The podcast is alive with the sound of music this week! Max reveals some catchy singles he's worn out worse than his recurring jokes, and Caitie yells at people who think it's inappropriate for her to listen to Christmas music out of season. But the team covers more than their own tastes and hang-ups this week, too. Familiar favorites or instrumental music can help us concentrate on challenging work. Lively beats and clever hooks pump us up. Our songs become the soundtrack of our lives, triggering memories and expressing what we can’t easily express ourselves. Music isn’t just background noise, or even merely entertainment—music colors our lives and shapes our work, sometimes in surprising ways. So, whether your jam is Taylor Swift or the Baroque masters, add Priority to your playlist today.

We’ve all heard the same advice about how to tackle a big project: break it down into smaller, manageable tasks. But hearing the advice isn’t the same as taking it—or pacing yourself as you work through those milestones. This time on Priority, Caitie and Max wonder about the mysterious phenomenon of being early. Sure, maybe it's more mysterious for Caitie, who struggles to trick her brain into working ahead. Max shares experiences ranging from caffeine-infused all-nighters to working three weeks ahead of schedule. The team hypothesizes conditions that make it possible to get done early, arrive early, or even just feel prepared. And perhaps paying attention to that feeling is what makes the difference. Feeling in control doesn't mean the work does itself, but it sure beats the freaked-out, adrenaline-soaked feeling of the last-minute crunch.

If you've been at a task too long, you might feel like you're going cross-eyed. This week, the Priority team wonders about benefits and strategies for gaining distance from our work. Wait—don't run away! Caitie suggests that a healthy change in perspective or a break might be just what an intense situation needs. Max makes the distinction between pushing forward in a grind versus riding a wave. Caitie agrees: dwelling in a task without moving is a sign it's time to shake things up. How can you maintain a healthy distance from the things you're closest to? Join us as our hosts wander around a while to find out!

From your resume’s “objective statement” to your afternoon snacking plans, having a sense of the purpose of your activities goes a long way. How well does a given option move you towards where you want to go? The Priority team gets purposeful this week, suggesting that asking the big "Why?" question can reveal guideposts to navigate options. Caitie and Max find that a clear purpose can help us better connect with others and communicate the relevance of our work, though Max points out that some purposes don’t dictate which path to them is the best one. Our work won't always align with any single goal, but one big picture in the mind's eye may be worth two in the bush. Tune in to find out . . . why.

No cats were harmed in the making of this episode as the team gets topic-curious about . . . curiosity! After a break from recording, Caitie and Max are back it, trying to make sense of a complicated impulse. Caitie suggests curiosity is a position from which you can make better observations and connections. Max cautions, though, that it shouldn't be so celebrated at the expense of focus. Psychologists have long considered the role "openness to experience" plays in personality, and that's a good thing: a little open-mindedness will go a long way as the team tries to figure out what's worth being into (and what's not).

Is it too early in the year to talk about Christmas music? Does Caitie care whether it's early? Will Max let her be the grumpy one this week?! All is still merry and bright this time on Priority, as the team takes its quarterly sidestep to consider a work from popular culture. The Mannheim Steamroller album Christmas created a new sound in a style driven by traditional tunes. In their analysis, Caitie insists on recognizing the deep roots and modern spirit of Christmas as a cultural experience, and Max reflects on the significance of memories made around these holiday classics. Composer Chip Davis started something special when this album hit stores in 1984. Queue it up now with the Priority team to get into the spirit . . . even if it is a little early.

If life's a game, then maybe it's time to level up the productivity. This week on Priority, the team explores ways to "gamify" your work. Tools, apps, and tricks abound in this week's discussion on gamification--and the key principles that motivate us to play anything that feels like a game. Caitie reflects on using rewards as motivation, and the precarious balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Max considers how the social elements of gamification create competition, solidarity, and accountability. Or not. Everyone's a winner when we game well. You just have to make sure you know what you're playing (and who wants you to play it).

No matter what type of work you do, you may be called upon to capture and demonstrate productivity. How's your output? How's the quality of your work? What targets have you met? But perhaps more importantly, who is painting those targets? And how? Caitie may not understand how targets work, but despite that, the Priority team tackles personal metrics. Max suggests that identifying the right measurement can be hard, and the audience matters (after all, what gets measured gets done). Caitie agrees, and stresses that the measurements chosen should reflect and communicate your values. Ultimately, the right metrics can help you tell the right stories to the right people. Just be sure you know what you want to do with that data once you have it.

We all know what a trash can is for. It's for this podcast. *Self-zing!* But truly, the trash can is a model organizational tool because its function is clear. Piles and jumbles on the other hand. These things require decisions. No matter your relationship to your stuff, this week on Priority, the team tries to make sense of it all. Caitie gets stuck in trash can land, wondering how clear her organization would be if every space was so clearly defined. Max suggests there should be a place for everything (important), and everything (important) in its place. Does the way you organize your work reflect its value? Let the Priority team inspire you to find ways to make your workspace work for you.

As autumn deepens and The Holidays draw near, Caitie contemplates the place of seasons in our lives, plans, and—yes—decorating sprees. Being Midwesterners, the Priority team is all too familiar with the turning of the seasons. But seasons aren’t just, in the words of Marcus Buckingham, “The PowerPoint version of the weather.” It seems for everything, as the Byrds put it, there is a season—baseball season, the school year, a television season, tax season. But seasons do more than provide external cues to mark our time. They also remind us to make plans in units bigger than a day, week, or even month. The season is a framework for thinking about the big projects and themes of our lives. So grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte and pull up a chair, dear listeners: the Priority Season is upon us!