Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

For more than a decade, Erik Fisher has sat down with productivity experts, authors, creatives as they share their insights on how to implement productivity strategies in both your professional and personal life.People like… Everybody Loves Raymond and Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil Creator Phil Rosenthal on creativity, family, food, and travel.  Productivity expert David Allen on Getting Things Done  Whole 30 founder Melissa Urban on Setting Boundaries To Save Relationships   Our goal is to help you gain perspective, practical knowledge, and productivity insights for living a whole life that goes Beyond The To Do List. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I’m excited to re-release this conversation with Gretchen Rubin. At the time of this original recording Gretchen was promoting her then new book The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better. I recently interviewed Gretchen again for a forthcoming book and that conversation will be released soon. However, speaking to her reminded me of how insightful and helpful this talk was. In the Four Tendencies, Gretchen breaks down setting and meeting inner and outer expectations and creating good habits to have greater happiness. I really enjoyed this talk and wanted to share it with everyone in the event that you missed it the first time and get you excited for our new conversation that I will be posting in the coming weeks. Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. In addition to writing Gretchen also has a very popular podcast, ‘Happier with Gretchen Rubin’ that she hosts alongside her sister. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was really encouraged by my conversation with Jason Feifer. Jason is the the Editor In Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine and author of the new book, Build for Tomorrow: An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career. If we want to admit it or not, these past few years have been a time of serious change and in this conversation Jason reveals how the ability to cope with and adapt to change is the number one trait that he has observed in successful business leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Through his research and experience interviewing and interacting with countless business leaders coupled with observations that he and his colleagues made in the lead-up and unfolding of the pandemic, Build For Tomorrow captures the principles and realities of change and how the fear of change can both inhibit our growth and stifle our present. Jason unpacks his four phases of change and illustrates how, similar to the phases of grief, change can be paralyzing and emotionally devastating at first, but through resilience and proper framing can liberate us from both fear and false pillars of our identity. In addition to editing and writing Jason also hosts the podcasts Build For Tomorrow and Problem Solvers, and is a popular keynote speaker, startup advisor, and nonstop optimism machine.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was excited to welcome Marc Champagne to the show to discuss his new book, Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life from Legends & World-Class Performers. I connected with Marc through Joey Cofone from Baron Fig who you might recall was a guest on the show back in October of 2022. Baron Fig is the design house behind a host of beautifully and ergonomically designed notebooks, journals, pens, and other analog productivity tools that I use daily.In this conversation it immediately became clear how Marc’s background in mental fitness and strategy was a logical outgrowth of the work that Joey and his team at Baron Fig encapsulate, making him a perfect fit to release his book under the wing of Baron Fig Publishing. In this chat we explore Marc’s inspiration for modernizing and exploring the Socratic Method and how this ancient system of questioning is perhaps more relevant today than ever. In this episode we also explore questions about stimulating your mental fitness and how to direct your internal narrative to work for you. Listeners will hear Marc begin to unpack some of the over 100 plus life changing questions across more than 40 profiles of legends such as Kobe Bryant, Maya Angelou, Robin Williams alongside Top Performers like Ryan Holiday, Shantell Martin, James Clear. In addition to writing and consulting Marc also hosts the podcast Behind The Human where he continues to explore mental fitness practices and the power of questions with guests from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was happy to welcome Kris Ward back to the show for a wide ranging discussion on everything from time management to the importance of forming the right team to scale your business. Kris is always great to have on the podcast and this discussion was a kind of followup talk to her first appearance where we discussed her book, Win The Hour, Win the Day. In this episode we dive even deeper into that book’s principles while discussing a host of topics on everything from systems and processes to dealing with growth in your business. This was a great chat that has a little of everything for anyone interested in maximizing their efficiency during the workday and beyond. Kris Ward is the founder of Win The Hour, Win the Day, a platform and Amazon best-selling book, that helps entrepreneurs to