Time and Attention

On this episode, we chat about an exciting new direction for the podcast—and also share a bittersweet announcement :-) You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Something is Brewing… appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, I chat with author Ashley Whillans about her book, Time Smart! Here’s a link to the book. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: The Happiness Dollar appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we explore how AI tools like Claude Cowork are automating the drudgery layer of knowledge work, and why the most important skill is now how well you can guide intelligent systems. Topics covered include: What Claude Cowork actually does well: file manipulation, web navigation, and closing the manual screenshot loop How work is shifting from execution to direction and intention-setting The morning briefing system: AI executing on goals set at daily, weekly, and strategic levels Applying the Intention Stack framework from Intentional to guide AI systems The risk of “wasted leverage” Why every minute becomes more valuable when you’re guiding systems instead of doing the work yourself Links mentioned in this episode: Intentional: How to Finish What You Start Claude Cowork by Claude/Anthropic The post Podcast: Productive with AI appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the four types of goals we set—including outcome goals versus process goals, and learning goals versus performance goals! Here’s the link to Chris’s book, which digs more into these ideas! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: 50 Shades of Goals appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about Chris’s new book, Intentional, which is about the science of goal attainment! Here’s a link to the book. And here’s a link to learn more about it. Enjoy! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Chris’s New Book, Intentional! appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we reflect back at the year and look to 2026, when Chris’s book Intentional will come out :-) Have a great holiday! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Nobody Cares About Productivity During the Holidays appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about a central idea from Chris’s new book, Intentional: The Intention Stack! Here’s the image we chat about in the episode: You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! All the timelines across which we are intentional. The post Podcast: The Intention Stack appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, I chat with Kyle Austin Young about his new book, Success is a Numbers Game! Hope you enjoy our conversation :-) You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Success is a Numbers Game appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about Chris’s experiment to wake up at 5:30 every morning for a month—including what he learned from it, what he’d do differently, and what the research says about our wakeup time and daily productivity. We also dig into his experiment to drink only water for a month—cutting out sugary drinks, caffeine, and booze. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Waking Up Early appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about lessons learned from two of Chris’s experiments—one to work 90-hour weeks for a month, and another to take a three-hour afternoon siesta for three weeks! Links mentioned in this episode: Chris’s new book: Intentional: How to Finish What You Start ! Chris’s article: 10 huge productivity lessons I learned working 90-hour weeks last month Chris’s article: Productivity Experiment: Should you take a three-hour afternoon siesta? You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Working 90-Hour Weeks appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to be productive when you just don’t feel like it. Topics covered include: Why our energy and attention fluctuate so much each day; Figuring out why you feel “off”; How we can tactically accommodate our fluctuating energy; Our different “levels” of energy; “Billion dollar walks”; Drinking caffeine strategically (and not habitually). Links mentioned in this episode: Laura Vanderkam’s article: 40 lessons learned on the way to 40 You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcase below! The post Podcast: How to be productive when you don’t feel like it appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode we chat about Chris’s new course and the four webinars that come with it! Signups close September 24. (You can also use the discount code POD30 for another $30 off.) We also give a brief review of the AirPods Pro 3, which we’re both loving. The post Podcast: Last Call (And a Review) appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to root your goals into what you value. Topics covered include: A recap on our twelve values; How to connect our goals with what we value; The interplay of our values and procrastination; How values affect our level of goal attainment; How our values influence our relationship with our goals; Editing our goals to be aligned with our values; Dropping more goals, more often. Links mentioned in this episode: The sample values test! Shalom Schwartz’s page on Google Scholar Study: Personal values in human life You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to set values-based goals appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we begin our deep dive into the science of overcoming procrastination. Topics covered include: The triggers of aversion; The logic war that happens in our mind as we procrastinate; Impulsiveness, perfectionism, and procrastination; Details on Chris’s upcoming course; Aversion journaling; The art of making tasks more challenging. Links mentioned in this episode: Chris’s newsletter Study: Personal values in human life, in Nature Human Behaviour You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Why We Procrastinate appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to create an attentional foundation for deeper focus—and then share some strategies for managing our attention every day. Chris also teases his next book (coming out in January)! Link mentioned in this episode: Chris’s Reddit question: Is my book title offensive in the UK? You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Tactics for managing your attention appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to manage our attention to the fullest. We also chat about how our relationship with novelty has changed over time, how algorithms wire our mind, and the natural rhythm of our attention. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Full Attention appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to think about and tactically overcome distraction—including by knowing the four types of distractions, keeping a “distractions list,” and using a distractions blocker. Links mentioned in this episode: The four types of distraction that derail our focus The Distractions List Our distraction blocker of choice: Freedom You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Overcoming Distraction appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to set “fake deadlines,” the perks (and drawbacks) of the four-day workweek, and how managing our attention can be more effective than managing our time. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Fake Deadlines appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about what we carry around with us on the go to get stuff done. In Chris’s bag: Lululemon’s closest backpack to Chris’s 22oz Takeya water bottle Davek Solo umbrella (the best umbrella) Davek Mini Umbrella Sonos Ace headphones AirPods Pro earbuds The book Chris mentioned: Our Green Garden, by Diana Beresford-Kroeger MacBook Pro In Ardyn’s bag: Ardyn’s go-to handbag company Bellroy laptop case Neat little screen wipe/cleaner thing Pilot V5: Lid, Click Matt and Nat backpack Kobo Clara BW (available in Canada) Green Septcouleur Lab Notebook MacBook Air Ardyn’s go-to hair clip You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Everyday Carry appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, I give my long-term review (and a few rants) about three health investments: the Ozlo Sleepbuds, Apple Watch 10, and the Peloton Bike+. We also chat about whether fancy health stuff is even necessary… Links mentioned in this episode: The Ologies episode on Reality TV Ozlo Sleepbuds Apple Watch Series 10 Peloton Bike+ Our referral code is, XQVZA6—if you use it, you get $100 worth of accessories at purchase. (We will also get $100 of accessories and will donate an equal amount to charity.) You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below The post Podcast: Our long-term reviews of the Ozlo Sleepbuds, Apple Watch 10, and the Peloton Bike+ appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to tame instant messages—and pursuing greater productivity for the right reasons. Links mentioned in the episode: Article: No, I don’t want AI to write for me Article: There are just 10 basic values You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Good Productivity appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the economics of productivity—including our “comparative advantages,” finite resources, and how we can think “on the margin.” Links mentioned in this episode: Episode 71: Tradeoffs Episode 114: Commitment Devices Episode 102: Couples That Work interview Episode 133: How to Learn Anything interview Episode 69: How to Scale Up Your Work interview You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Econ Corner 2.0 appeared first on Chris Bailey.

        On this episode, we chat about all of the ways that “Inbox Zero” misses the mark and is the wrong goal to have with email—but also the few cases where it can be helpful. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Why “inbox zero” is dumb appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to separate good productivity advice from bad. Links mentioned in this episode: Reddit post: **ck your productivity system. Seriously. Chris’s article: Don’t use productivity advice to procrastinate You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Bad productivity advice appeared first on Chris Bailey.

Here’s a link to the survey to help determine what I write about next year! We hope you have an incredible holiday! —Chris and Ardyn The post Podcast: The end of the year survey appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how we have automated our home, and the smart home tech we have adopted over time. A couple of links about the tech we mentioned: Smart Home Protocols: Thread Explained! Amazon’s Ring doorbell fares on Privacy Not Included Here are the products we use and mentioned: The two routes with lights—choose to make either the switch or the bulb smart: Smart switch: Lutron Caseta starter system and their great Diva switches (terrible name) Smart bulb: Philips Hue starter system Smart outlet: Eve Energy Thermostat: Ecobee thermostat and sensor Speakers: Sonos Era 100 speaker Door locks: Schlage Encode Plus You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Our smart home setup appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about trip wires—which can serve as“habit interrupts” to lead us to follow through on our goals more often. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to plant a trip wire appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the tech stacks we use to get work done on a daily basis. A few select pieces of gear that we mentioned in this episode: Ardyn’s Sony headphones Lululemon’s great backpacks Belkin mount for Mac notebooks The Caldigit TS4 dock You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our tech setups! appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about our writing workflows—with books, academic papers, and other forms of writing. A couple of links from the episode: Bear app (great font!) Book: How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our writing workflows appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about which tactics and habits from past episodes haven’t stuck for us! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Tactics that haven’t stuck for us appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, I chat about the idea of productivity guilt—including where it comes from and what to do about it. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Productivity Guilt appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about our favorite strategies for traveling with greater ease. Some topics covered include those to help you transverse time zones, pack more quickly (and without thinking), and enjoy getting to your destination more! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Our favorite travel hacks appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about busyness—including how feeling busy is different from actually being busy. Some topics covered include: How we often wear busyness as a badge of honor; How we can’t be busy and focused at the same time; Busyness and busywork; “Parkinson’s Law”; How we tend to overestimate how long we work for; How busyness can be a sign we have the capacity to become more productive. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Unpacking busyness appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about what the research shows about news consumption—and what to do about it. Some topics covered include: Our “surface area of concern”; Tactics for deliberate news consumption; How the news affects our mind; What our own consumption patters (currently!) look like. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Deliberate news consumption appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, I chat with author and writer Scott Young about his new book, Get Better at Anything: 12 Maxims for Mastery. I hope you enjoy the conversation—about learning, mastery, and how to get better at pretty much anything. Listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to Learn Anything appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the science behind meetings—and how to get more value out of them. Topics covered include: The four helpful roles meetings have; Questioning your recurring meetings; Considering relationship dynamics in meetings; Becoming a good steward of other peoples time; Designating a meeting leader; Not attending meetings without an agenda; “Modalities” for meetings; Making meetings more interesting (and actually enjoyable); Whether asynchronous “meetings” are worthwhile; Ending zoom fatigue through oddly-timed meetings. Links mentioned in this episode: Research paper: The key features of workplace meetings: Conceptualizing the why, how, and what of meetings at work You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: Tactics for meetings appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the science behind meetings—along with the value and annoyances they bring. Topics covered include: Chris’s review of the Staples coworking space; What makes meetings so draining; The four main purposes of meetings; How many meetings we have a week; Collaborative versus focused work; The incremental cost of meetings; Links mentioned in this episode: Paper: Do We Really Need Another Meeting? The Science of Workplace Meetings (Mroz; Allen; Verhoeven; Shuffler) Paper: Virtual Work Meetings During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Good, Bad, and Ugly (Karll; Peluchette; Aghakhani) You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: The Value of Meetings appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about strategies for time blocking your day—including the ones we use. Topics covered include: The benefits of time blocking; The “rolling” time blocking method; How long our blocks are; How autonomy interacts with time blocking; Making time blocking sustainable. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How We Time Block appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, Cal Newport hops back on the show to talk about his great new book, Slow Productivity. It’s a great, fascinating new book (and interview!), both full of actionable insights on how to slow down in order to become more productive. Topics covered include: How “slow productivity” came into being; The three ingredients of slow productivity; “Engineering simplicity” at work; The idea of “administrative overhead”; Narrowing the “missions” you have in your work; Avoiding “task engines”; Why the pace of knowledge work has become so frenetic; Cal’s unique spin on “quiet quitting”; Studying related fields to yours for boosting creativity. Links mentioned in this episode: Slow Productivity book Cal’s New Yorker columns Including: Why Do We Work Too Much? You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: The art of slow productivity appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how we use and think about social media. We cover what the problem is with social media (if there even is one), how the “novelty bias” hijacks our attention as we use it, and tactics to use to keep social media contained. Topics covered include: The books we’re reading (and loving); Impulsiveness and procrastination; How social media algorithms come down to “bodies and comparing lifestyles”; Ardyn’s incredibly wholesome Instagram feed; “Stimulation loops” and the “novelty bias”; Crowding out social media; Extracting more meaning out of social media; Putting guardrails in place to waste less time; Time cues on your phone. Links mentioned in this episode: Books: Hyperefficient Slow Productivity A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set How to Write a Lot Naked Economics The Future of Geography Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity These Precious Days Values After Steve Purr Outlander You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to think about social media appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about whether or not you should wake up early—and how our biology and daily constraints dictate when we should rise. Topics covered include: Calculating your natural wakeup time; How our wakeup time drifts; The “sepia toned” idea we have to wake up early; Carving out time in the morning to be deliberate; How biology affects our wakeup time; How the constraints of our day affect wakeup time; Having an anchor in your morning routine; Whether waking up early makes a difference in our daily productivity. Links mentioned in this episode: Russell Foster’s great TED Talk, Why Do We Sleep? Nick Lewis’s video, You’re Organizing Your House Wrong! You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Should you wake up early? appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to avoid “all or nothing” thinking—also known as the “eff it” effect, or the abstinence violation effect, if you want to get technical about it. Topics covered include: Not being satisfied by partial success How the effect plays out across different time scales The idea of “sunk costs” How awareness is key to behavioral change The downfalls of black and white thinking You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: All or Something Thinking (Replay) appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how to stay productive when you don’t feel like it. Ideas covered include: How to settle into work when you just don’t feel like it; Not letting your to-do list turn into a list of expectations for how things will go; The idea of making “only progress”; Feeling your “pace of productivity” Understanding the procrastination triggers; Managing expectations downward; Connecting with how you feel to analyze how you’re stuck; Paying yourself ‘time and a half’; Accommodating your mental resistance to doing a task. Links mentioned in this episode: Ardyn’s ChatGPT photo Timeular You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: How to Get Unstuck appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about our phone home screens, debate about whose is better, and talk about whether “focus modes” should drive what’s on our home screen. Chris’s home screen: Ardyn’s home screen: A few links mentioned on the episode: Locket app: iOS; Android; Pedometer++ on iOS; ChatGPT voice assistant; Kijiji wikipedia page; Withings Body Scan. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our phone home screens appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how the nature of productivity is changing, and how AI is making us more productive by making our work tasks higher-leverage. Topics covered include: The most important tasks in your work; How our “productivity leverage” increases with time; How AI makes us more productive by moving us up the “layers of abstraction” in our work; How we can delegate work to AI; How AI can save us time; The most popular AI apps right now. Links mentioned in this episode: TinyWow Canva DeepL Github Copilot Hugging Face You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: The highest-leverage tasks in your work appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the perks and benefits of doing a “fake commute” each morning. Topics covered include: Chris’s experiment to do a “fake morning commute”; The benefits of morning sun; Other benefits of a fake morning commute; How commuting variables affect our happiness level; Pre- and post-work rituals. Links mentioned in this episode: Happy City, by Charles Montgomery (great book!) Research: The Positive Utility of the Commute: Modeling Ideal Commute Time and Relative Desired Commute Amount Commuting and Life Satisfaction Revisited: Evidence on a Non-linear Relationship Does commuting matter to subjective well-being? Highway to health? Commute time and well-being among Canadian adults You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: The perks of a fake morning commute appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about how the book publishing industry works—and how you can publish a book of your own, either the traditional or nontraditional way. [Here’s the PDF] Lucinda mentioned in the podcast! Topics covered include: What Lucinda learned going from being an agent to being an author; The role of literary agents in getting you a book deal; The art of the “query letter”; How to shape a book so it’s distinct and differentiated; Timely and timeless ideas; Whether having a platform as a potential author is important; Your voice, content, and offering as an author; Whether to self-publish or traditionally publish a book. Links mentioned in this episode: Get Signed book You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: How to Get a Book Published appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about chore credits, our system for getting more chores done at home. Topics covered include: How different couples split the chore burden; Chores and conflict; The value of keeping on top of chore tracking; The chore tracking sheet we designed. Here’s a link to a blank version of the chore tracking template if you want to try it on for size! Links mentioned in this episode: Get Signed book Studies and research mentioned: The Relationship Between Conflict Topics and Romantic Relationship Dynamics For American couples, gender gaps in sharing household responsibilities persist amid pandemic Statistics Canada: National No Housework Day The Gottman Institute: 4 Typical Solvable Relationship Problems Gender Inequality in Household Chores and Work-Family Conflict You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: Our “chore points” system appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about the best books we’ve recently read and what we’re currently reading. We also rank Chris’s books. Here are the links mentioned in this episode: Chris’s books that we chatted about: How to Calm Your Mind Hyperfocus The Productivity Project Fiction: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow We Spread The Classical School Snow Crash Charlie and the Chocolate Factory James and the Giant Peach Nonfiction: Stress-Free Productivity Good Habits Bad Habits Grit How to Write a Lot How Not to Age Outlive The Creative Act (and Rick Rubin’s Wikipedia page) The nerdy productivity pick: New Developments in Goal Setting and Task Performance You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below!   The post Podcast: The Books We’re Loving appeared first on Chris Bailey.

On this episode, we chat about our favorite productivity-related gifts that will either save time or make things more efficient. The things we mention on this episode—part two of two—include: Stationary Stuff Septcouleur Lab Notebook Non-affiliate link The Baronfig Mastermind Desk Pad Journals: Ardyn’s personal journal Non-affiliate link One Line a Day journal Non-affiliate link Our favorite pens: In black! Non-affiliate link In color! Non-affiliate link TSWBI fountain pens Post-It Notes Non-affiliate link Office Stuff The Timeular Ardyn’s favorite oversized hair clips Topo Comfort Mat by Ergodriven Non-affiliate link Aura Carver photo frame Non-affiliate link Week from Hell Hand Lotion and Blistex Non-affiliate link 1, 2 Takeya water bottle Non-affiliate link CyberPower UPS, the most boring pick of the season 🎄 Non-affiliate link. All affiliate link proceeds will be donated to Camp Quality Eastern Ontario, an organization that helps kids and teens with cancer. Non-affiliate links are also provided if you’d prefer. You can listen (and subscribe) to the podcast below! The post Podcast: The productivity holiday gift guide.. continued! appeared first on Chris Bailey.