Stepping off the hedonic treadmill – why we are rarely satisfied
An in-depth exploration of hedonic adaptation and practical strategies to overcome the cycle of diminishing returns from pleasure-seeking behaviors. read more
Background music makes you more productive (but only in a nuanced way)
I wondered: is music hurting my understanding of what I read? Being a curious boy, I decided to investigate. I pulled up my trusty research tools and went to theory town. How does background music impact my brain? I asked in science speech.... read more
Defining music is easy–until you actually try to do it
We’re tackling what seems like a really basic question: What is music? Everyone intuitively knows ‘what music’ is, right? Well, as it turns out, it is really hard to pin down one definitive answer. Philosophers and scientists have been rack... read more
Convert Spotify library to markdown for safekeeping
When my Spotify account glitched and my libary showed up empty, I became very aware of the fact my 'music collection' was vendor locked. To lose the 1200 (!) albums I've saved over the years, was frightening to say the least. Luckily, under... read more
Exporting tasks from Things 3 database to plain text
This guide is written for Things on MacOS. There is a way to get your database on iOS or iPad. However, I can't guarantee the script will work with it. Step 1: Locating Your Things 3 Database Before you can use the script, you need to locat... read more
Eleven reasons the customer is often wrong
Recently, the old adage The customer is always right came up. While it tries to show the importance of customer feedback, it undervalues the expertise of professionals who have dedicated years to mastering their craft. Here's why I will alw... read more
Most strategies miss the 'overcoming obstacles' aspect
In my 8 years of penning strategy documents, I’ve consistently tripped over the same stumbling block. Projects fell short due to mismatched expectations, missed deadlines, and teams pulling in different directions. Why? Because we neglected... read more
Do Not Waste Hours Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition (Here Is How, Quick and Easy)
When you Google ‘how do I find my unique selling proposition’ the first results will probably tell you to ‘list all the features of your company that makes you unique’. What if I told you that there is a better way of getting to your USP? I... read more
Parts of ISO 9241 that are interesting to designers
ISO 9241 is practically a large pile of documents where usability standards are stored. It's also known as “The Ergonomics of Human System Interaction”. It is considered important because of its sheer amount of information on usability. Exp... read more