Jeroen Sangers

In the past, work was often simple and predictable. There were fixed processes and predictable outcomes, as Armand Hatchuel describes. This made it easy to measure and manage performance. If there were problems, such as a broken machine or a sick employee, managers could quickly intervene to achieve the same results.

Today, work is different. Hatchuel calls this “unconfined” work. It involves jobs like knowledge work, care work, and creative work, where you don’t know in advance what the outcome will be. Innovation and surprising outcomes are often the goal. This means you only know what the result is once it’s finished. There is a lot of uncertainty about how much effort it takes to achieve these unpredictable results. For example, a home care worker doesn’t know what they will encounter with a client, a designer doesn’t know how a client will react to an idea, and a software developer can’t always predict what problems will arise with the code.

Modern work is thus unconfined because it is not tied to fixed rules or predictable results. It requires a lot of flexibility and adaptability from workers, whether the work is physical or mental. The real challenge is dealing with the absence of boundaries and navigating the uncertainties and complexities that come with this type of work.

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For years, I’ve been a loyal user of the Reeder app to keep up with my favorite feeds. The classic version, as it’s now called, has been my go-to tool for organizing and reading articles. I meticulously sorted everything into folders and made it a daily ritual to check for new content, whether in the morning or sometimes even in the afternoon. It was my way of staying updated on the topics that interest me.

A new paradigm in reeder

Recently, I installed the new version of Reeder, and it introduced a completely different paradigm. Instead of the traditional folder system with unread counts, the new Reeder presents a more fluid experience. It’s like a river of information flowing by, where articles and updates come and go. This new approach also allows for the integration of social media feeds, particularly from platforms like Mastodon and Micro.blog, all in one seamless stream.

A continuous reading experience

One of the features I appreciate the most is that the app remembers where I left off. When I open Reeder, it picks up right where I was, allowing me to continue reading without missing a beat. I can easily scroll through the feed, quickly skimming through articles, and only diving deeper into the ones that catch my interest. This is a significant shift from my old habit of treating my reading list like an inbox that needed to be emptied.

Embracing the river of information

This new method of handling information feels more natural to me. Instead of feeling the pressure to read every single article, I can now dip in and out of the stream of content. It doesn’t matter if I miss a post here or there. The new Reeder aligns better with how I should be consuming information—more like a river that I occasionally wade into rather than a bucket that needs to be emptied.

A satisfying investment

After just half an hour of using the new Reeder, I was convinced. I decided to commit and paid for a year’s subscription, which was only 10 euros. This small investment seems like it will significantly improve my reading habits. Now, I can quickly scan through my feed, opening only the articles that truly interest me, rather than feeling obligated to read everything.

Looking Forward to New Habits

I’m excited to see how this new approach to handling information will evolve over time. The new Reeder has already made a positive impression on me, and I believe it will be a lasting change in how I consume content. If you’re looking for a more relaxed and efficient way to stay updated, I highly recommend giving the new Reeder a try. It might just transform your reading habits as it has mine.

Research shows that people often underestimate how much they enjoy just sitting and thinking. In a series of experiments with students, participants thought they would be bored if they had to wait in a quiet room. But in reality, they found it much more enjoyable than they expected. This shows that we often do not appreciate how important it is to take a moment to pause and reflect.

The idea of “niksen,” a Dutch word that means consciously doing nothing, fits well with these findings. Doing nothing can be seen as a way to give our minds a break, so we can relax and let our thoughts wander without distractions from the outside world. This is different from the modern habit of always being busy and seeking distractions, such as constantly checking internet news. By doing nothing, we can improve our mental health, as it gives us the opportunity to organize our thoughts and become more creative.

We often underestimate how valuable doing nothing can be, because we do not realize how interesting and enjoyable our own thoughts can be. People usually choose activities to keep busy, often because they are afraid of getting bored. But doing nothing can be surprisingly enriching, as shown by the positive responses of people in studies. If we learn to appreciate moments of rest more, we can learn to enjoy simply thinking and reflecting. This can ultimately contribute to a more balanced and satisfying life.

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Speeding up informative videos can be an efficient strategy to save time without significant loss of understanding, as long as the speed stays within certain limits. Research shows that increasing the playback speed of videos up to 1.5x or 2x the normal speed has minimal adverse effects on both immediate and delayed (after a week) levels of understanding. This means that viewers are able to comprehend and remember the core content of the videos, even when they are played at a faster pace. However, it is important to note that performance can significantly decrease at speeds above 2x.

