Key facts
- Software engineer Pankaj Tanwar used his Whoop fitness tracker and work calendar data to measure stress levels during meetings.
- By analyzing heart rate data, Tanwar identified specific coworkers who triggered the most significant stress responses.
- He created a "stress leaderboard" ranking colleagues based on their physiological impact.
- Tanwar's method involved reverse-engineering the Whoop tracker to access minute-by-minute heart rate data.
- The post detailing his findings went viral on X, sparking widespread interest and amusement.
Software engineer Pankaj Tanwar has developed an innovative method to identify which coworkers cause him the most stress during work meetings. By linking his Whoop fitness tracker to his work calendar, Tanwar analyzed minute-by-minute heart rate data. This allowed him to correlate physiological stress spikes with specific meetings and attendees, ultimately creating a personal "stress leaderboard."
Tanwar explained his process on X, detailing how he used Fable to reverse-engineer his Whoop device for access to granular heart rate data. He then mapped these data points against his calendar entries and meeting participants to pinpoint the individuals who elicited the strongest stress responses. Although he obscured identifying details for privacy, Tanwar admitted the results significantly influence his daily thoughts.
The post quickly gained widespread attention on the social media platform X, amassing over 6 million views and more than 24,000 likes. Users expressed amusement and admiration for Tanwar's ingenuity, with many suggesting they would adapt the concept for their own use cases, such as monitoring children's screen time.