The Productivityist Podcast: Ideas And Tools For Personal Productivity | Time Management | Goals | Habits | Working Better

In this week's episode, my guest is Allison Schaaf - a food, nutrition and culinary expert, and founder of meal-planning website PrepDish. It offers gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo meal plans to help people save time preparing healthy, homecooked meals. Allison was a guest on a previous bonus episode where we chatted about her approach in productivity which got its roots from the kitchen. She’s back this week and talked about something that's off the beaten path for me: cooking! If you’re interested in having a more productive kitchen, I highly suggest paying attention to this episode as we discussed: Her background in culinary arts and nutrition, her stint as a personal chef, and a personal pain point that led her to create a meal plan system which is now known as Prep Dish. The importance of nourishment and well-being, and why people should invest time planning their meals instead of going for the convenience of fast, commerically-prepared food. How to create meal plans that cater to people with differ

In this week's podcast episode, my guest is Joshua Latimer – the man behind Send Jim and Automate Grow Sell, which help small businesses tap the power of relationship marketing. A few years back, Joshua left his job as a banker at JP Morgan Chase and decided to open a cleaning business in Michigan, which he eventually sold in 2015. He is now based with his family in Costa Rica managing a company that creates more freedom for businesses through automation and systems. Joshua and I chatted about planning, systemizing, theming, and automation among many others. Topics we’ve discussed are: Joshua’s business background, the different business models that inspired him, his motivation to create Send Jim, and it’s 4-year run as a business. The importance of relationship marketing in businesses and how Send Jim can help entrepreneurs harness its power. How he applies theming in his personal life and even created themed days for each of his family member. Joshua’s task management approach to the multiple projects h

My guest on this episode is one of my good friends, David Knapp-Fisher. We met at the World Domination Summit where we found out that we live 4 blocks apart, and have been constantly connecting ever since. David is a father, speaker, and writer who loves connecting with people – especially the passionate and inspiring ones who lead remarkable lives. He describes himself as a guy who bumbled through school but always knew that he was smart outside of the standard school setting. He worked as a chef for some time until he realized that his passion is connecting with people. We chatted (with David right in my home office) about keeping connections alive, his routine, and the power of saying hello. Some specific topics we talked about are: How we met and first said hello to each other at the World Domination Summit. The importance of having the right knowledge to be productive. And in cases when you don’t how you can tap into gaining more knowledge by finding and saying hello to someone who does have it. David

This episode's guest is Claire Tompkins (a.k.a. the Clutter Coach). Claire works with clients to organize and declutter their homes and offices, to manage their time, and get things done better. She works with artists, writers, entrepreneurs, and more as a professional organizer by creating simple, practical systems for real people. If you’ve been following the podcast and my other work, you’d know how big a fan of simple I am. That's something that Claire also promotes. Claire and I chatted on this episode about clutter - from physical to digital, workflows, apps, clients, books, and influencers. Some of the specific areas we discussed were: Her perception of what clutter is – from the physical ones occupying our spaces, those hidden behind drawers and cupboards, to the ones that occupy our minds and our devices. An epiphany that motivated her to start decluttering her. How she starts the process of decluttering, and dealing with clients who identify and define clutter very differently. One of the method

My guest for this episode is Philip McKernan. He is an inspirational speaker, philosopher, writer, and filmmaker who works with entrepreneurs and leaders to live a life that benefits all aspects of their lives. This is one of the most impactful episodes I’ve ever had. We had a very refreshing conversation that covered so much it can get you to see things in a different light. He talked about letting go, alignment, consumption of information, and authenticity. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Some highlights of this episode are: The mindset that puts money on a pedestal, the freedom people think it provides, and how that doesn’t equate to peace of mind, sense of fulfillment and purpose. How long it took him to realize that what he was chasing was out of alignment with who he really was. How "busy-ness" and chaos indicates an underlying pain, how staying busy is just a rationalization of the feeling of disconnection, and how society evolved such that busy became socially acceptable. Indicators and ma