An interesting finding from the research is that repeatedly watching videos at an increased speed just before a test can improve levels of understanding compared to watching the video at normal speed only a week earlier. This suggests that the time saved by playing videos faster can be effectively used for extra study or review, which can optimize learning outcomes. However, it is crucial that this extra study time takes place shortly before the test to maximize the benefits.

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• Top of mind
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I’ve never been particularly handy around the house, and it mostly boils down to a lack of experience. Reflecting on why this is, I think there are two main reasons. First, my father was incredibly handy. He could do almost anything around the house, and he still can. Because he never really needed my help, he did everything while I watched. I never learned how to do things myself.

During my education, while I still lived at home, I didn’t engage in much technical work either. I spent more time on the computer and doing administrative tasks, which I’m quite good at. But when it comes to DIY projects, that’s not my forte. I saw my father do it, but since I never really helped—beyond holding things and fetching tools—I never learned the skills. Now that we have our own home, there are occasional projects to tackle. However, I often run into problems because my skills and knowledge don’t match the level I want to achieve. When I want to fix or improve something, I have a vision of the outcome, but I’m not technically skilled enough to reach that outcome. It’s a matter of practice, but since our house is generally in good shape, there aren’t many opportunities to practice. This creates a vicious cycle: I don’t do many projects, so I don’t learn, and because I don’t learn, I’m hesitant to start new projects.

For example, when painting needs to be done, we prefer to hire someone because the result is much better than if we did it ourselves. The same goes for replacing the shower, which we had done recently. I wouldn’t know where to start, and researching it would take a lot of time. Instead, we pay someone to do it. After all, how often in your life do you replace a shower or work on plumbing? Maybe once or twice, three times at most. It’s not a good investment of my time.

There are, however, some things I can do. Recently, I replaced a light switch. It was a simple task, or so I thought. The new switch was a different model, so what I expected to be a straightforward job turned into a few hours of research. But in the end, it worked out perfectly. I completed a small project and felt good about it. When I can do a project and achieve the level of quality I want, I’m very satisfied.

This got me thinking about the types of projects I can do well. I’ll focus on those and continue to hire professionals for the rest. It’s not worth investing time and energy into something I don’t enjoy and that frustrates me when I can’t achieve a high standard. The quality of the work matters, and if I can’t meet that standard, it’s better to let someone else handle it.

In conclusion, while I may not be the handiest person around, I’ve learned to recognize my limits and focus on what I can do well. For the rest, I’m happy to hire professionals. It’s a balance between knowing when to DIY and when to call in the experts. If you’re like me, don’t be afraid to admit your limitations and seek help when needed. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your home.

Spending at least two hours per week in nature can have significant benefits for health and well-being. A study in the United Kingdom, which surveyed nearly 20,000 participants, found that people who spent at least 120 minutes per week in nature reported better self-reported health and well-being. The likelihood of reporting good health or high well-being significantly increased with 120 minutes or more of nature contact per week. These positive associations peaked between 200 and 300 minutes per week, with no further gain from additional time in nature.

It doesn’t matter how these 120 minutes per week are achieved; both one long walk and multiple shorter visits per week can provide the same benefits. This suggests that the flexibility in planning nature visits makes it easier for people to integrate this habit into their busy lives.

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For years, I’ve been cultivating a digital garden—a collection of notes and thoughts that I publicly share on my website. This garden has served as a category in my archive, a place where my ideas can grow and evolve. But recently, I’ve realized that my current method of organizing these notes isn’t as effective as it could be. So, I’m embarking on a journey to transform my digital garden into something more useful and meaningful.

The old process: from brain dump to keyword

My process for creating notes has always been quite organic. I use a note-taking application called Tana, where I jot down ideas inspired by articles, personal thoughts, or even random musings. These notes often start as a brain dump—a collection of everything that comes to mind related to a specific theme. I then add research, citations from blog posts, podcasts, or videos that I’ve already saved in my system.

Once I have all this information, I synthesize it into a statement. This statement is then summarized into a keyword, which serves as a shorthand for the note. The keyword is supposed to reflect the essence of my thoughts, including all the tangents and related topics. I then publish these notes on my website, linking them to other related notes.

The problem with keywords

Over time, I’ve noticed that this keyword-based system has its flaws. First, the keywords are often too brief to capture the full scope of my thoughts and research. This makes it difficult for me to remember what a particular keyword was about. I might have a vague idea, but not the specific details.

Additionally, I often find that multiple notes could fall under the same keyword, but because I use the keyword as an identifier, this creates confusion. As a result, I’ve stopped using keywords in my personal notes. However, my digital garden still relies on them, which has become increasingly problematic.

