One Intentional Life: Recent Episodes
Josh Medeski (with John Cooper)
Productivity is more than trying to get out of the office by 5 Friday afternoon, it’s about building a life you love and focusing on the work that matters to you.
In our podcast, we are breaking down productivity by sharing personal, down to earth, stories and struggles combining meaningful and intentional action steps with practical tips and tricks.
It’s our hope that this podcast will open your eyes to the “why” behind the productivity. Defining purpose to your life and building systems to help you get more done, have less stress, manage your energy, define goals, and more!
You don’t have to be a self-help junkie or productivity nut to enjoy this show. We’ve done all the research and have spent years reading books and articles, testing apps and products, and implementing many productivity systems into our own lives.
By listening to this show, you can learn from our mistakes and learn how to connect purpose with productivity.
Wes Bos is a full-stack developer and teacher. In this interview, we discuss Wes's business plan as a solo entrepreneur, his productivity system and simple approach to managing his time and energy, and some of his favorite tools to get work done. Links:
- Wes Bos's Homepage
- Book: The Power of Full Engagement
- Getting Things Done
- App: Things
- Course: Mastering Markdown
- App: Sublime Text
- App: Text Expander
- App: Vim
- App: Emacs
- App: Atom
The waiting for list is a piece of the Getting Things Done methodology that helps you keep track of things that are not on your action list, but most likely someone else's action list. It's a simple way to clear up psychic weight and not forget opportunities that you might need to followed-up on.
Checkout out my article, Can’t Keep up? Make a Waiting For List, about the waiting for list.
Previous GTD Related Episodes:
- Reviewing
- Processing Tasks
- Brain Dump
Choosing between the stability of a traditional career and the freedom of entrepreneurship? Why not have both? In this interview with the author, Patrick J. McGinnis, we talk about The 10% Entrepreneur and show you how, by investing just 10% of your time and resources, you can become an entrepreneur without losing a steady paycheck. We talk about Patrick's story and dive deep into some Q&A and highlight a few areas of the book.
- 10% Entrepreneur (hard cover book on Amazon)
- 10% Entrepreneur (audiobook on Audible)
- Patrick's Website
- What Type of 10% Entrepreneur Are You? (Quiz)
- @pjmcginnis (Patrick on Twitter)
- Patrick's Facebook Page
Full Show Notes
When using technology it's important to practice new skills and software to improve your productivity and be more efficient and effective. Here is a group of tips and ideas for practicing productivity.
Links:
- Presentation Slides - Productivity
- Text editor -Vim
- Todo list - Todoist
- Favorite Mac Productivity App - Alfred
- Tweet of recent talk - Twitter
Go to Full Show Notes
It's important to find the work you were meant to do. In this episode, I talk about the joy-money-flow model for finding the most fulfilling work.
Born for This by Chris Guillebeau
Book Giveaway! I'm giving away a brand new (hard back) copy of Chris's book. To enter the book contest, please go to the following link and follow the instructions: One Intentional Life - Book Contest
We spend a lot of time in the car and that time should be used for the best. There are lots of opportunities to learn, think and be productive on the road.
Resources:
- Google Maps for iPhone
- Pocket Casts
- Calm
- Spotify
- Workflow
- Launch Center Pro
Processing tasks is an important life skill that can help you take all the information you receive in life and turn it into action.
The Four Steps to Processing Tasks:
- Drop - The majority of your potential tasks should not be done. Learning to filter out what's most important is a key skill to being more intentional and productive in life.
- Do - The 2-minute rule teaches us that if something will only take moment, it is better to do it immediately than try and sort it into a productivity system and do later.
- Defer - Sometimes we can't do work immediately. Setting a specific time or context to a task will greatly improve your chances of getting it done in a timely manner.
- Delegate - If there is work that needs done, but you do not necessarily have to be the one to do it, delegating the work with technology, co-worker, or freelancer is a great skill to better do the work you were made to do.
