Accountability Partners: Does Social Commitment Improve Follow-Through?
Accountability partners are a popular productivity strategy. The research on social commitment and goal pursuit explains when and why they help, and when they don't.
Articles
Interleaving: Why Mixing Practice Beats Repetition
Interleaving, the practice of mixing different topics or problem types during study, produces better long-term learning than blocking. Here's the mechanism and the evidence.
Study Breaks: What the Research Says About Rest During Work
Research on breaks during cognitive work shows that rest periods restore attention, but the optimal timing, duration, and activity during breaks vary. Here's what the evidence supports.
Digital Minimalism and Focus: What the Evidence Supports
Digital minimalism claims that reducing technology use improves focus. The research supports the interruption argument but not the broader anti-technology framing.
Work From Home Productivity: What the Research Shows
Research on remote work productivity shows benefits for focused individual work and costs for collaboration. Here's what the evidence supports about structuring remote work for focus.
Morning Routines and Productivity: What the Research Supports
Morning routines dominate the productivity genre, but the evidence for their benefits is thinner and more conditional than the advice suggests. Here's what the research actually shows.
Note-Taking Methods Compared: What the Evidence Says
Research on note-taking methods shows that the act of selecting and condensing information matters more than the format. Here's what works and when.
Getting Things Done: What Holds Up and What Doesn't
Getting Things Done is one of the most popular productivity systems ever published. Here's what the research supports, what it doesn't, and which parts are worth keeping.
To-Do Lists vs. Time Blocking: What the Evidence Says About Each
To-do lists and time blocking are often presented as rivals. The research suggests they solve different problems and work best together.
Flow State: What the Research Actually Shows
Flow state has become a productivity buzzword, but the research behind it tells a more specific story. Here's what flow is, what conditions support it, and why you can't schedule it.