Focus and Chill - SoundSage

Welcome to episode #31, I’m excited to be joined by Brittany Joiner today!

Brittany is a self-proclaimed Trello nerd with a passion for software development, lifestyle optimization, and all things productivity. As a Developer Relations (DevRel) professional at PixieBrix, Brittany brings her technical expertise, love for fostering connections, and growth-hacking skills to the table. She's a (somewhat) digital nomad, Youtuber, and indie hacker.

Welcome to the show Britt!

Questions

Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Brain always moved a million miles per minute
2. Found coping strategies/productivity
3. Label of anxiety was helpful so went to a psychiatrist
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. PixieBrix: dev rel - browser automation tool
2. Wrote a book on Trello
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Fostering kittens + looking after pup
2. Exercise
3. Gaming: board games + video games
4. Travel
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. Tidy house + litter box
2. Go for a walk with the dog
3. Reward with coffee
4. Warm up into the day by checking tech news/slack (30-40 mins)
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Equipment: 55-inch monitor
2. Novelty: work from coffee shops
3. Rewards: Starbucks at lunch
4. Organizing tasks in Trello
5. Timers for 30-40 minutes to work on (Focus Bear)
6. Plan the night before: AkiFlow - scheduling tasks (similar to Morgen)
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Staying in bed too long scrolling on the phone
  1. Smart heater
  2. Turn lights on
How do you switch off at night?
1. Read/watch TV/play games
2. Leave the laptop in the office
3. No laptop in the bedroom
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. PixieBrix
2. Supercharging productivity with Trello
3. AkiFlow
4. Compose
5. RoseBud AI Journal - “What was the highlight of your day?” - then helps you go deeper
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. Britt_joiner
2. Substack: trello.substack.com
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Follow your energy levels

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #30 We’re thrilled to be joined by Gerard Atkinson today.

Gerard is a director at ARTD Consultants. He is well-versed in program and policy evaluation, business analytics, and data visualization. His expertise extends to market and social research, financial modeling, and non-profit, government, and business strategy. A dedicated advocate for neurodiversity, Gerard serves as a board member for various Australian not-for-profits and advises on diversity, equity, and inclusion committees within the research and evaluation community. Outside of his professional endeavors, Gerard is a keen trail runner and was trained as an opera singer.

Welcome to the show Gerard!

Questions

JN: Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Diagnosed as autistic in 2019
  1. But always felt outside the neurotypical norm.
    1. Always felt different from others
      1. In terms of processing information.
      2. Experiencing the world.
      3. Was able to mask and was highly intelligent
        
        Placed in the gifted bucket.
  2. Diagnosis gave a new framework to experience the world
2. Motivated by seeing other friends go through the diagnosis.
3. There is a lot more awareness around autism, the challenge is around the way society is structured, not necessarily people with autism.
  1. Still a lot of opportunities not taken
JC: What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. Evaluation consultant
  1. Governments will design a program, roll it out and spend a lot of money
  2. Answers questions: “How effective was it?”, “Was it worth it?”
  3. Currently manages 10-12 evaluations at one time
2. Evaluation framework
  1. Program logic:
    1. What activities are we doing?
    2. What outputs will that create?
    3. What outcomes will that generate for the target group?
      1. Short term
      2. Mid term
      3. Long term
    4. Sometimes measuring outcomes indirectly by measuring other things
      1. If we can’t measure this directly, what can we measure as a proxy?
    5. Being data and method agnostic.
JN: How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Peaks and Trails 50k at Dunkells
  1. Long run
  2. Training via
    1. 25k trail run.
2. Weight training (several decades)
3. Music
  1. (former opera singer)
  2. Sing
  3. Art
4. Gardening
JC: What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. 5:30 am wake up
  1. go for a run - social but not too social (or weight training)
  2. Coffee
  3. Newspaper
2. 8:30 am begin work
  During COVID bad habits of getting straight into work after waking up. Changed habits by working with a mentor. Created a covenant with himself
JN: What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Lives by calendar
  1. Chargeable work
  2. Non-chargeable work
    1. E.g. capacity building
      1. Supporting staff
  3. Tries to block out free time so staff can get time with him.
  4. No phone calls out of the blue.
  5. When there are calls
    1. Have some social time, some small talk.
2. Deep work vs empowering team
  1. Blocks out deep work
    1. Will tell the team: “This is deep thinking time” - I need something urgently, put it through email.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
JC: What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Coffee
2. Mindless scrolling (LinkedIn)
JN: How do you switch off at night?
1. In bed by 9:30 pm
  1. Looks after recharge time.
2. Wind down routine
  1. Chat with wife. Looking at memes.
3. Doesn’t drink much alcohol
  1. Because affects the sleep cycle.
JC: What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Calendar/Microsoft Bookings
2. “Thinking Fast and Slow” Daniel Kahneman
  1. Masking = system 2 for ND people. Whereas NT people are in system 1 #short
3. David Mayster - thought leader in the consulting industry “First among equals”
  1. Sounds great! Tough job to get the high performers to shine but also get coordination!
4. “Let my people go surfing” founder of Patagonia
JN: Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. LinkedIn
2. Website (needs updating)
3. Research Society conference in Melbourne
JC: Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. 1 in 3 neurodivergent Australians are unemployed vs 1 in 6 for the disability workforce and 10x higher than the general unemployment rate
2. ND workers have insight, qualifications, and experience yet are often not able to reach their full potential
3. Autism, ADHD, and dyslexia diagnosis rates are increasing - we need to make sure there are jobs for them.
4. Eliminate barriers to employment
5. Need ND people to be transparent so that there are role models

