In this episode, Lee and Ellen bid a fond farewell to the Faster Easier Better Show podcast. We've been sharing our best ways to be efficient in all aspects of life for eight years (and 400 episodes). In this final episode, we share what we have learned by doing this podcast and how you can apply each of the seven ideas to your life (without needing to host a podcast.) It has been our privilege to pop into your lives every week and we'll miss that. Thank you for being our listeners and for shari...
Feb 17, 2025•14 min•Ep 400•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the power of concentrated focus to make improvements in your life. Together they discuss: • If you want to run faster, run faster -- and what that actually means (and why it doesn't apply to running.) • Getting rid of the things that don't help you • How burst of focus can help you achieve your goals • Eliminating any "big buts" you might have • Apply the principle of kaizen to give you daily compound improvement Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Y...
Feb 10, 2025•6 min•Ep 399•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at how you can leverage the 80/20 Rule to get better results for anything you are doing. Together they discuss: • What the Pareto Principle is and how you can start using it • Why it's important to reflect at the beginning of the year about what is working best for you • How to use the best 20% of your efforts to get 80% of your results • Where you can use the 80/20 Rule in your life (and the effect it can have) • Use the best of the best to improve your life ...
Feb 03, 2025•6 min•Ep 398•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how different companies are efficient, and how we can apply their thinking to our lives. Together they discuss: • How different companies use different systems to be successful • The importance of applying systems • Knowing when it's time to tweak a system • Why bigger isn't always better Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Jan 27, 2025•6 min•Ep 397•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how having a theme for your year can make you more efficient. Together they discuss: • How Lee's theme is different from his theme of last year, and why it matters • Why it's important to pick your own theme • The elements you need for your theme • What having a theme does to your daily effectiveness • Why Lee's theme is important to him this year (just like yours should be) • How to ensure that your theme stays at the forefront of your thoughts Edited at S...
Jan 20, 2025•6 min•Ep 396•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at ways to simplify things so you can be more efficient. Together they discuss: • Leaving things out so you save on set-up time • Putting things away that you won't be using so you can save money and time • Getting rid of things you aren't using • Tracking yourself to find what's most effective • Using reports to show you where you spent time and money • Harnassing the power of delegation Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber....
Jan 13, 2025•6 min•Ep 395•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss ways to build deeper connections with people. Together they look at: • How Lee's Annual Turkey Bowl enables him to connect with friends he doesn't see most of the year. • Why personal connections can be important for your business life • Ways to make deeper Digital Connections • The secret about endorsing people on LinkedIn • Ways to leverage Zoom calls to get deeper connections • What Jr. High habit Ellen used to be closer to friends Edited at Studio D, Wa...
Jan 06, 2025•6 min•Ep 394•Transcript available on Metacast Sleep is the key to performing better in all aspects of your life and in this episode, Lee And Ellen look at ways to get better sleep. Together they discuss: • Why it's impossible to fake good sleep -- and what your body knows • Lee shares what he does as a bad sleeper • The joy of having a very dark room -- and how to get one • The roll comfort plays in your sleep • How to add naps into your day to keep you fresh and efficient Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSil...
Dec 30, 2024•6 min•Ep 393•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how to make reading more efficient. Together they discuss: • How audiobooks make it easier to read • Finding condensed versions of the books you want to read • Using the power of a Library Card to get free audiobooks (and why Libby is your friend) • How to use reading as a reward to getting things done • Harnessing the power of accountability to get more reading done (yay! Book Clubs!) • Use the biggest shortcut you can - Wikipedia, to learn more things Edi...
Dec 23, 2024•6 min•Ep 392•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at ways to make travel more efficient. Together they look at: • The little things you do that add up to a more efficient trip • What savvy travelers know ab out car rental • Why Ellen doesn't like CLEAR • How taking a cab can be more efficient than car-sharing • What you can do to pack fewer clothes • The importance of having a "go bag" Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Dec 16, 2024•6 min•Ep 391•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee discuss how your energy affects your efficiency and what you can do to have high energy when you need it most. Together they look at: • What to do when something brings you and your energy down • How to get bad, negative thoughts out of your brain • What Ellen does when energy-sucking thoughts show up • Determine how your day is going to go by managing your energy • Why it's important to remember: "Where energy goes, efficiency flows" Edited at Studio D, Wayne Dunc...
Dec 09, 2024•6 min•Ep 390•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at what you can do to make December the best month of your year. Together they look at: • Why you should do simple things that you enjoy - but you've been putting off • How you can harness the Primacy Effect to your advantage • What Lee does with index cards to bring him joy • Why Ellen loves a seasonal bucket list (and why you might too) • What french fries with ranch dressing have to do with anything Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: ...
Dec 02, 2024•6 min•Ep 389•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how Gratefulness can make you more efficient. Together they look at: • How being grateful gives you more energy • Why we pay attention to the bad stuff rather than the good stuff in our lives • What sitting and thinking of three good things can do for you • The importance of a solid mindset • What you can do each morning to set yourself up for efficiency Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Nov 25, 2024•6 min•Ep 388•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at how you can use the last 6 weeks of the year to get a jump on 2025. Together they discuss: • The importance of "greasing the skids" for any goals or plans you have in 2025 • How to slowly add in new elements of habits • What "Getting Ready to Get Ready" can do for you • Why you don't have to commit completely to changes now, but what you should do instead Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Nov 18, 2024•6 min•Ep 387•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the efficiency of proper labeling. Together they discuss: • Lee's right-brained problem with naming files (using emotional labels instead of factual) • Picking a labeling system and using it to more easily locate files • The effectiveness of visual file icons • The efficiency of having a labeling system (it might be boring, but it works) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Nov 11, 2024•6 min•Ep 386•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at different ways to track your progress as you set out to achieve boals. Together they look at: • Lee is a big fan of filling in bubbles to track progress • ellen discusses the genius of Star Charts and how they work for adults as well as children • Lee remembers S & H Green Stamps and why getting rewarded for accumulating points is motivating • Why you shouldn't shot for one final goal (and look for milestones along the way) • What using Red Dots and Green D...
Nov 04, 2024•6 min•Ep 385•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at some basic ways that you can be more efficient in your life. Together they discuss: • Four ways to be more efficient at home • Why doggy doors help you to get more done • How finding the veggie chopper that you love, will save you time • What fake plants can do for your efficiency • When you need a bigger trash can -- and what it does for you • Four ways to be more efficient at work • Why the buffet is more efficient than table service • What the people who...
Oct 28, 2024•6 min•Ep 384•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen looks at 4 ways you can bring focus back into your life. There's a lot going on in the world right now, which makes it hard to focus on the important things in our lives. But all is not lost! Ellen shares 4 simple things you can do to get focus back on your side. • Forget setting a timer to get things done (shocking! Especially coming from Ellen). Instead go for the quality of your focus not your quantity • Get out the post-it notes! • Jump in to do a thing when you aren't...
Oct 21, 2024•6 min•Ep 383•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the most efficient way to make progress toward any goal you might be working on. Together they discuss: • The one thing adults think that stops them in their tracks when moving forward • Why accepting "Beginners Mind" will put you on the track to success • Ellen shares what she is going through with exercise and what she has had to accept as truth • Why having help improves your success rate • What everything you've heard about shortcuts is wrong • The mant...
Oct 14, 2024•6 min•Ep 382•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at how to be more focused by getting rid of distractions. Together they look at: • Why it's so easy to let our phones distract us • What we could be doing with the time we spend getting dopamine hits • Why urgent things crowd out the important things we want to do • Three easy ways to ignore your distractions (and how to do them) • The importance of doing the hard things in our lives Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.co...
