
Time and Attention
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.
Latest episodes

33 snips
May 23, 2023 • 30min
103: How to Think About Email (Rewind)
In this episode, I chat with Cal Newport, the author of A World Without Email, about his book—and how we can manage email during such a distracting time.
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: My chat with Cal Newport about email appeared first on Chris Bailey.

20 snips
May 9, 2023 • 34min
102: Couples That Work
On this episode is my conversation with Jennifer Petriglieri, author of the book Couples That Work. On this episode we chat about:
The three transitions couples tend to go through;
How couples become interdependent;
“Couple contracting”;
How we recalibrate to what we want;
Having a “secure base” in a relationship;
Playing with our identities;
Whether we should account for love in our career decisions.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: Couples That Work
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: The three transitions we go through as a couple appeared first on Chris Bailey.

8 snips
Apr 25, 2023 • 31min
101: The Flip Phone Experiment
On this episode, we chat about Chris’s experiment to use a flip phone for a month. Topics covered include:
The utility we get from smartphones;
Big phones versus small phones;
The “jobs to be done” theory of using our devices;
How gathering has become digital;
How communication norms have changed over time;
Managing norms within social groups;
Re-evaluating our relationship with our smartphone;
What to be mindful of with our phone.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Alcatel Go Flip 3;
The Punkt phone;
Book: Amusing Ourselves to Death
Journal article: How many hours does it take to make a friend?
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: Using a flip phone for a month appeared first on Chris Bailey.

4 snips
Apr 11, 2023 • 41min
100: Q&A Spectacular
On this episode, we chat about a potpourri of fun topics, including:
What we’ve learned after 100 episodes;
How to drink a glass of champagne;
Our go-to productivity apps and accessories;
Fantastical’s 40% price increase;
Whether we still enjoy doing the show together;
Tips for stimulation fasting;
How we manage our time every day;
How to account for time pressure in planning your days.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: How to Calm Your Mind
Wikipedia: Parasocial interaction
The post Podcast: 100 podcast episodes (and counting)! appeared first on Chris Bailey.

64 snips
Mar 28, 2023 • 35min
99: Attention Span
On this episode, I chat with Gloria Mark, the author of the new book Attention Span. Topics covered include:
The benefits of managing our attention deliberately;
Why (and whether) we lose control of our behavior using our devices;
What makes email so damn stressful;
The “attention traps” we fall into;
How rote tasks are actually good for us and replenish our energy;
The countless factors that influence our attention;
How we all have different preferences when it comes to multitasking.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: Attention Span
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: How to build your attention span appeared first on Chris Bailey.

59 snips
Mar 14, 2023 • 29min
98: Habits for Flow
On this episode, we chat about how to get into a state of flow, where we’re totally immersed in what we’re doing. Topics covered include:
What a “flow state” is;
The characteristics of a flow state;
Shortcuts to help us get into a state of flow;
How flow helps us perform better with creative tasks;
When a flow state isn’t helpful;
The “flow channel”;
Why we shouldn’t always evaluate how we’re doing as we work;
The steps for focusing on something, and how these can help us enter a flow state.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Book: How to Calm Your Mind
Book: Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity
Book: On Writing
Article: The flow channel
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: How to get into a flow state appeared first on Chris Bailey.

Feb 28, 2023 • 30min
97: The Flip Phone Experiment
On this episode, we chat about Chris’s latest experiment, to switch to a flip phone from a smartphone for a period of a month (to start). Topics covered include:
How great the flip phone era was;
How Ardyn feels about this experiment;
The 6 reasons Chris is giving up his smartphone;
The downsides to large screen phones;
Whether smartphones are a net good in our lives;
How personal the technology in our life has become;
The “jobs” we “hire” our devices to do for us.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Article: Here’s why I’m trading in my smartphone for a flip phone this month
Article: Clay Christensen’s Milkshake Marketing
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: Chatting about the flip phone experiment appeared first on Chris Bailey.

24 snips
Feb 14, 2023 • 35min
96: Tranquility by Tuesday
On this episode, we welcome Laura Vanderkam back on the podcast to chat about her new book, Tranquility by Tuesday. Topics covered include:
The three categories to use to plan your days and your life;
Why we should plan our weeks on Friday afternoon;
Laura’s daily planner of choice;
How doing something three times a week makes it a habit;
How carving out more white space can make us more productive;
How to get more out of our leisure time;
How to introduce more novelty into our days to slow down the passage of time.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: Tranquility by Tuesday
The planner that Laura uses
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: 5 tactics for more tranquility in your life appeared first on Chris Bailey.

16 snips
Jan 31, 2023 • 27min
95: Novelty Hunting
On this episode, we chat about how we like to go “novelty hunting,” especially in the digital world. Topics covered include:
What “novelty hunting” is;
The connection between novelty and dopamine;
The three dopamine factors;
The “novelty bias”;
How novelty hunting is more stressful than we give it credit for;
Superstimuli;
How novelty changes our perception of time;
Awareness of our novelty hunting;
How novelty hunting used to look a lot different before the internet;
What to do about it!
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: How to Calm Your Mind
You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!
The post Podcast: What to know about “novelty hunting.” appeared first on Chris Bailey.

5 snips
Jan 17, 2023 • 24min
94: The Science of Savoring
On this episode, we chat about the science of “savoring”—the process through which we enjoy our lives. Topics covered include:
How “savoring” is the process of converting positive experiences into positive emotions;
The productivity benefits of savoring;
How savoring helps us become less anxious;
The psychological and neurological benefits of savoring;
The balance between striving and savoring;
How scarcity leads us to enjoy something more;
The five ways we can savor everyday life;
The “savor list.”
Links mentioned in this episode:
Book: How to Calm Your Mind
The post Podcast: The science of savoring your life appeared first on Chris Bailey.