It’s been 5 YEARS since my very first podcast recording with Michael Schechter. I thought it would be fitting to bring him back this week. We caught up on what has happened since we stopped recording podcasts together roughly 2 years ago. This episode at its core is just the two of us being nostalgic. I even injected in some clips of our podcasts together. Here’s what we did talk about on this episode: We reminisced during a very "professional" segment we did on Mikes on Mics called "What Are You Drinking?" I caught up with what he has been up to lately, and how his work on A Better Mess and in the productivity scene is being applied to what he is doing now. We discussed what motivated us to get into productivity, the backstory of our podcast’s Episode 0, and what the trajectory of his career and life has looked like since then. He specified habits and things rooted from his productivity days that he still finds helpful to this day, some things he's missed, and memories that stuck with us. He also recall

Joining me this week as my guest is Mridu Parikh, the woman behind Life is Organized. She is a productivity coach, business strategist, speaker and trainer. She made it her goal to help individuals get clear on their priorities through effective time management, efficient processes, systems and life-changing habits – to do more in less time. A big fan of simplicity, we talked about introducing and learning productivity processes and systems, the methods she employs to make sure that these become habits, and how doing these alleviate stress and results in clarity and growth for individuals and teams. Here are just a few of the things you’ll learn about in this episode: How she reveres simplicity as the easiest way to introduce a process, and the importance of writing things down. Working with other people, how to get them motivated to do a task or enforce a process into their life and be consistent about it. The concept of the learning curve, and how to speed up this often-tedious phase through research and

The guest on this episode of The Productivityist Podcast is my good friend Chris Ducker, whom I will be joining at the Tropical Think Tank event happening this coming March. Chris is a Virtual CEO, as he manages a BPO Call Center company and a Virtual Assistance business. But it hadn’t always been this way for Chris, who has also gone through long days and nights working IN his business before realizing that it wasn’t the way to live a truly productive life. In this episode we’ll discuss his life and business principles, Youpreneur and his other businesses, and the upcoming Tropical Think Tank. Here are some subjects we talked about: Chris discussed the evolution and intentional changes in his businesses. Why people prefer to work with people instead of businesses or big brands, and Chris's insights on how to set up businesses around the P2P philosophy. How Chris decided on making his name his own brand, and his mantra when it comes to marketing your brand. We also discussed how productivity isn’t always

My guest on this episode is Lisa Woodruff, a professional organizer, productivity specialist and author of the book The Mindset of Organization: Take Back Your House One Phase at a Time. She coaches people to organize their households and their lives through systems she designed specifically for whichever part of your life or house that needs help tidying up and organizing. Lisa and I tackle one of the most popular systems she has created: The Sunday Basket. We also discuss her experience working with people as a professional organizer and how sometimes admitting that we need help is really all that’s needed to be more organized and productive. Here are some of the things we talked about on this episode: The three phases of life, and how her experience working with lots of clients made her efficient in identifying which phase they’re in and systems to put in place for their specific needs and hang-ups. The concept of the Sunday Basket as an organization and productivity tool, not just for women, but for any

This episode's guest is a long-time friend whom I met at the World Domination Summit. He is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a best-selling author, the host of the Creative Giant podcast, and a productivity expert: Charlie Gilkey. Charlie helps creative people to start finishing stuff that matters. This involves weeding out through the noise of various tasks, priorities, and projects through Project Cagematch, and other productivity concepts up his sleeve. Half an hour is never enough for the two of us as we geeked out and chatted on various subjects. In this week’s episode, we discussed: Charlie’s views on starting the year and how (like me) he decides on starting it in a different month than January. What got him – or necessitated him – to get into productivity, and how being a person of multiple interests had him realize the lack of conversation on productivity in the academe. A brief background/history of the productivity movement and resource people, and how the productivity scene is much more c

