Less Busy Lab

Aye Moah & Alex Moore
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

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

    4D AGO

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

    12/29/2025

    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
  3. Jagged Frontiers: The 2025 Playbook for AI at Work

    12/15/2025

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

    11/19/2025

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

    10/29/2025

    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
  6. Rethinking Email: How Remote Work Changed Everything

    09/24/2025

    Rethinking Email: How Remote Work Changed Everything

    What does email apnea, Slack culture, and flow state protection have in common? They’re all part of how our digital communication habits have shifted since the pandemic—and how those shifts are reshaping productivity. In this episode, Moah and Alex unpack what’s changed about email, chat, and meetings in the past five years. From the days of “batching email twice a day” to today’s blurred boundaries of hybrid work, they dig into surprising research on responsiveness, burnout, and the hidden costs of interruptions. You’ll hear stories from their own remote team and insights from studies out of Microsoft and the University of Mannheim. Along the way, they explore how to balance synchronicity with deep work, why self-interruptions might be less harmful than external ones, and practical ways to protect your off-hours while staying connected to your team. Tune in for practical tips, surprising science, and the kind of candid conversation that will help you get more done while feeling less busy. Links from the show! Media Synchronicity Theory — Multilingual Virtual Teams https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331209896_Language_Proficiency_and_Media_Synchronicity_Theory_The_Impact_of_Media_Capabilities_on_Satisfaction_and_Inclusion_in_Multilingual_Virtual_Teams Email apnea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_apnea Positive feelings when we're more responsive https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/job.2239 Email patterns and self-interruption https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2858036.2858262 Microsoft research on interruptions at work https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Modeling-Opportune-Moments-for-Transitions-and-Breaks-at-Work.pdf

    33 min
  7. Beating the Post-Vacation Blues: Re-Entry Hacks for Jet Lag, Inbox Overload, and more

    09/04/2025

    Beating the Post-Vacation Blues: Re-Entry Hacks for Jet Lag, Inbox Overload, and more

    Back from vacation and drowning in emails, Slack threads, and jet lag? You’re not alone—87% of people dread re-entry, even though only 12% dislike their jobs. In this episode, Moah and Alex explain why post-vacation blues hit so hard, from dopamine drops and major context switches to real jet lag, and share their re-entry playbook: pre-trip handoff notes, a tidy desk, staggered Boomerang returns, and AI-powered catch-up. Vacations also reset more than your calendar. They reset your brain, creating temporal landmarks that make it easier to restart good routines, drop bad ones, or launch new habits that actually stick. From employees refilling their energy to managers preventing burnout and founders shaping vacation policy, you’ll learn why taking time off is one of the most productive choices you can make. You will be ready to return from your next vacations sharper, steadier, and more effective than before with the tips and tricks learned from this episode. Links from the show! Only 12% of people hate their jobs! https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/12/10/job-satisfaction/ Harris Poll for Zapier: https://zapier.com/blog/time-off-report-part-2/ The Fresh Start Effect: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-43171-006 Ernst & Young study: https://www.healthnet.com/portal/home/content/iwc/home/articles/health_benefits_of_vacations.action Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    25 min
  8. Email Productivity 101: Tips That Still Work 20 Years Later

    08/20/2025

    Email Productivity 101: Tips That Still Work 20 Years Later

    Does your inbox feel like a to-do list written by other people? You’re not alone. Even as communication has shifted to chat apps like Slack and Teams, the average knowledge worker receives 117 emails per day. It remains one of the biggest sources of workplace chaos. In this episode, Alex and Moah take you on a tour of modern email management strategies, from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” method and Merlin Mann’s Inbox Zero to why the infamous 43-folder system never really worked. They reveal why 30% of your inbox is stuff you can’t act on right away, how Gmail’s 15GB of storage changed the “delete vs. archive” debate, and why research shows you’re actually slower if you prioritize organizing messages in folders. Along the way, you’ll hear Moah’s hilarious multi-select purge routine, Alex’s trick for writing “hateful" emails you’ll never regret sending, and career-changing stories of an astronaut and a Michelin-starred chef whose big breaks almost died in spam. If you’ve ever stared at an inbox full of decisions and felt paralyzed or if you wonder why your inbox continues to feel overwhelming despite spending hours each day clearing it out, this episode is for you. Tune in for research-backed workflows, funny war stories, and practical hacks you can try today—including a printable flowchart to retrain your brain for faster, calmer email handling. Your inbox may never be empty, but after this episode, it won’t own you. Links from the show! Microsoft's research on emails received per day https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday David Allen's Getting Things Done https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done Merlin Mann's series on Inbox Zero https://www.43folders.com/43-folders-series-inbox-zero Study: Am I wasting my time organizing email? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221518713_Am_I_wasting_my_time_organizing_email Snooze messages to save them for later https://www.boomeranggmail.com/l/gmail-snooze.html Do, Defer, Delete flowchart https://content.reviveyourinbox.com/img/UltimateEmailWorkflow.pdf Boomerang for Gmail boomeranggmail.com Boomerang for Outlook boomerangoutlook.com Got todos? Get GQueues gqueues.com

    34 min
See All (16)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

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
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Aye Moah & Alex Moore
  • Show Website
    Less Busy Lab