Oct 07, 2024•7 min•Ep 381•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss how money can multiply your efficiency. Together they discuss: • Money can make you more efficient by: - paying someone to do what you don't want to do - getting better equipment - opens you up to have the time and space to do you want • Think of ways to increase the money coming in • Lee discusses using money to make money • How money lets you think more creativity Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoo...
Sep 30, 2024•6 min•Ep 380•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the efficiency of timers you can find in your environment. Together they look at: • Why brushing your teeth is a great way to time yourself • How music is specifically structured to be an excellent timer • The key thing you need to have for efficiency • What a playlist can help you do • One of Ellen's favorite apps for timing (Interval Timer - Tabata Timer on the App Store) Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and w...
Sep 23, 2024•6 min•Ep 379•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen discuss the most efficient person that Lee knows, and what we can learn from them. Together they look at: • What steps his friend takes to get things done right away • Why lists and maps make this person efficient • How finding out what they love to do makes them more efficient • Ellen shares how she discovered what she wasn't efficient at doing • Why knowing your strengths makes you more efficient Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSi...
Sep 16, 2024•6 min•Ep 378•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at scheduling time for doing things that otherwise get pushed aside. Together they look at: • What building a wine rack has taught Lee about getting things done • Why important tasks get pushed aside • How to schedule tasks so they get done • Why hoping for things to get things done never works • How scheduling can save you money Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Sep 09, 2024•6 min•Ep 377•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at ways to make your wardrobe more efficient. Together, they discuss: • Picking out your clothes with efficiency in mind • Eliminating the time and money that go into clothes that need dry cleaning • Why Lee wants to bring back ABBA, the BeeGees, and Polyester • How the appliance industry is making washing clothes more efficient • Tips for making your wardrobe more efficient Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.El...
Sep 02, 2024•5 min•Ep 376•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at one of the easiest ways to be efficient: putting things away immediately! Together they look at: • The pros and cons of leaving things out • Why having a place for items only works if you use it • Ellen and Lee compare various ways to be efficient with things when traveling • What Lee does with the tools in his garage (hint: he does not outline them on a pegboard!) • How you can be like the late-great Jimmy Buffett Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer...
Aug 26, 2024•6 min•Ep 375•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at how trackers can make your life more efficient. Together they discuss: • What the loss of keys at Lee's house taught him about trackers • Recognizing when we do too little too late • Why it's important to do the thing you don't think you need to do (and when you need to do it) • How Lee ALMOST lost his suitcase Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Aug 19, 2024•6 min•Ep 374•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Ellen and Lee look at how the Carrot or the Stick can help you to be more efficient. Together they look at: • Knowing if you are motivated by rewards or by punishment - and why it matters • Lee uses this pleasure or pain system to get things done...and get rewards • Being award of where you have resistance to getting things done and figuring out how to decrease it • Why you need to have rewards for your milestones -- instead of just at the completion of a project Edited at Studi...
Aug 12, 2024•6 min•Ep 373•Transcript available on Metacast in this episode, Ellen and Lee look at the Power of 15 Minutes to make you more efficient. Together they look at: • How a 15 minute session can help you get started • The easy way to beat procrastination • What happens after 15 minutes (and why it's so great) • Using 15 minutes to play "Beat the Clock" and cross things off your to-do list Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.EllenGoodwin.com and www.LeeSilber.com...
Aug 05, 2024•5 min•Ep 372•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Lee and Ellen look at the poser of Optimism when it comes to being more efficient. Together they look at: • How Lee's optimism about a speaking engagement enabled him to make the best of an unexpected technology problem • Why you should think positively --but plan for what could go wrong • The easy way to add optimism to your everyday activities to make you more efficient Edited at Studio D, Wayne Duncan, producer Your co-hosts: www.LeeSilber.com and www.EllenGoodwin.com...
Jul 29, 2024•6 min•Ep 371•Transcript available on Metacast 
