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

On this episode, I’m joined “in studio” by Adam Kreek. A two-time Olympian, Adam holds 60 international medals, including Olympic Gold, and multiple hall of fame inductions. Adam’s new book, The Responsibility Ethic, teaches us the how of self-leadership, driving personal and professional results in individuals and organizations. Adam has a slew of additional accolades to his name, one of which is that in 2013, Adam made the first ever attempt to row unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to America, the subject of the NBC Dateline Documentary, Capsized. It was great to have Adam in the studio to talk about his new book, the idea of providence and patience, what he believes the evolution of SMART goals is, and much more. Talking Points How does failure and Adam’s knowledge on that play into his book? What does Adam think responsibility means? Adam shares with me the idea of providence This is what Adam uses instead of SMART goals How important is it to truly understand your values and how tha

On this episode I chat with Mridu Parikh, founder of Life Is Organized and author of Accomplish It: 7 Simple Actions to Get the Right Things Done and Achieve Your Goals. Mridu helps ambitious people get control of their time, energy, and habits, even when they are overwhelmed by demands and distractions. As a productivity coach, keynote speaker, and best-selling author she teaches people how to focus, overcome procrastination, and squash anxiety. I had a great time talking with Mridu about her journaling habits (that is, if she has them), her thoughts on capturing ideas and thoughts and how she does that, and we specifically dive into the seven simple actions that she describers in her book. Talking Points Mridu and I talk about why people stay in a “state of stuckness”? Does Mridu journal? If so, how does she journal? How does Mridu get people to take their energy levels into account when making to do lists and accomplishing goals? We discuss how to balance recurring simple tasks with bigger, harder tas

On this episode of the podcast, I welcome Dr. Wayne Baker as my guest. Focusing on social capital, social networks, generosity, and positive organizations, Dr. Baker has published six books and contributed to such outlets as Harvard Business Review, Chief Executive Magazine, and Sloan Management Review. A frequent guest speaker and management consultant, Dr. Baker is a cofounder and board member of Give and Take Inc., developers of the collaboration technologies based on principles in his book All You Have to Do Is Ask. Asking for help can be a real challenge – and it keep us from reaching our full potential. The conversation we have on this episode should help you get better at asking. Dr. Baker and I discuss why we need help from others to be more productive, why generosity within a company isn’t the issue when it comes to developing a culture where asking is fostered, and how leaders can use certain techniques and tools to build a habit of asking in themselves and their colleagues. Talking Points This is

On this episode of the program I’m joined by Zvi Band. Zvi is the cofounder and CEO of Contactually, a leading CRM platform for relationship-oriented businesses, and author of “Success is in Your Sphere.” An engineer, developer, entrepreneur, and startup advisor, Zvi has been named a Washingtonian Tech Titan four times. Zvi and I talk about the acronym he uses as his CAPITAL strategy, why you need to aggregate all of your relationships (both personal and professional) in a database, and the need for purpose and process when forging and fostering relationships. Considering that my Monthly Theme for February is Relationships this was the perfect conversation to prime me for the month ahead. I trust you’ll get a lot of value out of it as well. Talking Points Zvi shares his origin story We talk about the role of consistency when it comes to achieving success in your sphere – and the role of the calendar in that This is one of the things Zvi did to execute consistently to help himself over both the short and l

This week on the program I’m joined by a guest I’ve been looking to chat with for a long time. Francesco D’Alessio runs Keep Productive, a YouTube show dedicated to helping people find the most suitable productivity software for their work and life needs. From helping decision making to curbing switching, Keep Productive is passionate about helping you make long-term decisions about your software. I remember the days of keeping up with all the latest and greatest productivity news and app updates. There came a time when I decided that wasn’t going to be in my long-term plans, so I moved away from that kind of content (for the most part). Francesco, however, is another story. He loves doing exactly that: sharing all the productivity news and app-related content as possible, as evidenced by his extremely popular YouTube channel. During our discussion we get into why he enjoys producing content around apps and productivity news, how he maps out his content plan, and so much more. Talking Points Francesco share

