1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: episode is going to be a longer one part of 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: the theories where I interview fascinating people about how they 5 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: take their days from great to awesome and any advice 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: they have for the rest of us. So today I 7 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: am delighted to welcome Charlie Guilkey to Before Breakfast. Charlie 8 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: is the owner of Productive Flourishing. He is also the 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: author of the book's Team Habits and Start Finishing. So Charlie, 10 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. 11 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 2: Laura, thanks so much for having me. I'm excited to 12 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 2: be here today. 13 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, why don't you tell our listeners a little 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: bit about yourself? 15 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,279 Speaker 2: So I'll try to keep this brief. I am one 16 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 2: of those polymathic folks that like fall in a lot 17 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 2: of holes and figure out how I fell into it 18 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: and tell people how not to do that and then 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 2: get back out of it. You know, I've been I'm 20 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 2: kind of a dinosaur now on the only Internet. Turns out, 21 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: been doing this since the mid two thousands, you know, 22 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 2: writing about a variety of things from personal productivity to 23 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 2: teaming better to leading better, and so the span of 24 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: my work actually goes through all of those, and it 25 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: may or may not come up today given the format 26 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 2: of the show. But at heart, I'm more of a 27 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: philosopher figuring things out than an entrepreneur or sort of 28 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: writer in that sort of way. So most of this 29 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 2: sort of stuff is just me grappling with paradoxes and 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 2: hard problems and trying to make sense of it all. 31 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, how did you land in this field of productivity? 32 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: Though? 33 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: I mean, one can follow all sorts of rabbit holes, 34 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: and I want maybe you can weave into this because 35 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: I understand you also had a military career before all 36 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: this as well. I wonder if that had any anything 37 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: to do with all this. 38 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: Well, that was very definitely how I got into this. 39 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: So I deployed in Supportive Operation I RACKI Freedom in 40 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: two thousand and four and two thousand and five, and 41 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 2: I was a logistics officer, and by the end of 42 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: my tour, I was, you know, the plans officer and 43 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 2: coordinating like lots of convoy movements in the theater, right, 44 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: And so I'd gotten really good at doing big things 45 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: and getting good stuff done in in tight timeframes. But 46 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 2: then I came back and got back into grad school. 47 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 2: So I'm a near PhD in philosophy, and after about 48 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 2: about a semester or two, I was like, you know, 49 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: here's the problem. Like I can do all this really 50 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: great stuff on the military side of things, but this 51 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: five thousand word essays kick to my butt, like what 52 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 2: is going on here? And so, like any good scholar 53 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 2: and officer would do, I was like, I'm not the 54 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: only person that has this problem, Like, surely someone else 55 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 2: has figured this out. So I started reading you know, 56 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: the classics the seven habits that getting things done, and 57 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: found that I was doing so much work translating them 58 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: for someone who was a polymathic creative person that I 59 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,399 Speaker 2: was like, you know what, I'm just going to start 60 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: sharing this sort of stuff with other people. So, like 61 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 2: any good you know, you know, old millennial or young 62 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 2: gen X or what do I started a blog about it, right, 63 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 2: And so started writing about it, and you know, started 64 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: it really started helping people, and so more and more 65 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: people started asking me like, hey, will you help me 66 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: with my team, will you help me with my own 67 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: personal productivity? Will you help me in my business? And 68 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: it took off from there. So where I am now 69 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: was nowhere on the map in the mid two thousands, Like, 70 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: I had no idea that I could do it or 71 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 2: people like me could do it, And so yeah, it 72 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 2: just has been this emergent, fascinating adventure. Then I'm still 73 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 2: figuring out as go along. 74 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, Well you said something interesting there. You use 75 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: the phrase personal productivity, and I understand from some things 76 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: you've written that you say that's a bit of a misnomer, 77 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: that productivity is kind of more of a team sport. 78 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: I mean, certainly that's the case, and you're, you know, 79 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: doing leading a lot of people in the military, for instance, 80 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: But that's the case in other context as well. 81 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it really is. And so unless you are you know, 82 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: Henry David throw living on Walding Pond or something like that, 83 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: you work with other people, well, you live with other people. 