systematically grow their business and enjoy a personal life too. After the loss of her husband, Kris returned full-time to the marketing & branding agency she had founded years earlier, only to find her business was thriving. She began teaching clients the exact systems & processes that had freed her up and helped her during that difficult time and changed their lives in the process. Through sound time management principles - that anyone can easily understand and apply - Kris’ clients now had more time, freedom and recaptured the joy & fun they once had when they first started their businesses.Connect With KrisPodcastFree Gift Previous Episode Linkedin:  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was encouraged to welcome Carlos Whittaker to the show for an honest and compassionate talk about his latest book, How to Human: Three Ways to Share Life Beyond What Distracts, Divides, and Disconnects Us. Carlos is an author, podcaster, and global speaker who I’ve had the privilege of learning from in live settings and through his podcast Human Hope with Carlos Whittaker. In How to Human, Carlos offers a fresh vision for becoming the best versions of ourselves. We can refuse to let disagreements define us. We can say no to becoming upset, rage-filled humans and say yes to fuller, happier lives. It begins as we make the shift from “me” to “we” to “everybody” in a three-part journey to be human, see fellow humans, and free those around us.This conversation was a real inspiration for me as Carlos and I unpacked the themes and messages of his book. Carlos reminds listeners that it's more powerful to not stand on issues, but to walk with people. That journey of discovering the true value of relationships and the beauty and hope that bind us together rather than focusing on the polarizing divisions is a message I'm so excited for listeners to explore further in this episode.Connect With Carlos: Website: https://www.carloswhittaker.com Podcast: https://www.carloswhittaker.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loswhit/ Connect with Erik: LinkedIn  Facebook  Instagram  ______________________________________This Podcast is Powered By: Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Erik's Top Productivity Books List Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.  Make sure to support the show by checking out the sponsors! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was excited to connect with Kieran Setiya about his newest book, Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way. Kieran teaches philosophy at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) working mainly in ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. In addition to his latest book Kieran is the author of Practical Knowledge, Reasons without Rationalism, and Knowing Right From Wrong.In this conversation we discuss the reality that life can be hard and there is no cure for the human condition: But Kieran believes philosophy can help. In this chat he offers us a map for navigating rough terrain, from personal trauma to injustice along with navigating grief and the overall mission of living with one another. This was truly a great conversation about how the pragmatics of productivity share the common goals of philosophy which is living a good life not only for ourselves but alongside others.Connect With Kieran: Website: www.ksetiya.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/KieranSetiyaBook: Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way:https://amzn.to/3XrHS2X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was excited to welcome Chris Clews to the show for a more laid back chat and pop cultural conversation about what 80s movies can teach us about leadership, our workplace, and even ourselves. Chris is an author and keynote speaker whose latest book is, Raised on the 80s: 30+ Unexpected Life Lessons from the Movies and Music That Defined Pop Culture's Most Excellent Decade.In this conversation Chris and I discuss such 80s classics as, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Field of Dreams, and more. Chris brings a fun approach towards learning from these classic films and I really enjoyed both reminiscing about when I first encountered each movie while also hearing Chris discuss some of the more profound life and leadership lessons that are hiding just under the surface of these beloved classics.Follow Chris: Website: chrisclews.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/chris.clewsInstagram: www.instagram.com/chrisclews80s/Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chrisclews/Twitter: https://twitter.com/80spopcultureBooks: https://chrisclews.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I’m joined by my friend Jeff Sieh of Social Media News Live to talk through the top productivity books for 2023. With the new year well underway I wanted to take the time to compile and curate a list of my favorite productivity books of the past year and share them with listeners. In this episode Jeff and I break down my list and share some of the many tips and takeaways that these books have given us. In addition Jeff and I discuss some of the highlights from the various authors' appearances on the show while offering up opinions on how each book benefits the different aspects of our productivity. All books in the list below are available for purchase at: BeyondTheToDoList.com/books The Daily Creative: Find Your Inspiration to Spark Creative Energy and Fight Burnout by Todd Henry The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business by John Jantsch The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by Allison Fallon Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte The Laws of Creativity: Unlock Your Originality and Awaken Your Creative Genius by Joey Cofone Creativity Inc.  