In the comments on my latest YouTube video, someone asked: Do you have videos on prioritisation? I have an awesome system I’ve set up in Apple Reminders, but I just can never seem to prioritise the list perfectly and always feel behind. This person is already doing a great job, having all of their to-dos captured to Apple Reminders and organized into lists. But it’s a good question: How do you actually decide what to work on first? Is there a formula? I’ll get back to that in a second. But...
10 days ago • 2 min read
One of my favorite things to do is to say, “no”. No, I won’t embark on that new project right now. (I have too many unfinished projects already.) No, I’d rather not help out with that volunteer initiative you’ve started. (I’ve overcommitted myself and don’t want to make it worse.) No, this week is not great for meeting for lunch. (I need as much focus time as I can get to ship this new product.) That last one can be tricky. Because people like to feel special. When you say, “this week isn’t...
16 days ago • 1 min read
I’m in Bali right now, coworking with a good friend of mine. About two years ago, he and I were also both here on the island. In fact, that’s when we met. I remember our first conversation well. He was extolling the virtues of cryptocurrency and I was, to put it mildly, skeptical. To me, crypto felt like a hype—nothing more. In the months after, we often talked about a different hype: AI tools, and in particular ChatGPT. I was initially quite skeptical about those, too. I thought most AI...
23 days ago • 1 min read
This might be uncomfortable. But let’s take a minute to ask: What are you not getting around to? It might be the most common productivity struggle: not having time for things you consider to be really important. When I work with people 1:1 or in a group setting, they often tell me some version of this story. They got a new job and it’s a very busy one—and now they haven’t worked out in half a year. Somehow their weekly schedule just filled up over time—and now they haven’t played their...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
We all fall off the wagon sometimes. Sometimes life happens and you’re so busy that you stop taking the time to write down your to-dos, to prioritize them, and to plan your days and weeks. It’s okay. What matters is how you respond. If I had to build a personal productivity system from scratch, here’s what I’d do: Step 1: I’d install a quality task manager on each of my devices and I’d start capturing any to-dos that come my way, making sure to track any hard deadlines. Step 2: I’d make a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
These two guys are on a road trip. But their car isn’t in great shape. It’s moving, but it’s a bumpy, rattling ride. That’s because—for some reason—their car has square wheels. At one point, they pull over to stretch their legs. A third guy comes along in a car that’s steady and smooth. Because it has round wheels, of course. This guy notices the pair, stops his car, and rolls down the window. “Hey guys. I happen to have a spare set of round wheels with me. Want me to help you swap yours...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Ever forgotten to reply to an important client? Forgotten to cancel an expensive subscription before it renewed? Forgotten to buy a birthday present? I don’t blame you. Our world is so complicated and our minds get yanked in a dozen directions every day. You can’t expect to remember everything that’s important. Not on your own, anyway. But for 2025, let’s set up a system to help you out. If you have a good capture system for important tasks, deadlines, and just thoughts, you won’t have to...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Earlier today, I was in my Reformer Pilates class. (Pilates does wonders for your core strength for your stability.) My instructor is Laura-from-Oregon-who-moved-to-Amsterdam and I love her because she’s great at hyping our sweaty bunch up. Some fitness instructors are the YOU’RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH YOU WEAK LITTLE **** type— But Laura isn’t like that. She’s the opposite. She cheers you on and celebrates your success. She compliments you for showing up. While I was shaking and trying to...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Earlier today I was on a call with a group of people who enrolled in one of my live programs. We had a fascinating discussion about people who seem to have it all together. And in particular about people who adhere to rigid weekly schedules that make it seem like they have time for absolutely everything. Here’s one example: (And it is just an example. It doesn’t matter whose schedule this is. This person actually has some great ideas.) What matters is that this is productivity porn. When you...
2 months ago • 1 min read