84 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: And fundamentally, productivity, in my view, is about becoming the 85 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: best version of yourself for thriving in the way that's 86 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: uniquely you, right, And to thrive you have to do 87 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 2: that in a social, economic, and political context, right, And 88 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: so I think so much of the personal productivity conversation 89 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 2: when people come to us, like people are taking a 90 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: lot of onus on themselves to sort of adopt a 91 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: hero complex that their own actions will change a lot 92 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: of things. But the reality is working and learning how 93 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: to work in teams, learning how to lead teams, learning 94 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 2: how to work with your family is actually where the 95 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 2: secret sauce of thriving and productivity really is. 96 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's funny. Even throw I believe was having his 97 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: mom do his laundry or. 98 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 2: Something like that. Yeah. 99 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, well so with productivity, you know, another topic 100 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: you've you've talked about is like time blocking and the 101 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: different types of blocks people might put into their days. 102 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: So I remember reading something about like focus blocks and 103 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: administration blocks and social blocks. I mean, because those are 104 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: you know, also we do and recovery blocks. Let's talk 105 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: about those. 106 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so thanks for bringing that up. So a focus 107 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: block is you know, if you're familiar with cow Newport's work, 108 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 2: you might call it a deep work block, but it's 109 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 2: really that block of time where you focus on one 110 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 2: thing at a time and really worked that third. Now, 111 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: the misnomber or the misconception people have is that they 112 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 2: can only do that one thing. So it's like I 113 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 2: can only be staring at the screen writing for that 114 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 2: amount of time. It's like, no, it's really all of 115 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 2: the processes that support that. So if you need to 116 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 2: get coffee and go to the bathroom make out lines, 117 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: that's still part of the block. And usually these blocks 118 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 2: are ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes long, because 119 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: that's really how long it takes to get into something 120 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: and make some substantial progress and then get out smoothly, insanely, right, 121 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: So ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes. There, social 122 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: blocks are what you are. What we're talking about. There 123 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: is like times in which you're open, available and sort 124 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 2: of in a good place to be peopling, right, And 125 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: that's not a universal thing. Some people are not. I 126 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 2: don't talk to them in the morning. Some people are 127 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 2: don't talk to them after three thirty, so you kind 128 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 2: of kind of know that. And again those are ninety 129 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 2: to one hundred and twenty minutes because what people forget 130 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: about is for any sort of one hour meeting, there's 131 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 2: about fifteen minutes ahead of time where you're sinking and 132 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: transitioning and getting into it, and then there's almost always 133 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 2: admin that comes on the back end of it that 134 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 2: you need to sort of process and get clear with right, 135 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 2: And if you don't schedule that or you don't think 136 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 2: about it that way, you end up with this wall 137 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:40,719 Speaker 2: of admin and loose thoughts and scatteredness because you didn't 138 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 2: actually contain that time right. Admin blocks what they sound 139 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 2: like is where you're doing the emails, you're making the 140 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: quick phone calls, you're doing those types of things. Those 141 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 2: are thirty to sixty minutes long. Because one, most of 142 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: us don't want to spend all afternoon doing them, and 143 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 2: you'll start to rebel and jump to social media or 144 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 2: whatever your distraction is. But also it helps you focus 145 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: on what are the key things that I need to 146 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 2: be done and be proactive about it. Last, but not least, 147 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 2: are recovery blocks. So, Laura, when I started this gig, 148 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: I just assumed people would schedule recovery blocks and schedule 149 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 2: downtime and schedule stretch breaks and lunch. But then we've 150 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: done the work, you and I have done the work. 151 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: You know that's not happening. So it's like, okay, people, 152 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: let's make the obvious explicit. You need a recovery block. Now. 153 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 2: The thing about recovery blocks is that there's no set 154 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: amount of time and there's no set activity. It's what 155 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: it does for you that matters. So Laura might think 156 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 2: that CrossFit is recovery for her. Charlie does not. 157 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: Laura doesn't think that, Okay. 158 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 2: Well, you're the superstar here, so I have to build 159 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: up this myth that you're this superhuman. Right, so I'm 160 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: playing along, right, you know. But Laura might think, Charlie 161 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: might think, actually, just sitting down and outlining for five 162 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: minutes is a recovery block, just to get things out 163 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 2: of my brain. Right, So it doesn't matter what the 164 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 2: activity is, is what it does for you that matters. 