We're going to step away from the podcast, but the episodes, website, and social media accounts will remain.Reach out if you have questions or want to say hi, and thanks for listening!What led us to this decision...Well first, why did we start?We wanted to talk about things we're interested inWe wanted practical tips, ... more
Differences between 2018 and 2019Erik fully embraced Notion for planningLeo switched from Todoist to a spreadsheetMastermind meetings for group accountabilityLeo's Year in ReviewImprovements to healthSuccessful speaking engagementsA consistent schedule with podcastsSuccessful at writing outputAudience improvements:+156... more
IntroductionLaura's first email tip: write so the recipient will imagine how their life could beHow to discover a love of email as a paralegalRealizing skills, eight years laterThe benefits of setting weekly email goalsTreat email correspondence as a journeyWait 2 to 3 business days before the first followupTwo types o... more
Getting your foot in the doorSophia's specialty and how she got there from archaeologyHow UpWork led to better pay in writingDealing with the lack of comfortAn approach to desiring income without being sleazyMaking transactions mutually beneficialPeople don’t buy stuff, they buy solutions to problemsHow does your custo... more
IntroductionsNaNoWriMo and flash fictionAllison Spooner is the author of Flash in the Dark and The Problem with HumansFind Allison online at spoonfulstyle.com or @allyspoonOutsource your writing parametersAccountability through writing groups, events, and contestsBenefits of deadlines, prompts, settings, and other writ... more
In this episodeWhat does a "cleared" calendar look like?How can clearing the calendar improve one's productivity?Why you shouldn't fill up your calendar with work if you are self-employedA clear calendar is open to interruptions and stimulates creativityHow to stay focused and avoid getting lost in free timeHow to be h... more
Where to find Tim Mitra online@TimMitra on TwitterHost of the More Than Just Code Podcast and SpockcastCohost of RoundaboutFMit-guy.comAuthor of How to Keep Learning After 50Tim's SwiftTO talk about NeuroplasticityNeuroplasticityWhy should we keep learning?Neuroplasticity in simple termsThe advantage of learning in 45-... more
In this episodeThe value in public speaking for you and your audienceHow to understand your audience by researching the conferenceDifferent ways to organize a talk: story-telling, LEGO instructions, fireside chat, speed dating, and moreHow to handle interruptions and questionsFollowing up with your audience after your ... more
Where we plan eventsErik: Lansing CodesLeo: Lansing Marketing HackersJess: Peers ConferenceAs self-employed folks, events are a great way to get feedback from others and learn new things. Part of productivity isn’t just about doing it all yourself, but also about reaching out to others and educating yourself.Getting st... more
IntroductionPete Sena (@petesena) is the founder, CEO, and CCO of Digital Surgeons, a design, branding, and digital marketing consultancyPete explains his responsibilities as Chief Creative OfficerThe intersection of creativity and productivityCreate / Produce vs. Creativity / ProductivityThe seesaw of effectiveness an... more
How to build momentum in your dayFirst, have a good night of sleep (see episode 1)Erik drinks a high-calorie, low-sugar coffee shake (thanks, gallbladder) before doing anything else in the morning.Energy (calories) and caffeine work well to kickstart the day so long as they're not overdoneWhat part of your day has the ... more
IntroductionLeo recently presented and wrote about getting started with podcastingLeo's motivation for taking a holistic look at what it takes to create, publish, and promote a podcastThe overall processOur overall publishing process, from brainstorming to recording, to promotingIf you're considering starting a podcast... more
IntroductionAny active desktop issues with Endgame?The unexpected is so memorable, even for simple things like going to the moviesSleep, habits, and appsHow we've been sleepingWhat we've tried from Atomic HabitsWhat we're using besides Google InboxNew parenting tipsErik’s year (so far)Health is going the best of all ca... more
IntroductionA little about Christian and how he first met LeoMister Money Mustache, spending lessPatrick McKenzie, inventor of Bingo Card CreatorA day in the life of Christian GencoPrepopulate your task list, start with your most important task and include lots of easy winsPut healthy snacks, hard tasks, and what to do... more
IntroductionWill Gant is a co-host of the Complete Developer PodcastHow Will and Leo met Will's lightning talk at MicroConfWhat's in Will's journalWill's familial history of journalingUnknown stresses as the impetus to start journalingWill's original journal was a spreadsheet that covered anything happening during the ... more
IntroductionA little about Jonathan Baillie Strong and how he met LeoJonathan's best practices for attending a conferenceJonathan's daily workInbox managementHow Jonathan got interested in inbox managementHis general system for inbox management and how it relates to GTDHow often Jonathan grooms his inboxThe most obviou... more
First, some revelations:Apparently, Leo doesn't like cupcakes 🧁12 habits that destroy your focus and productivity, by Jari RoomerMultitasking, definedMultitasking is trying to accomplish two or more tasks by quickly switching back and forth between themMultitasking is like juggling: you keep lots of things in motion f... more
One way to be ok at productivity is to avoid the premature optimization trap.Premature optimization is when you try to improve a process before knowing how to measure the results of the change.An idea to improve your productivity can sound really appealing and make you want to do it right away, but without knowing how ... more
Motivation, Motion, and ActionBe specific about your habits!From the book:People who make a specific plan for when and where they will perform a new habit are more likely to follow through. Too many people try to change their habits without these basic details. Don't be a busy-body. Make sure your habits are moving you... more
Overall Review Leo's take:I have read many self-help books. I have never found a book so condensed with information. This is a book I found with many takeaways and lessons. I can tell this is a book James had been working on as a series of blog posts, but had successfully made those blog posts into an actual book which... more
RedditWe tested Alarmy and share our thoughts. This app was recommended to us more than once on r/productivity as a great way to jumpstart your day.We have our own subreddit now. Check out r/okproductive for more discussion about topics covered on our podcast, make recommendations, and get to know the hosts!Apps Review... more
We asked /r/productivity on Reddit what one thing has had the most benefit to productivity. Lots of great answers and explanations, some answers came up multiple times (we'll explore those another time), and very few folks could pick just one thing.Also discussed in this episode:Leo’s One Thing: Writing things down...f... more
Breaking down large projectsWork is rarely handed to us in small, easily achievable piecesBreaking a project down into small pieces gives you a mapMeasuring your progress improves your odds of succeedingKnow your limitationsYou only have so much capacity to do workTime, energy, resources, people, knowledgeIdentify what... more
Adjust your definition of "productive"Raising and loving children is productiveDon’t over strain yourselfYour priorities change once you have kids, too, and sometimes it's difficult to imagine just how much the little ones can change your world for the betterTry this: research how much it would cost to hire someone to ... more
How to decide when to say noThe Derek Sivers way: “Hell yeah” or “No”If you're in unfamiliar territory: “Hell no” or “Let’s try”Many decisions aren’t permanentFinish what’s on your plate firstIdentify the commitments that are important to you and your valuesWhat are your priorities?Where does an opportunity fit in?Goal... more