In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss how looking at things with fresh eyes can be surprisingly efficient. Together they explore: • Bringing in your own efficiency expert, in the form of a friend or colleague, to look at things you probably take for granted • Why fresh eyes are important at home and at work • The importance of taking the ideas with a grain of salt • Using these fresh eyes to make your work better, no matter what it is • What sort of fresh eyes would make our podcast better? Sen...
Oct 30, 2023•6 min•Ep 332•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the efficiency of exercise and how it can impact you life. Together they discuss: • The importance of having a workout program that keeps you healthy • The healthier you are, the less time you spend at the doctors or the pharmacy • Why you don't have to have a boring, set workout plan. (Lee doesn't!) • Give yourself a set amount of time and use it • How fitness trackers can help you work out more • What competitiveness can do for you Recorded at Studio D, W...
Oct 23, 2023•7 min•Ep 331•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how you can be efficient with gas so you spend less time at the gas station. Together they discuss: • The importance of combining tasks • Getting a driver so you can do other things while on the road • Keeping your car in good shape so it burns gas efficiently • Finding your "go-to" gas station and always filling up completely • Making your car lighter Recorded at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Oct 16, 2023•6 min•Ep 330•Transcript available on Metacast in this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how you can be efficient when watching football. Together they look at: • How the Red Zone, which sounds efficient, makes Lee a little crazy (think about the efficiency of breaks...which Red Zone doesn't have.) • The efficiency of working out while watching football • The genius of using football as an artificial deadline to get things done • Enjoying the outdoors while watching football • How listening to the game, instead of watching, can be efficient Edi...
Oct 09, 2023•6 min•Ep 329•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at what we can learn about efficiency from an unlikely source: Dive Bars. Together they discuss: • The importance of having a guiding principle when making decisions about change • Why change doesn't have to be inevitable • How to be efficient when trying new things • The genius of keeping things simple Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Sep 25, 2023•7 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the counter-intuitive idea of efficiently dealing with natural disasters. Together, they discuss: • Planning ahead and putting together a tote with extra food, medication, and important papers before you need it • Having a family plan for meeting up - especially if communication is limited • Thinking ahead about all the possible contingencies and putting together a plan before you need a plan • How a go-bag can keep your prepared (and what should be in your...
Sep 18, 2023•7 min•Ep 327•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look into the tricky world of corralling passwords. Together they look at: • The pain of forgetting passwords to the sites you like to visit most • Why writing them down and hiding them might not be the best idea • How Lee uses the 1Password app to keep track of his passwords ( https://1password.com/) • The cautionary tale of how Ellen uses LastPass ( https://www.lastpass.com/) • One "fail safe" was to keep your passwords that's effective, but not efficient Edited ...
Sep 11, 2023•6 min•Ep 326•Transcript available on Metacast In the last episode of a 3-part series, Ellen and Lee look at the best apps for keeping your life on track. Together, they look at: • Lee likes to use "Things" to keep projects and goals humming along. ( https://culturedcode.com/things/) • Ellen likes to use "Due" to set deadlines and get (gentle) reminders to keep moving forward. ( https://www.dueapp.com/) • Other apps mentioned: Todoist https://todoist.com/ Remember the Milk https://www.rememberthemilk.com/ •We'd love to hear from the listener...
Sep 04, 2023•7 min•Ep 325•Transcript available on Metacast In the 2nd episode of a 3-part series, Lee and Ellen look at how to make notetaking more efficient (no one wants to lose their brilliant ideas!) Together, they look at: • Why it's important to get your ideas out of your head and store them somewhere • The ease of speaking your ideas (and how it changes notetaking) • Apps that are referenced: Apple Reminders Evernote ( https://evernote.com/) Apple Notes Rev (transcription service) ( https://www.rev.com/) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer...