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #29 We’re thrilled to be joined by Dave Thompson today.

Dave Thompson is a self-advocate with ADHD, Dyslexia, and Sensory Processing Disorder. He has worked as an innovator, consultant, trainer, and strategist within the Neurodiversity Employment space since 2010. Welcome to the show Dave!

Questions

Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Diagnosed from 5 y.o.
2. Disability lens - special education, deficit model - standard in New York
3. New lens: potential - some things come easy
  1. Public speaking: Jim Carey impressions/plays
  2. Empathetic: natural tour guide
  3. See things differently: backward/upside down
  4. Building furniture without instructions
4. Challenges
  1. Tying shoes
  2. Driving
  3. Distraction
  4. Noise
5. Neurodistinct vs neurodivergent
  1. Individuals can’t be neurodiverse
  2. Everyone is on the neurodiversity spectrum
  3. Neurodistinct coined by Tim Goldstein - neurodivergent implies normality vs
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. Goal to help people have a better experience than he did early on
2. Started with job coaching helping individuals
3. Now fixing the workplace via Potentia Workforce
  1. Helping big companies become more neuro-inclusive (EY, Microsoft, IBM)
  2. Researched what worked well in Trailblazers and help other companies (Chevron, AIG) follow
  3. Train teams on how to include neuro-distinct individuals
  4. STARS program Support new hires, managers, and teams
  5. Empower program
    1. Measure how neuro-inclusive a company is
    2. Engagement
  6. What can companies do?
  7. Hiring
    1. Sending out interview questions in advance
    2. Strengths-based interviews
    3. Don’t copy-paste job descriptions - avoid having too many requirements and make it specific
      1. “Must be a strong communicator” is a terrible requirement
  8. Ongoing work
    1. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
      1. Peer support
      2. Mentorship
      3. Sharing tactics/tools
      4. Advocacy
      5. “No conversations about us without us”
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Family man: wife and daughter
2. Unplug completely - do the opposite of the work
  1. Get out in nature
  2. Walk dogs
3. Music
  1. Upright bass
  2. Doesn’t sight read music
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. Realization that routine is important came later
2. Wakes up at 5:
  1. Walks dog
  2. Greets family
3. Starts work at 7 am
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Noise-canceling headphones + Brown noise/low-frequency binaural beats
  1. Sometimes heavy metal
2. Working from home
  1. Right lighting environment
  2. Unchanging environment
  3. Two monitors
  4. Standing desks
  5. Fidget toys
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Candy
2. Never unplug
How do you switch off at night?
1. Walk with wife
2. Watch TV
3. Go to sleep
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Neurodistinct social media (TikTok, Reddit)
2. Assistive tech: Trello
3. Paper
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. Potentia Workforce
  1. Instagram
  2. LinkedIn
2. Dave Thompson on LinkedIn
3. PotentiaWorkforce: NDTC - neuro-distinct talent
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. You’re not the (whole) problem

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #28 We’re thrilled to be joined by Alisdair Gurling today.