On this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Samantha Brody. Dr. Samantha is a licensed naturopathic physician and acupuncturist, and the founder of Evergreen Natural Health Center in Portland, Oregon. For decades in her private practice and virtual consulting business Dr. Samantha has helped thousands of people transform their lives with her innovative, personalized approach. She is the author of Overcoming Overwhelm: Dismantle Your Stress from the Inside Out. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Samantha when we both spoke at Marc and Angel Chernoff’s event Think Better, Live Better. After seeing her speak, I found that there was plenty of alignment with our work and asked her to come on the show. During this conversation we talk about her book, what she means by overwhelm, the steps she believes can help you overcome overwhelm, and the idea of resolutions. There is a lot that we cover in our discussion and I’m pleased to be able to finally bring it to you after many months of trying to make it happen. En

On this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Cliff Ravenscraft. For more than a decade, Cliff had been known as the Podcast Answer Man. He’s trained tens of thousands of individuals how to successfully launch an audio podcast. Today, Cliff is a business and life coach. He mentors coaches, consultants and thought leaders through the transition from their unfulfilling day job to their own responsible and profitable online business so that they can live the life of their dreams and do the work they feel most called to do in this world. This is a longer episode than usual but it is jam-packed with inspiration – which is the perfect way to wrap up one decade and starting another. Cliff’s energy is palpable throughout as he shares with me his online business story, what the transition from one business brand to another has been like, and his evolving views on productivity over the course of the years. There’s a lot to unpack and you’ll want to just sit back and absorb everything Cliff dishes out over the hour-long

On this episode of the podcast, I chat with Richie Norton. Riche is the award-winning, bestselling author of the book The Power of Starting Something Stupid (in 10+ languages) and Résumés Are Dead & What to Do About It. In 2019, Richie was ranked one of the world’s top 100 business coaches by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith. He is an international speaker (including TEDx & Google Startup Grind) and serial entrepreneur.  I didn’t know what to expect when speaking with Richie but I can tell you that I didn’t expect the conversation to be so personal. We talk about why he loves bringing products to life, the axiom he uses as a guiding principle for his life, and solid advice when it comes starting something stupid. Talking Points We talk about the origins of his company name What led Richie to want to bring products that they are proud of to life Richie explains the origins and the meaning behind Gavin’s Law This is far more powerful than any New Year’s Resolution These are the two songs I have on nearly ev

On this episode of The Productivityist Podcast, I’m joined by Andrew (Drew) Tarvin. Drew is the world’s first Humor Engineer teaching people how to get better results while having more fun. He has worked with 35,000+ people at 250+ organizations, including Microsoft, the FBI, and the International Association of Canine Professionals. He is a best-selling author, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and FastCompany, and his TEDx talk has been viewed over 4 million times. Drew and I talk about his book Humor That Works: The Missing Skill for Success and Happiness at Work. We discuss the ways you. can infuse humour into the workplace, why it’s important to bring hummer into the workplace, how you can overcome those who think adding humour to the mix is a waste of time, and more. As someone who has been immersed in humour in my previous life I was happy to have Drew on the program to talk have a comedic conversation that can take productivity to greater heights. Talking Points Drew shares why i

On this episode I speak with Kris Ward. Kris is the director of a marketing and branding company and it was through her work there that she learned a great deal about productivity versus being busy. Her work with other small business professionals lead to the creation of Win The Hour Win The Day. Kris Ward helps entrepreneurs grow their business so they can get more work done faster and focus on what’s really important in life – and we touch on that throughout our conversation. We discuss the aspects of what she calls the “Freedom Formula” and a slew of other productivity-related topics. There’s a lot to absorb in this episode and I’m glad that us two Canadians finally had a chance to connect in podcast form. Talking Points What does productivity mean to Kris? Kris has had several moments that have incited change in Kris’s life. Here’s one of them. Here’s another one of those moments – a very different moment at that Why winning the hour is vital to winning the day We dive deeper into the idea of the ca