165 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 2: And when you really think about time blocking, you have 166 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: to balance these in a way that fits your internal 167 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 2: and external demands and requirements and what fits your aspirations. 168 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 2: And what I'll say real quick is the limiting factor 169 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 2: to career and personal growth are going to be how 170 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 2: many focus blocks you have, because that's where you do 171 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:23,559 Speaker 2: the work that matters most. And if you have zero 172 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 2: or too few, you're not going to be doing those things, 173 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 2: and you're going to get caught on that at on 174 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: that wheel where you're just getting through and you're getting by, 175 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:33,080 Speaker 2: but you're not really getting ahead. 176 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, I'm curious what are your recovery blocks, Like, 177 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 1: what do you do to rejuvenate yourself. 178 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: I have a coffee shop that's about point nine miles away, 179 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: so I'll walk down to the coffee shop and get coffee, 180 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: and it's a forcing function for me to get away 181 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: from screens. I ride motorcycles because when I'm riding motorcycles, 182 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 2: I can't do anything but ride motorcycles, right, one hopes 183 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: I do. I have a like a rucksack that I'll 184 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 2: walk around and play video games, sort of mindless video 185 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: games that don't require a lot of thinking. Reading. I 186 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:07,719 Speaker 2: have to be careful about writing, because writing is one 187 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 2: of those things where it very quickly turns from like 188 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: a soothing journalinge activity to all of a sudden, I've 189 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 2: been braining for three hours and it's backfired on me. Right, yeah, 190 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: so hiking outdoor stuff usually. The rule for me is 191 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 2: all my recovery blocks are away from screens as much 192 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 2: as possible in nature and as much as possible integrating movement. 193 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: Excellent, excellent. All right, We're going to take a quick 194 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: ad break and then I'll be back with more from 195 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: Charlie Gilkey. Well, I am back talking with Charlie Gilkey, 196 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 1: who is the owner of Productive Flourishing. So I want 197 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: to talk with you a little bit about to do lists. 198 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 1: I think you have talked about how people often get 199 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: to do lists wrong. So maybe we can talk a 200 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: little bit about the problems and then how we can 201 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: we can solve those problems. 202 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,199 Speaker 2: Oh, the many problems of a to do list. I'm 203 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 2: going to start with some non obvious ones. Y'all use 204 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 2: a verb noun construct in your to do list, Like, 205 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 2: start it with a verb and have some now noun 206 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 2: on it. So don't just be like podcast podcast, What 207 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 2: what do I do with that podcast? 208 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: Right? 209 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? Start the podcast, record, podcast, edit, podcast, whatever that is. 210 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 2: Don't just be like Jane, what are you doing with Jane? 211 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 2: Is it call Jane? Walk with Jane's like put a 212 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 2: verb in front of those And that's one of the 213 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 2: key things people do. Like when I see a list 214 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: someone's to do list and it's just a bunch of 215 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 2: nouns and random stuff, I'm like, I can't do this right, 216 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 2: I don't know how you're doing this. Verb noun constructs 217 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 2: win the day. The second thing is be careful that 218 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: you're not mixing too many sizes of action items on 219 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 2: the same to do list. So I'll also look at 220 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,959 Speaker 2: people to do list and I'll have like a year 221 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: sized project and a month sized project in like three 222 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 2: five minute calls. And like, I'm like your brain and 223 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: every time you do that, can't really understand what needs 224 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 2: to happen. And our brains actually do not process multiple 225 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: spaces of time at the same time very well. Right, 226 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: So this is like your today's list. Keep it focused 227 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 2: to like two hour blocks of time and task that 228 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 2: you're going to do, right, don't have the bigger project 229 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: segment on there. The other thing I'd say here is 230 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 2: on your to do list. And I'm realizing how obvious 231 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 2: this may sound to many of your listeners. Lord, given 232 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: what you're doing, be very clear about like what you 233 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: must do versus what you might get to right, be curtical, 234 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 2: and usually it's like for most people, three to five 235 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 2: things on that to do list are going to happen. 