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...
8 days 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...
16 days 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...
22 days 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...
29 days 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...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
I hope you’re taking the time each day to make a to-do list. If you’re not, your to-do list will arbitrarily assemble itself from incoming emails, meetings others schedule for you, and random thoughts. Instead, make your own to-do list. That way, you’re in charge of what’s a priority. Feeling overwhelmed is one of the great challenges of our time. There’s so much to do and so much to take care of. But overwhelm is a funny thing… It’s possible to accomplish exactly the same amount of work, but...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
If you’re ambitious, you need a personal productivity system. Or a personal assistant—but not everyone likes someone hovering around them all day long. So what should your personal productivity system consist of? At least these 3 apps: First, a task manager to capture to-dos and organize them. It’s your central source of truth of what you need to do. The task manager helps you to be proactive about what receives your attention. It lets you prioritize day to day. And it makes sure you don’t...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Many of us are great at adding tasks to our to-do lists. But when it comes to actually working through them… that’s the challenge. Let me share 7 tips that will help. #1: Prioritize at a high level. When you’re looking at your task list, you shouldn’t have to think hard about what to do next. Your next task should be obvious. If you’re not sure what your priority should be, you need to take a little time to update your list of goals and settle on the action steps you’ll take in the next 3...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Some people love to talk about “deep work”. Focus on your core work, that which requires the most focus, and which adds the most value. Do that and your productivity will skyrocket. Right? Not always. Yes, measured over months or a year, you’ve got to do your deep work. But some of the biggest chance I’ve seen in people’s productivity have come when they’ve given themselves permission to do the opposite: to tackle their shallow work for a while. Always behind on taxes? Give yourself a week to...
3 months ago • 1 min read