Alisdair is a PhD candidate at Monash University’s Emerging Technologies Research Lab where he investigates personalized assistive technology to help neurodivergent students. Outside his research, Alisdair works as a learning designer for Nextia designing assistive technology for people with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other conditions. A man of many talents, he also does freelance web design.

Welcome to the show Alisdair!

Questions

JN: Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Feels lucky
  1. To be diagnosed at this time
    1. In the past it would have been tougher
  2. In-depth discovery
  3. Family was proactive
    1. Siblings had learning difficulties.
    2. How to best adapt the differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent.
      1. Was the only kid
        
        with a laptop.
        
        One of the first kids in the UK to be able to speak their exam (speech to text)
        
        Good timing.
JC: What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. Research into strategies for personalizing assistive technology for neurodivergent people
  1. Extending consciousness into technology: singularity
  2. Digital prosthetics
  3. Alternate learning strategies
    1. brute forcing
      1. Spend 4hrs reading
    2. Leapfrog the problem
      1. Speech-to-text instead of handwriting
      2. Listen to audiobooks instead of reading
        
        Speechify
        
        Joey uses @Voice
      3. Emphasizing: Literate vs literary
        
        Learning design
JN: How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Reading
  1. Initially struggled to read
  2. Being able to read (at 8-10) was startling
  3. Mainly listens to audiobooks
    1. Wide variety
      1. Philosophy
  4. Public speaking
    1. Good for advocating for himself.
JC: What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. No tech that interfaces with the outside world
2. Go to Yoga studio (body doubling) - 1hr
  1. Nice and calming
  2. ClassPass
  3. Encourages trying it
    1. Find a studio that fits the vibe.
JN: What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Body double with colleagues
2. Tries a bunch of different strategies
  1. But make sure it’s worth the jump (e.g. the learning curve).
3. Leapfrogging
  1. Notion - locks in thoughts.
  2. Speech-to-text (otter).
    1. Allows
      1. Searchability (later)
      2. Presence (in the moment)
    2. Purpose-built AI notetaking devices (Not used yet)
  3. Text-to-speech.
4. Understand what’s pulling you out of your work
  1. Services that sync your music with your heart rate - https://endel.io/
  2. And solve each problem until you get well-focused.
  3. Brain FM
COMMERCIAL BREAK
JC: What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Consuming so much news
  1. Following news in three countries (UK, US, AU).
  2. Often negative, problems without solutions.
2. Future Crunch
JN: How do you switch off at night?
1. Morning routine + evening routine are tightly linked - one big block
2. Mix it up
3. After dinner
  1. Goes for a walk
    1. Helps to unpack ideas.
    2. Seals the day
      1. No more external input
      2. Just introspection
JC: What resources (books, philosophies, apps, academic theories, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Mediterranean diet
2. Speechify
3. Endol - procedural music
4. Internal vs external locus of control (internal is better)
  1. Don’t use ADHD diagnosis as a limiting belief
5. Use novelty seeking wisely
6. Spectrum vs binary
7. Mixture of Purpose is best for motivation
  1. Skill/mastery
  2. Curiosity
  3. Community
  4. Obligation
JN: Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. https://www.alisdairgurling.com/
JC: Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Avoid absolutes - sit in the nuance

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #27 We’re thrilled to be joined by Ben Tobin today. . Welcome to the show Ben!

Ben Tobin is an ADHD and career coach. He spent 20 years working in tech and now uses his experience of working with ADHD as both an employee and a leader to help others succeed in their own lives and careers.