236 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 2: Anything else above that is probably magical thinking unless you've 237 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 2: done a really really good job of like stacking six 238 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: admin blocks behind each other and you're really on top 239 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 2: of that. But that sort of unstructured seventeen things to 240 00:11:56,360 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 2: do list, it is a for failure. And I think 241 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 2: the last time, the last thing they'll say here is 242 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 2: write your to dos your action items is if you're 243 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: writing them to someone else, right, because odds are a 244 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 2: lot of those to do's aren't going to get done. 245 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 2: Odds are what you wrote Monday three weeks ago. You 246 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 2: might not remember Thursday, right three yeks later. So if 247 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: you write it as if you're writing it to someone 248 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 2: else when you come back to that to do list, 249 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 2: when you come back to that action item, it will 250 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 2: actually still make enough sense for you to push it forward. 251 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: So I also saw that you, I mean, you had 252 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: a list on your website of productive flourishing of verbs 253 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: that are associated with different time frames. And I found 254 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: this fascinating because it's you know, when you have a 255 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: verb that's a project that's really a month long project, right, 256 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: like launch something, right, That's that's probably not a today 257 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: kind of thing, whereas call somebody is a today thing? 258 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: Right? 259 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: So I mean, like, what are what are the big 260 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: verbs for big chunks of time and how can we reckon? 261 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: And small ones? 262 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, so if you wanted to google that, wan, it'll 263 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 2: be thirty seven verbs for your action items. So if 264 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: you type productor flourishing thirty seven verbs you'll find it. 265 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 2: But yeah, that was the brain gasm that I had 266 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: while writing Start Finishing. I was like, wait a second. 267 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: There are certain verbs that just tell you what size 268 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: the project is, right, so call email right ship, right, 269 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 2: those types of things. Those are probably task related verbs 270 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 2: of something that you could do and probably twenty minutes 271 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 2: or less. 272 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: Right. 273 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: Great, But whenever you get to like, you know, publish 274 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 2: with the big p like publish my book, you're you're 275 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 2: already talking about meaning quarters in years, right, as opposed 276 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: to publish a blog post, which, if you're in that 277 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 2: groove and you have that competency, may actually be a task. 278 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 2: But if it's you know, published the ultimate guide to 279 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 2: you know, productivity, that might be a month long project, right, 280 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 2: really might. So launch is one of those words. Initiate 281 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 2: is one of those big project words. Research can sometimes 282 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 2: go either way, Like if you're researching on a big product, 283 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 2: that's probably I am on side of things, you know, 284 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 2: I would just say, like, be very look at the verb, 285 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 2: whatever verbs you use, because there's only really like the 286 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: other thing about this is in the English language, there 287 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 2: actually aren't that many task verbs right or action verbs. 288 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 2: So if you really look at the verbs that's on 289 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 2: your to do list, ask yourself how big of what 290 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 2: size of work is that telling me that this is 291 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 2: how big is this chunk? And a just accordingly. 292 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: Excellent good advice. So, Charlie, I'm wondering if you have 293 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: any routines that help make you more productive. I know 294 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: you advise lots of people, but what do you kind 295 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: of swear by in your day to day life. 296 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: Okay, so I have to start that one with the 297 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: fact that I'm a lion chronotype, which consider that's the 298 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 2: early bird right there in the old models. I'm an 299 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: early riser, and so that means morning routines are going 300 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 2: to be really important for me. And my morning routine 301 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 2: this has gotten pretty long by the time I careporate, 302 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 2: physical recovery and just all the sort of things. And 303 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: so you know, by the time I listen to a meditation, 304 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: by the time I sort of reflect and contemplate on 305 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 2: the day, by the time I journal, and then by 306 