Productivity Gladiator

Ever been in a meeting and thought “UGH, this meeting could have been an email?” This episode is a massive knowledge share, where Brian reveals some of the tips, tricks, and hacks he teaches in his training on this topic. It’s time to pull back the curtain on meeting efficiency, effectiveness, and skill.See the full details and links on the episode's page. *****************************Links to References In This EpisodeMy Facebook Reel that went viral and inspired the idea for this episode.The research I mentioned showing when people are most likely to say yes.***********************************Episode DigestNew Type Of Episode starting 2024This is a massive knowledge share. I’m going to be doing more of these as well.The idea for episodes like this came from a Facebook Reel I shared that went viral last year. It was a simple knowledge hack, but based on the engagement it was something people were interested in. Through Productivity Gladiator I teach personal practical productivity skills. I have a lot of knowledge and hacks to share. The episodes with guests with guests deliver practical and interesting takeaways, and I also want to share all the hacks and tips that I’m delivering in my workshops as well. here’s the overall concept to remember: Synchronous or Asynchronous Communication Does the person receiving the communication need to be there receiving it at the same time you’re sending it?Synchronous is received live at the exact same moment the person is speaking it: Examples: Meetings, Phone calls.Asynchronous is received at some point (could be shortly, or much longer, after): Example: Email, shared Google or Sharepoint Documents, teams/slack messagesList of # Tips & HacksA meeting is likely a good idea if: Everyone can/should contribute real timeYes for developing the solution to a problem, brainstorming, or a situation where there are a lot of questions to be answered. No - if you’re just going to ask them to send you an email later with their ideas, or if you were just going to mute their mics anyway.A meeting is likely a good idea if: Time is short, you can’t wait for everyone to get back to you via a return message. A meeting is likely a good idea if: Messages have gone back and forth several times already. A meeting is likely a good idea if: Messaging has created more questions than answers. A meeting is likely a good idea if: You need someone to say yes.Most likely to say yes in the first half of the morning, or the first 2 hours after lunch. A meeting is NOT needed if: Everyone is not expected to actively contributeExamples: status meetings, staff meetingsFavorite phrase to put perspective on whether this meeting is needed: “There’s a lot of money in this room” (how much everyone’s time is worth)A meeting is NOT needed if: Everyone who needs to speak cannot attendA meeting is NOT needed if: This is just a chance for you to read to everyone the info sent in advance. A successful meeting is on TAPPTimely Start and EndAgenda - Provided ahead of time. If it’s not on the agenda, add it to the next meeting, or let participants have input to add it to this one.Preparation - What do people need to bring, or do, in advance?Purpose - Why are we having this meeting?How many meetings per day?Optimal - no more than half your day. Research says somewhere in the 3-4 hours total per day.Ideally grouped together. Better to have a block of meetings and time before and/or afterNOTE: It’s often not up to you, I get it, just something that’s helpful to keep in mind. Meeting Success Tip - Record The Meeting – For anyone who cannot attend, they can watch the recording, no need to “catch people up” who were out. (tip, watch at 2x or 3x speed) Meeting Success Tip - Record Action Items - Review these at the end of the meeting.Meeting Success Tip - Acknowledge The People Then Proceed - Even if it’s brief or intros necessary, then start agenda.Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Ignore the agenda.Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Catch people up, who are late to the meeting. Common Meeting Mistake - DO NOT: Run over the allotted time - Ask permission first if you only need ## minutes, or schedule another time to meet to continue.Meeting Alternatives - If you DO NOT need confirmation message received (ex: if they missed the meeting, no makeup needed) Recorded Video (Video Podcast) (all 3 types of people: watch, listen & read)Podcast/Audio Message - Recorded AnnouncementsTeams/Slack Channel discussionEmailCloud Document - Shared Link. (everyone provides ideas)Meeting Alternatives - If you DO need confirmation of message received (ex: if they missed meeting you would need to meet with person who missed to make it up. This is probably rare.Send Email - Read Receipt Requested Send out a Form/Survey - Completion RequiredThis could be a video, audio, written, or recommend all three.Online TrainingSend out a Survey (Microsoft Form)Create Powerapp to automate follow-up.HYBRID MEETING TIP - Everyone who speaks is on camera on their own individual camera.In a conference room, everyone bring your own laptopHYBRID MEETING TIP - “Spotlight” the person speaking.Designate whose job this is in the beginningImportant if more than 10 people in meeting.HYBRID MEETING TIP - Collaboration done through meeting software. Virtual Whiteboard gets way more interaction than live whiteboard with camera on it.ONLINE MEETING TIP - Important Meeting Options (Set by host):Who can bypass the lobby? - “Everyone” Unless you want popups disrupting your meetingLeverage Co-Organizers to help mute/control/spotlight.Allow mic for attendees?For big meetings, likely “no”. Add person as Co-Organizer if they need to speak. Allow camera for attendees?Allow meeting chat? (would Q&A be better?)HYBRID/ONLINE MEETING PRO MOVE: Host mutes, don’t ask the crowd to.None of this “Everyone Mute Your Lines”HYBRID/ONLINE MEETING PRO MOVE: Take breaks at least every 50 minutes. Tell them you’ll do this up front. People need “bio breaks” and “brain breaks. If you don’t, you’ll lose them.TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE - Imagine it’s your meeting someone says “this doesn’t need to be a meeting”. You’ve had this meeting weekly for 2 years? You (or the person you’re talking to) may go through the stages of grief about this. (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance)TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE: Their Idea & Be KindIf you can, let them think it’s there idea, see if they take the hint and do it on their ownBe kind, be positive, don’t lead with “this meeting is a waste”. TIP ON CHANGING MEETING CULTURE - Start with your own. Sometimes if it’s effective, people will copycat you, then everyone wins, and they’ll think it’s their idea (Story: Video Podcast idea)2 questions to ask yourself to determine, should this be a meetingWill it be a value add for everyone at this meeting to contribute to the meetingHint: will you be disabling the mics/cameras/chat during the meeting? Record it and send it on its own. If someone is out on vacation and misses this, they won’t need to make it up?I can help your team with this! Can I come talk to your team about this? Sometimes it’s scary to bring this up from inside the organization due to office politics or not wanting to rock the boat by recommending someone above you change. Businesses bring me in to help with this, it’s what I do. I teach a workshop on this topic specifically.If I can help, reach out to me, lets chat. Connect me with your workplace, lets set up a session for me to talk about this for your team. *******************************************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. After spending a career hands-on in the trenches as a senior project manager, I now help others to level-up through my Productivity Gladiator training. These Gladiators wield email management superpowers, a laser-guided ability to focus, samurai-grade prioritization skills, a sniper-precise task tracking approach, Jedi time management skills, and a secret sauce for maximizing their personal life balance. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

