Episodes

  • Engineer Your Focus: Practical Steps to Enter & Sustain Flow State
    Jul 24 2025

    When was the last time you got so absorbed in your work that time disappeared?

    That's Flow State, the peak performance zone where tasks feel effortless, creativity flows, and your output boosts up to 500% without the usual exhaustion and burnout. It’s the powerful psychological phenomenon behind breakthroughs from Archimedes to Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural masterpiece, Fallingwater.

    Join Moah and Alex as they unravel the science of optimal experience: what happens in your brain, why it's so elusive in our interrupted world and what those interruptions are costing you (2.1 hours daily adding up to 5 work weeks a year).

    They will share actionable strategies to systematically create the conditions for 'Flow State’ that worked for them and their team; from setting up your personal "flow-prone" bubble to implementing company-wide initiatives like "Maker Time" and distraction-free hackathons.

    Tune in to reclaim your time, boost your output, and finally love your work again.

    Links from the show!

    Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi https://archive.org/details/flow-the-psychology-of-optimal-experience-pdfdrive

    Flow and work place burnout https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165032717317822?via%3Dihub

    Group Genius: https://www.groupgenius.net/

    Infinite Work Day Microsoft Report https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday

    Neuro Imaging Study for Flow State https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2024/March/New-Neuroimaging-Study-Reveals-How-the-Brain-Achieves-a-Creative-Flow-State

    Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule by Paul Graham https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html

    Tools

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Tiny boxes, huge consequences: How checklists have saved lives, hours, and experiments
    Jul 9 2025

    In Episode 6, Alex and Moah trace the origin and history of a simple productivity tool that transformed aviation safety, helped land humans on the Moon, slashed surgical fatalities by 47 percent, and saved their own product launches at Boomerang from chaos.

    You’ll hear about the 1935 B‑17 disaster that birthed the first checklist for Boeing, the Checklist Manifesto research that turned skeptics into believers, and the sly NSFW surprise Apollo 12 astronauts found on their cuff checklists — one they had to hide from the public.

    Along the way, they unpack two types of checklists: read-do vs. do‑confirm and explain when and how you should use each. They will also share three properties that make every checklist more usable and which kind of errors checklists prevent (it’s not errors of ignorance).

    Whether you ship code, host events, or just want to stop leaving analytics off your product experiments, this episode will get you a head start on using checklists the right way.

    Tune in to learn how a simple 19‑item checklist can save you up to 19 hours of rework.

    Links from the Show!

    Surgical safety https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2009/09/checklist-for-surgical-safety

    B17 to Apollo Missions: https://blog.nuclino.com/the-simple-genius-of-checklists-from-b-17-to-the-apollo-missions

    The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande https://atulgawande.com/book/the-checklist-manifesto/

    Playboy Playmates on the moon: https://aphelis.net/seen-any-interesting-hills-valley-playmates-on-the-moon-1969/

    Checklist Usage Paper: https://aircconline.com/csit/papers/vol11/csit112322.pdf

    Picture of Neil Armstrong’s cuff checklist from Apollo 11 https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-media/NASM-SI-2006-11306

    Van Halen and Bowl of Brown M&Ms https://www.acadia-software.com/landing-pages/checklists-standardwork/

    Tools

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • Build Your Productivity Toolbox: Why Silver Bullets Rust
    Jun 25 2025

    What do fad diets, New‑Year’s resolutions, and “miracle” morning routines have in common? They all work—until they don’t.

    In this episode, Alex and Moah unpack why no single productivity system can serve everyone forever, and how embracing change (like a Buddhist) is the real path to getting more done while feeling less busy. They’ll share why short‑term wins are still wins, how weekly reviews act as an early‑warning system when output stalls, and the hidden cost of clinging to workflows that no longer fit your role, life stage, or team dynamics.

    Stop chasing that one weird productivity trick, and pick up a simple framework for building (and refreshing) your personal “toolbox” of tactics. And remember, “better is good” in productivity too.

    Links from the Show!

    POUNDS : Weight Loss Trial https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2763382/

    Quitters Day https://www.techradar.com/health-fitness/tired-of-your-busy-january-gym-strava-reveals-the-exact-date-itll-be-quiet-again

    The Fresh Start Effect https://faculty.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Dai_Fresh_Start_2014_Mgmt_Sci.pdf

    Better is good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VolsV0ox_yw

    Tools

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • How to Manufacture Some Accountability for Yourself: The Third Pillar of Productivity
    Jun 11 2025

    Still staring at that stubborn unfinished task? Bring in virtual witnesses, set a kitchen timer, or bet money on a cause you despise and watch it finally get done.

    In Part 2 of our “Third Pillar of Productivity,” Moah and Alex explore how to set up accountability for yourself with various tools and unconventional techniques. They test-drive low-stakes body-doubling, share how they put up real money on stickK’s infamous “anti-charity” wagers, and unpack why sharing your goal with a friend can rocket completion rates and what research says about commitment devices.

    Tune in to learn how the right deadline, partner, or wager turns procrastination into unstoppable momentum and walk away with an accountability toolkit ready for your next leftover task.

    Links from the Show!

    Writing down goals increasing the chance of success : https://www.dominican.edu/sites/default/files/2020-02/gailmatthews-harvard-goals-researchsummary.pdf

    95% success rate https://crossfit306.ca/news-and-events/2019/5/1/be-95-more-likely-achieve-your-goal-with-one-simple-step (We can’t find the actual “study” by ASTD)

    Commitment and Consistency Principle mentioned in Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Cialdini

    Commitment device and their efficacy research with data from stickK

    Tools

    Flowclub: https://www.flow.club/

    Focusmate: https://www.focusmate.com/

    stickK.com: https://www.stickk.com/

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • How to Make Yourself Do the Things You Keep Avoiding, Part I: The Third Pillar of Productivity
    May 28 2025

    There’s that one task for everyone. You see it. You skip it. You promise tomorrow. But tomorrow never shows up. What if getting started isn’t about more discipline? What if it’s about… making friends with gnawing rats?

    In this episode, we explore how to make dreaded tasks feel more accessible to get started or lingering projects to get completed.

    What kind of ceiling height is better suited for what kind of tasks? Could a tomato-shaped kitchen timer give you the burst of energy to start that long dreaded project? And what does a pre-lunch setup ritual that only takes one minute have to do with momentum? We’re unpacking all of it—and more—in this episode.

    If your to-do list has a stale, shame-tinted leftover, this one’s for you. Come sit with the rats. You might be surprised what happens next.

    Links from the Show!

    The Influence of Ceiling Height https://assets.csom.umn.edu/assets/71190.pdf

    Temperature and productivity https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark%3A/67531/metadc882029/

    Time Surfing - Reference to gnawing rats https://www.timesurfing.uk/#book

    Hawthorne Works Experiment - Note: most writeups of this experiment attribute the results to the participants being observed rather than the environment changes. Blame either the shifting sands of research or Alex’s faulty memory! https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/the-hawthorne-effect

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • What Should I Do Now? Prioritization: The Second Pillar of Productivity
    May 13 2025

    Ever feel buried under a mountain of urgent tasks, unsure of what to tackle first—or how to avoid tasks that don’t really matter? You're not alone! In this episode, Moah and Alex dive into the art and science of prioritization.

    Join them as they unpack powerful methods like the Eisenhower Matrix, flexible time blocking, and the Ivy Lee method. Hear why some strategies work great (and others don't) through real-life stories about snack-order debates, and Google’s API changes. You’ll learn how to decide what's truly important, what you can safely ignore, and how to adapt when your carefully planned day falls apart.

    Leave with practical, easy-to-try tips, and finally start prioritizing the tasks that genuinely move the needle—without feeling overwhelmed.

    Links from the Show!

    Ivy Lee Story https://jamesclear.com/ivy-lee

    MoSCoW Method https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MoSCoW_method

    Eisenhower Matrix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_management#Eisenhower_method

    GQueues Eisenhower Template https://www.gqueues.com/templates/eisenhower-method

    Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com

    Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Where’s My Stuff? The First Pillar of Productivity
    Apr 26 2025

    Struggling to switch off at night because unfinished tasks keep buzzing around your brain? It turns out there's an intriguing psychological explanation behind this phenomenon—and it's quietly sabotaging your productivity.

    In the first episode of Less Busy Lab, Moah and Alex kick off their three-part series, “3 Pillars of Productivity,” starting with the crucial topic: “Where is My Stuff?” They explore the mysterious Zeigarnik Effect, revealing why our minds obsess over unfinished tasks and how this impacts our daily lives. Can a simple tweak to your nightly routine help you sleep better and significantly reduce anxiety?

    Links from the Show!

    Boomerang for Gmail

    Boomerang for Outlook

    Got todos? Get GQueues

    Atlassian Survey

    Zeigarnik Effect

    Mis-En-Place Trello Template

    Remarkable

    Bullet Journal Template for Remarkable

    Bullet Journal System

    Scullin Paper on writing down unfinished tasks before bed time

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins