The dichotomy of productivity is that you have to spend a lot of time doing nothing in order to do other stuff well. In this conversation Sam and Simon explore the quest for pointless activities. 

Stuff mentioned in this episode:

• The ridiculous cost of sportses, and how it impedes our progress as a species.
• Bertrand Russell, who had a lot to say about doing nothing.
• The Pomodoro Technique.
• The 4-hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss.
• The elephant and rider problem from the Happiness Hypothesis.
• Freedom for Productivity, which keeps Sam off the internets when she needs to do stuff.
• Mihály Csíkszentmihályi‘s Flow psychology.
• Hemingway – Simon’s new favourite writing tool.
• George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language.
• The Count Censored.
• Nyancoin – our new official currency. And Dogecoin. Because Homestar Runner.
• Momentum for Chrome.
• Slaan daardie slang.