
The Inforium
Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme discuss productivity, personal finance, their weird llama obsession, and other interesting things. New episodes every other week.
Latest episodes

May 18, 2020 • 1h 18min
5 Questions: Writing Fiction, Binging TV Shows, and Self-Help Books (Ep. 295)
We talk about writing for longer, binging TV shows, self-help books, our consumption-to-production ratios, and starting your career on the right foot.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. You can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
3 Ways to Trick Your Brain Into Doing Hard Work
Polyphonic's What Makes a Great Cover Song video
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Productivity course on Skillshare
Daniel Scotts's Adobe Illustrator CC Essentials Training course on Skillshare
Hyperfocus, by Chris Bailey
Derek Sivers
How to Be More Like Leonardo da Vinci (Ep. 240)
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:00:00 - Banter
0:15:32 - Consumption-to-production ratio
0:31:43 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:34:26 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:37:04 - Getting the energy to write
0:48:14 - Balancing your media consumption
0:53:42 - Accepting a job not related to your major
1:00:07 - Opinions on self-help books
1:14:51 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

May 6, 2020 • 1h 37min
5 Skills and How We Learn Them (Ep. 294)
We've been getting questions about some of the things we're known to do, so we're talking about five of them: skating, videos, piano, guitar, and pixel art.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. You can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Bill Stoppard on YouTube
Tiago Inline Skater on YouTube
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Productivity course on Skillshare
JustinGuitar on YouTube
Paul Davids on YouTube
Songsterr (iOS | Android)
Ultimate Guitar (iOS | Android)
Yousician (iOS | Android)
MuseScore
Andrew Huang's Music Theory video
Music 101, by Brian Boone
Nahre Sol on YouTube
Jenny Nicholson on YouTube
Potato Jet on YouTube
How to Make Your Phone Less of a Distraction
Pixel Grimoire series
Pixel Pete on YouTube
Aseprite
UpIsNotJump on YouTube
Working From Home: How to Stay Focused
MoneyLab
This Note-Taking App is a Game Changer - Roam Research
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:01:33 - Overview
0:04:51 - Inline skating
0:24:50 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:27:34 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:29:38 - Playing the guitar
0:47:12 - Playing piano
1:04:47 - Making videos
1:20:18 - Pixel art
1:32:18 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apr 20, 2020 • 1h 7min
How to Help Your Community When You're Stuck at Home (Ep. 293)
Difficult times often double as chances to do good. We talk about what we can do for our communities while stuck sheltering at home.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 1,000 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
When to Be Unproductive (Ep. 292)
Trello
Bear (iOS)
FocusMate
Matt D'Avella's Quitting caffeine for 30 days video
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Productivity course on Skillshare
Moment's iPhone Filmmaking course on Skillshare
Charity Navigator
Effective Altruism
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:03:24 - Keeping in touch with family and friends
0:18:14 - Getting things done at home while staying connected with others
0:24:17 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:27:07 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:29:51 - Helping out your local community
0:46:53 - Contributing to the global community
0:57:45 - Controlling the spread of misinformation
1:02:25 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apr 6, 2020 • 1h 2min
When to Be Unproductive (Ep. 292)
There's a time to get this bread, and there's a time to sit back and enjoy it. Today, we're talking about why you shouldn't skip out on the latter.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
5 Questions: Interruptions, Social Media Bios, and Reading Positions (Ep. 290)
Ali Abdaal's How to Study for Exams course on Skillshare
Working from Home: How to Plan Your Day
Linus Tech Tips' Thinking of retiring video on YouTube
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:05:18 - Having long-term goals and not needing to impress people
0:14:52 - What have we been doing recently
0:23:34 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:25:45 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:27:47 - What exactly is productivity
0:33:48 - Balancing work with your personal life
0:42:12 - Holding yourself accountable and picking up new hobbies
0:50:24 - Thinking you're not allowed to take a break
0:56:40 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 23, 2020 • 1h 10min
Tom and Martin Discuss Working From Home (Ep. 291)
We talk about what it's like and what it takes to get things done remotely, even with all the distractions that might come with being at home.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Roam Research
How to Create a Study Space in Your Room
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Brain.fm
Thomas' ultimate study music playlist on YouTube
Beeminder
Focusmate
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:12:42 - Creating a dedicated workspace when you don’t have another room
0:22:50 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:26:02 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:28:27 - Getting a good pair of headphones
0:40:41 - Holding yourself accountable to someone
0:53:55 - Exercising at home
1:02:32 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 9, 2020 • 1h 9min
5 Questions: Interruptions, Social Media Bios, and Reading Positions (Ep. 290)
In this 5 questions episode, we talk about interruptions, blogging, social media bios, reading positions, and what to do when hobbies feel hard.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
The Skill You're Slowly Losing
A Master Class on Buying a Car – Part 1 (Ep. 69)
A Master Class on Buying a Car – Part 2 (Ep. 70)
The Path to College, Pt. 1: Getting Accepted
The Path to College, Pt. 2: Paying for It
The Path to College, Pt. 3: Becoming College-Ready
Cortex
Linus Tech Tips on YouTube
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Productivity course on Skillshare
Tofugu
Figma
Underscores
Peter Mckinnon
Every Think on YouTube
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:08:30 - Focusing while getting constantly distracted
0:19:01 - The best position to read in
0:27:18 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:30:29 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:33:30 - Content management systems vs developing from the ground up
0:42:03 - Writing an interesting social media bio
0:51:19 - Persevering with hobbies that require skill
1:04:50 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 18, 2020 • 1h 30min
How to Live a Less Lonely Life (Ep. 289)
It seems like we spend less and less time with friends and loved ones as we grow older. We look for ways to fight this trend and become a social outlier.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Dashlane can help make your online experience safer and more convenient with password management, VPN, form filling and more. Head over to Dashlane.com/collegeinfogeek for a free 30-day trial, and once you've fallen in love you can use the code 'collegeinfogeek' for 10% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Good to Great, by James Collins
How to Go from Merely Good to Truly Great (Ep. 178)
If This Isn't Nice, What Is?, by Kurt Vonnegut
Ali Abdaal's Video Editing with Final Cut Pro X course on Skillshare
Jordy Vandeput's Video Editing with Premiere Pro course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Productivity course on Skillshare
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Meetup (iOS | Android)
Listen Money Matters
Making Friends And Connections As An Introvert (Ep. 47)
How to Build Closer Friendships
How to Meet New People - 6 Tips for Making More Friends
The Story of Starbucks, by John Simmons
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:00:40 - How much time you spend with people as you age
0:10:10 - Taking steps to being more social
0:15:25 - Volunteering
0:23:09 - Sponsor: Dashlane (Managing your passwords)
0:25:15 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:28:42 - Going to meetups and making yourself available
0:45:53 - Thoughts on family
0:53:07 - Trello system for maintaining relationships
0:58:30 - Doing scary stuff
1:04:22 - Going from small talk to interesting conversations
1:07:20 - Regaining that feeling of social ambience
1:21:43 - Being alone without being lonely
1:25:49 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

