Less Busy Lab

Aye Moah & Alex Moore
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Less Busy Lab is the productivity podcast for people who want to get the right things done and still feel calm when the laptop closes. Moah & Alex met at MIT and later went on to build Boomerang, the multi-million-dollar productivity suite used by millions while amassing more than a dozen patents on productivity technology. After fifteen years of leading an efficient team that consistently out-performs its size without burning out, they’ve learned that real productivity isn’t a single system or a 4am morning routine. Alongside parenting two energetic kids together, they continue to hack on their own productivity and enjoy reading research papers with a glass of wine after the kids go to bed. In each episode, they unpack the research behind focus, overwhelm, habit change, task management, and procrastination while sharing honest stories of the methods they’ve tried—what stuck, what flopped, and why. You’ll leave with practical, actionable tips to discover your own “productivity persona,” lift team performance, and feel less busy while getting more done. If you’re looking for thoughtful guidance on getting the right things done faster while feeling less busy, you’ll feel at home here.

  1. Meeting Defrag: How to Stop Bad Meetings from Multiplying

    26 MAR

    Meeting Defrag: How to Stop Bad Meetings from Multiplying

    How much are bad meetings actually costing your company? The real number is probably worse than you think, and the dollars aren't even the scary part. Bad meetings breed burnout, stall decisions, and have a nasty habit of multiplying. This week, Alex and Moah dig into why meetings spiral out of control: the FOMO that keeps people showing up, the "meeting creep" that fills calendars without anyone noticing, and the cognitive recovery cost that makes a bad meeting even worse than the time it stole. They introduce Meeting Defrag, a framework for leaders who suspect their team's calendar is working against them. You'll hear about the CEO who was almost fired because of a really bad meeting he ran, and what happened when one company deleted every recurring meeting (12,000 of them) in a single day. They leave you with a four-question checklist for evaluating whether any recurring meeting on your calendar deserves to stay there. Plus: Moah surveys the Boomerang team about their own meetings and discovers what the team actually values about their daily standup, and it's not what you'd expect. Links from the show! Only 35% of people think they’d be missed in a given meeting https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/will-ai-fix-work Impact of Meeting Free days https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/102394/1/The%20Surprising%20Impact%20of%20Meeting-Free%20Days.pdf Meeting Load Paradox https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0007681323001167 Calendly State of Meetings Report https://calendly.com/resources/guides/2024-state-of-meetings-report Got to-dos? Get GQueues! gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    35 min
  2. The Procrastination Doom Loop: How to Break Free (Science-Backed Strategies)

    24 FEB

    The Procrastination Doom Loop: How to Break Free (Science-Backed Strategies)

    You know you should start that project. You know the deadline is looming. So why are you watching TikTok instead? It's actually not a willpower problem, and it’s not poor time management. In this episode, Alex and Moah dig into the surprising science of procrastination. It turns out that the conventional wisdom about why some of us put things off, wait until the last minute, and even miss deadlines entirely is inaccurate. Instead of doubling down on unhelpful advice, they reveal the tactics that can actually help you get work done on time. Along the way, you’ll learn about a nude French novelist (one of history’s most famous procrastinators), the three types of procrastination (and why only one is harmful), and three evidence-based strategies you can use to break bad habits. If you've struggled with procrastination your whole life, there's hope. And it doesn't need to involve nudity ;) Links from the show! Seminal paper on procrastination https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17201571/ Procrastinators’ brain https://neurosciencenews.com/doer-procrastinator-brains-9724/ Temptation bundling for exercise https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S074959782030385X Meta analysis of intervention strategies for Procrastination https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1747938X18300472 Party tricks and Naked Writing https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2018/dec/30/party-tricks-and-naked-writing-the-eccentric-life-of-victor-hugo Got to-dos? Get GQueues! gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    36 min
  3. How to Use AI Without Losing Your Edge