The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn't, and Get Stuff Done by Kendra Adachi The Lazy Genius Kitchen: Have What You Need, Use What You Have, and Enjoy It Like Never Before by Kendra Adachi Win at Work and Succeed at Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself from the Cult of Overwork by Michael Hyatt and Meghan Hyatt-Miller Your New Playlist: The Student's Guide to Tapping into the Superpower of Mindset by Jon Acuff The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done - Charlie Gilkey When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most by Greg McKeown How to Calm Your Mind: Finding Presence and Productivity in Anxious Times by Chris Bailey Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life by Nir Eyal List of episodes mentioned on this week's show: Todd Henry on the Daily Practice of Creativity John Jantsch on Resilience, Perseverance and Perspective Allison Fallon on the Power of Writing for Clarity, Confidence and Purpose Tiago Forte on Building a Second Brain to Free Our Minds Joey Cofone on Applying the Laws of Creativity to Unlock Your Creative Genius Kendra Adachi on Prioritizing the Things That Matter Megan Hyatt Miller on How To Win at Work & Succeed At Life Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller on Mindset and Controlling the Narrative Jon Acuff on Teaching Teenagers to Remix Their Mindset to Reshape Their Reality Charlie Gilkey on How to Start Finishing Projects in Your Life and Go From 'Idea' to Done! Daniel Pink on Optimizing Your Day, Optimal Timing for Tasks and Maximizing Breaks Greg Mckeown on Making Essential Activities Easy Chris Bailey on How a Calm Mind Increases Productivity Laura Vanderkam on Making Time for What Matters Cal Newport on Digital Minimalism Nir Eyal on Overcoming Internal and External Distractions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week I was excited to welcome back to the show, Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt-Miller.Michael Hyatt is the founder and chairman of Full Focus. He has scaled multiple companies, including a $250M publishing company with over 750 employees and his own award-winning goal achievement and coaching company, Full Focus. Through his coaching program for small business owners, BusinessAccelerator®, and the bestselling Full Focus Planner, Michael has helped hundreds of thousands of achievers reach their biggest goals. He is also the author of several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including Platform, Living Forward, Your Best Year Ever, Free to Focus, The Vision Driven Leader, and Win at Work & Succeed at Life. Michael enjoys The Double Win with his wife of 40+ years, five daughters, and ten grandchildren.Megan Hyatt Miller is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Full Focus and the co-host of the popular Business Accelerator® podcast. As the chief executive of Full Focus, Megan has developed BusinessAccelerator® into the premier coaching program for small business owners, and has grown the Full Focus Planner to sell over 1 million copies. Megan is also Michael's oldest daughter.In their highly anticipated book, Mind Your Mindset: The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking (Baker Books, January 2023), New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller teach readers how to save themselves needless frustration and headache from trying to solve problems with strategies that no longer work. "Rather than thinking about what we're doing," they say, "we need to think about our thinking."Mind Your Mindset draws upon the latest Insights in performance psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science, as well as case studies from Michael and Megan's own clients. Michael and Megan explore the power of our stories--stories about the problems we face-and how those narratives determine our strategy and, with it, our resultsThey show how these stories are anchored in assumptions about the past, form our predictions of the future, and stem from the way our brain makes sense of the wild array of information it encounters every day.Rather than take those stories at face value, readers can change their stories, rewire their brain for better thinking, and develop new and better strategies. Mind Your Mindset offers three simple, proven steps to do just that and attain extraordinary results:1. Identify the problem and the story surrounding it2. Interrogate the story3. Imagine something that works betterThese practices help readers cut through the fog of false narratives and offer clear, creative solutions for achieving their goals"Mind Your Mindset is your invitation to step boldly into a new and better way of thinking and living," write Michael and Megan. "Unsettling as it may be, uncertainty is not the enemy; it points not to chaos but to possibility. To have the confidence to engage the world and reshape our stories as needed is a far more valuable and reassuring asset than is certainty."Book Link: Mindyourmindsetbook.com/beyond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.