On this episode, I chat about the idea of productivity guilt—including where it comes from and what to do about it. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Productivity Guilt appeared first on Chris Bailey .
On this episode, we chat about our favorite strategies for traveling with greater ease. Some topics covered include those to help you transverse time zones, pack more quickly (and without thinking), and enjoy getting to your destination more! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our favorite travel hacks appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about busyness—including how feeling busy is different from actually being busy. Some topics covered include: How we often wear busyness as a badge of honor; How we can’t be busy and focused at the same time; Busyness and busywork; “Parkinson’s Law”; How we tend to overestimate how long we work for; How busyness can be a sign we have the capacity to become more productive. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Unpacking busyness appeared first on ...
On this episode, we chat about what the research shows about news consumption—and what to do about it. Some topics covered include: Our “surface area of concern”; Tactics for deliberate news consumption; How the news affects our mind; What our own consumption patters (currently!) look like. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Deliberate news consumption appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, I chat with author and writer Scott Young about his new book, Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery . I hope you enjoy the conversation—about learning, mastery, and how to get better at pretty much anything. Listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to Learn Anything appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about the science behind meetings—and how to get more value out of them. Topics covered include: The four helpful roles meetings have; Questioning your recurring meetings; Considering relationship dynamics in meetings; Becoming a good steward of other peoples time; Designating a meeting leader; Not attending meetings without an agenda; “Modalities” for meetings; Making meetings more interesting (and actually enjoyable); Whether asynchronous “meetings” are worthwhile; End...
On this episode, we chat about the science behind meetings—along with the value and annoyances they bring. Topics covered include: Chris’s review of the Staples coworking space ; What makes meetings so draining; The four main purposes of meetings; How many meetings we have a week; Collaborative versus focused work; The incremental cost of meetings; Links mentioned in this episode: Paper: Do We Really Need Another Meeting? The Science of Workplace Meetings (Mroz; Allen; Verhoeven; Shuffler) Paper...
On this episode, we chat about strategies for time blocking your day—including the ones we use. Topics covered include: The benefits of time blocking; The “rolling” time blocking method; How long our blocks are; How autonomy interacts with time blocking; Making time blocking sustainable. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How We Time Block appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, Cal Newport hops back on the show to talk about his great new book, Slow Productivity . It’s a great, fascinating new book (and interview!), both full of actionable insights on how to slow down in order to become more productive. Topics covered include: How “slow productivity” came into being; The three ingredients of slow productivity; “Engineering simplicity” at work; The idea of “administrative overhead”; Narrowing the “missions” you have in your work; Avoiding “task engines”...
On this episode, we chat about how we use and think about social media. We cover what the problem is with social media (if there even is one), how the “novelty bias” hijacks our attention as we use it, and tactics to use to keep social media contained. Topics covered include: The books we’re reading (and loving); Impulsiveness and procrastination; How social media algorithms come down to “bodies and comparing lifestyles”; Ardyn’s incredibly wholesome Instagram feed; “Stimulation loops” and the “...
On this episode, we chat about whether or not you should wake up early—and how our biology and daily constraints dictate when we should rise. Topics covered include: Calculating your natural wakeup time; How our wakeup time drifts; The “sepia toned” idea we have to wake up early; Carving out time in the morning to be deliberate; How biology affects our wakeup time; How the constraints of our day affect wakeup time; Having an anchor in your morning routine; Whether waking up early makes a differe...
On this episode, we chat about how to avoid “all or nothing” thinking—also known as the “eff it” effect, or the abstinence violation effect, if you want to get technical about it. Topics covered include: Not being satisfied by partial success How the effect plays out across different time scales The idea of “sunk costs” How awareness is key to behavioral change The downfalls of black and white thinking You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: All or Something Thinki...
On this episode, we chat about how to stay productive when you don’t feel like it. Ideas covered include: How to settle into work when you just don’t feel like it; Not letting your to-do list turn into a list of expectations for how things will go; The idea of making “only progress”; Feeling your “pace of productivity” Understanding the procrastination triggers; Managing expectations downward; Connecting with how you feel to analyze how you’re stuck; Paying yourself ‘time and a half’; Accommodat...
On this episode, we chat about our phone home screens, debate about whose is better, and talk about whether “ focus modes ” should drive what’s on our home screen. Chris’s home screen: Ardyn’s home screen: A few links mentioned on the episode: Locket app: iOS ; Android ; Pedometer++ on iOS ; ChatGPT voice assistant ; Kijiji wikipedia page ; Withings Body Scan . You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our phone home screens appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about how the nature of productivity is changing, and how AI is making us more productive by making our work tasks higher-leverage. Topics covered include: The most important tasks in your work; How our “productivity leverage” increases with time; How AI makes us more productive by moving us up the “layers of abstraction” in our work; How we can delegate work to AI; How AI can save us time; The most popular AI apps right now. Links mentioned in this episode: TinyWow Canv...
On this episode, we chat about the perks and benefits of doing a “fake commute” each morning. Topics covered include: Chris’s experiment to do a “fake morning commute”; The benefits of morning sun; Other benefits of a fake morning commute; How commuting variables affect our happiness level; Pre- and post-work rituals. Links mentioned in this episode: Happy City , by Charles Montgomery (great book!) Research: The Positive Utility of the Commute: Modeling Ideal Commute Time and Relative Desired Co...