A new approach: daily improvements and detailed explanations

To address these issues, I’ve implemented a new process. Every day, I review a random note from my system. I have a rule: whenever I open a note, I must improve it in some way. This rule applies to all types of notes, whether they’re based on books, articles, meetings, or personal thoughts.

When I review a note, I now write a short text to accompany it. This text includes a statement that captures the core idea, followed by two or three paragraphs explaining how I arrived at that statement. I detail the background, the studies, and the other ideas that influenced my thinking. I’ve even built an AI function to help summarize the content of my notes into these explanatory paragraphs.

Implementing the new structure in my digital garden

This new structure—where the statement serves as the title and is followed by detailed explanations—has proven to be much clearer and more useful for me. However, it doesn’t align with the current format of my digital garden. So, starting yesterday, I’ve begun updating my digital garden to reflect this new approach.

Each morning, as I review a note, I also update its corresponding entry in my digital garden. Instead of a keyword and a brief statement, the entry now features the statement as the title and the explanatory paragraphs as the content. These entries are still linked to other related notes, but I’m being more selective about these links to ensure they add value.

The future of my digital garden

As I continue this process, you’ll notice changes in my digital garden. The titles will become longer and more descriptive, and the content will be richer and more informative. I’m not republishing these notes, so the original publication dates will remain the same. My hope is that this new structure will be clearer, more useful, and more engaging for those who visit my digital garden.

I invite you to explore this evolving space, to wander through my thoughts, and to find value in the detailed explanations that now accompany each note. This transformation is just beginning, and I believe it will make my digital garden a more meaningful and enriching place for everyone.

Every year, I look forward to working in August. It might sound odd, but there’s a unique charm to this month that makes it incredibly productive for me. While most people are on vacation, I find myself diving deep into my work with fewer distractions and more focus. Let me explain why August stands out as my most productive month and how I navigate its challenges.

The Beauty of Fewer Distractions

One of the main reasons I love working in August is that almost all businesses are closed for the summer holidays. This means there’s very little input from others, allowing me to focus solely on what I believe is most important. Without the need to consider others' schedules or demands, I can prioritize my tasks and work at my own pace. This autonomy is a significant factor in why I find August so productive.

The Downside of No Deadlines

However, the lack of deadlines can be a double-edged sword. Without the pressure of time constraints, I sometimes fall into Parkinson’s Law, where work expands to fill the time available. This can lead to taking more time than necessary to complete tasks, slightly diminishing productivity. It’s a delicate balance to maintain, but being aware of this tendency helps me stay on track.

Battling the Summer Heat

Another challenge of working in August is the intense summer heat. With temperatures often soaring to 40 degrees Celsius, it can be tough to stay motivated and efficient. The heat slows me down, affects my sleep, and generally makes it harder to maintain a high level of productivity. To combat this, I adjust my schedule to work during the cooler parts of the day, like early mornings, and take it easier in the afternoons when the heat is at its peak.

Finding the Right Balance

Ultimately, it’s all about finding the right balance. On one hand, I enjoy fewer interruptions and less pressure, which allows me to work comfortably. On the other hand, I have to contend with the slower pace brought on by the summer heat. Recognizing the different rhythms of the year is crucial. Summer might be slower, but winter tends to be more intense. Adapting to these seasonal changes and adjusting my work habits accordingly helps me optimize my productivity throughout the year.

Optimizing Productivity

To make the most of August, I focus on my peak concentration times, which for me is mid-morning. I plan my most critical tasks for this period and leave less demanding activities for the afternoon when my energy levels dip. By aligning my work with my natural rhythms and the seasonal environment, I can maintain a high level of productivity even during the hottest month of the year.

Starting meetings on time significantly contributes to both the satisfaction and effectiveness of the participants. Research shows that when meetings start late, this leads to lower satisfaction with the outcomes of the meeting. Participants not only have a negative attitude towards the meeting itself, but also towards the results that come out of it. This is because a late start is often accompanied by negative socio-emotional behaviors, such as frustration and impatience, which can undermine productivity and collaboration within the group.

In addition, experimental studies show that starting meetings on time has a positive influence on the expected and actual effectiveness of the meeting. When meetings start on time, participants feel more respected and motivated, leading to a more constructive and efficient collaboration. Adhering to the scheduled start time can therefore be a simple but powerful way to improve the overall quality of meetings, which ultimately contributes to better decision-making and higher satisfaction among participants.

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• Professionals lose an average of three hours per week on unnecessary meetings