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 2: the time I go on the coffee walk, all like, 307 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 2: all that's part of my morning routine. It might be 308 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 2: ninety minutes to two hours right of just doing that. Now, 309 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 2: listeners y'all know, Laura is way better about productivity when 310 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 2: you have kids. So that might not work for folks 311 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 2: who have a lot of kids, but it does work 312 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 2: for me. And that's the question, right. I also have 313 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 2: end of day routines, like before I just sort of 314 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: slide out and say I'm done, Like what did I 315 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: get done? What didn't get done? What do I need 316 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 2: to kick tomorrow? What can I just let go of? 317 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,360 Speaker 2: And so those end of day routines. I talk about 318 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 2: it as the ten to fifteen split, whereas you stake 319 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 2: ten minutes in the morning to review the plan that 320 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 2: you made for yourself in the last fifteen minutes of 321 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 2: the day prior. Because it turns out that end of 322 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: day you it's probably the more sane and discerning version 323 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: of you, especially if you're a lying rightly, so it 324 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 2: actually does a better job of making priorities and plans 325 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: for the next day. Then early morning you that's got 326 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: all the energy and all the coffee and all the 327 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 2: exuberants for forty five minutes and then reality creeps back in. Right, 328 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 2: So if you do that sort of process, yes, yes 329 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 2: it's twenty five minutes a day, but it's a way 330 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 2: better activity to do than just default into email or 331 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 2: social media, and it helps you get ever better about 332 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: seeing what you can actually do in today versus what's 333 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 2: delusional thinking, Yeah. 334 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: People have that first cup of coffee, they can conquer 335 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: the world, and then discover later in the day that 336 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: that might not be the case. 337 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 2: The world is formidable. It turns out the. 338 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: World will kick back by the end end of the 339 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: day for sure. Is there anything you've tried that hasn't 340 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: worked for you? 341 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 2: Ooh yes, Like usually I'll let it go very very quickly, 342 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 2: So let me see if I can think of This 343 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 2: is a hard one because I move on very very 344 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: quickly from things that don't work, So I can think 345 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 2: of a lot of tools that don't work for me. 346 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 2: And why so I'll flip this because this actually came 347 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 2: up today. I have returned to the fact that I 348 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 2: need persistent visual cues for my goals. So actually that 349 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 2: would be a good way of saying it. Just keeping 350 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 2: my goals and priorities in a digital to do list, 351 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 2: and I have like, I actually have an app for this, 352 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,479 Speaker 2: like does not work for me? Right, I need it 353 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 2: on a whiteboard, I need it on a sticky note. 354 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 2: I need those sort of month size, quarter size, year 355 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: sized goals to stay persistent and in my visual field 356 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,679 Speaker 2: and not just in some app that I got to 357 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 2: remember to go look for. So that does not work 358 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 2: for me at all. May just be because I'm gen X, 359 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 2: but like I just think our brains were diluted with 360 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 2: so much we are in a day loage of digital 361 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: information that we don't retain it anymore. But those persistent 362 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: goals aspirations value is that I will place around the 363 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 2: house are really important to me. And the reason I 364 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 2: don't have them is actually earlier this year, my wife 365 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 2: and I switched switched home offices, and so I took 366 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 2: everything to the essential and minimal to see what actually 367 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,880 Speaker 2: worked and what didn't work. And have realized seven months 368 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 2: into this experiment that not having those goals, of not 369 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 2: having the whiteboards was one of those things. Was like, oh, 370 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 2: that's why I'm scattered and more unfocused and don't know 371 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 2: where I'm going. Just didn't have it in my visual 372 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:28,919 Speaker 2: field all day. Now. 373 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: That's fascinating though, that you guys switched home offices. I'm 374 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: so curious what led to that, because I'm guessing a 375 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,679 Speaker 1: lot of people don't do that you kind of claimed 376 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 1: your spot, and especially if people like started working from 377 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: home during the pandemic, each of you chose your home 378 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: office spot and it never gets changed. So what led 379 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: to this? 380 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 2: Environmental factors? So my wife is much more sensitive to sun, 381 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 2: and I'm in the office that gets the most sun, 382 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 