Productivity Nerd

In this episode, Kathy is joined by the marvellous Helen Taylor for what might be the boldest experiment yet: attempting to break up with their phones. Or at least see less of them. Inspired by How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price, they dive into the weirdly intense relationship we have with our screens. From dopamine doom-scrolling to the panicked need to check WhatsApp mid-Netflix....

Hello shiny new year, fresh notebooks, and big plans! In this mini episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy kicks off 2026 with a thought experiment inspired by productivity favourites Ali Abdaal, Will MacAskill (maybe?), and Stephen Bartlett. It’s a bit of a mash-up - like most good ideas - and it all centres around how we spend our time. Think of your hours like casino chips. You get 100 a week (aft...

Nothing says “festive cheer” like a looming tax deadline, right? In this not-at-all-scrooge-y episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy is joined by resident tax whisperer Laura Green for a surprisingly comforting chat about self-assessment. Whether you’ve already filed, haven’t started, or are deep in denial, this one's for you. Expect: 📆 The key dates you really shouldn’t ignore 💸 What happens if y...

It’s beginning to look a lot like… planner season! Only joking - in this mini-episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy’s resisting the urge to bang on about her favourite notebooks (again) and is instead diving into a festive round-up of productivity books. Think of it as a Christmas wishlist for nerds. Or a gift guide for that one organised friend who colour-codes their inbox. From timeless classics...

Hiring a VA isn't just for fancy people with private jets and personal chefs. It's for normal, busy humans who are drowning in emails, double-booking meetings, and Googling “how to add hours to the day.” In this episode, Kathy is joined by two brilliant minds from the virtual assistant world — Amanda Johnson (VA trainer extraordinaire) and Gwen Backhouse (head of the Society of Virtual Assistants,...

Ever sat down to relax only to be ambushed by a mental to-do list you didn’t ask for? That’s the Zeigarnik Effect in action and in this mini episode, Kathy gets into it. Named after psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, this psychological quirk explains why your brain keeps circling back to things you haven’t finished (like that half-written proposal… or the dentist form from three weeks ago). In this sho...

In this episode Kathy steps away from the serious work books and into something a little more… fluffy. But in a good way. Think less hustle culture, more cleaning your bathroom while your hair mask sets. Joined by Claire Ennion, Kathy chats about Getting Sh t Done: Conquer the Chaos, One Small Habit at a Time* by Roo Day — aka @homewithroo on Instagram — a book for people who hate cleaning but enj...

In this mini episode Kathy talks about what happens when you can’t be productive. Because sometimes, life lobs a spanner (or an entire toolbox) into your well-oiled workflow. Whether its illness, caregiving, emotional overload - the sort of stuff that doesn’t fit neatly into a planner. Kathy shares her own tale of working through a slipped disc (spoiler: pomodoros + painkillers = unlikely producti...

This week on Productivity Nerd, Kathy’s voice is croaky (thanks UK germs), but spirits are high because she's talking about a long-time bookshelf survivor: How to Have a Good Day by Caroline Webb. Joined by Helen Taylor — operations oracle and podcast wrangler — they unpack how behavioural science, psychology, and a surprising gorilla can help us have better days at work (and not just on spa r...

In this episode of Productivity Nerd , host Kathy Soulsby explores what it really takes to stay productive when your entire life – and business – moves across borders. Her guest is Vicki Doudelle, a Virtual Assistant who traded UK suburbia for the French countryside, complete with a husband, kids, and a crash course in French bureaucracy. Together, they unpack the real challenges of remote working...

Can music actually make you more productive? Or will Adele just make you cry into your inbox? In this mini episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy explores the surprising science (and personal quirks) behind music and focus...from thrash metal novelists to upbeat groovy tunes that allegedly boost brainpower. Whether you’re team silence, lyrics, or Vitamin String Quartet covers of the Spice Girls, thi...

In this episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy is joined by the brilliant Paul McGee, author of SUMO: Shut Up, Move On , speaker to over a million people, and master of mind management with a sense of humour. They explore the real meaning behind SUMO (it’s not just “pull yourself together”), the psychology of habits, and why giving yourself a bit of “Hippo Time” might be the most productive thing yo...