Bonus: Store - Sometimes when processing information we discover that something is not a tasks but just reference material for a project, or just useful information we might want to see again later. Resources:
- How I Do my Weekly Review
- Brain Dump
- Saying "No"
"Our brains are made to HAVE ideas, not HOLD ideas" - David Allen
The brain dump is a simple exercise that can help free up your mind to organize thoughts and make run for more creative ideas and getting into the flow of work without being held down by the thoughts in our head.
How to perform a brain dump:
- Get out a piece of paper and pen
- Set a timer for 10 minutes
- Write until the timer is done
Resources:
- How I (Josh Medeski) Do My Weekly Review
- Drafts App for iPhone
Update: The GTD Trigger List document is no longer available online. Make sure to checkout my weekly review article (linked above) and look at my trigger list for inspiration.
Summary:
The show is back! I'm glad to announce new episodes are coming while I (Josh) talk about fighting resistance: that internal struggle we all have to do the things that matter to us.
I share my personal struggle with starting the podcast and what the show is all about. The show is ended by challenging you to go out and fight the resistance and live a more intentional life yourself!
Resources:
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Managing finances can be stressful and difficult, often causing tension between spouses. In this episode, we talk about a personal budget software called YNAB (You Need a Budget) and the four rules they teach their users to "Gain Control of Your Money". We also discuss our personal experience with budgeting along the way.
Learn more about the rules and the software at youneedabudget.com
Journaling is a simple but effective way to keep a record of your life, get ideas out of your head, personal growth and more. We talk about what kind of questions to ask yourself to get the most out of journaling, and how this practice could effect others in the future! This episode is packed full of ideas and resources for building the habit and falling in love with journaling.
Links * Defrag Your Brain With a Spark File by Lifehacker * How I Do my Weekly Review by Josh Medeski * Day One App by Bloom * Bullet Journal by Ryder Carroll * Evernote * 5 Minute Journal by Intelligent Change * Field Notes
In this episode we interview John's wife Liz. She talks about what it was like to write a book, how she did it while working full time and having her first son during the process, and what it's like being an entrepreneur and self-published author.
Links:
- Numbers: Where Their Story Begins Paperback
- Numbers: Where Their Story Begins Kindle
- iPad
- Pages for iOS
- Apple Wireless Keyboard
- Createspace
- Liz's Blog - ecooperwriter.com
It's time to take a look at what has been accomplished in the last year and set goals for the future. We talk about plans for One Intentional Life, our personal lives and what you can do to setup yourself up for a successful new year.
Links * 30 Day Challenge by Charlene Johnson * How to Have the Most Productive Year of Your Life by Josh Medeski * 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
Would you like to be able to read more and remember more in less time? Learn about speed reading in this episode.
Links * Remember Everything You Read by Stanley Frank * Kwik Learning Mini Series Part 3 - Speed Reading
Is this episode we talk about how to stay productive during the holidays, and also how to take time to relax and enjoy the holiday season and take a break from our busy lives.
Links:
Pomodoro Episode
Mike Vardy - Productivityist
David Allen's Getting Things Done Workshop
Todoist
Michael Hyatt - Unplug While You Are On Vacation
Do you struggle with trying to keep up with all the content out there to read on the internet or do you find yourself going to different places to find content that you wanted to read? In this episode we discuss how we use a read it later service (specifically pocket) to help us be more productive, waste less time, and enjoy the content we do read more.
Links:
- Medium
- Instapaper
- Readability
- Huffduffer
- CloudMagic
- IFTTT
- Feedly
- Episode 4: Reviewing
- Reeder
- Paper
Contact Us:
- Josh Medeski
- @joshmedeski
- joshmedeski.com
- John Cooper
- @cooperjohnj
- johnjosephcooper.com
- One Intentional Life
- oneintentionallife.com
- iTunes
- Stitcher
Are you a people pleaser? Do you find it hard to say no? We talk about family barbeques, working double shifts, projects, and church in this episode. Learn about urgency and how to set clear priorities and boundaries in work, family, and more.
We all have a morning routine whether we decide to or not. This is why it is so important to craft an intentional routine and start your day off right.