Aug 28, 2023•6 min•Ep 324•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen begin a three-part series on the best apps you can use for efficiency. First up: Focus Apps! Together they look at apps for your phone and other devices to help you focus in on doing the things that are important to you (and not the distractions.) • Ellen's favorite app? Self-Control. ( https://selfcontrolapp.com/) Block distracting sites for 15 minutes all the way up to 24 hours. • Lee's favorite app? Forest. ( https://www.forestapp.cc/) The longer you don't pick ...
Aug 21, 2023•7 min•Ep 323•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss the efficiency of saying what you feel and mean (especially if what you mean is "no.") Together, they look at: • What happens when you dance around what you really want to say (one word: inefficiency!) • The need to be honest and direct - but in a nice way • The importance of being clear about your intentions • Why getting confirmation that everyone is on the same page is a key to efficiency Edited and recorded at Studio D, Wayne Duncan editor your co-hosts...
Aug 14, 2023•6 min•Ep 322•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the power collaboration has on efficiency. Together they look at: • How accountability keeps you on track • Strengthening accountability by collaborating on projects that are important to you • Ways you can collaborate on things in your life • Lee shares how he is collaborating with people to write a book (If you have a story you'd like to have included - reach out to him at LeeSilber@LeeSilber.com ) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: ...
Aug 07, 2023•6 min•Ep 321•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at learning to let things go when they aren't 100% perfect (plus a whole lot more!) Together they discuss: • Lee learning the power of a time limit (and a perfectionism limit) • Two ways trying to be perfect stops you in your tracks • The surprising way you can use perfectionism to help you be more efficient • Ellen shares the magic percentage point we should shoot for when doing things (hint: it's never 100%) • The magic of doing the best you can with what yo...
Jul 31, 2023•6 min•Ep 320•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee discuss the fact that the world IS conspiring against you when it comes to getting things done. Together they look at: • The importance of not being paranoid but rather being prepared • Differing opinions of what the role plans play in your day • The level of control you should strive for and where (hint: it's a whole lot less than you might think) • How to handle daily distractions Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and w...
Jul 24, 2023•6 min•Ep 319•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the efficiency of using summertime to experiement. Together they look at: • The easy way to commit to short life experiments during the warm summer months • Lee shares his eating experiment for the summer months (code word: butternut squash) • Ellen discusses her art experiments • The benefits of trying new things...and what can happen when you do them Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Jul 17, 2023•6 min•Ep 318•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how quitting can be one of the most efficient things you can do. Together they look at: • Walking away when something isn't serving you • The power of ignoring sunk costs • The importance of using your time for things that you want • Being ok with quitting when you feel like you shouldn't Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Jul 10, 2023•7 min•Ep 317•Transcript available on Metacast In this final episode of our three part series: Nature, Songs, and Seasons, Lee and Ellen discuss using the seaons of the year (and your life) to be more efficient. Together they look at: • What Lee does now that we are at the half-way point of the year (and yes, this includes thinking about December holidays...in July) • How to logically schedule the rest of the year with months and seasons in mind • Summer bucket-lists and why they keep us on track (why not do them all year?) • The importance ...
Jul 03, 2023•6 min•Ep 316•Transcript available on Metacast In this second episode of our three part Series: Nature, Songs, and Seasons, Lee and Ellen talk about using the structure of songs to make us more efficient. Together they look at: • The truth about how music is set up • How following the structure of a song reflects the structure of our days • Why breaking out with a little "solo" adds texture to your time • How to vary the dynamics of your schedule and why it matters • The importance of crescendos both in music and your schedule Edited at Stud...
Jun 26, 2023•7 min•Ep 315•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how nature can make us more efficient. Together they look at: • How paying attention to nature helps us to be more open to new ideas • What happens when you work in nature, or just have nature nearby • Lee does a deep dive (no pun intended!) into what we can learn from pelicans about efficiency (and business) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Jun 19, 2023•6 min•Ep 314•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the power of using constraints (not restraints!) to get things done more efficiently. Together they look at: • Adding in deadlines to fight Parkinson's Law (and clarify what Parkinson's Law actually is) • How a timer can save you time • Why babies are great for constraining time • How fake deadlines can help you • Why Lee loves deadlines • How big events give you big, hard deadlines Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com ...