Can we be productive at work without ruining our own wellbeing? Jeanette Bronée shares insights gained while recovering from burnout and losing both parents. We discuss tangible ways individuals and leaders can shift perspectives to promote sustainable productivity grounded in humanity and wellbeing.See the full details and links on the episode's page. *****************************Links to References In This EpisodeNail in the forehead video.Study from Finland on children, 15 minute break each hour for learning.Microsoft’s study on why you need breaks between meetings.Episode DigestAchieving Balance: Productivity and Wellbeing in HarmonyThe perpetual balancing act between workplace demands and personal wellbeing frequently fuels feelings of stress and inadequacy in the modern economy. We aim to seek success in our careers, often convinced we must sacrifice self-care along the way. It leaves professionals endlessly asking—can productivity and wellbeing peacefully coexist?Fresh perspectives, such as from Jeanette Bronee, reveal achievable ways individuals and organizations can shift limiting attitudes about performance at the expense of health. They highlight small but mighty everyday habits that transform not only individual resilience, but ripple out to impact workplace cultures as a whole.Reframing Wellness as a Lifelong PracticeAn emerging view proposes letting go of thinking about wellness and self-care as a fixed goal, like pounds to shed or boxes to check off a list. Rather, it suggests embracing the ongoing daily relationship with caring for ourselves and listening in closely, without judgment, to what we need in each moment. Contentment comes from accepting our ever-changing state of balance, not upholding perfectionist expectations.The Restorative Power of Mini-BreaksEven small, 60-90 second pauses in the frenzied workday to simply breathe, move, or reset, prove powerful. These moments of micro-recovery improve mental clarity, energy renewal and sharper focus to tackle tasks at hand. Skipping our body’s cries for regular respite often backfires by depleting cognitive reserves and performance over time. Think of it, even boxers in the ring get breaks between rounds. Why shouldn’t you between activities?Cultivating Emotional Wellbeing Accelerates ResultsPhysical health certainly impacts daily effectiveness, but science shows our emotional states wield equal influence. Feeling valued, seen, and heard has profound effects on motivation, engagement and work fulfillment. Those leading teams see substantially higher performance and retention by encouraging idea exchange and taking time to actively process responses. Fostering emotional health requires enhanced presence and listening—not necessarily extra minutes in the day.Solutions Emerge by ReframingRefocusing how we frame problems makes all the difference. When facing roadblocks, ask “What do we need to move forward?” rather than “Why isn’t this working?”. Leading with what IS possible sparks collaborative problem-solving, whereas dwelling on deficiencies fuels frustration. This outward and forward-looking orientation cultivates optimism and belief in our collective ability to handle uncertainties on the horizon.Scheduling Intentional Transition TimeBack-to-back meetings often zap productivity despite tight scheduling. Agendas benefit from built-in buffers between sessions, allowing participants to solidify takeaways, recharge focus and emotionally transition between topics. Rather than defaulting to 30 or 60 minute blocks, strategically calendar 25 or 50 minute meetings, and hold to those time slots. Guarding 5-10 minutes between commitments grants much needed mental space. If you’re leading the meeting, you can also give everyone 1 minute at the beginning of your meeting, to afford them that time to process. Try taking a moment of silence in your next meeting, see how it works?Leaders Set the Stage for Cultural TransformationIndividuals certainly own responsibility for self-care habits that enhance resilience. However, organizations seeking lasting change must evolve. Leadership carries responsibility for sowing seeds that gradually transform company culture and assumptions. Simple but consistent practices like starting meetings with one minute of quiet centering or group reflection demonstrates that employee health and humanity matter, not just performance.In reality, the two aims need not compete—sustainable productivity requires sound wellbeing. By raising awareness and implementing small but consistent changes, both individuals and organizations make progress towards resilient cultures where people energize their best work without depleting inner reserves. What shifts might you experiment with to bring your physical, emotional and cognitive wellbeing into greater harmony this year?****************************************Key Quotes"We do need to pause more. We need to be able to calm our nervous system down or we basically can't think straight. Um, some people will argue, well, I'm better at it than others. Yes, we all different at it. But if we don't pause throughout the day, if we don't do the, even the basics of water, food, and a couple of pauses and rest here and there, if we don't even do that, there's a good chance that cortisol just keeps rising and rising and rising and rising and rising all throughout the day." “instead of running around taking care of me, could you come over here and sit down and just talk to me? I wanna know that you care about me. I don't need you to care for me.”“It may be that they also feeling that they were dismissed in the previous meeting, and then they show up in this meeting and they're like, want to show that they know more because they are not feeling heard and seen.” Today’s GuestJeanette BronéeSpeaker, Culture Strategist, & Author of “The Self-Care Mindset”Jeanette is rethinking self-care in the workplace as the foundation for peak performance, engagement, and a culture where people belong and work better together.As an internationally recognized self-care mindset expert, she has spoken at the United Nations, given keynotes across the US, and spoken to audiences on five continents. She shares the tools to reclaim agency and cultivate the human connection that helps us communicate and collaborate with curiosity and care so that we can navigate challenges, innovate, and grow stronger together in our constantly changing reality.She gives us the C.A.R.E. driven framework so we can change our relationship with self-care at work in order to be busy and healthy at the same time, cultivating a culture where people create impact and sustainable success together. Her clients include IBM, BlackRock Lockheed Martin, Kaiser Permanente, Genentech, Microsoft, Facebook, ebay, Siemens, and more.Her new book, “The Self Care Mindset, Rethinking How We Change and Grow, Harness Well Being and Reclaim Work Life Quality” is a book of tools to harness our human advantage to grow through adversity.Website: jeanettebronee.com Book: The Selfcare MindsetPodcast: Pause On ThisBlog: jeanettebronee.com/blog Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jeanettebronee Instagram: instagram.com/jeanettebronee YouTube: youtube.com/@JeanetteBronee-PathforLife *******************************************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. After spending a career hands-on in the trenches as a senior project manager, I now help others to level-up through my Productivity Gladiator training. These Gladiators wield email management superpowers, a laser-guided ability to focus, samurai-grade prioritization skills, a sniper-precise task tracking approach, Jedi time management skills, and a secret sauce for maximizing their personal life balance. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

Dr. Todd Dewett joins Brian to dive into story telling at work and at home. They uncovered tips and tactics on how to tell better stories, when to leverage the power of a story, and where stories are most effective. These hacks will help you level up your story telling game, so you’ll shine even brighter at work, and in your personal life. See the full details and links on the episode's page. *****************************Links to References In This EpisodeLinkedIn Learning Course “Storytelling for Leaders” by Dr Todd DewettChris Rock excerpt Todd references: From Bigger & Blacker, segment on relationshipsBook: The Little Black Book of Leadership: Essential Advice for New Managers by Todd Dewett PhDBook: Show Your Ink: Stories About Leadership and Life by Todd Dewett PhDBook: Dancing with Monsters: A Tale About Leadership, Successss, and Overcoming Fearsby Todd Dewett PhDBook: The Ten Delusions: And How To Survive Them Effectively by Todd DewettEPISODE DIGESTStorytelling is a powerful tool for connecting with people and getting your message across. In this episode of Productivity Gladiator, Brian Nelson-Palmer has an in-depth discussion with communication expert Dr. Todd Dewett about how to become a master storyteller.THE CORE ELEMENTS OF STORYTELLINGTodd outlines the basic structure that most good stories follow:Act 1 introduces the characters and the situation they are in. Draw the audience in with an interesting predicament.Act 2 escalates events and creates intrigue. Take the audience on an emotional journey.Act 3 provides resolution and wraps up the story. Provide a satisfactory conclusion.A compelling storyteller uses vivid details, varies their tone and pacing, and incorporates relatable characters and scenarios that tap into the audience's shared experiences. This emotional component takes the story beyond just relaying logical information.WHEN TO USE STORIES VS. QUICK ANSWERSStories shine when explaining the "why" behind something, rather than direct responses to simple questions. In professional settings with time limitations, opt for shorter anecdotes rather than long epics. Save the drawn out stories for rare occasions when you really want to drive home a point.Dr. Dewett notes "Stories are special and should not be used all the time. It's just like your favorite food. If you eat it all the time, you become redundant and lose some love for it." Keep people engaged by strategically picking your storytelling moments.STORIES IN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPSOverusing stories with friends and partners can grow old quickly. Dr. Dewett suggests prompting loved ones for stories to give them a chance to share. This provides an opportunity to learn new things about each other, even after years together. Share new experiences to avoid repeating tired tales they've heard multiple times before.EXAMPLES BRING THE PRINCIPLES TO LIFEThroughout the interview, Dr. Dewett illustrates effective storytelling through engaging examples from his own career as a professional speaker. He takes the audience on a journey, using vocal inflection, passion, and practical takeaways people can relate to.His stories showcase how following a narrative structure and making it personally resonate grabs attention even when delivering difficult messages. Dr. Dewett notes that reading the room and adjusting your delivery based on reactions is also crucial for successful storytelling.KEY QUOTES"Stories are the key to getting what you want in life because it helps people get on board. They relate to stories.""Stories are special and should not be used all the time. It's just like your favorite food. If you eat it all the time, you become redundant and lose some love for it.""If you're going to tell them the why, it should be a story."Today’s GuestDr. Todd DewettMaster StoryTeller, Speaker, AuthorDr. Todd Dewett is one of the world’s most watched leadership personalities: an authenticity expert, best-selling online course creator, a TEDx speaker, and an Inc. Magazine Top 100 leadership speaker. He has been quoted widely, including the New York Times, BusinessWeek, and TIME. After beginning his career with Andersen Consulting and Ernst & Young he completed his PhD in Organizational Behavior at Texas A&M University and enjoyed a career as an awardwinning professor and scholar. Todd has delivered over 1,000 speeches and created a body of educational work enjoyed by over 30,000,000 professionals around the globe. His recent clients include Microsoft, ExxonMobil, Pepsi, Boeing, Google, Caterpillar, IBM, Zoom, and hundreds more.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/drdewett Instagram: instagram.com/drdewett Website: drdewett.com YouTube: youtube.com/c/DrToddDewett Facebook: facebook.com/DrToddDewett

Eric Girard joins Brian as a co-host to unveil 10 time management hacks for new managers, empowering them to balance their increased responsibilities efficiently. These hacks will help you carve out the time necessary to fulfill your team's needs while handling your personal responsibilities.See the full details and links on the episode's page. *****************************Links to References In This EpisodeBrian's TEDx talk "Reimagining the Value of Your Time"Brian's time value calculatorBrian's post on stopping the back-and-forth to schedule meetingsCalendlyAI transcription apps:FathomOtterVideo: 11 ways normal office workers can use AI right now to be more productive.Blog Post: Dictating is 3x faster than typing, start talking!Amazon Subscribe & SaveEric's company websiteBrian's company websiteEpisode Digest:Mastering time management is vital as you transition into a management role. In this episode, productivity experts Brian Nelson-Palmer and Eric Girard shared 10 time hacks for new managers. Here are their tips, check out the episode for more detail.Eric’s Ideas:Calendar block everything. Put all tasks and appointments on your calendar, even small items like writing up notes. Block off specific times and treat your calendar as the boss. Eric aims for 15 minute increments. This ensures items don't slip through the cracks.Use a system that works for you. For example, don't force yourself to use a complex system or app if simple to-do lists work better. Eric uses Apple Calendar, Mail, and Notes while Brian uses a calendar for places he needs TO BE, to-do lists for what he needs TO DO, and notes/lists/checklists for thoughts and ideas he needs TO REMEMBER. Find what is sustainable and scalable long-term. The best system is the one you'll actually use.Leverage AI for meeting transcriptions to capture summary and action items. Use apps like Fathom to get full transcriptions of meetings. Review the transcript quickly after to pull out key points vs listening to long recordings. This saves time absorbing content.Run multiple calendars. Have distinct calendars for work, personal, family etc. to toggle on/off as needed. This reduces overwhelm of seeing everything at once. Eric manages 5+ calendars based on priorities.Apply the 3 D's method for email. Do it (handle quick emails instantly), delegate it (schedule time later for longer items), or delete it (remove junk mail). Stay on top of your inbox to avoid overload.Brian’s IdeasStop running basic errands. Order online or use delivery services instead of spending time on basic errands. Know your hourly rate to determine if it's worth your time. Leverage technology to optimize efficiency.Use subscriptions and auto-delivery. Set up subscriptions for household items and auto-delivery for work supplies to save time. Get discounts with subscribe and save options. One less thing to remember.Leverage AI to redirect your time to your people. Use AI to automate administrative tasks and free up time for people management, the key role of any manager. AI can't replace human emotional intelligence and empathy.Avoid “email tag” back and forth to schedule meetings. Provide your availability or links to schedule time through calendar apps like Calendly. Don’t waste time on coordination.Talking to your computer is 3X faster than typing. Dictation is faster than typing. Use voice-to-text built into your computer and apps to compose emails and notes. Stop typing, start talking.In addition, Brian emphasized calculating your hourly rate to assess if buying back time is worthwhile. Eric noted that while technology can optimize efficiency, you should still control your system rather than letting it control you.Key themes covered include leveraging technology for efficiency, structuring your time deliberately, streamlining communication, and automating administrative tasks wherever possible. The overarching focus is on freeing up time for people leadership - the core of management.Assess your own work style and needs, then implement the approaches that fit you best. The right time management system will be personalized. Experiment to find what works. The goal is to establish a sustainable approach to maximize your time and energy as a new manager.Today’s GuestERIC GIRARDCEO, GIRARD TRAINING SOLUTIONSEric Girard has over 30 years of experience helping improve the performance of managers and employees. He specializes in the development of new managers, focusing on their successful transition to their new role and on their team management skills. He has a high-energy and engaging facilitation style.Eric is a passionate, lifelong learner. As a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor, he is pursuing the rating of Master Scuba Diver Trainer. When not designing or delivering training, he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and twin 14-year-old daughters.Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ericpgirardInstagram: instagram.com/eric.p.girardWebsite: girardtrainingsolutions.com Podcast: girardtrainingsolutions.com/podcast

Chris Westfall joins Brian on the show to dissect what it is that makes a winning elevator pitch. He is a regular contributor to Forbes, the author of The NEW Elevator Pitch, and one of the most sought-after business coaches & keynote speakers in the world.See the full details and links on the episode's page: https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/dissecting-a-winning-elevator-pitch-with-chris-westfall*****************************Episode ContentFor EmployeesOpen your pitch with something that’s honest, and true, and doable, which they will agree with. The most powerful pitch is the one that’s honest and true. Next: Share something that’s unexpected, surprising, innovative, or counterintuitive.Last, some new information that will make them say, “tell me more”.The higher above you that you pitch, the more simple the concepts need to be, don’t get down in the weeds, zoom out to a level that’s honest and true for both of you at both of your levels. *****************************For Front Line Supervisors and Middle ManagersOnly difference between a pitch as an employee vs a pitch as a manager is to constantly remember “service”. It’s constantly in terms of “impact”. “With these resources, here’s what I’d be able to do for you…”“I’ve thought this through” and come prepared to share the thoughts.The elevator pitch just starts the conversation, and gets permission to tell them more later. *****************************Videos of Pitches Referenced In This EpisodeDirect link to the pitch that won the Rice Business Plan Competition this year. Topic: Magnetic GearsCompany: Fluxworkshttps://tinyurl.com/FluxWorksPitchAaron Powell of Bunch Bikes in verbal fistfight with Barbara Corcoran in his pitch on Shark Tank and she “takes him downtown”. He got “real”.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXE7xkVZt8Y *****************************Today’s GuestCHRIS WESTFALLUS National Elevator Pitch Champion, Author, CoachChris Westfall is an entrepreneur, business coach, and is recognized as the US National Elevator Pitch Champion.A regular contributor to Forbes, and the author of four books - plus a ghostwriter for six more - he specializes in helping bring new stories to life. His titles include easier, Leadership Language and The NEW Elevator Pitch.Chris has helped launch over five dozen businesses, and has appeared on ABC NEWS, NBC TV and CNN. He has worked with thousands of leaders at Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations and high-tech startups. He regularly consults with top-tier universities. and is a coach to entrepreneurs and executives around the globe. His clients have appeared on Shark Tank, Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank-Australia. Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/westfallonline/Website: http://westfallonline.com Forbes: http://bit.ly/Forbes-CWYouTube: http://youtube.com/westfallonlineBooks online:Leadership Language: http://bit.ly/leadershiplanguageEasier: http://easier-book.comThe NEW Elevator Pitch: http://bit.ly/thenewelevatorpitchSocials: @westfallonline*****************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their practical productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

Christopher Lind, Chief Learning Officer at ChenMed and industry thought leader around AI, joins Brian to talk about AI & The Human Experience, with practical applications and implications of AI for employees and supervisors right now at work.See the full details and links on the episode's page: https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/ai-the-human-experience-with-christopher-lind-practical-applications-of-ai-now-for-you-at-work*****************************Episode ContentFor EmployeesUse Case: Look into how you can use it to design the first draft of things. Slideshows, meeting summaries, action items, templates, etcExample: You have the status meeting with your team. It’s recorded. Copy/Paste that transcript into AI, have it identify action items, create summary, and generate update slide deck. You can have it create different versions for different audiences.Treat AI like a brilliant intern. You always should review the work that an intern generates.Don’t attach your professional identity to one of your job functions that AI can do. Example: If you are really good at making slide shows pivot tables, don’t resist AI because it might also do slides and pivot tables well, there’s more to your identity, lean into the other parts, don’t fight AI. Keep learning. Life is a journey. If AI can do a part of your job, learn how to leverage that and continue learning other parts of your job that AI can’t do. Epic Quote: “You’re not going to lose your job to AI, you’re going to lose your job to someone who’s doing your job with AI”*****************************For Front Line Supervisors and Middle ManagersDo not let AI do “the people part” of your job. For example, don’t let AI write performance reviews.Get better and more focused on the people parts of your job with the time AI frees up: For all of you that used to use the excuse that there was so much to do that you didn’t have time for the non-people parts of your job, those days are gone, leverage AI to help produce the non-people parts of your job, so you can spend more time on the "people parts” of your job.Leverage AI for a second opinion. If you’re contemplating someone, and you want to “bounce that idea off of someone” or “kick an idea around”, AI is a resource is. AI is great for creating schedules with all kinds of parameters, barriers, requests, etc. AI has leveled up translation - it’s not perfect, you’ll still want to create review the translated product, but the quality of the translation is even better. Stakeholders in other countries and languages, let AI regenerate a first draft of your work product in other languagesAI is great for crunching numbers and identifying patterns. Example: Here’s the raw data from the Employee Viewpoint Survey, there’s thousands of responses to that survey, there’s thousands of lines of responses. *****************************Video Learning Resources in This EpisodeYouTube Video:Unlocking Your Human Potential with Generative AI: A Guide to Becoming Distinctly More HumanYouTube Video:11 Ways Project Managers & Normal Office Workers Can Use AI Right Now To Be More Productive*****************************Today’s GuestChristopher LindBusiness, Technology & Human ExperienceWorkplace TransformationMost individuals who have dedicated their careers to transforming learning and talent development have spent the majority of their time in Human Resources. I’m different from most individuals. I’m a bold, digital-first learning and talent development leader that’s spent the majority of my career embedded in the businesses I serve. As a result, I’ve spent my entire career at the intersection of business, technology, and the human experience while working side-by-side with business leaders and being directly accountable for outcomes. This has provided me with a dynamic portfolio of experiences and expertise you won’t easily find.Christopher talks about #futureofwork, #talentdevelopment, #digitaltransformation, #leadershipdevelopment, and #learninganddevelopmentLinkedin: linkedin.com/in/christopherlind Business Website: www.learningsharks.com Christopher’s “Live Tech Talks” Youtube Show: learningsharks.com/learningtechtalks *****************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their practical productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

Brian Glass, Attorney and Host of the Time Freedom For Lawyers podcast, joins Productivity Gladiator to talk about Life Balance Mistakes & Best Practices for people that work in a billable hours career, and passive income strategies.See the full details and links on the episode's page: https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/billable-hours-life-balance-tips-passive-income-with-time-freedom-for-lawyers-brian-glass*****************************Episode ContentFor EmployeesBest Practice: Bring in business and look to get “Origination Credit”, meaning you bring in the customers. In most situations origination credit means you’ll get a small piece of all the billing toward that client.Best Practice: Be their guy. Make sure YOU’RE their lawyer. You’re providing so much value that they will think of you, not just your firm. This means for all future things, the customer isn’t just referring people to your business or firm, they’re referring people to you personally. Perspective: There's three ways to make more money in billable hours. 1) Work longer hours, 2) work for more dollars per hour, or3) figure out a way to originate the clients, getting a piece, even if it’s a small piece, of everybody else's hours, billed on that client down the line. Tip: Look for business to business opportunities to connect with people that have your potential clients(example: If you’re looking for people who have been in auto accidents, advertising to the general public, 99.9% of people have NOT been in auto accidents. Find businesses that serve people who have been in auto accidents (Dr Offices, Physical Therapists, etc) and help those businesses, they’ll connect you with that audience by referring you.Best Practice: Be the hub, the person they’re referring to when they say “I know someone”Be known among your circles for what you do, and actively seek to help people with what you do. By helping people, they’ll remember that you’re the person that helped them on a certain topic. That’s your way to become “the hub” or “the guy”, and seek to expand your hub.For Front Line Supervisors and Middle ManagersBest Practice: Get into management and out of the “doing”. Stay out of doing the small dollar tasks, even if they make mistakes. Every time you do your employees job, that just will perpetuate more of the same.Reminder: Good managers take the blame for screw-ups and highlight the employees for the wins. It’s HARD to do that, to let someone fail knowing you’re likely going to have to take some of the blame for some of that failure, but you have to manage, not do the work, so let them do the work. Passive IncomeThe lie of passive income - I see posts on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube where like, oh, I bought 18 Airbnbs and now I'm retired. No, you're not retired. You manage 18 Airbnbs. You just do something different, right?Real Estate Syndications - Investing in somebody else's deal, where I fund the deal with money. Typically, the minimum investment is $25,000, $50,000, $100,000 into these deals. And then somebody, the general partner goes and operates the deal. And then every month or every quarter, depending on the project, there's a check that just shows up back in my bank account.*****************************Books & References in This EpisodeBOOK on being a good manager:Liz Wiseman - MultipliersBOOK on syndicated real estate: Hands Off Investor - Brian BurkeWEBSITE for syndicated real estate dealsCrowdstreet.com*****************************Today’s GuestBrian Glass - AttorneyHost of the “Time Freedom for Lawyers” podcastBrian Glass is a personal injury lawyer in Fairfax, Virginia.  After a decade of practicing law across town from his dad, he joined Ben Glass Law in 2019 to run the auto accident section of the practice.  Brian’s greatest hits as a lawyer include a $3.4M medical malpractice verdict (2019), the record-setting settlement of a minor’s wrongful death case in Virginia ($5.5M in 2020), and the largest auto accident verdict in the state in 2022. ($3.4M in compensatory damages and $1M in punitive damages).  He is highly skilled at distilling complex problems into simple, understandable solutions.Brian is the rare trial lawyer who is as comfortable building a business as he is in the courtroom. Over the past four years, he has quadrupled the revenue of the auto accident section at Ben Glass Law and has big plans for the future.  Brian credits this growth to hiring the right people into the correct position, running the firm on EOS/Traction, and alignment of vision between he and Ben.  His business acumen has led him to be interviewed on the Tribe of Millionaires, Law Firm Movers and Shakers, and Millionaire Mindcast podcasts.Brian runs Time Freedom for Lawyers, a podcast dedicated to teaching other lawyers and high income professionals how to win back some of the their time by running more efficient businesses, investing in real estate, and crafting the vision of their own perfect life.Brian’s perfect life includes coaching his three boys in soccer, baseball, and whatever other athletic endeavor they want to pursue; travelling the world with his wife of 13 years; and competing in endurance events.  Brian is a finisher of the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Race, the Laurel Highlands 71 Miler, and about two dozen other ultramarathons.  Lately, parenting has cut short his training timeline and he focuses on Crossfit and Spartan races, with a 2023 goal of traveling to Sparta, Greece to compete in the Spartan Race World Championships.Brian is available to speak about:Vision Building – How to Design and Achieve the Life You WantHow to Hire, Support, and Manage Great StaffRethinking Retirement – Why High Earners Should Create Passive Income Streams to Make Work Optional Managing Your Law Firm by the NumbersFind Brian on:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fairfaxpersonalinjury/ Ben Glass Law: https://www.benglasslaw.com/bio/brian-glass-fairfax-auto-accident-lawyer.cfm Great Legal Marketing: https://greatlegalmarketing.com/ Time Freedom For Lawyers: https://www.timefreedompod.com/Productivity Gladiator highlighted on Time Freedom For Lawyers*****************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “13 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their practical productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

In this episode, April Myers, a Vice President and Realtor with RLAH @Properties, joins Brian to talk about Life Balance Mistakes & Best Practices for people that work on Commission. See the full details and links on the episode's page: https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/commission-sales-life-balance-mistakes-best-practices-with-realtor-vp-april-myersToday’s GuestApril MyersVice President & Realtor - RLAH @PropertiesApril is a licensed Realtor with over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry. April has helped clients buy or sell 200+ homes, and has been licensed in three different states. With a strong emphasis on excellent client service including transparency, education, and communication, she delivers an exemplary experience whether clients are buying their first or second homes, downsizing or upsizing, and everything in between. She has served on various committees and leadership positions within RLAH @properties, and the real estate community, and is heavily involved with the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. She is 2023 Chairperson of the NVAR Political Action Committee. InstagramLinkedInApril@rlahre.com***************For EmployeesMistake: People let their ego get in the way. You think you know better than the people you’re working with, which can alienate the customer and cost you the sale. “Perfection gets in the way of done”Mistake: “If you love the team you work on, it doesn’t feel like work”. If team becomes your family and all you do is work, that’s not “Life Balance”. Mistake: Loyalty to a fault. You are replaceable and so is your workplace. If you’re work isn’t acceptable to the workplace, they can and will let you go. On the flip side, just because they gave you a shot doesn’t mean “you owe them” anything. If you’ve progressed in your career and the growth you want in your current role isn’t happening, it’s time to move on, you need to make that decision. Don’t stick around because you think you owe them something. Best Practice: Grow and develop relationships outside of work. Sales is often a “people” job. Good relationships with co-workers and prospects can be fulfilling, but over time, you will actually start to feel lonelier, since those relationships are for work purposes, no personal, and don’t feed your soul completely! You need friends and relationships that have NOTHING to do with work. New research shows that even a single conversation with a friend per day is enough to boost your happiness and lower stress. the conversation needs to be “quality” to improve your day, that can mean anything from deep discussions to just catching up or joking around. The study determined in-person interactions were better, social media didn’t count.Best Practice: Don’t lose sight of what the end goal is. If you get money hungry, life and “the universe” will catch up to you. If your focus is making a buck, that will cause more highs and lows. If your focus is helping people, that can keep paying dividends and be fulfilling,Mistake: More hours don’t equal more success. Work smarter not harder. In the beginning of any role, you need to hustle to get started, however, working 80 hours/week isn’t sustainable, you need to work on bettering yourself and your career. Best Practice: YOU are in charge of bettering yourself. Bettering and developing yourself will make a night and day difference in your career, but NO ONE will push your learning. Most workplaces are only interested in your sales. YOU have to push and stress your learning and development. Metaphor for this: Lebron James didn’t get to be the best just because he played a lot of basketball games.  Coaching? Training?  Practice? Best Practice: Know yourself and your strengths. Make sure you’re spending your time on the important parts of the process that are the best use of your time. Realtor examples: If graphic design isn’t your strength, don’t design your own fliers. Best Practice: A teammate will allow life balance opportunities, instead of having to do every sale yourself. Perhaps splitting instead of working all the time to handle everything yourself. For Front Line Supervisors and Middle ManagersMistake: “Good Salesperson” doesn’t mean “Good Manager” - You need to learn and develop as a manager now. Being a good salesperson might have gotten you the promotion, but “what got you here won’t get you there”. Your self development now needs to focus on management skills, not just continuing to be a good salesperson. Best Practice: “Mirroring” employees and customers so they feel heard. This is a game changing skill, whether it’s a problem one of your employees is sharing, or a customer communicating an issue you’re just now hearing about, helping them feel heard is a skill you need to learn and actually practice. Reference the book “never split the difference” linked below in the book section of these episode notes.Best Practice: Support your employee’s deals while they’re off - Trust is an important thing, and the trust an employee has when a customer of theirs interacts with a manager while the employee isn’t there is paramount. This is a “short game” vs “long game” conversation. In the short term, it may be better that you closed that sale or resolved the customer issue with a sale, but in the long term if the employee comes back and finds out that the manager “stole” the sale, or the manager “threw the employee under the bus” by saying the employee was wrong or didn’t know what they were talking about, these will cause a loss of trust which takes years to rebuild. “You haven’t hit your goal yet, so are you coming in this weekend, it’s the last day of the month”Best Practice: In Prospecting, help employees with “value” to offer customers when following up. After the first “are you ready yet” call, the customer will get tired of salespeople calling, managers can help come up with news and ideas for what value add for the customer to share in a prospecting follow up call. Some kind of news or reason for salespeople to call is important, and as a manager, feeding these ideas to your team is valuable help you can provide. Best Practice: Help your teams be involved in communities where the leads are warm instead of cold. Are there places online employees and teams can go to engage with potential clients who are already interested in what you’re selling? These places would be potentially “luke warm” connections instead of straight “cold” emailing/calling. Maybe facebook groups where they’re selling/buying what you have? Instead of waiting for them to come to you, how can you go where your potential customers are. Also, HOT TIP, offer value to these potential customers, don’t just log on and try to sell them something in your first interaction. Offer information and advice, establish yourself as a helpful resource.*******************************************Good Books & References in This EpisodeThe Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discoveryby Ian Morgan CronNever Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on Itby Chris VossSecrets of Closing the Sale: For Anyone Who Must Get Others to Say Yes!by Zig Ziglar The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fableby Patrick Lencioni, Charles Stransky5 Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You LeadJeremie Kubicek Ninja Selling: Subtle Skills. Big Resultsby Larry Kendall Podcast Episode: End Your Struggle: Set Boundaries + Find Peace with Licensed Therapist Nedra Tawwab*****************************************************Why Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. Topics like “12 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the tips from these exclusive events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their practical productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

In this episode, Soness Stevens, the Original TEDx Speaker Coach,joins Brian to talk about getting, giving, & excelling at, a TEDx Talk. This episode is a departure from the normal episode, since Brian’s TEDx talk went live and went viral, Brian’s received a lot of questions about how to get a TEDx talk, and tips or advice on giving one. This episode with Soness shares solid answers to those questions.Link for the full page with all the details, the video, and more, for this episode:https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/soness-stevens-getting-giving-excelling-at-a-ted-talkToday’s GuestSoness StevensThe 1st TEDx Speaker coachwww.yourspeakingjourney.comSoness Stevens LinkedInSoness Stevens, the Original TEDx Speaker Coach is a communications expert, four-time speaker at TEDx, coach to more than 140 TED & TEDx presenters, and member of the TED Global faculty. Her stories inspire audiences to cry, laugh, and give standing ovations. Audiences of 10 to 1,000 are moved, connected, and engaged by Soness's presentations. 750,000 people have undergone transformation over 20 years.You can contact Soness Stevens here.***************When do you know you have an idea that’s Good for a TEDx talk?—TED calls a talk an “idea worth spreading”—Chris Anderson, the head of TED says:“Everyone has an idea worth spreading” —Soness adds to that:“…when they make it clear concise and replicable.”The application processBrian’s Process: it took 2 years (with a 14 month COVID Delay):—Researched over 100 events.—23 applications in total / ended up with 2 offers.—Idea combined with a story people can relate to.—2 offers within a couple of weeks for each other.Other recommendations:—Pick an event that’s relevant to your topic and to your audience—Recommend focusing on one event and one application at a time. A good quality and tailored application to a specific event, with a video of yourself mentioning your idea, will beat the “blast everyone with the same blueprint” every time. —Only accept or plan to give one TEDx talk at a time, for one idea at a time. In a TEDx speaker application 4 things to address: 1) What’s the idea worth spreading?2) How does your talk align with that TEDx event’s theme? 3) Why should anyone care?4) Why should they listen to YOU share the idea?Developing Your TalkFrom Brian: Write it first, focus entirely on the content and “what you’ll say”, up until 4 weeks before talk, then switch to memorizing your delivery on “how you’ll say it”.For 6 months - 3x per week zoom calls with friends. I read them the talk and showed them the slides. At the end, I asked them “On a scale of 0-not at all likely, to 10-extremely likely, how likely would you be to recommend this talk to a friend or colleague.?” and “Tell me why?”. This is the Net Promoter Score question. When I was consistently getting 9s & 10s almost all the time I knew the content of the talk was ready.From Soness:Takes more of a creative side, must bring in your personality. Bring out the type of person. Unique delivery to you. Make sure you bring in your humor. Feedback should be taken with a grain of salt. Everyone wants to be helpful, so they’re going to give you whatever they can think of, that can cause you to lose track of your talk completely. Delivering Your Talk—Clear & Concise—From Brian “I recommend it’s memorized word for word, you should be so comfortable with it it’s like wearing an old pair of pants.” —From Soness, one of her clients said “I know this talk so well I feel like I could give it while changing a tire in the rain.”What to do after your TEDx talk Comes Out—From Soness: Some people experience post talk shame where they want to “take it back”. Overcoming this comes from good preparation and connection with your talk. Often that shame comes from not being comfortable with it when you give it.—Media blitz and share it with everyone you know. —Set up your posts and emails in advance. —You can even prerecord interviews and then have the channel wait to put them out until your TEDx talk is released.Links to TEDx Talks referenced in this episode:Brian’s Talk: Reimagining the actual value of your time | Brian Nelson-Palmer | TEDxWhitingSpeakers Soness Mentioned Stories About:How to deal with toxic family relationships | Johnson Chong | TEDxRolandParkThe Bystander Effect: Why Some People Act and Others Don't | Kelly Charles-Collins | TEDxOcalaA Corporation is a Collection of Unique Souls like You & Me | Shirley Liu | TEDxCambridgeUniversityThe Flipside of Loneliness | Monica Rivera | TEDxFlatbushHappy Soles: Happy Souls | Rob Nugen | TEDxOgikuboWHAT EVERY WOMAN NEEDS TO KNOW TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP | AYSHA VAN DE PAER | TEDxLausanneWomenBooks To Help Prepare For A TEDx TalkTalk Like TED: The 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Mindsby Carmine GalloHow to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations: Revised and Expanded New Editionby Jeremey DonovanTED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speakingby Chris AndersonWhy Subscribe To The Email List: Brian does special zoom events and shares hacks and tips exclusively for his email subscribers. This like “12 alternatives to checking social media on your phone” or “2 email rules which will cut your email inbox in half” and more. Sign up to start receiving the results from these events! About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their practical productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.

