Mike Vardy's Blog, page 33

Episode 365: Purposeful Play with Gary Ware

Play around more when you work to boost productivity. Founder of Breakthrough Play, Gary Ware, shares what you can do today.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers you access to your own licensed professional therapist – all from the comfort of wherever you are. You can arrange weekly video chats or phone calls, text with your carefully curated counsellor, and do so at an affordable price. And anything you share is confidential. I’ve been using BetterHelp for a while and I am highly impressed. It’s been a huge help for me and I know it can be the same for you. Start living a happier life today with BetterHelp. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/timecrafting. Give BetterHelp a try today.

This episode is sponsored by TextExpander . With TextExpander, you can unlock your productivity with its many features. With TextExpander you can make everything you write repetitively available everywhere you type: text documents, spreadsheets, web forms, and more. Unlock your productivity with TextExpander. Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year.

I’ve known Gary Ware for over 10 years now. He’s a true expert when it comes to play – it’s not just associated with kids. In this conversation, I pick his brains to find out how play can help boost productivity. Day-to-day, Gary helps professionals level-up their confidence, creativity, and happiness using play. He is the Founder of Breakthrough Play, a corporate facilitator and keynote speaker with a decade of experience as a performer in improv theatre.

In this interview, we explore how so many of us have been conditioned to play after we work, purposeful play activities, cliffhangers, and the hustle culture.

Talking PointsThe productive power of play (1:54)The different forms of play (5:46)Some distracting play ‘traps’ (13:04)The infinite versus the finite mindset (24:11)Practical applications of play you can do today (29:52)

“Play is an advantage.”

– Gary Ware

Helpful LinksEpisode 90: Productivity & Play with Dr. Kirsten Milliken‘Playdhd’ by Dr. Kirsten Milliken‘Finite and Infinite Games’ by James Carse‘The Infinite Game’ by Simon Sinek‘Unmistakable’ by Sriniva Rao‘SuperBetter’ by Jane McGonigalThe BIG ReadyWorld Domination SummitBreakthroughPlay.com

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

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Episode 364: Collaborating with Nature with Darren Virassammy

Podcast host and entrepreneur Darren Virassammy shares how connecting with nature will cultivate your excellence.

Check out the Productivityist Playbook – a framework to up your personal productivity game, no matter if it’s your first attempt to level up or you’ve tried countless times before. You get an ebook, audio files, videos, a base series of “plays”, and a formal introduction to The NOW Year Method, a personal productivity approach that I’ve designed. I’ve added a ton of value to this product because I want you to take your productivity to the next level. Get your copy of the Productivityist Playbook today by visiting Productivityist.com/Playbook .

Collaborating with nature has been a catalyst for the success of Darren Virassammy. He’s the Co-Founder of 34 Strong, an organization which provides expert team development resources and leadership coaching. He’s also the host of the Nature Advantage Podcast, where he interviews living legends to explore how they collaborate with nature to cultivate excellence in their work, life and organizations.

It’s undeniable that pausing and being in nature helps boost our productivity, creativity and ability to problem solve better. Darren is a real opportunist and I loved hearing how nature has really impacted his life. We deep dive into the impact of walking meetings, simple exercises to be more present with nature, some insights from his podcast – and how to pronounce his last name.

Talking PointsThe essence of his new podcast The Nature Advantage (3:35)Being in ‘attunement’ with nature (8:59)How to start your collaboration with nature today (13:36)What a maple tree can teach us (21:57)Journaling with your eyes closed (24:19)

“What can you do with what you have?”

– Darren Virassammy

Helpful LinksLeading Strong PodcastThe Nature Advantage Podcast‘How to Live a Good Life’ by Jonathan Fields‘The Art of Noticing’ by Rob WalkerEpisode 243: The Art of Noticing with Rob Walker‘Fix This Next’ by Mike Michalowicz‘The Pumpkin Plan’ by Mike MichalowiczEpisode 166: Standing Up with Rob JacobsMinimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping ReviewDarrenVirassammy.com34strong.com

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 364: Collaborating with Nature with Darren Virassammy appeared first on Productivityist.