2: and it's an annoyance for me most days. And so 383 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 2: we just had this sort of simple idea. It's like, 384 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 2: why don't to take the south facing office right that's 385 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 2: got the sun and you can do your work there, 386 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: and then I'll take the back when that's darker and quieter, 387 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,360 Speaker 2: and you know, seem to be more of a nook 388 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 2: sort of thing. I love working in sort of libraries 389 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 2: and sort of tight spots, and so we tried it, 390 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 2: but then just realized there were other environmental factors that 391 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 2: we didn't consider, like all the kids that play in 392 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 2: the backyard surrounding ours and how loud they are all day. 393 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:27,919 Speaker 2: She's able to tune them out. I am not right. Also, 394 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 2: it turns out that her office, she doesn't work in 395 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 2: her office as persistently as I do. She works around 396 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 2: the house. I root in the office, but it's right 397 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 2: above the kitchen, and so all day, there's like, you know, 398 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 2: kitchen noise and all sorts of things, and I turns 399 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 2: out I didn't know how sensitive to noise I was 400 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 2: in that way, and I don't want to be like 401 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 2: having headphones all all day. So we tried it for 402 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 2: about six weeks. Both hated it for different reasons and 403 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: switched back, But that was just what it was, and 404 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 2: so it was actually a really good process for us 405 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 2: looking at where we are in this season of our 406 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 2: life versus where we were fifteen years ago when we 407 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,919 Speaker 2: moved into this house, to really reassess what works for us, 408 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 2: what doesn't work for us, and really can claim that 409 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: and stop experimenting with stuff that we know that works 410 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,360 Speaker 2: and find other things to experiment with. 411 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: Good advice, Yeah, No, I mean we do a lot 412 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: without thinking about it, and looking at our everyday processes 413 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 1: can be important. Or We're going to take one more 414 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: quick ad break and I'll be back with more from 415 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: Charlie Guilkey. Well, I am back talking with Charlie Gilkey, 416 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: who is the owner of Productive Flourishing and the author 417 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: of the book Team Habits and also Start Finishing. So Charlie, 418 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: I always ask my guest, what is something you have 419 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: done recently to take a day from great to awesome. 420 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 2: So my view at this point, like having done this 421 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 2: work so long, is that part of what we mistake 422 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 2: in personal productivity is how much it's around action and 423 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: doing versus how much it really is about being and 424 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 2: feeling right. And so to a t what I will 425 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: do to make my days go from great to awesome 426 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 2: is really used well. Part of it is using what 427 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 2: I call the five projects rule, which is no more 428 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 2: than five active projects per time horizon, which normalizes the 429 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 2: fact that if I have four or five meetings in 430 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 2: that day from a work perspective, that's all I'm going 431 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 2: to do, period. And why that takes it to awesome 432 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 2: is because it removes that additional anxiety and overwhelm and 433 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:40,919 Speaker 2: sort of thinking about everything else, and I can just 434 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,479 Speaker 2: enjoy being and doing the work at hand and not 435 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 2: thinking like, oh I got to do something else, there's 436 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 2: something else. No, no, no, no, just be where you are 437 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 2: and enjoy what you have created and what you're co 438 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 2: creating with others, right, And so that always pushes it 439 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 2: that way. So it's just always normalizing, like, Okay, what's 440 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 2: essential for today? How do I want to be how 441 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 2: do I want to feel and what else can I 442 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 2: let go of so that I can center in that moment. 443 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: I think we spend a lot of time and waste 444 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: a lot of time thinking we should be doing something else. 445 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 1: I mean, you're doing what you're doing regardless. That's one 446 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: of the problems of long too long to do lists, right, 447 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: Like you know people are not going to do everything 448 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: on it, but there was no point in putting it 449 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: on the to do list and then not doing it precisely. 