Laura Martin, Executive Productivity Advisor at Google and author of 'Uptime,' shares valuable insights on mastering personal productivity. She emphasizes the importance of implementing tech-free evenings for improved well-being and family connections. The conversation covers strategies to manage digital distractions, like creating phone-free routines, and revolutionizing email management through prioritization. Laura also critiques the tech industry's profit-driven focus, urging a shift towards meaningful technology use that aligns with personal priorities.
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Tech-Free Tuesday
Greg McKeown suggests unplugging completely one night a week.
This "analog evening" involves no phones, iPads, or computers.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Daily Digital Detox
Laura Martin avoids technology for an hour after waking up.
She also implements a "bedtime" for her phone each night.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
App Control
Use app controls to restrict access to non-essential apps.
Give the access code to a trusted person to enforce limits.
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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, I interview Laura Mae Martin, a productivity expert and author, about the importance of setting boundaries with technology and creating systems to enhance productivity. Laura shares her personal experience of implementing a tech-free evening once a week and the positive impact it has had on her overall well-being. She also discusses the various systems she has put in place to minimize distractions and maximize focus, such as setting up email labels and notifications, using wearable devices, and customizing her digital environment. The conversation delves into the challenges of technology addiction and the need for intentional use of devices to align with personal priorities.
Key Takeaways:
Implementing a tech-free evening once a week can provide a much-needed break from constant connectivity and allow for quality time with loved ones.
Creating systems and setting boundaries with technology can help minimize distractions and increase focus on essential tasks.
Customizing email labels and notifications can help prioritize important messages and reduce the overwhelm of a cluttered inbox.
Using wearable devices can provide a way to stay connected without getting caught up in the distractions of a smartphone.
Taking control of personal intention and being intentional about technology use can empower individuals to make conscious choices and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Notable Quotes:
"Your intention is your only power that you carry. If you are applying intention to the way you use that device, to the way that you use your time, all of those things become your control." - Laura Martin
"No tool is going to solve all your problems. People are looking for the hottest new productivity tool. No device is going to be your biggest problem. It's always about how you are using your own intention, your own systems within all of those things, that makes the biggest difference in your overall well-being and your productivity." - Laura Martin
The Greg McKeown Podcast 