In this mini-episode, Kathy dives into the twice-yearly chaos of the clock change; why we do it, how it messes with our brains (and pets), and what Coldplay has to do with any of it. You'll hear: – Why gaining an hour feels great but doesn’t always work out that way – How our bodies ignore official time and follow the sun instead – A few surprising facts (including grumpy judges and Spanish di...

What if the secret to better productivity wasn't time blocking or fancy planners, but working with your brain, not against it? In this episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy is joined by the fabulous Claire Ennion to unpack the surprisingly brilliant ideas in Mind Management, Not Time Management by David Kadavy. Together, they explore how to boost creativity and focus by tuning into your mental stat...

What do baby pandas, fake commutes, and clapping for yourself have in common? Apparently, they're all (very loosely) linked to boosting productivity. In this delightfully odd minipod, Kathy shares the surprising science behind watching cute animals (spoiler: it really can help you focus), and dives into a grab-bag of weird and wonderful productivity hacks from the internet rabbit hole. We’re t...

In this episode of Productivity Nerd, host Kathy is joined by executive coach and seasoned boardroom whisperer Claire Stibbon to talk all things meeting prep. Because let’s be honest most meetings are more “calendar clutter” than “conversations that count”.Together, they dive into the practical (and often overlooked) steps that turn chaotic catch-ups into focused, effective sessions. From clarifyi...

In this bite-sized episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy gets into the surprisingly sneaky impact of unfinished tasks...or as she calls them, “pesky little loops.” If you’ve ever ended your day with a foggy head and a vague sense of dread, this one’s for you. Drawing on ideas from productivity legends David Allen and Cal Newport, Kathy explores how vague to-dos (like “LinkedIn” or “Mum”) quietly ea...

Ever set a KPI and then instantly regretted it? You're not alone. This week on Productivity Nerd , Kathy gets cosy with KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) — those tricky little metrics that promise focus and progress, but sometimes deliver burnout and box-ticking. She is joined by Angela Peden from HJP Chartered Accountants, who knows her way around business goals, bonus schemes, and how to des...

Ever heard the word “sprint” thrown around in meetings and nodded like you knew what it meant? Same. In this bite-sized episode of Productivity Nerd, Kathy finally got to grips with what a sprint actually is — where it came from (hello, Agile and Scrum), how it works, and why it’s such a powerful tool for focused productivity. Whether you’re a techie, a founder, a freelancer, or just trying to fin...

Welcome to Productivity Nerd! In this episode, Kathy is joined by the fabulous Helen Taylor - podcast editor, ops wizard, and go-to productivity sidekick - to geek out over one of the greats in the self-improvement world: Atomic Habits by James Clear. They’re breaking down the key ideas: identity-based habits, the power of small tweaks, and why your systems matter more than your goals. Plus, real-...

Ever stood in front of your wardrobe like it was a multiple-choice exam you weren’t prepared for? You’re not alone. In this bite-sized episode, Kathy dives into the brain-frazzling world of decision fatigue - the reason you can smash a work presentation at 10am but can’t decide what to have for dinner by 6. From Steve Jobs’ black turtlenecks to Barack Obama’s suit strategy, it’s all about saving y...

What if work actually worked for you? In this episode, Kathy is joined by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst-founders of Hoxby and authors of Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity and Society . Their mission? To flip the script on how, when, and where we work, so life comes first and work fits around it (yes, even if that means getting your nails done at 9:30 on a Monday). They talk about t...

In this bite-sized episode of Productivity Nerd , Kathy walks (well, limps) us through the inbox gauntlet. If you didn’t have a VA lovingly wrangle your email while you were sipping cocktails, fear not — she’s got a plan. Spoiler: it involves paper, triage, and the quiet dignity of starting from the bottom. You’ll learn: – How to time-block like a boss (or at least like someone who deserves a lunc...

Ever wondered why you reach for a biscuit at 3:30pm… or how a minty toothpaste habit took over America? In this episode, Kathy is joined once again by the wonderful Helen Taylor to dissect The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, a bestseller packed with psychology, marketing genius, and yes, a surprising number of skunks. They explore how habits form (spoiler: it’s all about cue, routine, reward), w...

In this short and snappy minipod Kathy tackles the age-old holiday dilemma: do you check your work emails and ruin the vibe, or ignore them and spiral into anxious FOMO? There’s a smarter third option — delegation. Kathy shares exactly how she preps her inbox for time away, including folder setups, flowchart thinking, and what to do if you don't have a VA (yet). It’s practical, honest, and gently...