A Productive Conversation

Play around more when you work to boost productivity. Founder of Breakthrough Play, Gary Ware, shares what you can do today. 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 Points The productive power of play The different forms of play Some distracting play ‘traps’ The infinite versus the finite mindset Practical applications of play you can do today Quote “Play is an advantage.” Helpful Links Episode 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 McGonigal The BIG Ready World Domination Summit BreakthroughPlay.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast host and entrepreneur Darren Virassammy shares how connecting with nature will cultivate your excellence. 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 Points The essence of his new podcast The Nature Advantage Being in ‘attunement’ with nature How to start your collaboration with nature today What a maple tree can teach us Journaling with your eyes closed Quote “What can you do with what you have?” Helpful Links Leading Strong Podcast The Nature Advantage Podcast ‘How to Live a Good Life’ by Jonathan Fields ‘The Art of Noticing’ by Rob Walker Episode 243: The Art of Noticing with Rob Walker ‘Fix This Next’ by Mike Michalowicz ‘The Pumpkin Plan’ by Mike Michalowicz Episode 166: Standing Up with Rob Jacobs Minimum Time Dose in Nature to Positively Impact the Mental Health of College-Aged Students, and How to Measure It: A Scoping Review DarrenVirassammy.com 34strong.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Misha Glouberman, communication expert, teaches you how to build meaningful online connections without the Zoom fatigue. 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 Points Misha’s focus on building connections during the pandemic Dissecting the problem with remote events Why so many conferences fail to deliver a true experience Lessons from improv Innovation from uncertainty The power of vulnerability and reconsidering your social networks Quote “There are things that are really important to us as humans, so why do we make them hard to say?” Helpful Links ‘The Chairs Are Where the People Go’ by Misha Glouberman Steven Pressfield  World Domination Summit Episode 227: Why You Need Atomic Habits with James Clear The BIG Ready MishaGlouberman.com  Misha’s Twitter Misha’s LinkedIn Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I catch up with the very thoughtful 13-year-old novelist Kristina Naydonova to learn how to carve out our own paths. 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 Points Setting time aside to write whilst still being a kid Handling peer pressure Simple ways to practice mindfulness Navigating social media and leveraging its strengths Mastering TikTok Kristina’s daily routines that balance her education and writing Kristina’s long-term to-do lists Her favorite book genres Seeking inspiration from the likes of Stephen King and Greta Thunberg Quote “Take time to experiment and figure out what you really want in life.” Helpful Links Thrive Global ‘The Black Sisterhood Files’ by Kristina Naydonova 5 Easy Ways to Implement Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life Kristina’s Twitter Kristina’s Instagram #bookstagram Episode 213: The Bullet Journal Method with Ryder Carroll Kristina.co Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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 Points Vanessa’s involvement with the development of The Productivityist How to scale without getting stuck Vanessa’s approach to taking action with big business tasks How to leverage relationships Why we need to be more ourselves and embrace the ugly parts Quote “Through your failures you get data points to work from.” Helpful Links Episode 250: 5 Days with John Poelstra Efficient Writing with Jim Woods The BIG Ready The West Wing Express VPN The Two Day Soirée ‘Ego Is The Enemy’ by Ryan Holiday Episode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ by David Goggins ‘Greenlights’ by Matthew McConaughey VanessaTharp.com Vanessa’s Facebook Vanessa’s Instagram Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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 Points The main elements of email that we need to move away from Why email has taken over our work On Merlin Mann and Inbox Zero The Attention Capital Principle Changing our view on email in all parts of the business, from managerial to admin and customer support How you can stop relying on email today Quote “Don’t explain to people what you’re doing, just do it.” Helpful Links ‘A World Without Email’ by Cal Newport Episode 73 with Cal Newport Episode 229: Exploring Digital Minimalism with Cal Newport ‘Digital Minimalism’ by Cal Newport ‘Deep Work’ by Cal Newport The New Yorker articles by Cal Newport The New Yorker: The Rise and Fall of Getting Things Done by Cal Newport Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen Woven Deep Questions Podcast CalNewport.