Links * http://michaelhyatt.com/028-reengineer-your-morning-ritual.html * http://jeffsanders.com/superstar-daily-rituals/ * http://www.johnjosephcooper.com/my-morning-routine-as-a-new-parent/ * http://www.amazon.com/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/1576754227 * http://beyondthetodolist.com
In This Episode * Morning is a subjective term, a morning routine is the first things you do in the day regardless of time * Routine Vs Ritual + Routine is things you do everyday + Ritual is something you do step by step with intention * Evening routines set you up to succeed or fail the next day * Eating the right things and HYDRATING * Get your big items out first. * What you don't do is just as important as what you do. * Our Routines
Interact with us * http://oneintentionallife.com/10 * Follow us on iTunes here * @joshmedeski * @cooperjohnj
Being able to combine effectiveness with efficiency is one of the most powerful skills in regards to productivity. In this episode we talk about the Pomodoro technique and how it can help you achieve laser focused productivity, we also talk about burnout, distractions and what not to do when changing a tire on your car! Lots of interesting thoughts and ideas in this one.
Definitions
Effective (adj.): Adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result.
Efficient (adj.): Performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort.
Links * Effective Vs. Efficient: Do You Know The Difference? By Daniel Scocco * PomodoroApp By Chi Chiu Tang * Focus@Will * 30/30 iPhone app by Binary Hammer * How to get your business to (almost) run itself By Whitney Hutten * Music: @FocusAtWill founders on music, distraction and focus by Erik Fisher of Beyond the To-do List
Remembering appointments, knowing the family's schedule and doing your best not to double book are all made possible by using calendars. We talk about calendar building strategies and time management along the way.
Link: * CoSchedule - * Editorial Calendar * iCloud by Apple * Fantastical for Mac * Fantastical for iPhone
What's your favorite tool/system/trick for successfully running your calendar? Let us know in the comments below!
Evernote holds your life work. For everything you’ll do, Evernote is the workspace to get it done. We talk about this incredibly flexible system in depth including our workflows and uses for Evernote.
Links * Official Evernote Website * Web Clipper * Skitch by Evernote * Evernote Hello * Evernote Essentials by Brett Kelly (Affiliate Link) * The Secret Weapon * Evernote: The Unofficial Guide to Getting Things Done by Daniel Gold
Our Uses for Evernote * House Measurements * Kids Artwork * Audio moments with Kid * Paperless Filing * Christmas List * Web Clipper (Articles) * Website Articles (with the Web Clipper) * GTD Reference Material * Recipes * Notes /Lists * Drafting For Writing * Templates (blog posts) * Code snippets * Graphic Design Inspiration (with Skitch) * Emails (receipt, inspiration, content) * Church Band - Song sheets, and forward set list emails * Weekly Review (paper to Evernote) * Sorting Notebooks (. to z)
Todoist has become the world’s most powerful to-do list with over 2 million users. We talk about why and how we use todist, with practical tips along the way.
Links * Todoist * Why I Switched To Todoist by Mike Vardy * Todoist Google Plus Community * TaskClone * If This Than That (IFTTT)
There's been a shift in the past year going back to analog systems that's taking the productivity world by storm! In this episode, we talk about analog systems for productivity.
Links * The Bullet Journal by Ryder Carroll * Bullet Journal Didn’t Work for Me by Josh * Bullet Journal Series: The Complete Package by John * Analog and Digital Workflows by John * 5 Reasons Bloggers and Writers Should Write by Hand by John * Storyline Productivity Schedule by Donald Miller
Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly reviews and more! From a journal to a digital checklist, it's important to recognize the power of reviewing your life regularly to learn from the past and plan for the future. In this episode, we talk define the word "review", dig into David Allen's Weekly Review in Getting Things Done and why a New Year's Resolution is not as important as you think.
Links: * Getting Things Done by David Allen * How I Do My Weekly Review by Josh Medeski * End Of Week Review by John Cooper * Zen to Done by Leo Babauta * Storyline Productivity Schedule by Donald Miller
Talking about the hardware and software we use every day. Both our personal and professional workflows, tips and tricks for all things tech, both digital and analog.
