Asian Efficiency

Asian Efficiency

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Asian Efficiency episodes

  • The 5 Cognitive Biases Destroying Your Productivity (And How to Beat Them) (TPS609)

    Hidden cognitive biases quietly sabotage your productivity every day, from the planning fallacy that ruins your schedule to decision fatigue that drains your willpower. In this episode, we explore the psychology behind these mental shortcuts and provide practical systems to beat them. Learn how to recognize traps like anchoring and confirmation bias, and discover simple frameworks—like buffer time and friction reduction—that help you make better choices with less effort.

    Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

    Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/tps.

    Get 20% off your first order: dripdrop.com — use promo code TPS.

    Ready to tackle bigger problems? Go to Claude.ai/tps.



    Cheat Sheet
    • Top 3 Productivity Resources [1:40]
    • Why your brain — not your tools — is the real productivity bottleneck [6:55]
    • Why spending $40 on tickets might cost you a good night's sleep [8:57]
    • The cognitive trap that was wrecking Brooks's sleep before concerts [10:50]
    • The billion-dollar version of that thing you do with your gym membership [11:42]
    • Why your brain erases all the annoying parts when estimating how long things take [13:27]
    • The buffer time trick that turns chaotic schedule blowouts into clean handoffs [21:00]
    • Why designing your environment beats relying on willpower every time [23:52]
    • What judges reveal about why you make worse decisions after lunch [28:50]
    • The counterintuitive reason Brooks banned snacks from his car [31:35]
    • The three hidden biases that are skewing your decisions right now [33:19]
    • How Thanh uses AI to surface and audit his own past decisions [38:00]
      • Links
      • Shopify
      • DripDrop — promo code: TPS for 20% off
      • Claude
      • 25X Productivity Coaching
      • Espresso Display 15.6″
      • The Design of Everyday Things — Don Norman
      • System Design Interview: An Insider's Guide — Alex Xu
      • TPS152: How to Beat Your Brain and Conquer Cognitive Biases
      • The Art of Thinking Clearly — Rolf Dobelli

        • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

        48 min
      • Why a Fresh Start is Your Secret Productivity Weapon (TPS608W)

        Discover the “Fresh Start Effect” and how to use psychological clean slates to reset your habits. We explore Katy Milkman's research on why Mondays and birthdays boost motivation, the hidden danger of resets for high performers, and how to mentally subdivide your day into chapters so one bad morning doesn't ruin your entire day.

        Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

        Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.

        Links
        • Upwork
        • 25X Productivity Coaching
        • How to Change by Katy Milkman

          • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

          9 min
        • Attention Residue: The Hidden Tax of Context-Switching (TPS608)

          Do you ever feel like your brain is stuck in “buffer mode” after switching tasks? That’s attention residue—the hidden productivity tax that quietly reduces your focus and performance every time you context-switch. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience behind why part of your mind stays stuck on previous tasks and how this makes deep work harder. We share practical strategies, including environment design and outcome-focused scheduling, to protect your attention so you can work with greater clarity and efficiency.

          Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

          Make the switch! MINTMOBILE.com/PRODUCTIVITY

          Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free.

          Cheat Sheet
          • Top 3 Productivity Resources [1:12]
          • The hidden tax on your focus that builds up every time you switch tasks [5:11]
          • Why your brain and ChatGPT crash the same way [7:34]
          • The 90s computer problem that explains your scattered modern brain [12:05]
          • The 30-second habit that closes open loops before they pile up [15:38]
          • Why classic GTD advice still fixes problems that didn’t exist when it was written [16:44]
          • How a self-described people-pleaser learned to protect his mornings [26:53]
          • The 10-minute buffer that changes everything about back-to-back meetings [31:17]
          • The one thing to write down before you close your laptop tonight [38:25]
            • Links
            • Mint Mobile
            • Upwork
            • 25X Productivity Coaching
            • Tailscale
            • Dell Pro Desktop Speakerphone SP3022
            • Wispr Flow
            • Getting Things Done by David Allen
            • Atomic Habits by James Clear
            • Drafts

              • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

              40 min
            • The AI Skill Gap: Why Waiting Is Your Biggest Risk

              Everyone has access to AI, but not everyone has the skill. In this episode, I explain why waiting to adopt AI is becoming a massive risk to your career and productivity. You will learn the three levels of AI mastery and a simple plan to start gaining leverage today before the gap widens further.

              Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

              Try Notion Custom Agents at notion.com/tps.



              Links
              • Notion Custom Agents
              • 25X Productivity Coaching

                • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                10 min
              • Why Waiting on AI Is Becoming Risky: The Widening Skill Gap and Your Plan to Stay Ahead (TPS607)

                Is AI just another tech trend, or is the window for competitive advantage closing? In this episode, we explore why waiting to adopt AI is becoming a massive career and business risk. We discuss the widening divide between the “AI fluent” and everyone else, how small daily use compounds into massive leverage, and why you could fall behind in months, not years. Plus, we provide a simple, actionable plan to start using AI today before the gap becomes insurmountable.

                Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

                Sign up for a $1/month trial period at shopify.com/tps.

                Get the right life insurance for you and save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/TPS.

                Try Notion Custom Agents at notion.com/tps.

                Masterclass.com/TPS for at least 15% off any annual membership.

                Cheat Sheet
                • Why your “I'll learn AI later” plan is already backfiring [1:12]
                • Top 3 Productivity Resources [2:43]
                • The surprisingly useful thing you can do with ChatGPT in your car [4:30]
                • What Google's 1998 launch tells us about AI's tipping point right now [5:55]
                • It's not AI taking your job — it's the person who knows AI [9:13]
                • The college students who can't get hired until they build something [11:35]
                • The two everyday skills that predict how fast you'll pick up AI [24:15]
                • Why using the tools daily matters more than watching tutorials [26:08]
                • Think of AI like a new hire — it's bad at first and that's the point [26:56]
                • Stop copy-pasting AI drafts into Gmail — here's what to do instead [29:40]
                • How Thanh trained Claude to write emails that sound like him [30:52]
                • The curiosity trick that unlocks capabilities you didn't know AI had [32:13]
                • Why asking “can AI do this?” beats Googling how to do it yourself [36:57]
                • Wrote off AI after one bad experience? Time to try again [38:46]
                • The side quests that turned into a real client project a year later [43:34]
                • You don't have to build apps — small daily wins count too [47:12]
                • From 30-minute manual updates to a fully automated portfolio tracker [49:30]
                • Your Mac Mini might become your always-on AI agent server [53:36]
                  • Links
                  • Shopify
                  • SelectQuote.com
                  • Notion Custom Agents.
                  • Masterclass
                  • 25X Productivity Coaching
                  • Claude Cowork
                  • Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick
                  • ChatGPT CarPlay App
                  • Google Maps Ask Maps Feature
                  • Lovable
                  • Productivity Academy
                  • The Productivity Show on Youtube
                  • The Productivity Show Youtube Clips
                  • Become a member of TPS+
                  • Take the Productivity Quiz

                    • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                    57 min
                  • The Secret to Creative Focus and Real Productivity

                    Unlock your creative potential and boost productivity by understanding your unique energy rhythms. Discover how to combine diverse skills for unparalleled value and craft an environment that fosters deep work. This episode reveals practical strategies to align your daily actions with your creative peaks, ensuring you get important things done without sacrificing joy or innovation.

                    Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

                    Get 20% off your first order: dripdrop.com and use promo code tps.

                    Links:

                    Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

                    • Dripdrop
                    • 25X Productivity Coaching

                      • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                      10 min
                    • The Clutter-Free Workspace: How to Create and Maintain a High-Performance Environment (TPS606)

                      Is your workspace holding you back? In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology and tactics of creating a clutter-free workspace. We explore why physical clutter leads to mental friction and share practical strategies like the “replacement rule” and multi-purpose tool selection. Whether you're struggling with a messy desk or a fragmented digital workflow, you'll learn how to shift your mindset to view organization as a form of self-respect.

                      Get 20% off your first order: dripdrop.com and use promo code tps.

                      Ready to tackle bigger problems? Go to claude.ai/tps.

                      Visit asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

                      Cheat Sheet:

                      Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

                      • Top 3 Productivity Resources [2:27]
                      • The end-of-day reset that makes tomorrow's you more productive [8:16]
                      • Why a cordless vacuum changed everything about cleaning habits [11:28]
                      • The sneaky reason your bookshelf stays neat (hint: it's on camera) [14:00]
                      • The three levels of clutter — and why the deepest one is hardest to fix [16:13]
                      • Too many shoes and not enough honesty: when clutter is really about letting go [21:42]
                      • Why getting a bigger desk (or house) might be the worst thing for your productivity [24:40]
                      • What downsizing taught Brooks about the junk room trap [26:08]
                      • The “own less, own better” philosophy that simplifies everything [27:45]
                      • The two-desk experiment that 99% of Instagram predicted would fail [29:53]
                      • The thousand-dollar tool in your pocket that replaces a dozen gadgets [31:24]
                      • One in, one out: the simple rule that keeps clutter from creeping back [32:57]
                      • Why your app collection might be the biggest source of mental clutter [34:26]
                        • Links:
                        • DripDrop
                        • Claude AI
                        • 25X Productivity Coaching
                        • Hidden Bar — Free Mac menu bar icon manager
                        • Bartender — The longtime Mac menu bar manager app Brooks has used for years but is having stability issues with
                        • Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern — Classic 2004 book on organization systems and the three levels of clutter; Julie has been on the podcast before
                        • Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport — Book on paring back digital distractions for a more focused life; Cal has also been on the podcast before
                        • Setapp — Mac app subscription service that includes Bartender
                        • Dyson Cordless Vacuums — The premium cordless vacuum Thanh's brother uses that inspired the “reduce friction” insight
                        • Courtney Carver / Project 333 — Minimalist wardrobe challenge: 33 items for 3 months; Courtney has been on the podcast before
                        • Notion — All-in-one workspace app discussed as a great example of multi-purpose software replacing specialized tools
                        • Barbara Hemphill
                        • Productivity Academy
                        • The Productivity Show on Youtube
                        • The Productivity Show Youtube Clips
                        • Become a member of TPS+
                        • Take the Productivity Quiz