Jun 12, 2023•7 min•Ep 213•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how you can use the power of small wins to be more efficient every day. Together they look at: • Breaking up your schedule and doing things you enjoy as a break • Setting up your schedule so it works for you (you DON'T have to get up at 5 a.m.) • Quick ways to refuel yourself - mentally and physically • One thing to do at the beginning of the week to ensure you never miss a quick win • Using the last 5 minutes of every hour to boost your frame of mind Edite...
Jun 05, 2023•7 min•Ep 312•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen examine how fun can make you more efficient. Together they look at: • Looking at things you don't like to do and figuring out how to make them more fun • How Ellen puts away leftovers • Putting your kids to work cleaning floors • How Lee washes his car (fact or fiction? You decide!) • The impact of competitiveness • Combining a "have-to" with a "guilty pleasure" • How to make walks more fun Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com ...
May 29, 2023•6 min•Ep 311•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the importance, and efficiency, of getting to the point quickly. Together they look at: • Learning and taking TL;DR to heart • Lee reveals his safe word (which Ellen finds hysterical) • Knowing when you don't have to share all the information • Why shorter is better in an information-overload world • How Ellen learned to cut things short in her newsletters (sign up at her website) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com an...
May 22, 2023•6 min•Ep 310•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen share what they are working on in their own lives regarding efficiency and productivity. Acknowledging that they don't know everything and that things are constantly changing, the two of them are both experimenting in different ways. Together they discuss: • What is happening at his house now that Lee's kids are growing up and moving on (as kids do) • Lee is looking at what makes him happy and the effect it has on his productivity • Ellen has decided to be more lik...
May 15, 2023•7 min•Ep 309•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the early lessons of the 2023 season of Major League Baseball can be applied to everyday efficiency. Together they look at: • How the changes came about (hint: it was never going to be one big thing) • The importance of finding wasted dead space and getting rid of it, both on the field and off • How to beat the clock in your life (and why it matters) • Lee introduces our new tagline • How to do things more quickly (instead of letting them go on and on and o...
May 08, 2023•6 min•Ep 308•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss steps you can take to plan your day more efficiently. Together they look at: • The steps Lee takes to quickly plan each day • How Ellen plans by keeping two important things in mind • Lee announces the prototype of his "5 Minute Planner" which you can download free at: https://www.leesilber.com/free-stuff Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
May 01, 2023•6 min•Ep 307•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how you can easily change your self-talk to help you accomplish more, improve your motivation, and be more efficient. Together they look at: • Who do you talk to the most every day? • The importance of not believing everything you think • How Lee gives himself a little compliment every morning (and why it's important) • Also, Lee publicly apologizes to our producer for taking credit for our music • The three tweaks to make (starting today!) to your self-tal...
Apr 24, 2023•6 min•Ep 306•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at one of the worst pieces of Productivity Advice: Work Harder. Together they discuss: • Why this advice is rubbish • What happens when you work harder but don't change anything else • How working harder is really pushing when you should be pulling • Working in shorter amounts of concentrated time by lining things up before getting started • Why working harder makes it more difficult to succeed Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.Ellen...
Apr 17, 2023•6 min•Ep 305•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the importance of knowing where your mind is at and how it affects your efficiency. Together they look at: • How stopping yourself throughout the day and asking yourself, "Where is my mind?" can make it more likely that you will accomplish more each day • The value of having the proper mindset and how it affects your efficiency • How your mindset affects your ability to rack up more wins (especially when you don't think you can do something) • The advantage...
Apr 10, 2023•7 min•Ep 304•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss the best way to be efficient when it comes to repairing things around the house. Together they look at: • Lee's adventures in doing his own dent repair • How YouTube holds the answers to your repair questions if you're willing to look for them • Ellen's contrary opinion about home repairs Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Apr 03, 2023•7 min•Ep 303•Transcript available on Metacast 