Anytime is a good time to establish a "well life", and it just so happened that we’re starting 2017 with a means to help you do just that. On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, my guest is Briana Borten. She is a peace engineer and wellness entrepreneur who owns The Dragontree Spa and co-wrote The Well Life. Backed up with their experiences in alternative healing and a genuine yearning to help their clients to live a more fulfilling life, Briana and her husband Dr. Peter Borten wrote the book The Well Life: How to Use Sweetness, Structure, and Space to Create Balance, Happiness, and Peace, which Briana and I talk about throughout the show. Here's just some of what you'll learn: How Briana and Peter's wellness advocacy started 13 years ago, as they established the Dragontree with their background in acupuncture and Ayurvedic medicine, and what motivated them to write this book. The concept of "sweetness", and how and why it should be constantly present in our lives. The tools, techniques, and habi

This week on The Productivityist Podcast I zero in on Evernote with a guest who knows the ins and outs of the app. Charles Byrd will be talking Evernote with me with the goal of helping anyone get started and familiarize themselves with Evernote. He'll be giving insights, sharing tips, and offering hacks along the way. Charles lives in Northern California and worked in the Silicon Valley for tech companies for a significant time. He is now the founder of Byrd Word and hosts a 3-hour training course on productivity – specifically the uses of Evernote – and how this can save people time and, in effect, impact our lives. We talk about: How long Charles has been using Evernote, his initial reaction to the app, and how it has helped him in his career and, ultimately, his business. Where people should start when trying to adopt Evernote to help them with their productivity practices, and what the three concepts Charles teaches people when they are starting out with Evernote. Charles’s thoughts on the changes mad

On this week’s episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I will be chatting with Wade Foster. Wade is the co-founder and CEO of the automation platform Zapier, which helps people automate their work by allowing connections between various apps. Wade and I will talk about how to get started with automation, and how to work your way through it. Listen up on this episode as we discuss: The correct pronunciation of Zapier, and the mission envisioned by Wade and his co-founder Bryan that pushed them to create Zapier. Instances where automation is more harmful than useful to productivity. How people start with simple tasks when integrating automation into their routines, and whether it starts from the workplace or at home. Keeping your automation efforts aligned amidst trial and errors by revisiting the original intent of doing so, and dealing with noise brought about by automation through Zapier. Wade’s thoughts on automation, or replication and delegation to another individual, to simplify tasks. The process

We’re "broadcasting happiness" on this episode of The Productivityist Podcast with my guest Michelle Gielan, the bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness. Michelle was a national CBS news anchor turned happiness researcher, founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research and has a new special airing on PBS called Inspire Happiness with her husband, fellow happiness researcher Shawn Achor. On this episode she talks with me about how our attitudes affect our lives and productivity, and learn about: What the idea was and what happened for "Happy Week" when she was still working as an anchor in CBS. Her insights on the influence of the news on the brain based on research she conducted with Shawn Achor and Ariana Huffington. Transforming your relationship to email, our brains’ negativity bias, and how emailing positivity can change your day – and even make you see the world differently. The problem with Happy Monday emails. How important it is to focus on behaviour instead of the person and what ar

Shawn Blanc is back on The Productivityist Podcast and on this episode we dive into the subject of creative focus. A father of three, Shawn has a passion for creative focus and productivity, regularly writing about these topics on his blog since 2007. In this episode, Shawn and I talk about his upcoming summit, the systems and tools he’s employed in both work and life, his core values, and books that he’s bought but might not have necessarily read. Some other specific subjects we tackled in this episode are: The Systems vs Tools Debate and how Shawn uses both to traverse his life. How his work values and practices relate to his family life. The concept of personal integrity and the future self, plus a simple exercise he does on The Focus Course to establish these concepts. The Blanc Media Core Values, the guidance given to him by Barrett Brooks to articulate these values, and how it ties up with his business direction. The concept of traction and how to apply this in real life...and towards reaching your

