The Productive Woman

This week's episode features my conversation with law school dean and mom Natalie Rodriguez about how she structures her life for simplicity and flexibility to make room for what matters most to her.

How can we influence our spouses, and others close to us, to be more productive, and why would we want to?

What does it take to be an effective, productive leader?

Working mom Claire Kellems' search for order in her chaotic life has led to a blog, a business, and more peace of mind. How she got organized (and how you can too) is the subject of our conversation in this week's episode.

What does it mean to extend grace, and what does grace have to do with productivity? A conversation about grace and compassion on this week's episode of The Productive Woman.

Do isolation or loneliness affect your productivity?

Using experience to find clarity on what matters to her has helped attorney, entrepreneur, wife, and mom Jamie Lieberman build a career and life she loves.

Getting ready to move to a new home is a project that can be made easier with a little thought and planning.

What can we do to maximize our productivity at work, wherever our workplace might be?

Jana Arellano has made more than one big move in her life, and she's learned from every one. Her next move is helping other women develop the confidence to make their next move. How she makes it happen is the subject of our conversation.

We can't make a life that matters without making decisions, but some decisions are harder than others. How can we make decision-making a little less stressful?

This week we're discussing how hormonal changes, and the symptoms caused by those changes, affect our productivity during pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. (And this discussion isn't just for women!)

This week I'm chatting with speaker, author, wife, and mom Mridu Parikh about how she minimizes overwhelm by simplifying where she can and by ordering her days intentionally.

Whether you want to focus on one thing at a time or simultaneously pursue multiple goals, make sure you like the life you're creating.

Sometimes when we're looking for ways to get work done, it helps to hear about tools and techniques that have been effective for other people. This week I'm sharing a bit about the tools, systems, and approaches I use to get work done.

This week I'm talking with Jill Valdez about how intentional structure in her multi-faceted life helps her create impact, and how she's encouraging managers & business owners to empower their employees to do the same.

Looking for a worthwhile summer read? I recommend Michael Hyatt's book, Free to Focus. Hear my key takeaways in this episode, the latest installment in our recurring Productive Reading series.

The Productive Woman podcast is 5 years old! In this episode I'm sharing productivity lessons learned, dreams for the future, and 5 questions for you.

This week's episode features my conversation with Australia native (but current Singapore resident) Susan Comiskey about how she makes time for speaking, teaching, and doctoral studies while making a life that matters with her husband and daughter.

Some productivity principles are worth being reminded of from time to time. Here are a few that I think are important.

Understanding why we do what we do is key to taking intentional actions that serve us--and can also help us be more compassionate toward others. If you're ever frustrated because you do things that don't make sense in light of your goals and values, you might appreciate this week's episode of the podcast.

For fashion designer, "Fashion Incubator" director, and new mom Nina Means, structuring her days with intention is key to making time for what matters most to her. Hear how she's making a life that matters in this week's episode.

Summer's upon us (at least those of us in the northern hemisphere)! With a little bit of forethought, summer can be both fun and safe. In this week's episode we consider some suggestions for both.

Does distraction interfere with your productivity and keep you from accomplishing all you want to? In episode 243 of The Productive Woman we look at some effects and causes of distraction--and a few solutions.

Working out a solution to a daily parenting challenge inspired one mom to launch a business committed to helping other moms. This episode features my conversation with Yumble founder Joanna Parker about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and finding your own way.

Does having children interfere with productivity or does it motivate us to be productive? This episode offers some thoughts on motherhood and making a life that matters.

When evening (or other "off work" time) comes, do you use it well or let it fritter away? What are some ways to make good use of your time off?

Episode 239 of The Productive Woman podcast features my conversation with humanitarian aid & community development consultant (and wife and mom) Jennifer Choi, who shares lessons learned about making a multi-faceted, multicultural life that matters.

Making a life that matters has its challenges--for all of us. Can I encourage you to believe there's nothing wrong with you if you struggle sometimes to make it all work the way you think it should?

What tools do you think are most important for being productive and making a life that matters? I share my list in this episode--and a couple of them might surprise you.

Consuming content and learning new things is valuable, but to achieve our goals and make a life that matters, we have to do something with what we learn. Thoughts on consumption, creation, and contribution in this week's episode.

Decluttering is a hot topic these days. For some, the logical outcome of decluttering is minimalism. But who we are matters more than what (or how much) we own. Finding a balance between clutter and convenience can contribute to a productive life.

Canadian native Christiane Kenny has moved cross-border (cross-oceans!) more than once. Hear her tips for international living in this week's episode.

To make a life that matters, we have to know what matters most. How do we decide among all the opportunities and commitments to figure out what matters most--where we can best focus our time, energy, and attention?

Productivity systems and resources are just tools. They're a means to an end, not the end itself. The end is a life that matters, as you define it. This week's episode looks at productivity, peer pressure, and intentional choices.

Swedish journalist Jane Andersson recommends the Swedish concept of lagom (loosely translated as "just enough") as a key to making a meaningfully productive life.

In this latest episode of our recurring Productive Reading series, I share my key takeaways from James Clear's outstanding book, Atomic Habits, a book about how small habits can have big impact on our productivity.

We might not be able to stop bad days from coming, but there are things we can do to make a bad day better.

Canadian executive and philanthropist Karina Hayat shares how she makes time for making a difference through focusing on her professional and personal priorities.

Are you making progress on your goals for this year, or has progress slowed because you're not consistently taking action? This episode offers ideas on how to reignite your fading motivation so you can keep moving forward to accomplish what matters most to you.

This week we're considering how our habits affect productivity and some suggestions for habits to develop this year.

Entrepreneur, business coach, and author Natalie Eckdahl talks about the importance of managing our mindset, and shares how the support of an intentionally assembled team helps her accomplish what matters most to her.

Last week we talked about resolutions and goals--things we plan to start doing this year. This week, let's consider some things to stop doing (and what to do instead).

As the new year begins, are you making resolutions, setting goals, or both? What's the difference, and how can they work together to create the results you want?

What matters most to you, and how will you make room for it in your life in the coming year? In this last episode of the year, I share some thoughts I'm pondering as the year ends and a new one begins.

Disappointed with your progress toward the goals you set for yourself this year? Let's talk about things you can do to start down a more productive path.

Tech executive, award-winning food blogger, wife, and mom Vicky Volvovski shares thoughts on managing a busy life with a centralized system, and on brainstorming solutions to challenging projects.

Planning ahead is a key to living intentionally rather than reactively. But how do we make time to plan when our days are already full?

Some of us (raising my hand) tend to focus so much on the future that we forget to be present today. On the other hand, it's easy to get so wrapped up in our day-to-day commitments that we forget to step back and look at the long-term big picture. A challenge for many of us is to plan sufficiently for the future without letting worries for the future cloud our present.

"Time keeps passing whether or not you think about where it's going." Laura Vanderkam, author of Off the Clock & other books about productivity and time management, encourages us to be intentional about how we use our time..