Gear Not Stuff: The Science of a Better Workspace

This Gear Not Stuff will help you get more done, and improve your health and work life.

It’s time for Gear Not Stuff.

We live in a world of mass consumerism and have more stuff than ever. As I point out in Scarcity Brain, the average home contains at least 10,000 items. Yet minimalism, as I wrote here, has failed us.

When considering how to make smarter purchasing decisions, I’ve started distinguishing between gear and stuff.

• Stuff is a possession for the sake of it. Stuff clutters. We buy stuff impulsively to alleviate boredom or stress, or to solve problems we could have tackled creatively with what we already have.

• Gear, on the other hand, has a clear purpose of helping us achieve a higher purpose. Gear is a tool we can use to have better experiences.

This Month’s Gear Not Stuff: Science-Backed Work Gear

You may have seen a recent New York Times headline claiming that working from home is making everyone miserable. The story came from two scientists who published a study in Science linking mental health declines to the rise of remote work.

When we looked deeper into the data, we found major flaws in the study.

Commuting and office work is far more misery-inducing. Read our full analysis here, which covers three hallmarks of a bad job (no matter where you do it).

The good news: No matter if you work from home or an office, there are things you can do to improve your workspace.

Today’s post covers two things:

• The science of a better workspace—seven research-validated things you can do to improve your focus, health, and productivity.

• Gear that makes every work hour better, boosting your ability to get stuff done (well), so you can leave work earlier.

The average person spends 80,000 to 90,000 hours of their life at work. Even the slightest improvements matter.

Let’s roll …

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🎙️ Two Percent pod: Underrated Books

Alex & Books has read 75-100 books a year for the last decade. He joined me on the podcast to talk about the best off-the-radar books we’ve read—and their takeaways you can use. We each answered questions like:

• What’s the best hidden-gem self-improvement book?

• What’s a fiction book that changed your life?

• What’s the most overrated self-help book?

• What book would you assign if you started a cult?

Listen to the episode here … or watch it here.

Thanks to our partners:

• 💪 David Protein Bars have the highest amount of protein per calorie of all protein bars. That makes them a great option for anyone who wants protein on the go without the excess sugar and fat of most bars. Visit DavidProtein.com.

• 🧪 Function Health offers 5x deeper insights into your health than typical bloodwork. The info can guide you into feeling better every day. It helped me identify a mineral insufficiency—and was cheaper than my insurance. Go to my page here to sign up, receive a discount, and pay just $340.

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From here you’ll learn:

• The simple workspace change linked to 46 more minutes of sleep a night.

• The ideal temperature, noise level, and air quality for clearer thinking.

• The gear that can reduce distractions, ease nagging pain, and help you work better.