Josh's Hardware * Mac Mini (2011) * MacBook Pro (2013) * iPhone 4S * iPad (3rd Generation) * 21" Dell Monitor * Logitech Z313 Speakers * Old Drafting Table * Brother Printer/Scanner
John's Hardware * MacBook Air 11" (2013) * iPhone 5C (White) * Kindle Fire HD * Nikon D3100 * Standing Desk * HP Deskjet 1050 Scanner * Apple TV * French Press Coffee Maker :) * Wif'es iPad Air * Power Mac G5
Josh's Software * 1Password * Todoist * Trello * nvAlt * Sublime Text * Evernote * Alfred * Dropbox * Drafts * Pomodoro App * Pocket * Feedly * YNAB (You Need a Budget) * Anylist * Text Expander * Fantastical * Rescue Time * Flux
John's Software * Lastpass * Trello * Scanner Pro * Evernote * Desktop Publisher * Authenticator * 30/30 * IFTTT * Dropbox * Google Drive * Pocket * Feedly * Fluid
In this episode we talk about the importance of achieving "inbox zero". We share why we find it to be a regular part of our productivity and what tools, tips, and techniques we use to achieve this goal.
Overview
2:20 - Why achieve inbox zero
3:28 - What is an inbox zero
9:45 - How to cut back on the number of emails received
13:37 - How to manage emails you do receive
27:17 - Email Bankruptcy
39:18 - Closing Thoughts
Links: * Merlin Man & 43 Folders * David Allen & Getting Things Done * Feedly * Pocket * Unroll.me * IFTTT * Evernote * Mailbox * Todoist * Trello * John’s Post on Email Bankruptcy * Josh’s Post on Weekly Review
What NOT to do: * Leaving todo’s in your inbox * Leaving read emails in your inbox * Use your inbox as storage while waiting for it to be actionable
What TO do: * Unsubscribe * Mark emails you don’t want to get regularly as spam if you can’t unsubscribe * Use services (i.e. RSS, Read It Later) to cut back on emails * Use services (i.e. unroll.me) to manage emails you do receive * Either forward all emails to one account OR use an application to keep all emails in one place * Take information from your email and move it to a to do list if its actionable * Do something with every email we get * Check email less often * Don’t use email as an immediate response technology * Use technology to better your life, don’t let it become your life. * If all else fails declare email bankruptcy * With the idea of inbox zero give yourself grace
Remembering passwords is hard, and you'll learn that writing them down in a notebook or using clever mnemonics to try and out trick hackers is not enough. In our very first podcast we're going to talk about the dangers of being online, and how we lost over $1,000 because of our poor security measures. Learn how to improved your passwords using password managers. You'll also learn how to store sensitive digital information like social security cards and banking information, learn how to perform regular security audits, and in the worst case, we talk about what measure to take when you die, and how to create a digital will for yourself.
Overview
1:30 - Purpose of the show, productivity and beyond
6:00 - The dangers of security online
15:00 - How to get better at security online
21:45 - Using password managers
28:25 - Beyond usernames & passwords
32:50 - Heartbleed and security audits
36:25 - Where to find us
Notes How We Met
- Google Plus "Productivity" Community
What NOT to do:
- Duplicate passwords
- Similar passwords (ex: barking, Barking and Barking!)
- Using sensitive information in your password
- Trying to remember all of them
- Writing passwords down in a notebook
How you SHOULD do it:
- 2-Factor Authentication
- Unique, randomly generated, passwords for every account
What tools to use:
- Lastpass
- 1Password (1Password t-shirt)
What to store with password managers:
- Usernames & passwords
- Credit card information
- Software license
- Identity (name, address, email)
- Bank account information
- Documents (social security, birth certificate)
- Digital will
Security Audits with 1Password:
- Watchtower for Heartbleed
- Weak passwords
- Duplicate passwords
- Old passwords