Tech Productivity Issue #329 (When a Team is Too Big)

Issue #329 (When a Team is Too Big) 06/02/25

CodeRabbit: Free AI Code Reviews in VS Code
CodeRabbit brings AI-powered code reviews directly into VS Code, Cursor, and Windsurf. Get free, real-time feedback on every commit, before the PR, helping you catch bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues early.

Per-commit reviews: Identify issues faster and avoid lengthy PR reviews
Context-aware analysis: Understand code changes deeply for more accurate feedback
Fix with AI and get AI-driven suggestions to implement code changes
Multi-Layered Reviews: Benefit from code reviews both in your IDE (free) and in your PR (paid subscription)

Install in VS Code →

If you've had trouble with your prescription glasses while staring at a computer screen, you might want to check out this Hacker News thread where a reader asks: Do your eyes bug you even though your prescription is "correct"?

Interestingly, the user is asking about this because of a possible project (maybe an app to build?). He explains:

I’m digging into an idea around eyeglasses, screen-time, and vision discomfort. If you wear prescription glasses but still get headaches, eye strain, or blurry vision after long screen days, I’d love to chat briefly (20–30 min).

Not sure if the "chat" worked out but in true Hacker News fashion, there's tons of discussion on the subject.

Clearly our comfort in front of a computer screen plays a huge role in keeping us productive, so if you have problems in this area, I'm sure you'll get some help in the thread.

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

Tools & Apps

iamlockedin — A simple focus timer web app that allows you to "lock in" to specific projects while tracking analytics (saved in cookies/LocalStorage), and allowing search and export for your timesheets.

TwinMind — An AI-powered Chrome extension and iPhone app that captures everything in your meetings, lectures, and in-person conversations, and automatically transcribes, summarizes, proactively offers tasks, and more.

CodeRabbit: Free AI Code Reviews in VS Code — CodeRabbit brings AI-powered code reviews directly into VS Code, Cursor, and Windsurf. Get free, real-time feedback on every commit, before the PR, helping you catch bugs, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues early. sponsor

Substage — An AI-powered Mac app that enables you to convert, organize and otherwise manage your files with natural language.

Kernel — A dynamic knowledge management solution (i.e. second brain app) that lets you capture key insights from various sources, organize them with intuitive tags and folders, and transform them into a structured, interconnected personal library.

Online Markdown — A new option for an online Markdown editor with GitHub-flavored Markdown support, auto save, Mermaid Diagrams, a UI for adding images, links, and lots of other features.

CostMeet — A web app with options to automatically and manually track the cost of meetings, with options for currency, participants details, and more.

Articles & Resources

When a Team is Too Big — One of the author's takeaways is that generalist teams are more productive compared to many specialist teams that risk problems due to handovers.

Root for Your Friends — Nothing too revolutionary here, just a reminder that the success of others shouldn't bring us down or make us less accomplished.

This is How to Feel Better and Achieve Your Goals: 4 Secrets from Research — A discussion of hope (but not optimism), goals (which are the scaffolding for our hope), agency, and choosing more than one path to your goals.

How Successful People Timebox — A step-by-step guide to "timeboxing", a productivity method for better managing your time, with tips for those new to the technique along with some examples from experts.

News and Content Tailored to Your Interests — Every day Refind analyzes thousands of articles and sends you only the best, according to the topics you select. Loved by 536,000+ curious minds. sponsor

The Sunk Cost Fallacy is Ruining Your Decisions. Here’s How — "If you’ve ever let unworn clothes clutter your closet just because they were expensive, or followed through on plans you were dreading because you already bought tickets, you’re familiar with the sunk cost fallacy."

Why We Can't Stop Procrastinating (And What To Do About It) — More accurately, this is an article about the concept of present bias, which is claimed to be a catalyst for procrastination.

Suggestions?

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

Stay productive!

Louis
Follow on X • Bluesky • PayPal.me • Advertise

Not subscribed? Visit techproductivity.co to join today.