On this episode, we chat about how the book publishing industry works—and how you can publish a book of your own, either the traditional or nontraditional way. [Here’s the PDF] Lucinda mentioned in the podcast! Topics covered include: What Lucinda learned going from being an agent to being an author; The role of literary agents in getting you a book deal; The art of the “query letter”; How to shape a book so it’s distinct and differentiated; Timely and time less ideas; Whether having a platform ...
On this episode, we chat about chore credits, our system for getting more chores done at home. Topics covered include: How different couples split the chore burden; Chores and conflict; The value of keeping on top of chore tracking; The chore tracking sheet we designed. Here’s a link to a blank version of the chore tracking template if you want to try it on for size! Links mentioned in this episode: Get Signed book Studies and research mentioned: The Relationship Between Conflict Topics and Roma...
On this episode, we chat about the best books we’ve recently read and what we’re currently reading. We also rank Chris’s books. Here are the links mentioned in this episode: Chris’s books that we chatted about: How to Calm Your Mind Hyperfocus The Productivity Project Fiction: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow We Spread The Classical School Snow Crash Charlie and the Chocolate Factory James and the Giant Peach Nonfiction: Stress-Free Productivity Good Habits Bad Habits Grit How to Write a Lot...
On this episode, we chat about our favorite productivity-related gifts that will either save time or make things more efficient. The things we mention on this episode—part two of two—include: Stationary Stuff Septcouleur Lab Notebook Non-affiliate link The Baronfig Mastermind Desk Pad Journals: Ardyn’s personal journal Non-affiliate link One Line a Day journal Non-affiliate link Our favorite pens: In black! Non-affiliate link In color! Non-affiliate link TSWBI fountain pens Post-It Notes Non-aff...
On this episode, we chat about our favorite productivity-related gifts that will either save time or make things more efficient. The things we mention on this episode—part one of two—include: The RovyVon USB-C Flashlight Non-affiliate link Cygolite Hotrod Lumen Bike Tail Light Non-affiliate link The Eve Energy Smart Plug Non-affiliate link Sandisk USB-C and USB-A Drive Non-affiliate link Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Switch Starter Kit Non-affiliate link CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock Non-affiliate ...
On this episode, we chat about the professional accountability groups we’re in, and why they’re helpful. Topics covered include: A brief chat about Chris’s recent meditation retreat; What an accountability group is; The purpose of forming an accountability group; The structure of our groups and meetings; How often we meet; The sweet spot for how big the groups should be. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Forming an accountability group appeared first on Chris...
On this quickie episode, Chris chats about why you shouldn’t let your to-do list become a source of stress in and of itself. This episode’s a shortie—Ardyn’s out sick this week—but we still wanted to put something helpful in your feed! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! Enjoy :-) The post Podcast: Taking a sick day appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about commitment devices—forcing functions you can add to your life to accomplish more of your goals. Topics covered include: What commitment devices are; How they work for both approach and avoidance goals; The intention—action gap; Financial commitment devices; Social devices; Ways of adding and removing friction for goal attainment. Links mentioned in this episode: Journal article: Commitment Devices: Using Initiatives to Change Behavior Journal article: Commitment De...
On this episode, we chat about how to calculate your biological prime time—the time of the day you’re the most productive. We cover: How our productivity moves in tandem with our energy levels; How to calculate your “biological prime time”; When we’re the most productive and creative throughout the day; How to work around these hours! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Calculating your peak productivity time appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about how “SMART” goals might not be all they’re cracked up to me—and a few ways to set smarter goals. Topics covered include: Characteristics of “SMART” goals; The research on how effective SMART goals really are; Performance vs. process vs. learning goals; The different time frames we set intentions over; The differences between goals, intentions, and priorities; How to set better goals in general. Link mentioned in this episode: Study: The (over)use of SMART goals for...
On this episode, we chat about the pomodoro technique and how (and whether!) we use it in our own work. Topics covered include: What the “pomodoro technique” is; The rigidity of the technique; Whether 25 minutes of focus time is a good amount; The Resistance List; How the pomodoro technique fits with the idea of flow; Why so many people swear by the pomodoro technique. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: The Pomodoro Technique appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
On this episode, we chat about stimulation fasting. Topics covered include: What stimulation fasting is; Why an overstimulated mind can be counterproductive; “Altitudes” of mental stimulation; How to conduct a fast of your own; What Chris and Ardyn are fasting from right now. Links mentioned in this episode: Book: How to Calm Your Mind You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below The post Podcast: How (and why) to do a stimulation fast appeared first on Chris Bailey ....
This week’s podcast episode is a replay—a Golden Oldie from the vaults. Hope you enjoy! The original show notes are below. This week I interview Oliver Burkeman for the podcast. Oliver is the author of the fantastic new book, Four Thousand Weeks . In the episode, we have a fun, wide-ranging conversation about a bunch of topics, including: The idea of “finitude,” and why it matters; Our “future-chasing mindset,” which prevents us from enjoying things; How trying to achieve a perfect mastery over ...
On this episode, we chat about subscription overload—and which ones we think are worth the money. Topics covered include: The productivity apps we subscribe to; How basically everything is a subscription service; Opt-in versus opt-in commitments; How subscriptions have changed over time; Apps that take the subscription thing too far; How to do a subscription audit. Links mentioned in this episode: Article: Basically everything is a subscription service You can listen (and subscribe) to the podca...
