Synchronous work is the default in most teams—meetings, pings, and calls all day long. It feels productive because things are happening in real-time. But if you care about actual output, async work usually wins. Here’s why.
Definitions
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Synchronous (Sync) = Real-time communication. Think Zoom calls, Slack DMs, phone calls.
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Asynchronous (Async) = Not real-time. Think emails, screen recordings, project management comments, code commits.
Why Async is More Productive
1. Fewer Interruptions
Context switching kills momentum. Context switching kills momentum. It has to be said twice. Every time someone Slacks you with “got a sec?”, you’re pulled out of deep work. Async removes the expectation of an immediate response.
2. Time-Zone Friendly
Global teams can work without scheduling gymnastics. Async creates a communication layer where updates can be reviewed and replied to on each person’s schedule.
3. Built-in Documentation
When communication happens in threads, comments, or docs, there’s a paper trail. Sync communication often disappears unless someone remembers to “write up notes.”
4. Better Thinking
Async gives people time to think before they respond. This usually results in clearer, more thought-out decisions, instead of knee-jerk takes on a video call.
5. Meeting Bloat Reduction
Many meetings exist solely because “we need to talk about it.” If you write better, you’ll need fewer meetings. Most status updates and planning sessions can be handled in a comment thread or short screen recording.
When Sync Still Makes Sense
Async isn’t a religion. There are times when sync is better:
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Rapid feedback loops (e.g. debugging something live)
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High-emotion topics (e.g. personnel issues, disputes)
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Team building (sometimes you just need to see faces)
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Weekly accountability check-ins – A recurring touchpoint can keep people in rhythm
All of these are edge cases. Useful, but they should be the exceptions—not the rule.
How to Shift Toward Async
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Replace meetings with project updates in Notion or ClickUp.
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Use screen recordings instead of hopping on a call.
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Set Slack expectations: replies can take hours (or even days), not minutes.
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Bundle your questions into one message, not a dozen interruptions.
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Default to documenting everything.
TL;DR
Sync feels fast. Async is fast—over time.
If your team is constantly busy but not shipping, try removing half the meetings, mute Slack for most of the day, and switch to async-first habits. Productivity will spike. And people might actually enjoy work again.
