Balancing Structure and Spontaneity in Creative Thinking

Most people are obsessed with doing more, faster. But what if your next big breakthrough depends on doing less or even nothing at all? In this episode, we explore the concept of “anti-productivity”: the intentional act of slowing down to think, rest and create space. You’ll learn why doing nothing isn’t laziness, but a skill, and how to use it to spark clarity, creativity, and strategic insight. This might be the most productive episode we’ve ever recorded. Ironically, by focusing on doing nothing.

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You can find links to everything that we share in the show notes at theproductivityshow.com/.

Cheat Sheet:

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• Top 3 Productivity Resources [2:44]
• Why do we feel compelled to keep moving faster, even when we know it’s burning us out? [07:17]
• What makes cultivating calm so hard—and who (or what) is working against us? [19:48]
• Simple ways to build more breathing room into your day and spark those elusive “aha” moments. [23:23]
• Ever tried a no-goal whiteboarding session? What happens when you give yourself space to think? [28:21]
• What would an ideal week look like if you prioritized margin over busyness? [32:46]

Links:

• Calm
• 25X Productivity Coaching
• Squadcast
• Descript
• MUJI Notebooks
• Field Notes
• Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less
• Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
• The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months
• Productivity Academy
• The Productivity Show on Youtube
• The Productivity Show Youtube Clips
• Become a member of TPS+
• Take the Productivity Quiz

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