Michael E. Gerber, founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies and author of The E-Myth Book Series is my featured guest this week. He discusses the main concepts of his new book, Beyond the E-Myth. Michael is a pillar of business development and coaching going as far back as the 1970s, and his insights on systems, startups and scaling up businesses into enterprises will be central in this episode. You'll hear about decades worth of business acumen and you'll learn about: What is a company of one, and how to build and scale it up? How he started his business, his experience creating the first business development / coaching firm, and how he positioned it. The E-Myth series and its promise to fix broken businesses (which is a difficult thing to do), and how did that play a part on his decision to create Beyond the E-Myth. The concept of Old Co and New Co, the difference and transition between the two. The mindset that Michael wants entrepreneurs to have when conceptualizing their businesses. The definition an

James Sudakow, author of the book Picking the Low Hanging Fruit, is this episode’s guest and we talk about the language people use in the corporate world. Every organization or group got acronyms, buzzwords, or phrases that is used on a daily basis. On this episode, James and I discuss how these can benefit organizations – but sometimes cause disconnect in communication. James also reveals some buzzwords that he thinks people should stop using by the end of the year, and how an individual can shift away from the habit of using such words. Let’s "open the kimono" on this episode and learn about: People’s intentions when they choose to use big words. How to stop this practice in organizations firmly entrenched into such kind of language. James’ list of buzzwords that people should retire from use by the end of 2016, and the most obscure phrases he’s heard. An open letter James wrote on his blog tackling the ridiculous lingo being used in the corporate world. The probability of grandiose language masking la

The guest for this week's podcast episode is my friend Zachary Sexton, formerly of Asian Efficiency. We speak about the science and art of journaling as a productivity practice. He shares his insights on journaling, and expounds on the medium and apps he uses, the structure of his journal, and the purpose it serves him to reflect on his past and plan for the future. This episode includes narratives about: The idea that journaling is a teenage girl thing, the reason why both Zack and Mike are doing this now, and how long has Zack been journaling. How Facebook is basically public journaling and how to translate this into a private and personal log for systems improvement, habit building, and daily planning. The structure Zack and Mike follow with their respective journals. Why Zack decided on using the digital medium for journaling and his hacks to make it faster and more efficient. The practice of reviewing journals by the end of the year, and how Zack maintains accountability to ensure he is moving towar

Brooks Duncan from DocumentSnap (a.k.a. The Paperless Guy) is this week’s guest on The Productivityist Podcast. We talked about many things, but primarily focused on the idea of backing up and going paperless. Brooks sets things straight on the concept of going paperless, which often people think means just not using paper at all. He also recounts how he fell into the paperless lifestyle, and how people can also choose to do the same with theirs. Brooks and I walk through the process of easing into the paperless life, its benefits, as well as recommended apps to help us all transition into this lifestyle. On this episode, we discussed: Brooks’ definition of ‘paperless’ and when did he decide to explore the paperless life. The best way of keeping track of the digital files upon switching to paperless. The framework / system / sample workflow to get it from paper to digital. Brooks’ thoughts the rise of digital-analog hybrid notebooks. What were the benefits of the digital space as well as its disadvantage

On this episode, my guest is Grant Baldwin, who returns to The Productivityist Podcast. Grant is a speaker, blogger, podcaster, and founder of The Speaker Lab – where he helps people (specifically speakers) become more effective in their craft. We spoke about the processes in planning and delivering an effective talk. Grant expounded on the logistical needs prior to a speaking event, the mental process of writing a manuscript, and the importance of rehearsing. This is not just a podcast meant for professional speakers as we discuss points and ideas that may also be used by anyone who might have fear of speaking, or is preparing for a presentation or public speaking of any kind. In this podcast episode, you’ll learn about: The process of building talks as Grant sees it; from logistical preparation, marketing, selling, sourcing speakers, to the talk itself. How Grant constructs a talk and how having a polished template that can be tweaked with slight nuances based on the audience demographic is the most effic