Entertaining attack by Ben Crair on the standing desk hype, including this brilliant passage on a much better solution to back problems: Of course the long, stationary workdays of most Americans are unhealthy. The solution should not be to sit less, but to work less. If sitting is as bad as the doctors say—and I’m […]
All posts filed under ‘Idleness’
Link: Relax! You’ll Be More Productive
In order to be more productive, I decided to relax and let Tony Schwarz write this article for me: In most workplaces, rewards still accrue to those who push the hardest and most continuously over time. But that doesn’t mean they’re the most productive. This is essential reading. Lots of studies pointing to the advantages […]
Action Bias
Wikipedia on social desirability bias: Social desirability bias is the tendency of respondents to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others. It can take the form of over-reporting good behavior or under-reporting bad behavior. The tendency poses a serious problem with conducting research with self-reports, especially questionnaires. This bias interferes […]
Out of the Headlights
I got some interesting reader comments by email for last week’s post, Deer in Headlights. One common objection was: “But it’s not my fault!” Of course it’s not. At least not exclusively. Deer in headlights isn’t just a hart problem. It’s a hard problem. And it’s also a herd problem, from all I can tell: […]
The Nothing Alternative
Raymond Chandler had an interesting approach to getting things done. In his case: Getting things written. Here’s what he said, according to Roy Baumeister and John Tierney in their book, Willpower: ((More on Willpower very soon. That book really is a blast if you know what to take from it.)) Chandler had his own system […]