8 Simple Tips for Boosting Your Productivity at Work and Home

Productivity matters a great deal in life and at work. The more you get done, the better you’re going to feel.

No one wants to go through life always feeling stressed out and anxious. The good news? You don’t have to when you apply the following 8 simple tips I’m sharing in this post. You can tackle what needs your attention while feeling in control and at ease.

Define Goals & Develop New Skills

One simple tip for boosting your productivity at work and home is to always be setting new goals for yourself and challenging yourself. Commit to developing new skills and furthering your personal and professional development.

One example of this is to learn a new language using online tutors that you can find by visiting Preply. You can get expert help that will allow you to develop your vocabulary in the language of your choice and help you feel confident speaking it.

You don’t want to sit around wasting your free time and moments you could be bettering yourself and developing the skills you need to succeed in life and your career.

Set up Your Office Space

You should also take the time to set up a comfortable and functional office space for yourself at work – and a dedicated workspace in your home. You can be more productive when you have a quiet and organized place where you can tackle your to-do list.

Keep this space clean. Paint and decorate with natural elements. Make sure there’s plenty of good lighting. You’ll be a lot more productive and get more done when you take care of your workspace and have a calming environment that helps you concentrate and focus on whatever you need and want to get done.

Prioritize Tasks

Another simple tip for boosting your productivity at work and home is to prioritize your tasks. You should not only make to-do lists so you know what needs to get done but then you should also take time to prioritize them. That way you can feel comfortable leaving the office (or ending your workday) at a certain time knowing you have accomplished what was most pressing.

Leave the rest for another day and take pride in being able to create more balance in your schedule by doing the first things first.

Avoid Multitasking

You may assume that the more you do at once the more you’ll achieve. However, the opposite holds true in most cases. Your brain can only do so much at one time and you may find you make more mistakes when you tackle a lot at once.

You should definitely avoid multitasking and focus and work on one task at a time. Do this and you’ll find that you get through your list quicker and with fewer errors.

Multitasking may cause confusion – and you might feel more stressed out than if you had dedicated more time and energy to focusing on one thing at a time.

Take Breaks

Taking breaks is good for your mind and will help you return to your tasks feeling refreshed and full of energy.

Sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer screen isn’t healthy or productive. You can boost your productivity at work and home by scheduling a variety of breaks throughout your day.

For instance, set a timer or alarm and remind yourself to get up and stretch or grab a drink of water. Then return to your desk after a few minutes of downtime.

In addition, make sure you set aside time to step away from your work to eat a healthy lunch and give your mind a rest from thinking and doing. Breaks are not wasteful – they’re necessary. You must take them if you’re going to have a chance to get through your to-do list without feeling overworked and stressed out.

Eliminate Distractions

Distractions may be keeping you from performing your best work and getting ahead in life and at work. One simple tip for boosting your productivity on any given day is to do what you can to eliminate distractions.

Try turning off your email and phone notifications while you’re working on a task and check them later when you’re finished.

If you work at home and have others around the home while you’re working, make sure you have a quiet space you can go to focus and shut the door. You may need to hire childcare (or send your children to daycare) so that you’re not trying to work and take care of your family and run a household at the same time.

Remember that the fewer interruptions you have to deal with during the day, the better off you’ll be.

Delegate & Ask for Help

It’s never a bad idea to reach out and ask for help from others when you need it. Sometimes the case may be that you simply have too much on your plate to do.

You must learn to delegate responsibilities to others at work and home and have people assist you with what needs to get done. It’ll free up some of your time so you don’t feel as swamped. Then you can work on the most important tasks that are the most critical to you finding success at your job and in your home.

The reason you may not be very productive is because your schedule is always full – you’re overwhelmed by trying to do it all without having enough time. Let others step in and help you out so you can feel more in control of your days.

Take Care of Yourself

Another simple tip for boosting your productivity at work and home is to take good care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, and exercise so that you have a lot of natural energy and can better concentrate on what you’re doing.