On this episode of the program I speak with J.H. Bunting about the life of a writer and the making of his ambitious new book, Crowdsourcing Paris: Memoirs of a Travel Adventure. J.H. Bunting (or “Joe” as I know him) is a bestselling writer, novelist, and a dad. He leads The Write Practice community, an award-winning community of creative writers. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Talia and three kids and enjoys coffee and corpse reviver no. 2s. Joe and I talk about the evolution of his book, the challenge of doing something different or outside of the usual path, how panic and desperation can fuel productivity, and much more. I had a great time learning about Joe’s process when building this book and I am happy to be able share our conversation with you. Talking Points Who is J.H. (Joe) Bunting? This is how he got his start What Joe discovered about the book while in Paris How important was it for Joe to take on this book – something that was different than what he’d done before Mark Twain play

On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Chris Norton. Chris is a speaker, author, adoptive & foster parent. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury playing college football. However, seven years later joyfully conquered the challenge of walking his wife, Emily, down the aisle of his wedding. Chris spoke about his journey, chronicled in The Seven Longest Yards, a book he co-wrote with his wife. We also talked about being fathers, what productivity means to him, and so much more. Chris has overcome a lot and yet is incredibly productive and has an inspiring story to share. I’m pleased to be able to bring it to you on this episode of the program. Talking Points Chris shares a bit about who he is and why he no longer plays football What did it take for Chris to show resilience in the face of tragedy? This is the one thing that helps Chris stay so positive Chris tells the story of the first time he tried to take steps since the accident What primary lesson does Chris take from his football d

On this episode, I’m joined by Brian Dixon, the author of Start with Your People: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything. As a podcaster, conference speaker, and business coach, Brian is passionate about helping high potential leaders and teams thrive in a world of overwhelming options. Some of the things we discuss during our conversation include what people can do to make sure they are starting on the right foot with others, why putting people first plays a role in your productivity, and the things you can do so that you can start with people first. Talking Points Brian speaks about the idea of “deciding” and the concept of the daily decision The nuanced approach to creating harmony between the needs of your people and your own needs This is The One Hour Exchange… and how you make it happen in a way that works for you What steps should someone take if they want to start off on the right foot when “starting with their people” Brian loves personality tests. Here are the four he likes the best. Bria

On this episode of the podcast, I have the pleasure of being joined by the author of The Book of Awesome Series, Neil Pasricha. Neil thinks, writes, and speaks about intentional living and on this episode he’s going to share with me some of his insights from the book You Are Awesome: How to Navigate Change, Wrestle with Failure, and Live an Intentional Life. Neil is a New York Times best-selling author of 5(!) books, selling well over a million copies of his books in the process. He also hosts the award-winning podcast – and foamier Productivityist Podcast Pick of the Week – 3 Books. He’s an in-demand international speaker and, like me, is a Canadian. Unlike me, he lives in Toronto with his wife and three sons. We spend time during our discussion talking about his latest book and a wide variety of productivity-related topics for just over an hour, making this one of the longer episodes I’ve ever produced. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this conversation I have with Neil on the program. It’s, in a word… awesome

On this episode I speak with Steven L. Blue. Steven is the best-selling author of five critically acclaimed books that target executives, leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to learn the secrets of success in the corporate world.Steven’s latest book, Metamorphosis: From Rust-Belt to High-Tech in a 21st Century World, is a detailed blueprint for CEOs and senior leaders to transform their businesses from failing rust-belt companies with small margins into high-tech leaders with superior profits. I spoke with Steven about the shift from rust-belt to high-tech products, the patience involved when making a change, and the process of metamorphosis as a whole. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode and plenty of lessons that Steven offers that you should heed when undergoing organizational – or even individual – metamorphosis. Talking Points What metamorphosis means to Steven – and what Steven wanted to title the book in the first place Steven discusses the idea of “innovational potential” The surprising