7 snips
Feb 10, 2020 • 1h 23min
Ultralearning (Ep. 288)
We talk about Scott Young's book, Ultralearning, and how you can learn and build skills far more quickly than the average syllabus might imply.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Dashlane can help make your online experience safer and more convenient with password management, VPN, form filling and more. Head over to Dashlane.com/collegeinfogeek for a free 30-day trial, and once you've fallen in love you can use the code 'collegeinfogeek' for 10% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
Ultralearning, by Scott Young
Thomas’ Habit-Building course on Skillshare
Smart Passive Income
Listen Money Matters
Polyphonic on YouTube
Better Ideas on YouTube
Linus Tech Tips on YouTube
Scott Young's 30 Day Portrait Drawing Challenge
Fluent in 3 Months
This Guy Edits on YouTube
10 YouTube Channels You Should Follow in 2020
Chrystopher Rhodes' Video on a Budget course on Skillshare
The Most Powerful Way to Remember What You Study
Anki (iOS | Android)
iTalki (iOS | Android)
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:01:59 - Overview
0:09:30 - Metalearning
0:14:05 - Focusing
0:21:01 - Directness
0:25:12 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:28:34 - Sponsor: Dashlane (Managing your passwords)
0:30:27 - Drilling
0:36:08 - Retrieval
0:44:43 - Feedback
0:52:57 - Retention
1:02:39 - Intuition
1:10:15 - Experimentation
1:14:57 - Conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jan 27, 2020 • 1h 35min
How to Change Careers (Ep. 287)
We talk about how to shift over to a new career, along with the shifts we've made in our own work.
Full show notes
This week’s episode is sponsored by:
Skillshare: With thousands of courses in a wide range of different skills, Skillshare can help you take things to the next level. If you're one of the first 500 to use this link, you can also get started with 2 free months of unlimited learning (including Thomas' new Habit-Building class!) at Skillshare.com/geek.
Brilliant: Accelerate your learning in math, science, and computer science. Start learning for free at Brilliant.org/CollegeInfoGeek — and if you’re one of the first 200 people to use this link, you’ll also get 20% off your subscription.
Things mentioned in this episode:
2019 Year in Review (Plus Our Plans for 2020) (Ep. 285)
Cortex
Linus Tech Tips on YouTube
Paul Graham's Having Kids article
So Good They Can't Ignore You, by Cal Newport
Thomas' Habit-Building course on Skillshare
How to Budget Your Money Without Cutting Coffee (Ep. 174)
A Crash Course on How to Start Investing (Even If You’re in Debt) (Ep. 168)
Nerd Fitness
Smart Passive Income
Jenny Blake on YouTube
Listen Money Matters
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
Timestamps:
0:01:33 - Thoughts on our future podcasting
0:17:02 - Deviating from our majors and considering a new career
0:34:08 - Sponsor: Brilliant (Learning problem-solving skills)
0:37:25 - Sponsor: Skillshare (Learning new skills)
0:39:57 - Transitioning to a new area
0:55:28 - Martin's game dev
0:59:05 - Moving away from College Info Geek
1:20:58 - Building relationships with people you admire
1:29:16 - Recap and conclusion
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jan 16, 2020 • 1h 26min
How to Practice Self-Awareness (Ep. 286)
The podcast discusses the benefits of self-awareness and provides ideas for improving self-understanding. Topics include habit tracking, different dimensions of self-awareness, emotional self-awareness, gaining self-awareness from experience, and interactions with other people. The podcast is sponsored by Skillshare and Brilliant, and also covers the effects of anonymity on behavior, the experience of playing video games, discovering a passion for building new things, the power of journaling, the grass is greener mindset, and the importance of self-awareness in recognizing others' behavior.