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

I met Shawn Stevenson at Tropical Think Tank in February of 2017 and his talk was phenomenal. We had a few exchanges while we were there but I wanted to have him on the show to dive deeper into some of his work. Shawn is the author Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success and if you’ve been listening to my show for a while you know that I’m definitely into the idea of how sleep can affect your personal productivity. Some of the highlights from our conversation include: Why sleep is such a hot topic these days and what goes on during sleep that has such an impact on us The controversy that surrounds some of the newer research surrounding sleep (and health in general) Why getting sun and daylight on your skin is one of the most important things you can do - and why it’s harmful if you’re not taking time to do it I had a great time speaking with Shawn on this episode. I hope you enjoy it as well. RELEVANT LINKS: Sleep Smarter by Shawn Ste

On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by engineer by day, aspiring productivity hacker, and co-founder of to-do list app Vista List, Shawn Razek. Here’s the crux of Shawn’s mission: “Time is something we are all trying to make the most of and I want to do my part to help others accomplish that through coaching and creating great tools.” Some of the takeaways from our conversation include: The transition from high school to college (and then to the workforce) is often a big change. Working longer can be a sign that you're not being productive at work. Small 3-minute and 4-minute tasks add up during the course of a day.  Shawn does a short workout every day during his lunch hour. Establish your precedents and boundaries with co-workers. We often overestimate the amount of time left for projects and tasks. Relevant Links Vista List  Vista List (@Vista_List) | Twitter  Shawn Razek | Medium  Shawn Razek | LinkedIn   Thanks for tuning in! Until next time, remember to stop guessing...and start

Jeff Goins is out to prove that real artists don't have to starve. In fact, he is out to prove that they can thrive in his latest book Real Artists Don't Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age. My wife and I had the chance to spend time with Jeff at Tropical Think Tank in early 2017 and we had some fantastic conversations surrounding artistry, writing, business, family, and more. While I've hung out with Jeff at other events (including Chris Guillebeau's World Domination Summit), getting to know him better in Cebu was one of the highlights of my time there. Some of the things we discussed in this episode include the idea of how he is able to be so prolific and deliver quality at the same time, why stealing can be something an artist can do, why collaboration can be a good thing – or even the best thing – for the thriving artist, what role mindset and money have in the life of an artist, and more. Relevant Links Real Artists Don't Starve | DontStarve.com     Jeff Goins's Website

For this episode, I went out and pursued hard so I can chat with Sketchnote creator, Mike Rohde. Mike is a sketchnoter, designer, illustrator, self-professed techy, author and speaker who is fond of simple yet impactful design solutions. A sample of such is the Daily Plan Bar which he created to make task management more manageable. Our discussion involves the origins of the Daily Plan Bar, how he came up with it and the other systems he uses to manage his work tasks and his home life. Specific points we’ve chatted about are: How his intention to get the most of his day, avoid distractions and just get away from the computer prompted him to maximize analog tools and create the Daily Plan bar. Whose systems influenced and were integrated to create Mike’s Daily Plan Bar. How he incorporates digital with analog, with his outlook calendar playing the master role from which he extracts the details of his daily plan bar. Dealing with too many tasks, prioritizing which ones to do in the day, how Mike reminds him

It was a real treat chatting with this episode's guest Toku McCree. Toku is a coach, teacher and the guy behind Unexecutive.com and Samurai Coaching Dojo. His background working with rock stars and living in a Zen monastery certainly gives off a vibe that he’s less traditional than the usual, and he uses these experience to teach entrepreneurs and leaders an out-of-the-box mindset to redefine success not as the destination but as a part of the journey to an amazing life. Our conversation focused on the the idea that obsessing over tactics could actually be ruining your business, and even your life. Some of the points Toku and I covered in our discussion includes: An obsession with productivity and strategy that he's noticed working with entrepreneurs, leaders, and CEOs. The point in an individual's growth when the focus shifts from what you’re doing to what you’re being, and how this can change everything in your life, thus creating a kind of efficiency with less friction. How he had 30 jobs before he was

My guest on this episode is fellow Canadian Corey Poirier. Corey is a keynote speaker, sales professional, entrepreneur, and the host of Conversations with Passion Radio Show where he has interviewed over 4,000 "super-achievers." A passionate speaker who wants to share with people his craft, Corey is behind the Passion Cure and The Speaking Program. It is through these avenues that he reaches out to people, coach those who are interested in developing their communication skills, and feature those who have been successful in their life’s passions. Corey and I had a similar path in our lives that took us to what we’re doing now, and that is just one of the things we chatted about in this episode. Other areas we touched on are: His journey starting with a career in sales, then shifting to stand-up comedy before finally transitioning into his passion for public speaking. Our similar background in performance arts, and things that we didn’t enjoy as much in that field. How people’s feedback propelled him into d

Do you want to live in an apartment with a jacuzzi in Manhattan – for free? Jen Mazer did that for 10 years (and so much more) – all through the power of manifestation. Jen Mazer (a.k.a. the Queen of Manifestation) is a transformational speaker and coach, teaching people how to manifest their dreams and goals while making an impact on the world. She is the creator of the board game Sparked, and is also the author of the book Manifesting Made Easy: How to Harness the Law of Attraction to Get What You Really Want. Manifesting gave Jen the chance to experience some of the most outrageous adventures – like attending a cocktail party hosted by Martin Scorsese, getting published in the New York Times, and even paying off debt. Jen's the guest on this episode and she’ll share the power of manifestation in her life and how it can do the same for you. We chatted about her background, the law of attraction, resistance, and even touched a bit on quantum physics. Here’s a rundown of what we covered during our conversatio

Despite the two of us being based in Victoria, and within the same circle, I have only been able to touch base with Adam Quiney pretty recently. He is the kind of guy that I can talk to for hours, no beer needed. In his words, he is an “obsessive perfectionist and high performer” who used to work as a project manager and lawyer. He is currently working as an executive coach where he teaches people how to live a life without compromise while creating the impact they want to. On this episode, we talked about the problem with productivity, fostering relationships, books, among others. Some of the areas we also touched on includes: How personal transformations involve self-awareness, feelings of disconnection or a pain point as the trigger. The idea of the noble sacrifice brought about by caring too much or wanting to make a difference which can create disappointment, anxiety or heartbreak. The 'narrative' we were made to believe that building relationships take time contradicting the concept of efficiency, an

This episode’s guest is an amazing woman that I've been "pursuing" to get into the podcast for a while. She’s the host and producer of The Pursuit, a talk show and podcast where she interviews influencers and the who’s who of business. Kelsey Humphreys is a media entrepreneur, success coach and consultant, a motivational journalist who’s written for Entrepreneur Magazine and The Huffington Post (among others), and the author of the book Go Solo: How to Quit the Job You Hate and Start a Small Business You Love. After finding that the content available on success and entrepreneurship was not very "beginner-friendly", she made it her mission to break it down for those still doing the grind, helping people not to give up in the crucial first few years of their pursuits. (Kelsey also has a background in performance arts which could be another reason I gravitated toward her content.) Our conversation revolved around what happens on her show and her plans for it. Some of the things we talked about include: The behi

My guest this week is Justin Jackson. He is a dad, husband, entrepreneur, coach, the founder of Megamaker, author of Jolt, the creator of Marketing for Developers and Tiny Marketing Wins, and overall serial maker. He aims to help people through the things they create. On this episode, we discussed the processes of making and/or modifying. We delved on his systems and approaches in the different initiatives and creations he is currently working on. Other areas we touched on includes: The story of how we met, a brief background of how he has always been involved in businesses and how he transitioned from non-profit, to consultancy, and finally – going solo with his independent projects. How getting married, having children and experiencing failure, affected his plans and initiatives. The process of starting up independently, which includes conceptualizing, case studies, exploring and being a serial maker – getting involved in different things which include his podcast, softwares, plugins, e-books, courses, a

For this episode, my guest is Stacy Tuschl of She’s Building Her Empire. Stacy is a business owner, philanthropist, in-demand speaker and business coach, author, wife, and mother. Her book Is Your Business Worth Saving? is a #1 International Bestseller which helps entrepreneurs to move towards success and do so without sacrificing time away from family. She started her first business at age 18 in her parents’ backyard and was able to grow it into a 7-figure business. As an entrepreneur herself, she understands what her clients experience and struggle with – her hands-on experience and realistic approach ensures that women achieve their business goals. Rescuing businesses and building empires are just some of what we’ve discussed. Other topics we’ve chatted about are: How her journey as an entrepreneur started, how coaches and mentors helped her in her business early on and how she realized her niche in the business. How meeting people with the same mentor yet in different phases and success levels of their

A landscape architect, entrepreneur, graphic journalist and memory collector, Deborah LeFrank uses pens and paper to capture stories from daily life by creating sketch notes or visual stories which help her remember things and memories. I've known her for quite some time and I'm a big fan of her work, and she's my guest for this episode. She uses bullet journaling and incorporates visuals to it as a key tool for productivity in all aspects of her life. Her company Visual Life Stories helps people to collect their memories through visual stories. There's so much that Deborah shared, some of the things discussed are: How we met at Social Media Camp and the story behind the business cards she handed that really impressed me. The scope of her work that allows for remarkable presentations and excellent ways to recall and capture the essence of the presentations for the audience. People's innate attraction to visual learning and story-telling, and her technique to do the process of note-taking and sketching effe

My guest for this episode is Kourosh Dini - a psychiatrist, writer, musician, and author. Some of his works include Zen & The Art of Work, Creating Flow with OmniFocus, and Workflow Mastery. I’ve met Kourosh a couple of years ago when we worked together for the OmniFocus set-up. I love his work and have always seen him as a thoughtful productivity strategist who knows his stuff. Some of the things we talked about this week are: How meditation shifts our mindset which ultimately makes us more mindful and productive. The importance of pausing and practical tips on how to apply it in your life. Personalization and why it's important in your daily interactions. Why play time is a necessary ingredient in performance, productivity, and happiness at work. How music can boost your productivity, creativity, and overall sense of well-being. Kourosh's thoughts on ambient sound apps and how he uses them in his own workflow. The five elements of good health, according to Kourosh. Kourosh's take on meditation a

My guest this week is Alan Brown – a productivity coach, best-selling author of the book Zen and the Art of Productivity, and the host of Crusher TV. Alan helps people get more things done in less time and with less stress through smart productivity and brain hacks. We chatted about his experience in overcoming a learning disability and addiction, how he catapulted himself from an average ad executive to a successful entrepreneur, and how brain hacks played an important part in all these. This week, he shares some techniques to get you from planning to execution. Join us as we discuss: Alan's interesting background which involved dealing with ADHD and turning it into an advantage that accelerated his career. What motivated him to create the ADD Crusher and eventually the Crusher TV community. What a brain hack is according to Alan and his thoughts about it. Alan's thoughts on different coaching approaches and what works. What an inner game is and the role it plays in one's own productivity. Alan's views

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