    10 FEB

    How to Use AI Without Losing Your Edge

    Microsoft's annual Future of Work report is out, and it's packed with surprising findings about how AI is reshaping the way we work. But here's the thing: the report is mostly good news wrapped in some genuinely unsettling data. In this episode, Alex and Moah dig into the 2025 report and address some uncomfortable questions: Is AI already better than doctors? What happens to your skills when AI does your job? And why are we having more meetings than ever, not fewer? You'll learn the paradoxes of AI and the situations where a shortcut can become a time suck, why meetings are exploding and the counterintuitive data on pandemic work habits and what's changed, and practical tips for staying sharp so you engage cognitively alongside AI and maintain your edge. This isn't another "AI will replace your job" panic episode. It's a thoughtful exploration of what the data actually says, where the hype ends, and what you should actually do about it. Links from the show! Microsoft’s 2025 New Future of Work Report https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/New-Future-Of-Work-Report-2025.pdf Procter & Gamble Study: AI-human teaming https://dl.acm.org/doi/fullHtml/10.1145/3613904.3642414 AI performed better than doctors https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39466245/ Got to-dos? Get GQueues! gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    33 min
  4. Quitters Friday and How to Conquer the “What the Hell Effect”

    9 JAN

    Quitters Friday and How to Conquer the “What the Hell Effect”

    Today isn’t just any Friday, it’s Quitter’s Friday, the day when more people abandon their New Year's resolutions than any other day of the year. Only 18% of people report success with their resolutions by year-end, but what separates the successful few from everyone else isn't simply willpower. This episode explores the psychology behind why resolutions fail so frequently and which research-backed methods actually work for building habits. You'll discover the "What the Hell Effect" and learn the pitfalls of all-or-nothing streak-style goals, where most reminder apps fall short, and the surprising role sleep plays in building lasting habits. Whether you've already fallen off the wagon or you’ve maintained your resolution (for now), this episode arms you with tools to plot your own Quitter’s Comeback. Because day 9 of 365 is too soon to give up for good. Links from the show! Quitter's Day research data from Strava https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/a-study-of-800-million-activities-predicts-most-new-years-resolutions-will-be-abandoned-on-january-19-how-you-cancreate-new-habits-that-actually-stick.html Herman & Mack’s milkshake study (What the Hell Effect) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1975.tb00727.x How sleep affects habit formation https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10374463/ Reminders should help you remember your trigger, not act as the trigger itself https://pure-oai.bham.ac.uk/ws/files/71165330/Investigating_the_Impact_IWC_2019_Final.pdf Schedule text messages from your Gmail (it seems some carriers have shut these down, your results may vary!) https://blog.boomerangapp.com/2011/06/schedule-text-messages-from-your-gmail/ Got to-dos? Get GQueues! gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    26 min
  5. Why Your New Year's Resolution Will Fail (And How to Fix It Before January Ends)

    29/12/2025

    Why Your New Year's Resolution Will Fail (And How to Fix It Before January Ends)

    Most people who make New Year's resolutions fail before February. But what if we told you that success isn't about willpower or motivation—it's about understanding how habits actually form? In this episode, Alex and Moah break down (and argue about) the science behind New Year's resolutions, from ancient Babylonian festivals to modern Stanford research. Discover why Benjamin Franklin's centuries-old method still works, why"it takes 21 days to build a habit” myth is dead wrong, and the five-step framework that converts good intentions into lasting change. Links from the show! Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg: https://tinyhabits.com/ How to Change by Katy Milkman https://www.katymilkman.com/book Habits take 66 days, not 21 days https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674 Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7725288/ What are Americans’ New Year’s resolutions for 2025? https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/51144-what-are-americans-new-years-resolutions-for-2025 Got to-dos? Get GQueues gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    33 min
  6. Jagged Frontiers: The 2025 Playbook for AI at Work

    15/12/2025

    Jagged Frontiers: The 2025 Playbook for AI at Work

    Is AI capable of revolutionizing your workflow? This episode examines what the technology is capable of doing and what still feels frustrating. From radically faster resume screening and meeting prep automation, to saving hours on research and making sense of dense docs, Alex and Moah reveal some “easy win” strategies that can start saving you time today. They also explore the jagged edges where AI still stumbles, helping you avoid some frustration. Discover how built-in tools like Gemini and Copilot can instantly boost your team’s efficiency without any technical integrations. Hear candid talk on what automation can (and can’t) replace, differences in payoffs for seasoned vs. new employees, and practical prompts to ensure quality results. AI has improved significantly since ChatGPT was first introduced, so if you were let down by it before, now is a great time to give it another shot. Links from the show! MIT Productivity Study with ChatGPT https://economics.mit.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/Noy_Zhang_1.pdf AI usage experiment with Customer Support https://academic.oup.com/qje/article/140/2/889/7990658 Jagged Frontier Experiment by Harvard Business School: https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/24-013_d9b45b68-9e74-42d6-a1c6-c72fb70c7282.pdf Got to-dos? Get GQueues gqueues.com Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com