Questions

JN: Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Neurodiverse/neurotypical terms
  1. Politically charged
  2. Can be polarising
  3. Prefers “people with ADHD”, “People with brains like mine”
  4. “Neurotypical” people like everyone else
2. Evolution of the treatment of people that don’t have brains like everyone elses
  1. Pros
    1. Companies seeing how people can be more inclusive.
    2. Allows community, the labels can help connection - group identity.
  2. Cons
    1. Labels can create walls/pigeon-holing.
3. Strengths of people with brains that work differently:
  1. Different perspectives
  2. Different skills
    1. ADHD / autism can mean hyperfocus.
JC: What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. 1 on 1 coaching:
  1. Goals
  2. Strategies to achieve goals (career, life)
2. Group coaching (ADHD)
JN: How do you like to wind down after work?
1. Video games
  1. Breath of the wild.
2. Long distance cycling
JC: What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. Espresso machine (caffeine hound)
2. Plan day (bullet journaling - twice daily reflection)
JN: What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Schedule keeps him on track
2. Balanced with flexibility
  1. Accepting sometimes it’s not the right time
  2. But tries to be intentional, make it a decision
    1. Choice between
      1. Moving it
      2. Doing it
      3. Deleting is not an option - interesting. Might be good to go deeper on. Prob not enough time though 🤔
  3. Having a balance keeps him from burning out.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
JN: Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. https://bentobin.com/
JC: Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Building on the planning
  1. Planning for flexibility
    1. Never books appointments back to back
    2. Knowing that coming back from vacation will be tough
  2. Knowing himself and the way he works

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #26 We’re thrilled to be joined by Dr Bree Gorman today.

Bree Gorman is a diversity and inclusion consultant working with organizations to create sustainable, meaningful change. Prior to launching Bree Gorman Consulting, they worked as Diversity and Inclusion Manager at Deakin University. Bree’s expertise is in using data to design and inform Diversity and Inclusion strategies. They have lived experience as a minority gender in the sciences and as a genderqueer bisexual.

Welcome to the show Bree!

Questions

Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Children got screened - they did a screening themselves
2. Ph.D. work in 6 months
3. People-pleasing tendencies - wanted to please parents
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. Business
  1. Consulting: DEI projects
  2. Training and education: inclusive leadership education
2. Business is much more preferable than working in a job:
  1. Ability to choose projects
  2. schedule
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Play cricket: flow state
2. Podcasts: couple mundane tasks
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. Start with breakfast
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Play games - 20/30 seconds to stay longer in seat
  1. Royal Match
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to introduce to your life?
1. Exercise via team sport
How do you switch off at night?
1. Wake up early and go to sleep early
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Eckhardt Tolle - emotional regulation
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. LinkedIn
2. breegorman.com.au
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Game suggestions

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #25 We're thrilled to be joined by Professor Claudia Vickers, an esteemed expert in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. With a strong track record in science excellence and securing competitive funding, she focuses on using microbes to produce valuable substances for industries. Professor Vickers has held influential positions in various organizations and even served as the inaugural director for CSIRO’s synthetic biology group. Her expertise and leadership continue to drive scientific innovation, making a positive impact on both people and the planet.

Welcome to the show Claudia!

Questions

Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Had two children with ADHD and then connected the dots
2. Superpowers
  1. Hyperfocus
  2. Pattern recognition - connecting the dots
3. Challenges
  1. Time blindness
4. Strategies
  1. Walking treadmill
  2. Timers and alarms
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. Taking a pause to reflect on where to create impact
2. 3 days per week as adjunct professor
3. Now focusing on climate-carbon sequestration
  1. Designing microbes to pull carbon down:
    1. Cellular Ag
    2. LandTech: feed Carbon Monoxide/Methane to clostridium
    3. Enzymatic breakdown plastic
    4. Carbon sequestration (e.g. enhancing Rubisco)
    5. Construction materials (bio cement)
  2. Other projects
    1. Consulting with startups
    2. Software company AI-powered academic writing
    3. Construction company using bio-based materials
  3. Work history:
    1. Last 18 months worked for startups (e.g. Eden Brew)
    2. Previously led CSIRO’s synbio lab
    3. Academic for many years prior to that
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Reading (paper) books - Sam Neil’s memoirs
2. Hanging out with kids (coaching son’s soccer team, daughter’s touch team)
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. Getting the kids out the door (lunchboxes, brush teeth)
2. Start work
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Walking treadmill
2. List with priorities
3. Introspection: look at how to improve
4. Communicate working preferences + expectations
5. Noise-canceling headphones
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Time blindness: magnify estimations by 2x
How do you switch off at night?
1. Need to tire self out
2. Identifying hyperfixation (e.g. workplace issues) early in the evening - “What’s the worst thing that can happen?”
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Noise-canceling headphones
2. Walking treadmill (use during meetings)
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. LinkedIn
2. Twitter: claudiaevickers
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Life is special and wonderful
2. Learn about your own mind
3. Use

Joey’s creativity course

https://thepluckyjester.com/habitling-habit-building-course

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Welcome to episode #24 We’re thrilled to be joined by nobody today! Join us while we discuss some interesting topics, from meditation chairs to cleaning and more!

