Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

I’m thrilled to welcome Jeff Sieh back to the show for an in-depth discussion about the evolution of AI, particularly focusing on Apple’s recent announcements. Jeff and I dive into the historical context of AI, reminiscing about its portrayal in popular culture and significant milestones like IBM’s Deep Blue and Microsoft’s Clippy. We then transition to exploring the exciting developments unveiled...

This week I’m happy to welcome fellow podcaster and host of The ProGuide Podcast , Andrew Mason back to the show to discuss current trends and themes within the vast productivity space. Andrew and I discuss how being aware of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can significantly impact our happiness and self-improvement. We explore various factors like chronotype and personality types that contr...

In this solo episode, we pay tribute to Dan Miller, the late author of "48 Days to the Work You Love". Dan passed away in January 2024 after a brief battle with cancer. Erik shares personal stories and lessons learned from Dan, emphasizing his profound impact on people through his generosity, approachability, and commitment to lifelong learning. Erik also highlights Dan’s productive habits and dai...

This week we are opening up the mailbag once again to answer your questions about productivity, task completion, work preparation, quality time, motivation, and so much more. From managing distractions in a noisy office environment to improving the efficiency of your meetings, I hope this mailbag/Q&A gives listeners practical strategies to help you stay focused and achieve your goals.  _______...

This week I was grateful to welcome Mara Glazel to the show for a chat about her new book, Needy: How to Advocate for Your Needs and Claim Your Sovereignty . In our culture, the word "needy" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting weakness or dependency. But Mara is here to challenge that perception and flip it on its head. She argues that recognizing and embracing our needs is not only e...

This week it was my pleasure to speak with Jorge Arango about his latest book, Duly Noted: Extend Your Mind Through Connected Notes. Jorge is an information architect, author, and educator. For almost three decades, he has architected digital experiences and made the complex clear for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to nonprofits. He is the author of "Living in Information: Res...

This week it was my pleasure to welcome Dr. Barry Kudrowitz to the show for a chat about his great book, Sparking Creativity: How Play and Humor Fuel Innovation and Design . Dr. Kudrowitz is a professor of product design and department head in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. There, he founded and directed the product design program from 2011-2021. Barry received his PhD from...

This week I’m excited to share my conversation with Matt Abrahams. Matt is a passionate, and innovative educator, podcaster , and coach. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business he has helped countless presenters improve and hone their communication, including some who have delivered Nobel Prize, TED, and World Economic Forum presentations. Matt...

This week I’m excited to welcome Michael Easter for a conversation about a pair of his books, Scarcity Brain , Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough and The Comfort Crisis , Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self. Michael is the founder of the 2% with Michael Easter newsletter and the New York Times bestselling author of The Comfort Crisis and...

This week I’m excited to welcome Karl Hebenstreit for a chat about his book, The How and Why: Taking Care of Business with the Enneagram. Karl is a certified executive coach, leadership and organization development consultant, author, and international speaker. His 25+ year career spans the areas of HR and OD in biotechnology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and more. Karl holds a...

This week it’s my pleasure to welcome Carlos Alvarenga for a chat about his new book, The Rules of Persuasion: How the World's Greatest Communicators Convince, Inspire, Lead--and, Sometimes, Deceive. Carlos is an independent researcher and author. Before writing full-time, he worked as a management consultant and adjunct professor at the Robert H.Smith School of Business at the University of Maryl...

This week I’m excited to speak with Adrienne Bellehumer. Adrienne the founder of Bellehumeur Co. and co-partner of Risk Oversight , based in Calgary, Alberta. Adrienne is also the author of the book, The 24-Hour Rule and Other Secrets for Smarter Organizations: Including the 6 Steps of Dynamic Documentation . In this episode she is here to shed light on the often overlooked yet crucial practice of...

