5-Hour Formula: Live More, Work Less

Economist and sociologist Dr. Juliet Schor has spent decades studying working time, overwork, consumer culture, and now the global movement toward shorter workweeks. In this conversation, we unpack what the data actually shows about four-day weeks: productivity, well-being, turnover, carbon emissions, and the business case for working less. Juliet shares stories from companies and public organizat...

Futurist and author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang joins Alex Gafford to unpack why the most productive people and teams don’t work more, they work better . We dive into Pang’s trilogy ( The Distraction Addiction , Rest , Shorter ), the research behind 4–5 hours of daily deep work, and how design thinking turns shorter-hours experiments into durable operating systems. We also explore AI’s role, global adop...

Guest: Dr. Ellen Joan Ford, Author of #WorkSchoolHours , TEDx Speaker, and Leadership Consultant Episode Summary In this episode, Alex Gafford talks with Dr. Ellen Joan Ford, former New Zealand Army Officer, researcher, and author of #WorkSchoolHours . Together they unpack how the modern 9–5 is failing working parents and what it looks like to redesign work around real life. Dr. Ford shares the th...

If I asked you to envision your perfect day — one that leaves you energized, satisfied, and fulfilled — what would it look like? Not a vacation or a lucky break, but a normal day. That’s the question at the heart of this episode. Inspired by Heroic’s Brian Johnson and his idea of the Masterpiece Day (itself borrowed from legendary coach John Wooden), Alex shows how to design an intentional day tha...

Managing time is important, but managing energy is the multiplier. In this episode, Alex explains why your physiology drives your psychology, and how energy fundamentals like sleep, diet, and movement are the foundation for focus. He also breaks down the recovery protocols that sustain performance inside a 5-Hour Workday. This isn’t just theory, it’s a playbook for becoming a cognitive athlete . Y...

Meetings are the biggest time sink in most work calendars—yet very few of them actually move the needle. In this final episode of the Productivity Pyramid series, we tackle the hidden cost of meeting overload and explore how to reclaim your time without sacrificing collaboration. In This Episode: If you’ve ever felt stuck in back-to-back meetings wondering “When am I supposed to do my actual work?...

What if the most powerful productivity hack wasn’t doing more—it was protecting time for what matters most? In this episode, Alex breaks down Time Blocking , the #1 tool that helped his team eliminate distractions, reduce reactivity, and consistently finish high-value work—faster. You’ll learn how to: Shift from reactive mode to deep, focused execution Use time blocks for strategy, writing, creati...

What if you could work fewer hours—and actually get more done? In this episode, Alex introduces the Productivity Pyramid , the framework behind the 5-hour workday that helped his company increase productivity, revenue and retention all while working less. You’ll learn how to: Eliminate the most common time wasters that secretly drain your workday Understand the cognitive cost of distractions and m...

In this episode of the 5-Hour Formula , we’re diving into the truth about prioritization—why most people get it wrong, and how the most successful people in the world approach it differently. Spoiler: they don’t start with to-do lists. They start with better questions, better boundaries, and better systems. If you want to work fewer hours while getting more of the right things done, this episode i...

Episode Summary In this episode, I share the single most powerful strategy that changed everything for me during my Five Hour Workday experiment: habit design. I explain how I went from running on willpower to designing my day with intention using a simple formula that helped me stick to the habits that mattered most. I talk through: How I learned to automate willpower so I could focus on what mat...

Episode Summary: When I look back on my best workdays, they usually have one thing in common: solid routines. And the same goes for my worst days—when I feel scattered or drained, it’s almost always because I skipped my key habits. In this episode, I share the three core routines that have helped me thrive while working five-hour days since 2016. These aren’t just time management tips—these are en...

In this episode of The 5-Hour Formula , host Alex Gafford welcomes Mike Miller, founder of the Vision Creators Club , host of The Boardroom Sessions podcast, and leader of OCTP networking group. Together, they dive into the power of creating a clear vision for your life, setting intentions, and taking daily action to bring your biggest dreams to reality. Most people never take the time to define t...

What if you woke up every morning with a crystal-clear picture of where you're headed—not just in your career, but in your relationships, health, and the impact you want to leave on the world ? In today’s episode, we’re diving into the power of a Vision Statement —a personal roadmap that simplifies decisions, boosts motivation, and ensures your daily actions are aligned with the life you truly wan...

In this episode, I share how I discovered that a 5-hour workday can be just as productive as an 8-hour one—without sacrificing income. I break down the four key shifts in thinking that transformed my relationship with time , helping me unlock an extra three hours per day . 🔹 How we restructured work to maintain productivity in fewer hours 🔹 The surprising history of the 40-hour workweek and why...

In this episode, I sit down with Dave Rhoads, Founder and CEO of Blue Street Capital, to discuss how he implemented a five-hour workday and saw an increase in revenue and productivity. Dave hired me 12 years ago, and I was part of the initial five-hour workday experiment in 2016. Today, you’ll hear his perspective on how it transformed his company, his employees, and his personal life. We also div...

Host Alex Gafford introduces The 5-Hour Formula , a podcast designed to challenge the way you think about work, productivity, and time. In This Episode: What inspired Alex to start the podcast and his own 5-hour workday journey since 2016 . How working fewer hours with more focus can transform both work and life . What to expect in upcoming episodes: actionable insights, experiments, and expert in...