On this episode, I speak with Wade Foster. Wade is the CEO and co-founder of Zapier, a workflow automation tool used by over three million people to connect the work apps they use every day. Prior to Zapier, Wade worked as a customer development lead for The Idea Works, Inc. in Missouri. He is an alumnus of Y Combinator and has degrees in industrial engineering and business administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia. I wanted to have Wade back on the show to explore the genesis of Zapier as well as how automation has worked for him over the years. We talked about his own to do list, who inspires and motivates him through their work and so much more during our conversation. I’m pleased to have him return as a guest on the show and hope you enjoy this revisited and reframed discussion. Talking Points Wade shares a bit about Zapier Where has Zapier gone since its inception? How has it evolved? Is there such a thing as “too much automation”? What trips people up when they are trying to automate?

On this episode, I’m joined by Nir Eyal, the author of what I consider to be the best productivity book I’ve read in a long time, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. Without question I feel that Nir’s book Indistractable is the best book on the topic of productivity that I’ve read in a long time. We dig into the book throughout our lengthy discussion, discuss the concept of willpower (and my misinterpretation of how he feels about it), and so much more. There’s plenty to unpack in this episode and I’m pleased to be able to bring it to you. Talking Points Why I feel that Indistractable is one of the best productivity books out there Nir shares why the book covers for both Hooked and Indistractable are yellow The distinction between traction, time management, and becoming indistractable What is pseudowork? Nir Starts to reveal the four strategies that you’ll need to become indistractable This is what time management actually is We talk about willpower – and this is where

I’m joined by my good friend and author of Bring Gratitude: Feel Joyful with Bite-Sized Mindset Practices, Karl Staib on this episode. We spend time speaking about the effects that gratitude can have on your productivity when you simply “bring it” into your life as much as possible. Karl is also the creator of free 30-Day Bring Gratitude Challenge, an initiative that helps people strengthen their mindset through practicing gratitude. The challenge is presented in a private Facebook Group (linked below) and his goal is to get the smartest and most caring people together to create an amazing community so they can help each other learn from our mistakes and build a life that they all love. Talking Points Why Karl is a recovering “complainer” What Karl means when he encourages you to “bring” gratitude The story of the meeting that began Karl’s mindset shift towards gratitude What Karl does when he catches himself veering away from gratitude The question Karl asks himself that helps him tap into gratitude wh

I’m excited to welcome Jaime Masters as a guest on his episode of the podcast. Jaime is the host of Eventual Millionaire. She’s interviewed almost 500 self-made millionaires and billionaires. She’s been a business coaching for over 10 years and has taught six and seven-figure CEOs, entrepreneurs and business owners how to double and triple their revenue. She has been featured in Yahoo Online, Inc.com, SUCCESS Magazine, Entrepreneur, Women’s Health Magazine, Business Insider, and more. I’ve been friends with Jaime for years and have had the pleasure of hanging out with her at events in cities all over the world. She loves business and all things geeky. She’s the mother of two amazing kids that are already making money in business as stilt walkers and contortionists. (I need to get my two kids on this whole “making money” thing!) I wanted to talk to Jaime about her latest venture: Ownerbox. It’s Jaime’s new brand that delivers business owners the dream they signed up for when they started their business. We tal

This bonus episode celebrating International Podcast Day features a long-awaited return of the productivity banter between yours truly and my good friend and former co-host of Mikes in Mics, Michael Schechter. We talked about the Whole30 program and what Schechter is drinking during the episode because of it, what he means by "setting his combination," and what it's like to attend the annual Berkshire Hathaway meetings. You can check out Michael's guest post that I published in conjunction with this episode here. Happy International Podcast Day! Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices I'm trying something new with A