This week I’m excited to conclude a series of conversations I’ve been having with my friend Jeff Sieh. Jeff is an international speaker and visual marketing consultant. He hosts the Social Media News Live show and podcast and is also “Head Beard” at Manly Pinterest Tips.  Jeff has worked with and produced a wide range of content for various companies, including Guy Kawasaki, Kim Garst, Social Medi...

This week I’m excited to welcome Francesco D’alessio for a really insightful chat about finding the right productivity tools and apps to meet your unique needs. Francesco is the founder of Keep Productive and co-founder of Tool Finder , the world's best place to discover and learn more about productivity tools. Both Keep Productive and Tool Finder aim to make productivity software easier to unders...

This week I’m excited to welcome Terri Sjodin for a great conversation about her new book, Presentation Ready: Improve Your Sales Presentation Outcomes and Avoid the Twelve Most Common Mistakes. Terri is the Principal and Founder of Sjodin Communications , a public speaking, sales training and consulting firm based in Newport Beach, CA. In addition to her latest book, she is the author of the book...

This week I’m excited to welcome my friend and the producer of the podcast Todd Bushong back to the show for a laid back chat about the state of television streaming, regulating our media diet, and recapturing some of the communal magic of movies and television. With the Oscars airing this Sunday it got me thinking about how incredibly different media consumption is in the age of streaming and I w...

This week I’m excited to welcome my friend Jeff Sieh back to the show to continue a chat we recently had surrounding creativity, repurposing, and how AI and technology can help us reach our goals. In the previous portion of this conversation Jeff and I discussed creativity in the context of building your business. This week we pivot to the art of repurposing, remixing, and repackaging your audio,...

This week it's my privilege to welcome Charles Duhigg to the show for a fascinating and engaging conversion about his brand new book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection . Charles is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of two previous books, “The Power of Habit” and “Smarter Faster Better.” Charles has been featured on “This American Life,” NPR, “The Co...

This week it’s my privilege to welcome Dr. Charan Ranganath to the show for a fascinating discussion about his new book, Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory's Power to Hold on to What Matters. Charan is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the University of California at Davis. For over 25 years, he has studied the mechanisms in the brain that allow us...

This week it was my pleasure to welcome Richard Medcalf to the show for a discussion about his book, Making Time for Strategy: How to Be Less Busy and More Successful. Richard describes himself as "what you get if you were to put a McKinsey consultant, a slightly unorthodox pastor and an entrepreneur into a blender". He is the founder of Xquadrant , which helps elite leaders reinvent their 'succes...

This week I’m excited to welcome my friend Jeff Sieh back to the show for a great chat about harnessing our creative potential while fostering creative gifts for your business. Jeff is an international speaker and visual marketing consultant. He hosts the Social Media News Live show and podcast and is also “Head Beard” at Manly Pinterest Tips.  Jeff has worked with and produced a wide range of con...

This week I’m excited to welcome Todd Henry back to the show for a really encouraging and informative conversation about his new book, The Brave Habit: A Guide To Courageous Leadership. Todd has been a guest on the show many times lending his wisdom and insights on everything from creativity to motivation.  Todd is the founder of Accidental Creative , a company that helps creative people and teams...

This week I’m excited to welcome Dave Delaney back to the show for a great conversation about sobriety, living and thriving with ADHD, and helping others to equip themselves with the tools they need to excel. Dave is a recognized leader, consultant and keynote speaker on digital marketing, social media strategy, and business networking. His book, New Business Networking and his Newsletter The Nice...

This week I’m excited to welcome the show’s producer and editor Todd Bushong for our first ever mailbag episode. I put the call out for questions you the listeners might have about productivity, workflow, or anything Beyond The To-Do List related and you responded. So in this special episode I’m happy to get the chance to dive into your questions and address some of your inquiries about everything...

To ring in 2024 I’m excited to revisit an incredibly encouraging and human conversation I had with Carlos Whittaker earlier in 2023. More often than not “ productivity minded ” people can place too much emphasis on the weeks leading up to and the first few weeks of the New Year. I wanted to reverse that trend and focus on a conversation that reminds us of the importance of human connections and de...