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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 Points How to follow a path without being constrained by it Understanding the difference between simple and easy Implementing practical exercises in JLD’s new book The podcasts that inspired JLD to launch his own show Having a mentor for any area of life JLD’s tactics to help you avoid burnout After Action Reviews and backwards planning The FOCUS acronym Quote “Choose your hard” Helpful Links UncommonSuccessBook.com (GET PRE-ORDER BONUSES NOW!) Episode 343: Consistency Over Authenticity with Seth Godin Jim Carrey’s Commencement Address at the 2014 MUM Graduation Jedidiah Jenkins on the Rich Roll Podcast John Lee Dumas on the Solopreneur Hour Smart Passive Income Podcast Mixergy Rise To The Top Planet Money Freakonomics Episode 351: Eating Frogs with Brian Tracy Episode 264: How to Build Yourself More Time with Jaime Masters Episode 15: Jaime Tardy Episode 289: The Vision Driven Leader with Michael Hyatt Episode 239: Free to Focus with Michael Hyatt Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. 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 Points The concept of Calm The Chaos How Nicola structures the journal The role of Calm The Chaos Cards in Nicola’s life Grounding activities Quote “What is the experience you want to feel?” Helpful Links Calm the Chaos Journal Calm the Chaos Cards The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor Episode 265: Bringing Gratitude with Karl Staib Episode 123: Broadcasting Happiness with Michelle Gielan Write It All Down Freewrite NicolaTaggart.com Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International expert in the field of body transformations, Angelo Poli shares the practical diet strategy that will give you the results you want. Angelo Poli is the Founder of MetPro, the world’s first algorithm-based weight-loss engine, which is fueled by the data you feed into it every day. He’s worked with the likes of NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, among other elite athletes, celebrities, to physique models, entrepreneurs, and politicians. He’s also a speaker and a serial entrepreneur. When I did MetPro’s program, I got the best results. What really stood out to me was the impact of keeping things simple. Tune in as we discuss how to be consistent, why our metabolism is so misunderstood, letting go of any resistance to exercise, and why I keep an old soda can in my room. Talking Points The psychology behind advanced food preparation Being strategic with your diet and fitness Understanding what’s right for your body The power of having faith in yourself results MetPro’s new methodology to track, analyze and perform Quote “Progress is the greatest human motivator.” Helpful Links Episode 249: The Magic of Metabolic Profiling with Angelo Poli Episode 116: The Power of When with Dr Michael Breus Episode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke Episode 266: Becoming Indistractable with Nir Eyal MetPro.co/timecrafting Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With so many moving pieces as a creative freelancer, learn what actor Ian Reed Kesler does to keep focused on his projects. Today’s guest, Ian Reed Kesler, is an actor and director best known for Sydney to the Max, Suits and 500 Days of Summer. From a serendipitous conversation on Twitter, I managed to get Ian on the show so I’m super excited to learn how he stays productive as a creative. What’s clear from this interview is that having a creative mind requires you to be able to turn on and off quickly. And that’s not always easy if you’re on set for 16 hours straight. Join our conversation as we discuss easy wins, systems for lazy people, and keeping organized so you can do more of what you love – as well as my IDMb profile. Whether you’re in the creative field or not, there’s something in this for everyone. Talking Points The role of productivity for actors The two kinds of creative freelancers Running a creative company How productivity is evolving Analogue vs digital for ideas and tasks Ian’s go-to morning and evening routines Quote “Putting everything in its place is what enables me to do what I love.” Helpful Links Literally! With Rob Lowe Todoist The Antidote | Amazon Atomic Habits | Amazon Tiny Habits | Amazon Roam Craft Muse Sydney to the Max Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. Also don't forget to check out all of our podcast sponsors found on our podcast sponsors page. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a rating and/or review wherever you listened to the episode. And if you want to have easy access to the archives of the show and ensure you don't miss the new episodes to come then subscribe to the podcast in the app you're using – or you can do so on a variety of podcast platforms by clicking here.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices