According to developmental molecular biologist John Medina, our brains were not designed for the modern workplace. As this article from Big Think puts it: “The modern workplace was not designed with the human brain in mind. This disconnect can make it difficult for us to engage, feel safe, and reach our potential.” Similarly, in work on... See more

What we currently know as productivity is high‐end slavery. I want you to imagine a task master disguised in sleek planners and hour‐by‐hour checklists. In short, modern day productivity was never really about human flourishing. It was about the power of capital to convert human time into surplus, and to turn ceaseless motion into profit. And that... See more

The word productivity might seem benign, but its roots excavate deep into the soil of capitalism and industrialisation. Think of Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations , who first distinguished between “productive” and “unproductive” labour; measuring man by the output of his loins or mills. Over time, productivity became the hallowed ratio of output... See more

I used to be an advocate of productivity. I coached clients on how to squeeze every ounce of potential from the hour. I believed productivity was the means and the key to a purposeful life. In actual fact, my convictions on the subject were ramrod straight and sharp like a new razor.

Then without warning, things fell apart in April of this year,... See more