In this engaging discussion, Laura Martin, Google’s Executive Productivity Advisor and author of 'Uptime', shares her expertise on mastering personal productivity. She emphasizes aligning your current self with your future self to make fulfilling decisions. Laura offers practical tips on defining top priorities and managing time effectively, illustrating her points with insights from her experiences with executives. They also explore the courage to embrace imperfections, prioritizing what truly matters for a more productive life.
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insights INSIGHT
Future Self Connection
Feeling connected to your future self increases life satisfaction.
Consider what your future self would want when making decisions.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Schedule Review
Review your schedule for the next two weeks.
Adjust it to align with your future self's needs and avoid over-scheduling.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Robert Kynsel's Productivity
Warner Music Group CEO, Robert Kynsel, is highly productive.
He defines and consistently communicates his top three priorities.
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A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing
Laura Mae Martin
In 'Uptime,' Laura Mae Martin provides insights on how to make the new way of work effective for anyone, whether at work, school, or in personal life. The book focuses on achieving 'calm accomplishment' through practical tactics, routines, and systems. Martin shares her expertise on managing time, energy, and technology to enhance productivity and personal wellbeing. Her approach is holistic, aiming to match intention with action in an energizing rather than exhausting way.
About the Guest:
Laura Martin is the Executive Productivity Advisor at Google and the author of the book, Uptime: A Practical Guide to Personal Productivity and Wellbeing. She started her career at Google, where she taught people how to manage their inbox effectively. This passion grew into a full-time role, and she now works with executives one-on-one and runs the productivity program at Google. Laura is the author of the book.
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Greg McKeown interviews Laura Martin, a productivity expert at Google. They discuss the importance of aligning your current self with your future self and making decisions that your future self will thank you for. Laura shares practical tips on how to apply this concept in your daily life, such as reviewing your schedule and making adjustments to prioritize what truly matters. They also delve into the power of defining your top three priorities and aligning your calendar with those priorities. Laura shares insights from her work with executives, including the CEO of Warner Music Group, who successfully implemented this system. The episode concludes with a discussion on the courage to be rubbish and the importance of making strategic trade-offs to focus on what truly matters.
Key Takeaways:
Aligning your current self with your future self is crucial for living a fulfilling life. Ask yourself, "What will future me wish I had done right now?" to make decisions that prioritize what truly matters.
Defining your top three priorities and aligning your calendar with those priorities helps you focus on what truly matters. Communicate these priorities to your team and delegate tasks accordingly.
Use the rule of three to remember and prioritize information. Our brains seek patterns and grouping things in threes helps with memory and focus.
Saying no is essential to protect your time and energy. Ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that would happen if I never do this?" and consider if there are alternative ways to accomplish the task or if it can be half-done and moved on from.
Embrace the courage to be rubbish and make strategic trade-offs. Not everything needs to be perfect or optimized. Focus on what truly matters and let go of non-essential tasks.
Notable Quotes:
"What will future me wish I had done right now?" - Laura Martin
"Don't tell me your priorities, show me your calendar." - Laura Martin
The Greg McKeown Podcast 