The better you feel, the more you’ll get done. Plus, you’ll be happier about that fact that you’re progressing in life and at work. You will definitely have trouble thinking and doing when you’re stressed out and anxious, so it’s beneficial that you practice self care and attend to your mental and physical health properly.

Give any (or all) of these simple tips a try so that you can give your productivity the added boost it needs, whether you’re at work or at home. Your future self will thank you for that boost.

The post 8 Simple Tips for Boosting Your Productivity at Work and Home appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 363: Meaningful Online Connections with Misha Glouberman

Misha Glouberman, communication expert, teaches you how to build meaningful online connections without the Zoom fatigue.

This episode is sponsored by Canva Pro. It’s the easy-to-use design platform that has everything you need to design like a pro. It has all you need in one place, including a collection of over 75 million premium photos, videos, audio and graphics. As a Canva Pro subscriber, I love so many of their features including the brand kit, which makes it really easy to collaborate with my team. Claim your FREE 45 day extended trial by signing up via Canva.me/timecrafting.

This episode is sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs . When your business is ready to make that next hire, LinkedIn Jobs can help by matching your role with qualified candidates so that you can find the right person quickly. You can pay what you want and get the first $50 off. Just visit linkedin.com/timecrafting to get fifty dollars off your first job post. Terms and conditions apply.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers you access to your own licensed professional therapist – all from the comfort of wherever you are. You can arrange weekly video chats or phone calls, text with your carefully curated counsellor, and do so at an affordable price. And anything you share is confidential. I’ve been using BetterHelp for a while and I am highly impressed. It’s been a huge help for me and I know it can be the same for you. Start living a happier life today with BetterHelp. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/timecrafting. Give BetterHelp a try today.

Misha Glouberman helps people communicate better. He teaches communication skills, runs meetings and conferences for organizations, hosts live events, and speaks at conferences. He is the author, with Sheila Heti, of the book ‘The Chairs Are Where the People Go’ – which the New Yorker named as one of its top nonfiction books of 2011. He relays everything he knows about communication, conferences, relationships, making friends, monogamy, playing charades and more.

10 years on from writing the book, I catch up with Misha to find out what has been going on in his life. In this episode, we discuss what 99% of conferences aren’t doing, how to make meaningful online connections and the social and technological design considerations for good online networking.

Talking PointsMisha’s focus on building connections during the pandemic (4:43)Dissecting the problem with remote events (9:34)Why so many conferences fail to deliver a true experience (11:09)Lessons from improv (30:32)Innovation from uncertainty (32:06)The power of vulnerability and reconsidering your social networks (37:03)

“There are things that are really important to us as humans, so why do we make them hard to say?”

– Misha Glouberman

Helpful Links‘The Chairs Are Where the People Go’ by Misha GloubermanSteven Pressfield World Domination SummitEpisode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James ClearThe BIG ReadyMishaGlouberman.com Misha’s TwitterMisha’s LinkedIn

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 363: Meaningful Online Connections with Misha Glouberman appeared first on Productivityist.

Why Becoming Your Own Best Friend Will Boost Your Productivity

Productivity isn’t just about getting things done. It’s more nuanced than that. And so are the things that can get in the way of optimal productivity. I don’t usually get into one particular thing that can have an impact on your productivity, but in this piece I am going to go there.

Without a doubt, one of the greatest obstacles to achieving consistent and sustainable productivity is ourselves. We get in our own way.

The surprising thing is, many people don’t even realize this.

They can’t tell what the symptoms are. Nor do they understand how harmful it is to their general life. Much of what we experience in this boils down to one thing: It’s all about ourselves in our own mind.

One way we get in our own way is that we lack confidence in ourselves because we are ultra-critical. We end up being our own worst critics about our looks, our bodies, our intelligence, and our professional capabilities. If only we were our own friend, we could – and would – become the best version of ourselves.

Here are some things to try so you can become your own best friend – and boost your productivity in the process.

The Lone Wolf Mentality

Everybody has the natural inclination to be a lone wolf. Just because we live in a sophisticated society, doesn’t mean we have lost that notion of self-preservation. It’s just morphed into self-enrichment. 