Questions

Power of pause - how to remember to pause when the stakes are high
Equipment as a crutch - meditation chairs
Writer’s block - Joey’s tips + our own processes
Managing emails
Using Pocket
Cleaning

Joey’s post on meditation

https://thepluckyjester.com/2023/01/26/meditation-has-a-marketing-problem/

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Welcome to episode #23 We’re thrilled to be joined by Lizbeth Sanchez today.

Lizbeth comes with a diverse background as a Community Coordinator, Communications Specialist, Tutor, Assistant Lead, Private Educator, and Assistant Producer. Through her various roles, she has gained valuable experience in organizing events and resource fairs, providing guidance, creating engaging social media content, conducting surveys, delivering lessons and activities, and overseeing production activities. Lizbeth has also excelled in recruiting volunteers and members, establishing strong partnerships with vendors and non-profit organizations, and ensuring proper recognition for sponsors and donors.

Academically, Lizbeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a minor in Mass Media from Fresno State University. Her knowledge extends beyond her academic achievements, as she possesses extensive expertise in the fields of education and psychology. Currently, Lizbeth is actively pursuing additional education to enrich her background further.

Questions

Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
1. Very bored during school
  1. Hid books under the desk
2. Got in trouble in high school - would zone out during boring classes
3. Mum afraid to seek diagnosis - didn’t want her to end up in special ed
4. Teachers said it couldn’t be ADHD because she read a lot
5. Part of the issue might be the learning styles
  1. Need more visual
  2. Need more discussion
6. University:
  1. Coped without medication
  2. Misdiagnosed with anxiety
7. Diagnosis
  1. Assessment paid for by health insurance - $300 out of pocket. $5k without insurance.
8. Environment:
  1. Spain better suited - later start, siesta
What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
1. ADHD coaching + education support for primary students
2. Studying to be an occupational therapist
3. Social media, graphic design, website development
4. Putting science-backed information out there
  1. Exercise
  2. Meditation
  3. Fish oil
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
1. Hike
2. Travel
3. Putting content out there
What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
1. 4.30 am Wake up
  1. Coffee + meds
  2. Check social media trends
2. 5 am Meditate for 30m
3. Affirmation podcast for 3 mins - shame reduction
4. 6.30-7.30 Go to the gym
What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
1. Low fi music (binaural beats)
2. Planner/Writing stuff down
COMMERCIAL BREAK
What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
1. Perfectionism with graphic design
How do you switch off at night?
1. 8 pm-8.30 pm go to bed
2. Preparation
3. Take melatonin 2hrs before
4. Massage chair
5. Listen to podcast
6. Shower with meditation music 7.
What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
1. Exposure therapy
2. ADHD friendly workplaces
3. Podcasts
  1. ADHD experts
  2. What the ADHD
Where can people connect with you or find your work?
1. LinkedIn
2. Instagram
Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
1. Embrace your ADHD - accept who you are

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What she focuses on

Amazon

investment analysis
frameworks for decision making

Executive coaching

1 on 1 coaching
listen to 2nd and 3rd level

Family

quality time with kids

How she relaxes

planned
- workouts
- meditation
unplanned
- reading
- jigsaw puzzles
- recipes
- tidy up house
- talk to friends
- walks with partner

Productivity tactics

For coaching: use scheduling link
Calendarise important but not urgent tasks
Use mindfulness during meetings
Yoga nidra to boost energy levels on days where sleep is limited
Control environment to block distractions (Slack, Chime, emails)
- Switch off notifications
- Put phone in another room
- Email autoresponder (I'm busy for the next 4hrs)
  - Email SLA should not be 5 minutes!
Prioritisation
- Push back: ask questions like "why do you need this? why is this urgent? who needs to do this? how does it need to be done?"
- Eisenhower matrix: good for task prioritisation but not goal prioritisation
  - Q3 tasks can often be delegated or postponed
  - Importance:
    - what's in it for me/my family/company?
- Goal prioritisation: take a long term perspective
  - how can you get there faster or add more value

