How does minimalism affect your personal productivity? And, is there such a thing as a minimalist approach to productivity? I believe ardently that our physical and digital worlds are a manifestation of our mental-emotional world, so I sought o

ProdPod: Episode 117 — Getting More Resilient (Resilience and Productivity)

Mar 6th, 2018 1m 59s

In the last episode, I defined resilience, or emotional elasticity, as I like to call it. Here, I’d like to detail tactics for bending back into shape faster for more productive output. Read more.

ProdPod: Episode 116 — Resilience and Productivity

Jul 11th, 2017 1m 55s

A few episodes ago I covered several challenges that people face in their productive lives, including overcoming overwhelm, distractions, indecision, procrastination, and burnout. And, in this episode, I am detailing an important emotional skil

ProdPod: Episode 115 -- Thinking INSIDE the Box! (Part 2)

Mar 3rd, 2017 1m 53s

In the last episode we learned that the scientific research that told everyone to think outside the box to overcome challenges and to be creative in life and work, was summarily misguided. We can be primed that a box exists, and we’ll still see

ProdPod: Episode 114 -- Thinking INSIDE the Box! (Part 1)

Mar 2nd, 2017 1m 50s

So often I hear the cliché that you need to be an “out of the box” thinker. Creativity and problem-solving (which I feel frequently are synonymous in many circumstances) are, after all, great tools in any productive person’s toolbelt. But, is t

ProdPod: Episode 113 -- Limiting Resources for Greater Productivity

Mar 1st, 2017 1m 59s

Intuitively, we know that focus is a fundamental of greater productivity. Broadly and less instinctively, focus manifests heightened productivity by training and straining any resource, including but not limited to attention, time, money, and o

ProdPod: Episode 112 -- Overcoming Burnout: Rest and Rejuvenation for Sustainable Productivity

Feb 28th, 2017 2m

Burnout is a systemic problem not a situational/circumstantial challenge. And, so overcoming burnout is more about how to build systematic “down time” and renewal into your life and work for sustainable productivity. Here are some suggestions f

ProdPod: Episode 111 -- Overcoming Procrastination

Feb 27th, 2017 2m

In Episode 22, I defined procrastination and even gave a few pointers about Procrasti-Doing in Episode 82. In this episode, I’d like to continue the dialog with some tips on overcoming procrastination.

ProdPod: Episode 110 -- Overcoming Indecision

Feb 26th, 2017 1m 57s

Do you have a good idea of how well you manage uncertainty and make decisions? For most people, there is no well-defined strategy for overcoming indecision in their productivity systems. I think everyone should think about how to reduce distres

ProdPod: Episode 109 -- Overcoming Distractions

Feb 24th, 2017 1m 54s

Without focus, almost nothing can get done. Yet distractions abound in our everyday work and personal lives. Here are some suggestions on overcoming distractions of each kind.

ProdPod: Episode 108 -- Overcoming Overwhelm

Feb 23rd, 2017 1m 59s

Overwhelm is a pernicious productivity detractor that affects us all in varying degrees. In my definition, overwhelm is a buildup of stimuli that creates anxiety which, in turn, blocks action or clear decision-making. Learn more here.

ProdPod: Episode 107 -- Managing People for Productivity

Feb 22nd, 2017 1m 57s

In all my years of management, I’ve learned a few things which have proved consistent, that I have wrapped into a developing, high-level leadership framework for organizations, so I thought I’d share it with you.

ProdPod: Episode 106 -- End of Workday Routine

Feb 21st, 2017 1m 51s

In the last episode I spoke about routines that were primarily designed to facilitate personal and work life improvements. However, those are not my only routines and I wanted to explain another of my most helpful daily routines--my end of work

ProdPod: Episode 105 -- The Power of Daily Routines: Morning, Midday and Evening Productivity Routines

Feb 20th, 2017 2m

For years I’ve spoken about the power of habits, and tangentially, I’ve spoken about many routines that I have--from meditation (Episode 32), to my Day Reset strategy (Episode 69), and more. I use a variety of routines to minimize distractions

ProdPod: Episode 104 -- The Myth of the Left and Right Brain

Feb 19th, 2017 1m 59s

Let’s discuss how the incorrect left and right brain paradigm impacts your productivity, and how, by thinking about it slightly differently and correctly, you can improve your productivity. Read/listen to the full article/episode.

ProdPod: Episode 103 -- Managing Up for a More Productive Organizational Culture, Part 2

Feb 18th, 2017 1m 47s

In episode 102, I introduce the idea of managing up and discussed one leg of it--managing expectations and delegation. Here in this episode, we’ll cover the next two legs of managing up--managing collaborative time wisely and managing your mana

ProdPod: Episode 102 -- Managing Up for a More Productive Organizational Culture, Part 1

Feb 17th, 2017 1m 48s

I’ve read extensively and have been honing my management skills over the past two decades, and something I’ve found to be universal is this: unless you’re at the top of the organizational chart, everyone must manage up in order to be most produ

ProdPod: Episode 101 -- Software Review: Mind42 - Free Web-Based Mind Map Productivity Software

Feb 16th, 2017 1m 58s

In the last episode, I spoke about using mind maps as a productivity tool. And, one of my favorite mind mapping tools is the free, Web-based software, Mind42. (Note: it is free and ad-supported.) Mind42 is a comprehensive mind mapping tool that

ProdPod: Episode 100 -- Mapping Your Productivity Using Mind Maps

Feb 15th, 2017 1m 45s

Mind maps are a method of capturing thoughts and ideas, dating back as early as the 3rd century BCE in Ancient Rome. The mind map is simply a diagram where you have a single, central thought in the center with branches off it in a freeform fash

ProdPod: Episode 99 -- Be the Superhero of Your Own Life

Feb 14th, 2017 1m 55s

In comics, television, film, and now Netflix, there are superheroes who come to save the day when villains attack or bad circumstances befall the vulnerable, the voiceless, and the innocent. Superheroes give us hope, and they empower us with mo

ProdPod: Episode 98 -- The Power of Short-Term Challenges

Feb 13th, 2017 1m 57s

Have you ever entered a competition, or a race, of some kind? Whether it’s a science fair, marathon, triathlon, March Madness, or almost any kind of contest, you know the feeling of competing. You have a period of time that focuses a large port

ProdPod: Episode 97–Time Thieves, Time Thugs, and Time Terrorists - How to Combat Them So You Can Get Back to Being Productive

Apr 5th, 2016 2m

In the last episode we covered the descriptions of time thieves, thugs and terrorists. Now, I’d like to detail how to counteract these time wasting personas so you can get back to your productive life. Read on.

ProdPod: Episode 96–Time Thieves, Thugs and Terrorists - Who They Are So You Can Identify Them Efficiently

Mar 31st, 2016 1m 58s

Using your time productively means not only managing your time but also protecting it from others who may not have your most productive interests in mind. You may know who I mean generally, when I speak of categories of people I call time thiev

ProdPod: Episode 95–Effective Meeting Series: More Productivity Meetings With Robert's Rules, Part II

Mar 1st, 2016 1m 59s

While Robert’s Rules of Order may seem outdated, outmoded, prescriptive, and even restrictive, you’d be surprised what a little bit of parliamentary procedure can do to make meetings much more highly productive. In this episode, I continue my