I was spurred to start blogging regularly because of (1) a nagging concern that we’re increasingly flattening the human experience into one-dimensional soundbites, and (2) a questionably-founded belief that I have something valuable to say about that. Sometimes, the richest company in the world energizes the conversation for you. Apple’s “Crush” ad, released last week... Continue Reading →
I learned recently that James Clear sells a copy of Atomic Habits every 15 seconds. That's wild. I've been familiar with the theory behind the book for a long time, but I hadn't actually read it until recently. I'd like to think that James was pleased that I bought his book, but considering that someone... Continue Reading →
What’s something I’m grateful for today? This is the question at the top of my daily log. It’s the question I start with before kicking off the workday, answering emails and hopping on calls. This is a relatively new addition to my workflow, but I suspect it will be an enduring one. It’s a simple... Continue Reading →
What would the Warrior-Scholar Project team be able to accomplish if we each blocked off four hours of distraction-free, focused work time every week? After reading, thinking, and writing about deep work, this was the question I came to. And after embracing an organization-wide deep work experiment, I have the beginnings of the answer: quite... Continue Reading →
'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller Societally, we venerate productivity. Or at least a flattened version of it. Amanda Mull, staff writer at The Atlantic, wrote recently, “Americans invest personal productivity with moral weight, as though human worth can... Continue Reading →
Welcome! If you enjoy the blog, consider subscribing and forwarding to a friend. Join me every Tuesday as I develop my working theory of Three-Dimensional Productivity. A few weeks ago, I went to a concert with my mom. It was a disaster. Being the odd person I am, I loved it. Not because of the... Continue Reading →
Last week, a trip to the doctor led me to reflect on how one can provide their maximum and unique value. This week, I'm thinking about how the value that one brings depends heavily on the situation. Your value can be context dependent, which means that the more that you are aware of your context,... Continue Reading →
Ask any professional paid to provide me some type of service, and I think you'd hear something similar: I am a strange client who takes things off track (other than with lawyers — I know what they charge). The other day, I had an appointment with a new primary care physician at the VA. My... Continue Reading →
In December 2022, I wrote my first annual productivity review. As I started drafting the 2023 version, I hesitated about framing it like this again. Life is about so much more than being productive, right? Me in real life One of my professional foci is productivity. I love learning about productivity tools, trying out new... Continue Reading →
When I was seventeen, I raised my right and took an oath: I, Ryan Andrew Pavel, do solemnly swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders... Continue Reading →
