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Tech Productivity

Issue #208  (Your Brain in Back-to-back Meetings) 02/06/23


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If you're a Chrome browser user (or a user of another Chromium-based browser), and you do a lot of work and research in your browser, then you might already be aware of the Tab Groups feature in Chrome that was rolled out sometime in 2020.

There are a number of Chrome extensions that feature some form of tab features or organizing, but basic grouping can be done without an extension.

Right-click any tab to start adding tabs to a new group, and naming groups as you like. Once you've grouped tabs, you'll see something like the following.
 
Tab Groups in Chromium Browsers

Notice you can choose a color for each tab group, to help you identify them. You can click each group to close or expand them as needed, drag tabs into groups, and so on.

When you right-click a group, you have options to ungroup, close an entire group, and change the group color, among other features.
 
Options for Tab Groups in Chromium Browsers

So if you haven't started using Chrome's built-in tab grouping yet, give it a shot, you'll likely find it useful if you're a 100-tabs-open-at-any-given-time person, like many of us are!

Now on to this week's hand-picked productivity links!


 

Tools & Apps

Stashpad — A cross-platform notes app that helps engineering-minded individuals jot down quick thoughts, compartmentalize, and jump to what they need.

Question Base — An AI-based knowledge base inside Slack uses the existing information in your Slack channels to give employees instant and accurate answers.

Balance — A Mac-based time tracking app with focus on work-life balance that features mindful time tracking, break and clock-out reminders, a Pomodoro timer, and more.

Data is the Lifeblood of Modern Businesses — What are the most common mistakes companies make when it comes to managing and protecting sensitive user data? Read the guide now to learn how to move fast without breaking privacy.   sponsor  

Dashy — An open-source, highly customizable, easy-to-use, privacy-friendly dashboard app to help you build the perfect dashboard with status checks, keyboard shortcuts, dynamic widgets, and lots more.

YouTube Transcript — Enter a YouTube video URL and this website will play the video with a live interactive transcript beside the video, as it plays.

Hemmelig — Paste a password, secret message, or other private info to keep out of chat logs, emails, etc., then share the URL. This has multiple options (duration of the secret, one-time link, etc.) but all secrets will expire after a maximum of 7 days.
 

Articles & Resources

The Intermediate Plateau: What Causes It? How Can We Move Beyond It? — Some good thoughts on the learning environment – whether it's music, writing, programming, language, or anything else – where you're seemingly perpetually stuck somewhere between beginner and expert.

This is What Happens to Your Brain When You're in Back-to-Back Meetings — A data-based analysis on the negative effects of too many meetings, particularly when they are held in succession, and what effect it has on employee productivity.

When You’re Overwhelmed, Simplify — The title makes the article sound trite, but this is a fresh approach where the author discusses three "practices of simplicity" that you can try out.

Effective Habits for a Happy, Healthy, and Productive Life — This newsletter provides you with a weekly dose of actionable, evidence-based strategies and tools to help you be happier, healthier, and more productive. No fluff, just stuff that works.     sponsor  

The Argument for a 4-Day Workweek Gets Stronger After Latest Trial — Based on ongoing trials being held in the UK where feedback from employees and employers is showing overwhelmingly positive results. Now if only we can trim that down to 3 days...

A Harvard Nutritionist and Brain Expert Says Avoid These 5 Foods to Keep Your ‘Memory and Focus Sharp’ — Nothing groundbreaking here, but a good reminder and/or quick introduction to the subject, for those not in the loop on how food affects the brain.

How I Get Things Done in 2023 — This is a 3-part series (on Medium, use a private window if you get a paywall) where an engineering leader details his productivity system, from analog to digital and more.

Suggestions?

Have a suggestion for a productivity-related tool, article, or other resource? Send me a direct message via X (@LouisLazaris) and I’ll consider including it in a future issue.

Stay productive!

Louis
techproductivity.co
@LouisLazaris

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