    34 min
  7. The Perfectionist’s Trap: 3 Deadly Enemies of Getting Things Done

    19/11/2025

    The Perfectionist’s Trap: 3 Deadly Enemies of Getting Things Done

    Which world famous masterpiece took its creator 16 years and still wasn’t finished? Yet it’s the one painting everyone has heard of. What’s worse, the painter died before the public ever saw his most famous piece. He was a perfectionist, and in this episode, Alex and Moah will explore the challenge so many face, from artists to authors to even themselves: completing a project you’ve started. You’ll discover the three major barriers to calling a project “done,” why perfectionism is so hard to beat, how to harness the power of deadlines and accountability, and clever strategies to make the tedious “last 10%” manageable (and maybe even fun). Alex and Moah also attack the all-too-common problem of scope creep with practical tips you can implement with your team or on your own. Tune in to transform your unfinished projects into completed victories, and finally experience the sweet satisfaction of “done.” Tune in to pick up powerful tools, principles rooted in psychology, and that final push you’ve been looking for. Links from the show! Small area hypothesis https://ideas.repec.org/a/oup/jconrs/doi10.1086-663827.html https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/how-to-turn-the-bureaucratic-grind-of-life-into-a-party-7205f690 Study of how NASA scientists stay motivated when mission times are forever https://news.virginia.edu/content/research-reveals-keys-sustaining-long-term-motivation How to run a forcing party, from Tyler Alterman https://x.com/TylerAlterman/status/1947291319774159251 Admin Night - Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/how-to-turn-the-bureaucratic-grind-of-life-into-a-party-7205f690 Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com Got to-dos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    36 min
  8. Lessons from 26 Team Offsites; What Worked & What Didn’t

    29/10/2025

    Lessons from 26 Team Offsites; What Worked & What Didn’t

    What makes a company offsite productive and not just another expensive mini-vacation with name tags? In this episode of Less Busy Lab, Moah and Alex pull back the curtain on more than a decade of running offsites and hackathons for their now remote team. From a castle in Mill Valley with more Greco-Roman statues than employees to a bioluminescent kayaking adventure, they share real stories of what went right, what went wrong, and the research-backed reasons offsites make teams more creative, connected, and collaborative. You’ll hear why brainstorming after lunch is scientifically smarter, how silly icebreakers (like “Your plane crash-landed on a desert island. What would you pack?”) build psychological safety, and how offsites can increase collaboration by over 20%. Plus, learn their practical hacks for planning a great retreat, like why natural light matters and how to verify Airbnb Wi-Fi before you arrive. Whether you’re organizing your first team retreat or wondering if you should attend an optional off-site, this episode will leave you with fresh ideas, science-based takeaways, and at least make it something you don’t dread. Links from the show! Babson/Dartmouth study: attendees received ~23.5% more new incoming collaboration ties after an offsite than non‑attendees https://faculty.tuck.dartmouth.edu/images/uploads/faculty/adam-kleinbaum/RewiringTheOrgNetwork.pdf Microsoft’s 61,000‑employee study on collaboration time https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/the-effects-of-remote-work-on-collaboration-among-information-workers/ Organizations now average 2.6 offsite events annually: Emburse https://www.emburse.com/resources/the-state-of-corporate-offsites-2025 Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com Got to-dos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    40 min
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About

Less Busy Lab is the productivity podcast for people who want to get the right things done and still feel calm when the laptop closes. Moah & Alex met at MIT and later went on to build Boomerang, the multi-million-dollar productivity suite used by millions while amassing more than a dozen patents on productivity technology. After fifteen years of leading an efficient team that consistently out-performs its size without burning out, they’ve learned that real productivity isn’t a single system or a 4am morning routine. Alongside parenting two energetic kids together, they continue to hack on their own productivity and enjoy reading research papers with a glass of wine after the kids go to bed. In each episode, they unpack the research behind focus, overwhelm, habit change, task management, and procrastination while sharing honest stories of the methods they’ve tried—what stuck, what flopped, and why. You’ll leave with practical, actionable tips to discover your own “productivity persona,” lift team performance, and feel less busy while getting more done. If you’re looking for thoughtful guidance on getting the right things done faster while feeling less busy, you’ll feel at home here.

Information

  • Creator
    Aye Moah & Alex Moore
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Aye Moah & Alex Moore
  • Show Website
    Less Busy Lab

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