You might see this at work. Have you ever worked on a project and did something that really improved the team’s prospects of success… and then someone else tried to take credit for it? The person who did this knew that you were responsible for the good thing that occured. Don’t take this personally.

Sometimes adopting the lone wolf mentality when you are at work is the way to go. Roll with the pack when you need to, but stand up for yourself. Set boundaries where you can and make sure you respect and enforce them. If you do neither of those things, no one else will respect them. Be loyal and kind to yourself first. The more you love who you are, the more you want to fight for your corner. And you may just find that the work you do is all the better for it.

Honor Your Desires

There are times in our lives when you feel a hint of embarrassment for wanting something. It may be a nice coat, a nice meal out – one that is obviously a little too expensive, or even wanting to go on a holiday to be pampered. Other times it’s how we judge our looks compared to another person. There’s no shame in admitting that. We are competitive and sometimes selfish. It’s part of our nature. However, we have been taught to repress these desires until they are almost non-existent. This may be humbling most of the time, but sometimes it’s not. 

Honoring your desires is noble. It’s a good cause and you should never feel ashamed for it. The trick is to do so in moderation. You should go on a holiday that will pamper you. You should want to look good. So work out, buy the makeup you like, buy the clothes that you like. But remember, do so in moderation. 

Show a Little Gratitude 

Starting a “gratitude journal” is an excellent way to start truly caring for yourself. You can get started with prompts to trigger this habit. For example, here’s where you can find 170 gratitude journal prompts that can get you started easily. If you can’t think of ways to show appreciation about yourself, you will be given a prompt. You will be asked to fill in the blank, such as: “My favorite TV show is….” and “I’m grateful for (habit) I have because….”. This can be done via your online journal or it can be done via a simple SMS message. It’s a nice way to remind yourself, that you need to do something good for yourself every single day. 

All it takes is one thing to uplift your spirits, boost your confidence, and self-belief. Things such as noting your personality and being proud of it. At least one thing that you love about your appearance. Name one thing that you have done in the past week that you thought you couldn’t do but did. What is your favorite kind of food… and why? You should get to know yourself a bit more… and be grateful that you are a unique person. In a sea of 8 billion people, there’s only one of you!

You are Fine as You Are

So many of us have trouble accepting who we are as people. It boils down to thinking that our personality is, well… off. In some regards, it may be. (I know my personality isn’t completely on the level.) But it’s not all bad.

It’s highly advisable that you stop thinking that there is something wrong with you for being a certain way. Don’t like sharing your food? So what. Do you like to avoid large groups of people? Maybe you just like a less rowdy environment. Maybe you also like to talk about meaningful things like politics, culture, and society… and your friends find it boring. If that’s the case, look to add some friends into your life that care about some of those things as well.

Don’t try to change these kind of things about yourself to fit into the crowd. You should be proud of your own personality and individualistic nature. So embrace that… and who you are.

Time to Yourself

Do you feel that you need to be with others to have a good time? I bet you don’t. I know I don’t. But I used to feel that way.

You should be able to go to a restaurant by yourself. Go to the movies on your own. Take some time to yourself.

And don’t just hide away for some alone time. Go shopping for things you want by yourself. Go on holiday by yourself. Start doing some things where it’s just me, myself, and I.

Being your own best friend is something that we need to focus on more. If more of us cared for ourselves as we do for others, our productivity would be greater.

And, frankly, I think elements of our society would be too.

The post Why Becoming Your Own Best Friend Will Boost Your Productivity appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 362: Writing at Middle School with Kristina Naydonova

I catch up with the very thoughtful 13 year old novelist Kristina Naydonova to learn how to carve out our own paths.

This episode is sponsored by NuCalm . It’s the only stress management system of its kind, clinically proven in over 1 million sessions to improve your sleep, reduce your stress and boost your recovery without drugs and side effects. It’s imperative to your health and happiness to be able to manage stress and not be managed by it. This is why it’s part of my daily routine, and their programmes leave me feeling recharged and energised. As a listener, check out the exclusive link TimeCraftingNuCalm.com and get 50% off your 30-day subscription of NuCalm and their money-back guarantee.

This episode is brought to you by The New Yorker. In print and online, The New Yorker stands apart for its commitment to truth and accuracy, quality writing, and compelling reporting and storytelling. I love reading their time and productivity thought pieces. And there’s something for everyone: politics, news, international affairs, climate change and the environment, popular culture, the arts, fiction, food, humor and cartoons. It’s the daily digital destination for news and cultural coverage, publishing 10 to 15 exclusive site-only stories every day. You can also read from the online archive dating all the way back to 1925! For a limited time get 12 weeks of The New Yorker for just $6 – saving you 50%. Plus, listeners of my show will receive an exclusive tote bag for free. Go to and use the promo code TIMECRAFTING at the checkout.

I’ve put together a FREE challenge that will forge the future that you want. Taking place over 3 days from March 26th – 28th 2021, it’s called the Forge Your Future Challenge. Hosted by me and I’ll be livestreaming the event with a wide variety of activities leading up to the challenge. Simply go to Productivityist.com/ForgeYourFuture and sign up to this free challenge today.

Kristina Naydonova is hands down the youngest guest I’ve had on the show. Aged 13, she’s already published a novel, The Black Sisterhood Files, and writes for Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. She’s also a Sunday Times bestselling mystery author, regular podcast speaker, and occasional contributor for Buzzfeed-Books – all while she’s at middle school.

I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing from a young age, so it was great to connect with this kindred spirit and fellow night owl. Join our conversation as we explore bullet journaling, handling peer pressure, and how she’s achieved so much success from such a young age.

Talking PointsSetting time aside to write whilst still being a kid (3:26)Handling peer pressure (4:27)Simple ways to practise mindfulness (7:18)Navigating social media and leveraging its strengths (8:48)Mastering TikTok (11:13)Kristina’s daily routines that balances her education and writing (19:54)Kristina’s long-term to-do lists (21:37)Her favourite book genres (26:45)Seeking inspiration from the likes of Stephen King and Greta Thunberg (30:14)

“Take time to experiment and figure out what you really want in life.”

– Kristina Naydonova

Helpful LinksThrive Global‘The Black Sisterhood Files’ by Kristina Naydonova5 Easy Ways to Implement Mindfulness Into Your Daily LifeKristina’s TwitterKristina’s Instagram#bookstagramEpisode 213: The Bullet Journal Method with Ryder CarrollKristina.co

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 362: Writing at Middle School with Kristina Naydonova appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 361: Being a Multipotentialite with Vanessa Tharp

When you run a business, you can’t do it alone. The Productivityist’s Chief of Staff, Vanessa Tharp, jumps on to explain how she supports my journey.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers you access to your own licensed professional therapist – all from the comfort of wherever you are. You can arrange weekly video chats or phone calls, text with your carefully curated counsellor, and do so at an affordable price. And anything you share is confidential. I’ve been using BetterHelp for a while and I am highly impressed. It’s been a huge help for me and I know it can be the same for you. Start living a happier life today with BetterHelp. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/timecrafting. Give BetterHelp a try today.

I’ve put together a FREE challenge that will forge the future that you want. Taking place over 3 days from March 26th – 28th 2021, it’s called the Forge Your Future Challenge. Hosted by me and I’ll be livestreaming the event with a wide variety of activities leading up to the challenge. Simply go to Productivityist.com/ForgeYourFuture and sign up to this free challenge today.

Vanessa Tharp has over 15 years of education, leadership, community building and event planning. She collaborates with people to help create epic events, conferences, retreats, business strategies and product launches. And I would know – she works with me. As Chief of Staff, she’s assisted the growth of The Productivityist in numerous ways, including the BIG Ready.

I found this interview really energizing as we uncovered how to build actionable roadmaps and why she’s not one to niche down. Join us as we discuss being a multipotentialite, leveraging relationships, how she plays an integral part in the business – as well as cupcakes and quicksand training.

Talking PointsVanessa’s involvement with the development of The Productivityist (7:50)How to scale without getting stuck (13:35)Vanessa’s approach to taking action with big business tasks (21:18)How to leverage relationships (30:05)Why we need to be more ourselves and embrace the ugly parts (34:50)

“Through your failures you get data points to work from.”

– Vanessa Tharp

Helpful LinksEpisode 250: 5 Days with John PoelstraEfficient Writing with Jim WoodsThe BIG ReadyThe West WingExpress VPNThe Two Day Soirée‘Ego Is The Enemy’ by Ryan HolidayEpisode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke‘Can’t Hurt Me’ by David Goggins‘Greenlights’ by Matthew McConaugheyVanessaTharp.comVanessa’s FacebookVanessa’s Instagram

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 361: Being a Multipotentialite with Vanessa Tharp appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 360: A World Without Email with Cal Newport

Cal Newport is back on the show to uncover his magnum opus on why we work the way we work today, and why we need to change our relationship with email.

This episode is sponsored by Green Chef. Green Chef is the first USDA-certified organic meal kit company. Ingredients come pre-measured, perfectly portioned, and mostly prepped, so you can spend less time stressing and more time enjoying delicious, home-cooked meals. Whether you’re Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, or just looking to eat healthier, there’s a range of recipes to suit any diet or preference. Go to GreenChef.com/90timecrafting and use code 90timecrafting to get $90 off including free shipping!

This episode is sponsored by TextExpander . With TextExpander, you can unlock your productivity with its many features. With TextExpander you can make everything you write repetitively available everywhere you type: text documents, spreadsheets, web forms, and more. Unlock your productivity with TextExpander. Visit TextExpander.com/podcast for 20% off your first year.

Email simply doesn’t scale – its back and forth nature is what drove Cal Newport down the rabbit hole of finding a better way to work. This includes all methods of communication, be it Slack, WhatsApp, or Facebook DMs and so on. These tools should just be used as shorthand, and not become your work. In his latest book, A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload, I had to unpick my good friend’s insights.

Join us today as we uncover why we need to change our relationship with email. In this brave new world, we touch on how email came about accidentally, finding solutions as a team, context switching, and the fascinating research path that led Cal to writing the book.

Talking PointsThe main elements of email that we need to move away from (1:46)Why email has taken over our work (6:14)On Merlin Mann and Inbox Zero (11:05)The Attention Capital Principle (15:31)Changing our view on email in all parts of the business, from managerial to admin and customer support (19:28)How you can stop relying on email today (39:45)

“Don’t explain to people what you’re doing, just do it.”

– Cal Newport

Helpful Links‘A World Without Email’ by Cal NewportEpisode 73 with Cal NewportEpisode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport‘Digital Minimalism’ by Cal Newport‘Deep Work’ by Cal NewportThe New Yorker articles by Cal NewportThe New Yorker: The Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done by Cal NewportEpisode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David AllenWovenDeep Questions PodcastCalNewport.com

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 360: A World Without Email with Cal Newport appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 359: The Common Path to Uncommon Success with John Lee Dumas

This candid conversation reveals what John Lee Dumas has learnt throughout his life – which includes interviewing thousands of entrepreneurs on his show – and steps you can take on a common (yet simple) path that can lead to uncommon success.

This episode is sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs . When your business is ready to make that next hire, LinkedIn Jobs can help by matching your role with qualified candidates so that you can find the right person quickly. You can pay what you want and get the first $50 off. Just visit linkedin.com/timecrafting to get fifty dollars off your first job post. Terms and conditions apply.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. BetterHelp offers you access to your own licensed professional therapist – all from the comfort of wherever you are. You can arrange weekly video chats or phone calls, text with your carefully curated counsellor, and do so at an affordable price. And anything you share is confidential. I’ve been using BetterHelp for a while and I am highly impressed. It’s been a huge help for me and I know it can be the same for you. Start living a happier life today with BetterHelp. As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/timecrafting. Give BetterHelp a try today.