Morning routine

4:30-5am wake up (no alarm) - 6hrs of sleep

Plan schedule for day and week (on weekends look the month ahead)

Deep work for planning and creativity

Make breakfast and lunch for family

Workout (bike for 45 minutes or 30 minutes of aerobic workout)

Meditate (insight timer: 15 minutes with Zen guitar)

8:30-9 start normal work day

Evening routine

Thankyou notes (jar with postit notes or verbal thankyous - different each time) with family

Journaling at least twice per week

Resources

Books

The power of habit - Charles DuHigg

Atomic Habits - James Clear

Start with Why - Simon Sinek

7 habits of highly effective people - Stephen Covey

Deep Work - Cal Newport

Getting Things Done - David Allen

Techniques

Pomodoro technique

Final words

Planning and prioritising maximise your effectiveness

Pushback regardless of who the other person is

Ask pointed questions to figure out what really needs to be done

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Show notes:

Morning Routine
4AM - 4:30AM Wake up, have coffee
4:30AM - 5:30AM Take dogs for walk
5:30AM - 7AM Read flipboard articles (leadership, business, food)
7AM-7:30AM Social media (LinkedIn)

Tactics for staying focused
Time blocking:
- 7:30AM - 1PM Coaching calls
- 1PM-3PM Admin

Use Eisenhower Matrix for prioritisation
Focus on "platinum activities" (strength based work) and delegate the rest

Wind Down Activities
Take dogs for a walk
Read a mystery novel

Resources
- Eisenhower Matrix
- "Traction" EOS book
- "The Game of Work" book

How to stay in touch with Vaughn
- RDLTraining.com
- The Business Mechanic podcast

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This is the new episode testing two
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What he concentrates on

Day job: Product Manager at MessageMedia

Side project: Building Focus Bear

Hobbies

xc skiing
trail running
cycling
green renovations

Morning Routine (5:40am - 9:40am)

Exercise (walk, yoga, HIIT, run): 90 minutes

Meditation/mindset/journalling: 40 minutes

Work emails (check for fires): 45 minutes spread out throughout routine

Planning for day: 8 minutes

Life maintenance (brush teeth, cook breakfast, shower, make bed): 20 minutes

Learning (anki, duolingo, reading): 30 minutes

Tactics for staying focused

Block distractions using Focus Bear
Prioritise on paper
Super pomodoro mode
Microworkouts throughout day to keep energy high

Wind Down Activities (5pm-9:30pm)

Walk: 20 minutes

Cook dinner: 20 minutes

Work emails (check for fires): 30 minutes spread out throughout routine

Deep work (youtube videos/blog posts): 30 minutes

Marketing: 12 minutes

Prepare for next day (check time logs, check calendar, write todolist): 13 minutes

Life maintenance (lock door, charge phone, shower, clean house, check weather): 25 minutes

Mindset (review day, accountability coach, personal development questions): 40 minutes

Chinese study: 25 minutes

Reading: 6 minutes

Relationships (wish facebook friends happy birthday, Covve): 8 minutes

Evening yoga: 10 minutes

Resources

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Focus Bear app to block distractions

How to stay in touch with Jeremy

jeremy@focusbear.io
linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy

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What projects are you concentrating on during your focused hours?- Wrapping up role as data engineer
Taking a sabbatical while he decides the next steps
Likely to take a role with an EA (effective altruism) aligned organisation
How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?

Composing music, drawing, time in nature, playing video games.

What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?JournallingMeditation
HIIT
What do you do to optimise productivity during your working hours?Set goals in the morningPomodoro technique
Track time + achievement against each pomodoro intention
Review productivity at end of day
How do you switch off at night?Gamified sleep game - shutoff at 9.45pm, wind down with meditation and journalling
What resources (books, philosophies, apps) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?

James Clear's blog and (probably) Atomic Habits
Zen Habits blog
Coursera course on learning how to learn
Focus Bear windows app

Focus and Chill: Recent Episodes

Jeremy Nagel and Joey K