

Time and Attention
Chris Bailey
Time and Attention is a podcast that will help you become more intentional and productive. Hosted by Chris Bailey, the author of two productivity books, and Ardyn Nordstrom, a nerdy economist, the show covers topics as diverse as productivity, focus, procrastination, time management, money, happiness, gratitude, and disconnecting. We occasionally also welcome a bestselling author onto the show to talk about a book they wrote.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 17, 2021 • 26min
58: Email Habits
On this episode, we chat about how to more deliberately deal with email, to both think about it less, and make it a less stressful element of your day. Topics covered include:
How much we should think about email in the first place
How to conduct “email sprints”
The two types of work that we all do
How to better organize your email messages
Creating different “email environments”
The “Five-Sentence Rule” for answering email
The intention-interpretation gap with communication
How to take an email vacation
How to shrink time on email through disconnected hours and pre-defined boundaries
Creating the illusion of responsiveness
Link mentioned in this episode:
IBM Study: Am I wasting my time organizing email?
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: Our favorite email habits appeared first on Chris Bailey.

7 snips
Aug 3, 2021 • 22min
57: Saying No
On this episode, we chat about the importance of saying no to unimportant things. Topics covered include:
Becoming more deliberate about saying no
What we should be saying no to—in our work and personal lives
Comparison tasks that put “saying no” in perspective
The relative meaning and productivity of tasks
Knowing the value of your time—and saying no to things accordingly
The importance of people in productivity
Thinking about what to say yes to
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: How to say no (and what to say no to) appeared first on Chris Bailey.

Jul 20, 2021 • 23min
56: Celebrating Milestones
Topics include the lack of celebration for accomplishments, the Zeigarnik effect, the importance of closure, the Need for Closure scale, the Post-Portem ritual, favorite rewards for finishing tasks, celebration guilt, and timing for celebrations.

5 snips
Jul 6, 2021 • 24min
55: Roadblocks, Bumps, and Obstacles
On this episode, we chat about obstacles that get in the way of our habits—including the habits we’re in the middle of forming, and the ones we already have. Topics covered include:
The payoff of anticipating obstacles ahead of time
Some common obstacles that get in our way
How to identify the obstacles that’ll get in the way of our specific habits
The types of obstacles we face: Environmental, time-based, temptations, and situational
The five cues that trigger habits
Minding our time, attention, and energy
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: The Power of Habit
My New Year’s Guidebook
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: The importance of anticipating obstacles appeared first on Chris Bailey.

8 snips
Jun 22, 2021 • 32min
54: Productivity Habits (Part 2)
On this episode, we count down our all-time favorite productivity habits—this week we cover numbers 5-1! Topics covered include:
Keeping a “Waiting For” list—and what to capture on it
How to organize the items you’re waiting on
The importance of “scatterfocus”
Where ideas come from—and where our mind wanders to
How to recharge, generate ideas, and generate plans
The three types of scatterfocus
How to conduct a weekly review
How to determine your most important tasks
Understanding how much time tasks and projects take
How to make a daily plan, while including the rule of 3
The ways meditation makes us more productive
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: Hyperfocus
Audible Original: How to Train Your Mind
Focusmate
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: My favorite productivity habits (part 2) appeared first on Chris Bailey.

11 snips
Jun 8, 2021 • 31min
53: Productivity Habits (Part 1)
On this episode, we count down our all-time favorite productivity habits—this week we cover numbers 10-6! Topics covered include:
The point of becoming more productive
How productivity can make us more human
Earning back time, enjoying the journey, carving out time for what’s meaningful
Keeping an accomplishments list
The “Zeigarnik Effect”
How often to review your accomplishments
Email/message sprints
“Time confetti”
The two types of work: focus work vs. collaborative work
Your “biological prime time,” and how to calculate it
Working around your energy level fluctuations
Taking only the productivity advice that works for you (and leaving the rest)
Keeping a distractions list
Remembering to remember things
Shrinking the tasks you find most aversive
Links mentioned in this episode:
Wikipedia: The Zeigarnik Effect
Caveday (for work sprints)
Focusmate (for instant accountability)
Article: 3 Ways to Calculate Your Peak Energy Time of Day
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: My favorite productivity habits (part 1) appeared first on Chris Bailey.

May 25, 2021 • 30min
52: Organizing Projects
The podcast discusses organizing projects to feel more in control and less overwhelmed. Topics include: defining projects, seeing everything in one place, managing shared projects, capturing next steps, and the importance of the Weekly Review. They also discuss GTD methodology and the value of digital notepads. Tips are given for maintaining a consolidated list, taking action on tasks, and setting intentions for the week.

May 11, 2021 • 24min
51: Food Habits
Topics covered in this podcast include eliminating and doubling down on food habits, approaching food with an attitude of abundance, the 'all or nothing' effect with food, introducing dependencies to combat negative habits, the limited reservoir of willpower, the concept of 'real food', and book recommendations related to food.

Apr 27, 2021 • 36min
50: Hooked on Salt, Sugar, and Fat
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Moss explores how processed food companies manipulate flavor compounds to hook us on their products. He reveals the intricate world of synthetic flavors, the addictive nature of highly-processed foods, and the deceptive tactics used by the food industry to exploit consumer habits. Moss highlights the importance of awareness and education in making healthier food choices.

Apr 13, 2021 • 27min
49: The Power of Novelty
Explore the power of novelty in shaping our perception of time and life's meaningfulness, especially during the pandemic. Learn how novelty serves as memory markers, triggers dopamine, and enhances personal growth. Discover tips on making days more exciting and how surprises can combat monotony in daily routines.