John Lee Dumas is the founder and host of the award-winning podcast, Entrepreneurs on Fire. He’s interviewed thousands of entrepreneurs, including Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuk, Barbara Corcoran, Tim Ferriss, and many more. So I’m excited to find out more about what he’s learnt through these interviews.

In the run up to the launch of his new book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success: A Roadmap to Financial Freedom and Fulfillment, I wanted to find out what you can do to stay ahead of the game. Listen to find out more about producing a daily podcast, how JLD themes his days, keeping the money you make – and butchering Jim Carrey’s commencement speech.

Talking PointsHow to follow a path without being constrained by it (2:33)Understanding the difference between simple and easy (3:53)Implementing practical exercises in JLD’s new book (8:53)The podcasts that inspired JLD to launch his own show (11:08)Having a mentor for any area of life (20:32)JLD’s tactics to help you avoid burnout (24:25)After Action Reviews and backwards planning (28:31)The FOCUS acronym (32:50)

“Choose your hard”

– John Lee Dumas

Helpful LinksUncommonSuccessBook.com (GET PRE-ORDER BONUSES NOW!)Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth GodinJim Carrey’s Commencement Address at the 2014 MUM GraduationJedidiah Jenkins on the Rich Roll PodcastJohn Lee Dumas on the Solopreneur HourSmart Passive Income PodcastMixergyRise To The TopPlanet MoneyFreakonomicsEpisode 351: Eating Frogs with Brian TracyEpisode 264: How to Build Yourself More Time with Jaime MastersEpisode 15: Jaime TardyEpisode 289: The Vision Driven Leader with Michael HyattEpisode 239: Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt

Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)

The post Episode 359: The Common Path to Uncommon Success with John Lee Dumas appeared first on Productivityist.

Episode 358: Calm Your Chaos with Nicola Taggart

Chaos is a constant. So what can you do to embrace life’s ebb and flow? Nicola Taggart joins the show to share her latest tips.

This episode is brought to you by The New Yorker . In print and online, The New Yorker stands apart for its commitment to truth and accuracy, quality writing, and compelling reporting and storytelling. I love reading their time and productivity thought pieces. And there’s something for everyone: politics, news, international affairs, climate change and the environment, popular culture, the arts, fiction, food, humor and cartoons. It’s the daily digital destination for news and cultural coverage, publishing 10 to 15 exclusive site-only stories every day. You can also read from the online archive dating all the way back to 1925! For a limited time get 12 weeks of The New Yorker for just $6 – saving you 50%. Plus, listeners of my show will receive an exclusive tote bag for free. Go to and use the promo code TIMECRAFTING at the checkout.

In the run up to the holiday season, I want to give you a gift as a loyal listener to the show… The Gift of Time . It’s an ebook I’ve written for you, as I wanted to share my thoughts behind the true value of time. Broken up into 3 parts, I can’t wait to share this with you. You can access this from any of your devices, as well as an audiobook version. Simply visit Productivityist.com/FreeBook and get the Gift of Time for FREE today.

Nicola Taggart is a life and leadership success strategist, coach, consultant, speaker, and author. Nicola helps people discover a more centered and conscious approach to life that increases their presence both in life and in their career. Through her well-being programs, Calm Your Chaos journal and cards, Nicola helps you take stock of what’s going on in your life.

We discuss how we can embrace chaos. From implementing timeless habits, powerful journaling prompts, to visual triggers – this episode will help you beat overwhelm.

Talking PointsThe concept of Calm The Chaos (2:19)How Nicola structures the journal (6:39)The role of Calm The Chaos Cards in Nicola’s life (19:10)Grounding activities (28:18)

“What is the experience you want to feel?”

– Nicola Taggart

Helpful LinksCalm the Chaos JournalCalm the Chaos CardsThe Happiness Advantage by Shawn AchorEpisode 265: Bringing Gratitude with Karl StaibEpisode 123: Broadcasting Happiness with Michelle GielanWrite It All DownFreewriteNicolaTaggart.com

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The post Episode 358: Calm Your Chaos with Nicola Taggart appeared first on Productivityist.