In this episode, Brian shares his “year in review” for 2022, the process he uses to create the review, a template so you can try your own, and the steps he follows to automate the reminders to check back in throughout the year(s) to see if you’re still on track. Link for the full page with all the details, the video, and more, for this episode:https://www.productivitygladiator.com/episodes/my-year-in-review-heres-how-i-do-itThe Evolution Of My Year-In-ReviewRight up front, I admit that I poopoo’d this year-in-review practice for years. In my early career I heard about people doing this “year in review” thing. My thinking back then was “If YOU want to waste all that time reflecting on your year that’s fine, but I’m killing it at work right now so I’m going to keep killing it. I know what I’m doing, no need to reflect.” Looking back, I WAS WRONG. Looking back now, I think I was wrong for 2 reasons. 1) I was missing that there is a lot of power in making sure you’re headed toward my goals.I now think there’s real power in stepping back and looking at where you’re headed. In the day to day, I would often get so focused on driving metrics, completing tasks, and working toward goals, that I often lost sight of the big picture, I “couldn’t see the forest for the trees”. This reflection has really helped me to both appreciate just HOW MUCH I’ve accomplished AND reach some important realizations on whether I was really happy with the direction I was headed.2) I was completely missing the reflection and course correction in my personal life. Most of the reflection I did was entirely focused on my professional life. Performance reviews at work really facilitate this process. Your “annual performance review” is the time when you can and should do this professionally, and discuss it with your boss since they may have good ideas and further direction you can incorporate. The problem though is that I never gave myself my own personal performance review. My personal life was just “happening” to me, like I was a passenger on that train, not driving it. I missed doing a “performance review” of sorts for my personal life. Coming around to it took yearsFor more than a decade of my early career, I never even considered doing my own “year in review”. Then from around 2012 to 2019, my steadfast opposition to the practice slowly started to soften. Each year, the people in the productivity space which I followed and looked up to would talk in their blog posts and podcasts about their “year in review” they’d completed and the realizations they’d had. Over the course of 7 years, hearing these messages each year was enough to slowly shift my thinking from a “this is dumb” idea to a “hmmm, I wonder what would happen if I tried it” idea. Finally, in 2019 I did my first one of these for myself and I can honestly say, I was wrong, I love this practice of reflecting on my personal “year in review”. I also feel like I leveled up my personal life significantly!I think the power is in differentiating your “personal” from your “professional” Year-In-review.My year-in-review I’m going to share is entirely my “personal” year-in-review. In all my work now teaching life balance and personal productivity, people often lose sight of the “life” part of their “work-life balance”. I think there’s real power that comes from doing this for yourself, for you as a person, separate from you as a professional. ——What about my hobbies, & side hustles that produce income?For me, I have a primary job/career that is my primary source of income, but I also have several side hustles. Some of you may probably identify with that. Those side hustles are included in my personal year-in-review, the main job is not. Here’s where I draw the line - if my hobby or side hustle includes an annual performance review, then I do my reflecting for that one during that review. It’s alright if I touch on some of these or mention them in my personal year-in-review, but it shouldn’t be the focus here. Your personal review is on your life and your personal pursuits. ——-The Structure Of My Year-In-ReviewI keep this pretty simple, I try to capture the “highs”, the “lows”, revisiting what I said before, and then what I’m going to do now. Laid out, the sections look like this, and I have a template you can use for this later:-HIGHLIGHTS—-Accomplishments & Things That Brought Me Joy—-There were trips!—-Relationships-Last year, I said I was going to do some things this year. How’d I do on those?-Other FRUSTRATIONS, disappointments, and things that made me sad this year:-The CHANGES and NEW GOALS for YYYY—-Here’s My 2022 Year-In-ReviewHIGHLIGHTS for 2022:Accomplishments & Things That Brought Me JoyLived a true snowbird life by spending the winter in Florida for 9 weeks from late December to late February: Panama City Beach-2 weeks, Downtown Tampa-2 weeks, St. Pete-2 weeks, Clearwater-2 weeks, St. Augustine-1 week.In April Nikki and I started working with a nutrition coach. We have been counting macros for the rest of the year; I’m down 7-ish lbs from my high and I’m a notch or two tighter in the belts.This was my fourth year volunteering with the Wammies, we were finally back “in person” too and had a big red carpet event at the Capital Turnaround at the end of March. Big event, Big success!TEDxTalk Success!  60+ Initial calls with people, and 50+ practice runs, the live event in June, plus a 5 month wait for the video to go live in November, but I finally did it!  Woo!  New Car for Nikki AND for myself!  Finally driving a vehicle I can tow a boat with!I was out on the boat 29 times!  Got to play drums again with Fellowcraft twice!  Reunion baby! Played a wedding, and a private show in someone’s front yard for Halloween.  Joined the “Big Brother Big Sister” organization as a volunteer Big Bro, was connected with my Little Bro and hung out with him about twice a month; 14 times in total!  Launched the Productivity Gladiator Podcast. 7 episodes completed this year! Averaging about one per month. LOVE the cool conversations I’ve had and the really cool people I’ve gotten to meet, and I feel like I’m really delivering value with each episode.Switched from a beard to a go-tee, and NO ONE has noticed or said anything, so I’m taking that as a good sign. Reinforces that my cheeks don’t grow hair thick enough to make it worth doing the full beard, so now have a “cleaner” look without all that sparse cheek hair.  Sticking with this for now.Started working with a coach for Productivity Gladiator and this has really helped me focus and start making targeted progress. I feel more focused than ever on what I’m doing there.We were able to find renters to live in our condo while we’re down in FL this winter! Woo!  I was going to have to step back from volunteering with the Wammies, but they countered and offered me a contract to keep working on it. I LOVE the Wammies, love the team I’m working with, and love supporting an organization like the Musicianship, which does so much good for the community in DC! Wedding Venue Contract signed, date locked in, we’re off to a good start here!There were trips!Florida snowbird this winter for 2.5 months New York CityWhiting, New JerseyAtlanta, GAPennsylvania 4x - Philly & Blandon several timesVA Beach 2xNorth Carolina 3x - Charlotte, Saluda (near Asheville) & Oak IslandMaryland 3x - Baltimore, Kent Narrows, & Ocean CityRelationshipsI’m engaged!  I proposed, and Nikki said YES! I’m a lucky man with this one. Gonna be an amazing wedding!I so treasure my relationship with the “dinner party group” as we have come to call ourselves. It’s a close group of adult friends, and that’s not easy to do in today’s day and age.  We text each other directly, this isn’t just a social media connection.    6 official “dinner parties” with our dinner party group, though countless other hangouts that go way beyond dinner partiesFlorida friends! I was able to reconnect with people I haven’t seen in years in Florida, making the time we spent in Florida during the winter so much more fun!Made some amazing new adult friends that have “stuck” this year. This seems to be hard in general as adults, ‌but it’s happening, and these are some amazing people!Last year, I said I was going to do some things this year.  How’d I do on those?I SAID: Snowbird life continues: We’re headed down to FL for over 2 months to start the year. Last year we did a 3 week trip to FL during the winter and loved it. Since 100% remote work is still a possibility for both of us, we’re going again for longer this year. Ultimately, we think we want to be regulars going down to Tampa in the colder months, so this year we’re going to be checking it out, hopping around between different parts to scope it out while we’re there.Success here!  Decided that St Pete will be our move going forward!I SAID:  Boat Life: Still a member of the boat club, but the restrictions as a club member are annoying (ex: no evenings, no sunsets, I must book weekend reservations weeks in advance, there are no overnights available without booking at least a month in advance, etc). We’re ready to take the plunge and get a boat of our own. This will mean when my car lease is up this summer, we’ll be getting a truck or SUV that can tow a boat, then we’ll be trying to get the boat. *fingers crossed”Success!  