                          • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                          40 min
                        • How to Let Go of What’s Not Working (A Simple Framework)

                          Why do we keep sticking with things that clearly aren’t working? Whether it’s a tool you paid for, a project you’ve invested time in, or a commitment you feel guilty dropping, the pull to “see it through” can quietly drain your energy and focus. The real cost isn’t what you’ve already spent—it’s what holding on is preventing you from doing next.

                          This episode breaks down a simple, practical framework to help you identify what’s no longer serving you—and let it go with confidence. You’ll learn how to spot the hidden red flags, ask better questions about your commitments, and make small, low-risk changes that free up time, clarity, and momentum for what actually matters.

                          Ready to tackle bigger problems? Go to Claude.ai/tps.

                          Visit www.asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

                          Links:

                          Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

                          • Claude
                          • 25X Productivity Coaching

                            • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                            10 min
                          • Actionable Tips for Breaking Down Objectives and Projects (TPS605)

                            Struggling with overwhelming projects that never seem to start? In this episode, we dive deep into actionable strategies for breaking down massive goals into manageable steps. We explore the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), the SMART framework, and the “Eat That Frog” method to create momentum. Learn how to use phased milestones, automated handoffs, and dedicated thinking time to transform your execution strategy and finally get those big projects across the finish line.

                            Upgrade your denim game with Rag & Bone!. Get 20% off sitewide with code TPS at www.rag-bone.com #ragandbonepod

                            Ready to tackle bigger problems? Go to Claude.ai/tps.

                            Make the switch! MINTMOBILE.com/PRODUCTIVITY.

                            Visit asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

                            Cheat Sheet:

                            Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

                            • Top 3 Productivity Resources [1:50]
                            • The Step Most People Skip Before Breaking Anything Down [5:16]
                            • Why Your 3 Available Hours Won't Fit a 20-Hour Plan [9:47]
                            • The Goal-Setting Framework Everyone Knows, but Nobody Uses [16:17]
                            • A Project Management Trick That Works for Personal Goals Too [17:43]
                            • He Asked AI to Break It Down — Then Said “Isn't That Obvious?” [21:41]
                            • The Daily Number That Predicts Whether You'll Hit Your Goal [22:51]
                            • Why Everything Feels Obvious After Someone Else Figures It Out [25:29]
                            • The One Daily Habit That Creates Unstoppable Momentum [28:25]
                            • What's Quietly Sabotaging Your Most Important Work [30:09]
                            • The 10-80-10 Rule That Redefines Your Role at Work [31:50]
                            • When You Realize You're the Weakest Link in Your Own System [33:50]
                            • The Paradox: Why Cheaper AI Means More Work, Not Less [36:32]
                            • The Hidden Tasks AI Just Made Worth Doing [40:24]
                              • Links:
                              • Rag & Bone
                              • Claude
                              • Mint Mobile
                              • Sublime Text — Text editor with excellent color coding and support for markdown and configuration files
                              • Granola — AI meeting notes app that records and transcribes meetings without joining as a bot
                              • Jump Desktop — Remote desktop access tool for securely connecting to multiple computers
                              • The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement — Eliyahu Goldratt's foundational book on Theory of Constraints
                              • 25X Productivity Coaching
                              • Laura Roeder Tweet
                              • Article about Garfield AI law firm
                              • Wispr Flow
                              • Productivity Academy
                              • The Productivity Show on Youtube
                              • The Productivity Show Youtube Clips
                              • Become a member of TPS+
                              • Take the Productivity Quiz

                                • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                                45 min
                              • The Compass vs The Clock: Why Values Beat Tasks

                                Stop feeling unproductive despite doing everything. Learn why the best weekly reviews focus on your compass (values) rather than the clock (tasks). We explore how to align your actions with what truly matters using the 5 whys and Stephen Covey's philosophy to find real satisfaction in your productivity.

                                Try Notion Custom Agents at notion.com/tps.

                                Links:

                                Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

                                • Notion
                                • 25X Productivity Coaching
                                • The Most Underrated Productivity Technique
                                • First Things First by Steven Covey

                                  • If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!

                                  11 min

                                About Asian Efficiency

                                From the publisher's feed

                                Asian Efficiency is the leading website on time management and productivity. Learn how to be efficient, get things done (GTD), and stay motivated.