Immersion

Let’s organize everything in your mind! From the tasks you need to complete, to calendars and planners, to your notes, ideas, and the random sticky notes floating around your house - it’s time to streamline your system so you can focus on what matters most.

This episode draws inspiration from David Allen’s classic productivity book Getting Things Done, but updated with my own modern approach to task management and organization.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How working memory capacity in psychology affects your productivity
• The power of a full capture system, regular sorting time, and using the right information at the right moment (all key to building trust in your workflow)
• How to decide what’s a to-do list item, what belongs on your calendar, what's a reminder, and what should be stored as a project note or creative idea
• The philosophy behind different productivity systems - the timeless principles that still work, even if the tools and apps change
• And more!

Link to the YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ep0vd2MMCB0

David Allen’s book “Getting Things Done” https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-things-done-david-allen/1101546710

Article on working memory capacity 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2864034/

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Let’s explore how travel, memory, and presence can help us reclaim a slower sense of time:

Have you noticed that time seems to move faster with each passing year? What if we could slow it back down?

In this episode, we explore the psychology of time perception - and how it shifts as we age, as we travel, and as we live through global disruptions like the pandemic. Drawing on my recent travels through Japan, I share moments of awe, stillness, and unexpected chaos (including a story involving a Tokyo train!) - and reflect on what a Zen monk in Kyoto taught me about presence.

We’ll explore why novel experiences stretch time, how technology may compress it, and what we can do to reclaim a more expansive, mindful relationship with the passing of days.

Chapters:

00:00:00 Main material

00:14:08 Bonus content 

00:25:22 What’s next 

Video version of the episode (without podcast bonus content but it does have videos and photos from our trip as visuals!) https://youtu.be/Rg-hQ3jtcAo

Podcast episode on technology referenced at the end: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318937/episodes/17789635

Resources / citations: 
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-time-seem-to-speed-up-with-age/
Video referenced on Ghost time by Wobbleverse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZi0fUocGyo
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-of-the-darkness/202409/why-does-time-seem-to-speed-up-as-we-get-older
Not mentioned but processing speed and routes information takes as we get older may be another factor: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7571507/
Dacher Keltner is the professor referenced who studies awe
Fact checked and yes there are dining in the dark experiences 

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In this episode we discuss a main reason people fail to achieve their lists of goals they set around New Years or their birthdays during “life resets.” It is because we often fail to evaluate the scope of our goals. We will do that here with a framework for breaking our objectives down into four categories, calculating how much energy and time is required for each, and go through practical steps you can take with your own goal lists. We will aim to make our list of goals “diversified” as we discuss here. We will also talk about the planning fallacy, indirectly reference Parkinson’s law, and explore ways to achieve more, by at times, doing less.

Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/f1f3Hszz3nw

Videos referenced for after this: 
On the planning fallacy and how tasks take longer than we anticipate and how we can persevere in spite of that:  
https://youtu.be/7vFFkWr_2r4

On how "how many projects should we balance at once" and spacing out goals to be at different times: 
https://youtu.be/fcT-tpqUgBo

A good follow up video on "If you should tell people your goals or keep them to yourself"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox_8gX64KVw

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In this episode we will examine the psychology of goal setting through personal anecdotes and the research to see if we should share about our projects, goals, and dreams or if we are more likely to stay motivated and achieve them if we keep our objectives to ourselves. We will explore how this ties in with extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation and how identity shapes actions. We will also discuss frameworks that may allow us to get the best of both worlds, considering that there is evidence on each side of this camp - team accountability and team grind in silence. Let’s get into it!

Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/Ox_8gX64KVw

Sources: 

TED Talk by Derek Sivers:
 https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_keep_your_goals_to_yourself

Meta-analysis demonstrating making goals public can be helpful: 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26479070/

Study on accountability and goals: 
https://scholar.dominican.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=psychology-faculty-conference-presentations

Drive by Daniel Pink - goes into intrinsic motivation more 
https://www.danpink.com/books/drive/

Study that goes into extrinsic and intrinsic rewards 
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1974-10497-001

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Because, it's not just screen time, it's your life: 

So many of us feel compulsive with the internet, our phones, screens of all sorts, and constant external stimulation. This started about 10 years ago as social media became more popular and has been increasing ever since. Many, for instance, find it hard to ever go for a walk or do chores without a podcast, and this lack of solitude has affected many areas of our lives - from creative insight to the ability to be present. But the main thing we will talk about here is our time. I personally feel like I have lost years of my life to internet rabbit holes. Between mindless scrolling and bouncing from one app or tab to another, it has been hard to focus on what really matters to me and live a life aligned with my values. Here we will take steps to change that with the following:

Topics covered in this episode:
** Reflecting on where our time has gone in relation to the internet
** Creating a vision for the life we want in the coming decades - and how our screen use may need to shift
** Exploring what led to compulsive internet use in the first place
** Discussing the downsides of excessive screen time and which types tend to be most problematic vs more harmless 
** Introducing a philosophical shift inspired by the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

If you're working on reducing screen time and reclaiming your focus, you're not alone - this video is for you.

Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/9v9OLJ1dwcc?si=5qkxs8iOgh3m8CZ9

Resource if you are struggling with technology addiction: https://internetaddictsanonymous.org

Links for resources mentioned in this videos: 
@BronnieWare1 found at https://www.youtube.com/c/bronnieware1 is the author of The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
https://bronnieware.com/regrets-of-the-dying/
Video on how to track time related to tech and the internet  
https://youtu.be/LV3xIAE0BLU
Thank you to Cal's work which I cited in this video - you can find Digital Minimalism and his other books here: 
https://calnewport.com/writing/
Song referenced -- Welcome to the Internet by Bo Burnham from "Inside" - this song is wow, just wow, gives chills and so accurate 
Attention Span by Gloria Mark PhD
https://gloriamark.com/attention-span/ 
Playground by Richard Powers
https://www.richardpowers.net/playground/

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Have you ever finished a LONG workday without much to show for it? One reason for this is being stuck in a "productivity limbo state" where you are in between working and relaxing. You may start to get a task done and then check a text. You then get back to work and then find yourself reading a news article soon after. A few more minutes of work then you are watching a video on social media. You end the day tired AND feeling like you didn't get much done because you didn't have any true focus or true rest. In this episode we discuss this phenomenon and a policy we can set with ourselves that may hold the solution. 
🔑  The ON or OFF rule💡 

Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/0nta_RBGuu8

Links mentioned in this episode: 
Channel on ADHD: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD
Cal’s work shutdown routine - I believe he wrote this in 2009 the blog says so it likely has changed some over the years in terms of systems but the principles would stay the same:  https://calnewport.com/drastically-reduce-stress-with-a-work-shutdown-ritual/
More on the Pomodoro technique:  https://www.todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique

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If you have been feeling like something is missing lately - like a spark or a sense of excitement. Or if your life feels lacking in meaning -- empty, or dull. This episode dives into these feelings. I share a story about going through this recently and the 9 reasons I found this to be the case through exploration - with potential action steps.
1) Purpose -- not just having one but working it into your day to day life and routine 
2) No longer putting off being full IN life until we get "there" - some place in the future - and within this setting more authentic goals vs goals rooted predominantly in ego 
3)  Checking in with our habits - are they fueling us or draining us? Within that, specifically checking in on certain habits such as health. 
4) Reflecting on being vs consumption. 
5) Checking in with our categories of life - and creating this list together if you have never done so. 
6) Adding more fun, play, wonder, and appreciation.  
7) Do we have adequate amounts of community, time around people, and close relationships  
8) Journaling on what else could be at play - for example is comparison the root of these feelings? 
9) Taking action.  

Links and resources:
Video referenced about purpose and if something is missing in your life part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8fe4tpkA2s 
If you feel you keep putting off life and pushing the goalpost further and further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbI_HfHjUMQ
More on the Thích Nhất Hạnh "I have arrived" quote: https://www.stillwatermpc.org/dharma-topics/i_have_arrived_i_am_home/
Video on listening to and caring for your body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwq1X1kX38s&t=2s
Ali Abdaal short version of the video on what would this look like if it were fun? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPo5yrry6nw
Awe and wonder podcast episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XamHh9zCpoeJRq4SQUL6U
Artist way video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUYBsmnwXI8 
Building Community video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcTkM4g9uaU
If you relate to living through fiction at times - episode on Book Hangover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljPjvDskPWo

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Have you ever finished a book or show and felt an overwhelming wave of sadness—like you’ve just lost a friend or left a world you loved behind? That’s book hangover (which can also happen with TV shows)—an emotional cocktail of grief, longing, and nostalgia that can hit harder than we expect.
In this episode, we explore:

• Why stories leave such a lasting emotional imprint and why they feel so real to our brains 
• How living vicariously through fictional worlds can reflect a deeper longing for purpose or meaning in our own lives
• The bittersweet experience of saying goodbye to characters and worlds we grew to love
  
  

Whether you’re reeling from a fantasy epic or mourning the end of a favorite series, this episode unpacks the emotional weight of book hangovers and why they resonate so deeply with many.

If you’ve ever felt this way, drop a comment or shoot me a DM or message on my website with the book or show that left you with a story hangover—I’d love to hear your picks!

---------

Show notes / resources: 
article on experience of it and some on the brain: https://www.rd.com/article/book-hangover/ 
video referenced on "If you feel like something is missing in your life" - a video on purpose - https://youtu.be/G8fe4tpkA2s 
Video referenced about how we can each make a contribution even when that feels hard at times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-uuzUHxUUc

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In this episode we are discussing how to listen to the cues your body is sending you, so that you can care for it. Your body will often tell you exactly what it needs -- and hearing this, and acting in accordance with what it needs, is a skill we can grow. If you have a hard time knowing if you are hungry or full, if you have a hard time motivating yourself to eat well or meditate, if you have a hard time resting, or other forms of self-care this podcast episode is for you. I have been a personal trainer and health coach working with clients in NYC for over 10 years and this is what I do for a living. We will go over several examples and exercises so you can start applying these principles today. Would love to hear from you in the comments - what are your thoughts on this topic? Thanks for listening!  

Book I wrote on this subject: Fit Intuition: Listen to Your Body and Never Diet Again - https://www.amazon.com/Fit-Intuition-Listen-Never-Again/dp/1735920509

Video version of the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwq1X1kX38s

Podcast can be found at these links:  
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NMMtC7Y6nTy5Gnf6BSLpH
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pam-carey-show/id1732129494

#bodycare #selfcare #awareness

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In this free verse poem, I explore the feeling of being "behind in life" and the frustration of missing opportunities, while talking about something that happens to all of us - missing the bus. But what happens when we stop chasing the past and start embracing what lies in front of us now? Life isn’t linear, and sometimes the most meaningful growth comes from missed chances, detours, and the lessons learned along the way. Even though we may feel too late, there’s always another opportunity ahead—sometimes one that’s even better for us. Through this poem, I encourage you (and it serves as a reminder of what I need to remember too!) to release regret and embrace another path, no matter where it takes us. Join me in exploring what it truly means to be here and now, without the weight of “what could have been.” Themes in this video: self-reflection and growth, letting go of perfectionism, embracing the present moment, overcoming regret, and finding hope after missed opportunities.

Video version will be posted here - https://youtu.be/qCx1qS0iYks

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