Productivity articles

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Microsoft study finds "infinite workday" is hurting productivity

AI could help, or make things worse
In brief: Remember during and immediately after the lockdowns, when so many companies promised a new era of work-life balance and flexibility? According to new research from Microsoft, the opposite is now true, with most people working an "infinite workday" that lasts more than 12 hours and bleeds into weekends. It's impacting productivity, and while AI could make things better, it could also make them worse.
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Sergey Brin says 60-hour in-office weeks are key to Google's AI push

Work to live or live to work?
A hot potato: Sergey Brin, the billionaire who co-founded Google alongside Larry Page in 1998, isn't the biggest believer in the idea of a work-life balance. He says that in order for Google to come out on top in the ultra-competitive AI industry, employees should work no fewer than 60 hours per week, which Brin calls the "sweet spot of productivity."
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Gmail's new summary cards help users track purchases, events, and more

Why it matters: Google is constantly tinkering with Gmail to make it more productive and useful. Its most recent effort is an update to the summary cards feature, which will now offer real-time information about events, bills, and other important matters. It's a handy addition to email boxes that are increasingly overflowing with junk and marketing messages – an environment, in other words, where important information can easily get lost.