to eliminate it.
16 productivity systems to help you work smarter, not harder
There's something for everyone in these 16 productivity systems, designed to help you regain focus, eliminate distractions, build habits, and more.
People Make Time for What They Want — Rightfully So
People make time for who and what they want, and you should, too. Though the author is unknown, this saying has become an axiom to soothe distraught thoughts. Some use it as reasoning to understand…
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Productivity—all under 10 minutes.
We all can reach a "flow state." Here's how.
Journalist Steven Kotler offers tips for how to reach a psychological flow state, granting peak mental performance.
«Curiosity can lead you to become passionate about something, which can in turn drive that thing to give you purpose. The activity itself becomes fulfilling. It is the means and the end.»
The science of motivation: how to get and stay motivated
Motivation only starts to build again once we have taken the first steps and gained some momentum in our task. It's all about getting started and consistently taking action, making sure we get back on…
«three innate psychological needs which must be satisfied to enhance self-motivation and mental health: competence, autonomy and relatedness.»
What Does It Mean to Really, Truly Rest?
And when are we just swathing toxic productivity in soft pants and a robe?
Scientists finally know why we get distracted — and how we can stay on track
More than just a distraction, mind-wandering (and its cousin, daydreaming) may help us prepare for the future
«the decoupling of attention from perception, which is what happens when our thoughts separate from our perception of the environment.»
How to Get More Done in a Single Work Day Than Most People Do in a Week
Time is non-refundable, use it with intention. Take a minute and think about your typical day. Start from the moment you start work to until you call it a day and stop working. If you were to pick…
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Productivity.
Why Micro Habits Are Better Than Typical Habits
Unlike typical habits - the ones you start and abandon after a while. Micro habits have the potential to change your life for good. See how...
«In the age of consumerism. The default action of a person is to – wait for it – consume stuff. Not only new clothes. New tech stuff. But also content related to getting something new»
4 Mental Traps That Kill Productivity
Productivity has many enemies: too many meetings, external triggers like interruptions from coworkers, whether virtual or in person, and multitasking the wrong way, to name a few. But more often than…
«we tend to prioritize the completion of the five-minute menial task rather than the important project that will take us hours of work.»
12 Life Lessons From Mathematician and Philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota
The mathematician and philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota spent much of his career at MIT, where students adored him for his engaging, passionate lectures. In 1996, Rota gave a talk entitled “Ten Lessons I…
«Reciprocity is remarkably persuasive. Sometimes, how people respond to your work has as much to do with how you respond to theirs as it does with the work itself»
10 Simple Ways To Refocus a Wandering Mind
Do you want to reach your goals and avoid distractions? Here are 10 simple ways to refocus your wandering mind and achieve success.
«Parkinson’s Law holds that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion,”, which is why setting time limits can deflate a ballooning task.»
How might neuroergonomics help us deal with mental overload?
As tasks mount up, our brain’s ability to juggle goes down. Neuroergonomic tactics can relieve the cognitive burden
«Neuroergonomics researchers are looking at what can be done to break through the chaos.»
Thought Leaders
We monitor hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, and newsletters in Productivity, including:
Mark Manson
3x #1 NYTimes bestselling author. Best known for F-Bombs and uncomfortable truths. Giving life advice that doesn't suck since 2008.
Derek Sivers
See http://sive.rs for all about me. Newest book “HOW TO LIVE: 27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion” at http://sive.rs/h
Tim Ferriss
Author of 5 #1 NYT/WSJ bestsellers, early-stage investor (http://angel.co/tim), Tim Ferriss Show podcast (900M+ downloads), founder of http://saiseifoundation.org
Leo Babauta
Creator of Zen Habits. Training in uncertainty. Zen student, vegan, dad, husband.
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Productivity, including:
Ness Labs
The learning community for ambitious knowledge workers. Join us to think better, learn faster, and work happier: http://nesslabs.com/membership 🧠✨
LifeHack
LifeHack helps busy people get the most out of their lives in the shortest amount of time, through actionable, step-by-step systems that multiply results.
Nir Eyal
Bestselling author of "Hooked" and "Indistractable"
Ryan Holiday
Author of The Obstacle Is The Way, Stillness Is The Key, Ego Is The Enemy @DailyStoic Order my new book Discipline is Destiny at http://dailystoic.com/discipline
Leo Babauta
Creator of Zen Habits. Training in uncertainty. Zen student, vegan, dad, husband.
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Who are the thought leaders in Productivity?
We follow dozens of thought leaders in Productivity, including Mark Manson, Derek Sivers, Tim Ferriss, Paul Graham, Leo Babauta.
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