Traded my car in for a truck that can tow a boat, and found the boat I want to buy, working on this up to the very last day of the year, anticipate getting the boat by February at the latest. I SAID:  Weight Loss: It’s time to work with a nutrition coach. I feel like I recognize the things I need to change, but I also think there’s so much more I can and should learn in this area. I’ve got the gym part covered, but I have got to get the “diet” right, which means it’s time to “go back to school” on that. Most of it will just be better discipline on my part. I recognize this. That said, I want to work with a few different coaches/sources. I call it “learning by committee” and the older I get, the more I’d rather learn from “a committee” of different people with different perspectives. I think that leverages the knowledge to bring me to an even better place, rather than just learning one way from one coach.  Moderate progress here!  Found a nutrition coach! Working with him has been great.  I’m down about 7lbs from where I was, though I’m certainly hoping to be down more than that. Hoping this next year will bring even better resultsI SAID:  I’d like to do more volunteering with a youth organization such as the Boys and Girls club, or Demolay. I want to give back to the next generation.Success!  I joined the Big Brother Big Sister organization, and am a big brother. My little brother, Shiloh, and I have hung out a couple of times a month!I SAID:  I’d like some more “Uncle Brian” time. I want to make sure I play with the kids when I get together with the families I know. I’d like the kids to feel like they know me too, not just their parents. I want to be more intentional about changing that.Meh, I give myself a “C” for this.  I did hang out with the kids when I went to gatherings but didn’t do much of it, so I did better here, which is why I didn’t fail completely.  I still just don’t feel like I did as much with the kids as I would like.   I SAID:  For Productivity Gladiator, I’d like to book 2 events per month. I am looking forward to giving my TED Talk and actually already have 17 events on the calendar for 2022, so it’s looking good!Success AND failure on this one.  “Success” in that I did more than 40 events this year where I was speaking on my work through Productivity Gladiator and prepping for my TED talk.  “Failure” in that almost all of these sessions weren’t paid, or business development with the idea of connect with clients which could lead to getting paid.  I elevated the brand, but definitely need to spend some more time on this one.   Take trips, go see people, and reconnect with people I’ve lost touch with because of COVID.Success! I definitely feel like I accomplished this one.Other FRUSTRATIONS, disappointments, and things that made me sad this year:The effects of diabetes were an issue in my eyes again this year.  I’m finally on a treatment regimen that seems to be working.  It’s just a bummer that my main choices to fight off the effects of diabetes on my vision are either a shot in each eye every 2 months, or a laser procedure which would be permanent change to my vision.  Since the shots are working as prescribed gonna stick with them.  Sigh…. I got an infection in my foot which was so strong that my body couldn’t fight it off on its own, ended up going to the ER to get IV antibiotics, and had to stop teaching workout classes for a couple weeks to recover.  That was kinda scary to have 3 toes and part of my foot turn another color!  Hairline thinned out some more.  Sigh, I mean, I knew this was coming.  It’s only gonna get worse. Rogaine seems to be pointless, but somehow can’t give up Rogaine because the story in my head is that it will start receding faster than it already is?!?!  Sigh….My knees are starting to give me problems. Whenever I do lunges and squats, there’s a certain point in the range of motion where I feel a “twinge” and it’s uncomfortable. Not taking pain meds, but just an “ow, that’s uncomfortable feeling”. Been to the doctor and physical therapist on this, and it’s just not resolved.  Gonna stick with it, but sadly I may be headed toward a shot in the knees in the future if it continues getting worse.  There was the loss of loved ones both close to me, family and friends, which is always hard to process. These situations really reinforced for me how precious this life is.  Several times this year, I caught myself thinking about how I’m living my own life. Grateful for these year-in-review sessions because I feel like I’m absolutely on the right track, and don’t have any regrets.  Still kinda scary to think about.  Haven’t lost as much weight as I was hoping.  Metabolisms and dieting are a bummer!  I thought I’d work with this nutrition coach and the lbs would just fly off, but sadly that didn’t happen.  Also, I’ve always heard people talk about how it gets more difficult to lose weight as you get older, I feel some of that frustration.  I’m down a few pounds and all my clothes fit better, so I’m grateful, but still a little frustrated.The used car prices got me in a bad way this year.  The beginning of the year, my car which I was going to trade in was worth $10K more than it was by the time my new vehicle came in and I went to trade it in.  Grrrrrrrr…..timing is a b!%&$The CHANGES and NEW GOALS for 2023Get ON the weight loss!  I want to get to 200 lbs by Feb 2024 (my wedding) so that means I need to get on it, that’s a rate of roughly 1.5 lbs per month-ish.  Gotta be more precise this year with my nutrition and counting PFCs.Become a boat guy! I’m almost there, the boat I want is within my grasp, just need to finish the deal and go pick it up, hoping by Feb 2023Level up “Uncle Brian” a bit more. I want to make it a point to have conversations and take some time to hang out with the kids specifically when I visit friends with kids.  I want the kids to feel like they know me too.  Keep showing up as a good Big Brother for my Little.2 big bucket list things this year. A trip on the world’s biggest cruise ship for my 40th birthday, and Alaskan cruise with the family!I wanna work on being a better partner for Nikki, focusing on supporting her in the way she wants and needs. In our conversations I want to remember that it’s not my job to “fix it”, my main role is to listen & validate in our conversations.  I want to do 2 paid Productivity Gladiator engagements per month.Upgrade Nikki and I’s living conditions to support full time remote work.  We both work from home, and to facilitate that we really each need our own office with a door that closes, which means we really need 3 bedrooms.  We have a 3 bedroom in place for the time we’re in Florida this year, but I want to figure out how we can have 3 bedrooms when we get back to DC in the spring, while still living in an area we’d like (and hopefully being close to the water because we’ll have a boat).——-NOW YOU TRYI’ve created a template google doc which you can create your own copy from this link, or just view from this link. Use either of these to try this for yourself.Instructions: This should be done just for you personally for your personal life and passions which don’t already have an annual performance review. I recommend doing a completely separate review for those roles.  Look back through your photos, calendar and social media from this yearFill in the sections below. Capture the highs and lows. Once you feel you’ve really captured the year, fill in the CHANGES AND NEW GOALS section at the end. This is written in a conversational way so that if you want to copy/paste/share this on social media or with family/friends you can.I’ve used the heading 1, 2, 3 to label the headings, so as this document grows, if you want to maintain the clickable table of contents you can.Keep it going:For the next year, copy/paste/duplicate the previous year above the last, then you’ll have them all together. Check in with yourself each quarter to see how you’re doing with your intentions for the year! To make this easy, you can click the “share” button at the top of your google doc, and copy the link to this document for yourself to access.  Then send an email to “every3months@followupthen.com” (this is a free email reminder service) with the subject “Am I on track for my year so far?” and put the link to this document in the body of the email.  Each quarter, the email will hit your inbox. Click the link in the message and it will open right up! Read through it and course correct during the year. ——-About The Creator/Host: I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. As a kid I took time for granted, but now as an adult, time is the most precious thing that I have. I teach overworked project managers how to level-up their life balance and pump up their personal productivity through my Productivity Gladiator training system. If what you’ve seen here intrigues you, reach out, let’s chat! Time is the currency of your life, spend it wisely.