450 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 2: And that's where, like going back to what I said 451 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 2: about the to do list, get real, folks, you're only 452 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 2: going to do three to five things. And if you're 453 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 2: in a situation like what I was just talking about, 454 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 2: where like the things are actually on your schedule I 455 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 2: either meetings or all those different types of things that 456 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 2: is work. Let's get out of this idea that like 457 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 2: I know, I need to get out of this meeting 458 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 2: so I can get back to the real work. So 459 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 2: that you don't have this dual streak of this reality, 460 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 2: this sort of delusion that you started the day with 461 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 2: a full blank set of time and you didn't do 462 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 2: all the things that you said you could do in 463 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 2: that amount of time. Time you never had that amount of 464 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: time like most of the time. When I'm coming in, 465 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,439 Speaker 2: especially in the teen context, I'll level set and I 466 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 2: say the reality is from the very start until you 467 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 2: prove me wrong, I'm assuming that about sixty five percent 468 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 2: of your time is just filled up with routine stuff 469 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 2: and meetings and all sorts of other stuff, and it's 470 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 2: probably higher than that. So anything we talk about has 471 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 2: to be what goes into that thirty five percent that remains. 472 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 2: But let's actually start there, and let's get out of 473 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 2: this idea that we have a blank slate of time 474 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,479 Speaker 2: to work with, because we don't. So, yeah, you're only 475 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 2: going to do three to five things. And if you're 476 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 2: in a bunch of meetings, you're taking your kids to school, 477 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 2: you got to do a PTA conference, you're caretaking. Those 478 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 2: are things, those are projects. Claim them and just be 479 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 2: real about what you're going to do and do the 480 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 2: best you can to let go of the rest and 481 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 2: don't fall into the pattern of comparing your actual life 482 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 2: to the manicured life that you see on social media. 483 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 2: Every One on social media is showing you the sanitized 484 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 2: version of their life, even if they're telling you that 485 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,399 Speaker 2: it's the real thing. It's not right. You don't know 486 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 2: what they did, you don't know everything like that. Just 487 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 2: watch your own lane, honor your actual commitments, honor your 488 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 2: actual capacity, and do the best you can with the discretionary. 489 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: Absolutely. Yeah. One thing I was especially with all the 490 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: influencers on social media, and it's professional photography, which means, 491 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: right there, there's somebody else, like, you know, this beautiful 492 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: scene of their family, there's somebody else there, you know, 493 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: So keep that in mind, you know, that's the first thing, 494 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: first thing to realize. So Charlie, what are you looking 495 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: forward to right now? 496 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 2: It's going to sound really basic, but just I've been 497 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 2: focusing more over the last three or four quarters just 498 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 2: on writing, Like I've got some books I don't want 499 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:51,359 Speaker 2: to get out, and so just getting those next, you know, 500 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 2: four at this point books out over the next few years, 501 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 2: and sticking to the knating in that way. I'm in 502 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,200 Speaker 2: the season of my career where I've looked at a 503 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 2: lot of the distractions and performances that I don't want 504 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: to do anymore, and just really getting excited about, you know, 505 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: writing more great books and doing more of the you know, 506 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 2: advising and teaching with clients, pretty basic on that front. 507 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 2: On the life front, my wife and I do a 508 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 2: lot of road trips and a lot of motorcycle riding, 509 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 2: and so like I think next year we may be 510 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 2: able to do a long Alaska trip, right, Well that's great, yeah, 511 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,479 Speaker 2: but it's you know, six to seven weeks figuring out 512 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 2: how we're going to do it in that amount of time. Like, 513 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 2: so those are the types of things that I really 514 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 2: look forward to on that side. So, you know, at 515 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 2: this point it's kind of like the low the slow burned. 516 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 2: Long adventures are really where it's at. 517 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: Where it's at for me absolutely, and Charlie, where can 518 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 1: people find you? 519 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 2: All roads lead to Productive Flourishing dot com. So if 520 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 2: you're interested in whether it's personal productivity, teamwork, or you know, leadership, 521 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 2: go to Productive Flourishing dot com and you know you'll 522 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 2: see what we have there available. 523 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: Sounds great, well, Charlie, thank you so much for joining us. 524 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 1: Thank you to everyone for if you have feedback about 525 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 1: this or any other episode, you can always reach me 526 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. And in the meantime, 527 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,640 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 528 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 529 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 530 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 531 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 532 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 533 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.