What you’ll learn in this episode  

✔️ The main difference between an introvert and an extrovert  

✔️ Why a lot of introverts feel like they’re “low energy” people  

✔️ Understanding your own energy needs

I used to think of myself as a “low energy person”  

It was a little disclaimer I used to let people know that I wouldn’t be staying after work for drinks. That I wasn’t going to be at the party past 9 pm. And that I probably wasn’t going to join the activity-packed 3-day networking event.  

“Yeah, I’m just a low energy person, you know”  

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Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez 

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Resources

Do you use to-do lists to improve productivity? Honest question: Are they working for you? 

I used to be all about to-do lists and I was really proud of how organized I was! But, after a few years of fine tuning my own productivity and helping other to do the same, I don't believe in to-do lists anymore.  

In this week’s episode, I’m talking about the 2 main problems with classical to-do lists and what you can do instead to be more productive and make the most of your time. 

What you’ll learn in this episode:  

✔️ 2 reasons why classic to-do lists don’t work  

✔️ 2 options to try instead  

✔️ How to get my free training: From stressed to focused  

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Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez 

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Get the free training 👉 https://go.thefrankermessage.com/free-training

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See more of my life on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mariellafranker

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Sign up for Productive Introvert Letters 👉 https://www.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe 👈 2 emails a week for introverted entrepreneurs who feel deep down that they can add more value to the world and want to do this on their terms! You’ll also receive the free video training: From stressed to focused with this simple daily practice ❗Don't sign up if you're looking for quick tips and hacks to 10x your output overnight and if you're uncomfortable talking about uncomfortable things 😆 Oh, and you can unsubscribe anytime.

This impromptu episode is about the “bad day” I was having, about triggers and ups and downs - that don’t ever really go away! - but that you can learn to manage so it’s less overwhelming.

❗Heads up❗I talk about mental health issues and my sweaty armpits in this episode… so if you’re not ready for that, feel free to skip this one 😉

In this episode you’ll learn:

Remember that we all have ups and downs. And that getting triggered by minor events is more common than you think so, if you’re going through this right now, you’re not alone 🤗

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Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez Resources

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Do you ever feel your attention pulled so strongly to something that other area's of your life slow down to a halt? Like forgetting to brush your teeth when you're working on a new design? Or feeling guilty for spending less time on your business when you're working on your personal development? 

In this episode we'll talk about why "standing still" from time to time isn't a bad thing and how it can even be a good thing to make faster progress later. 

What you'll learn:

✅ Why it's okay that things slow down from time to time

✅ Why multi-tasking is a myth 

✅ Why it's useful to recognize your "stand still for a bit" phases

✅ 2 examples of simple systems that can help keep things moving when you take a break

Better time management is the holy grail of productivity.

Or so I thought…

All through college and my early career as a scientist, I tried my hardest to get more done by cramming things into every nook and cranny of my day.

I thought that if I could just manage my time better, I could achieve my goals faster and be more effective.

So, I read articles on my commute to work, checked email on my break, and reviewed drafts and proofs on the way back home. Proper breaks were left to vacation time (where I just couldn’t sit still because I was so used to being busy all the time)

Here’s the thing though:

Busy does not equal productive.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why focusing only on time management is flawed if you really want to be productive long-term.

What you’ll learn in this episode

✅ Why busy and productive are not the same thing

✅ Why energy management is the missing link between time management and productivity for introverts

✅ How you can start to focus on energy instead of time

✅ Why quiet time and taking small breaks throughout the day is crucial for introverts if they want to work at their best

✅ How to join the final round of my energy management course before it gets a major reboot next year

I’m curious: if you could wave a magic wand, what’s the one thing you’d change about how you’re managing your time right now?

Leave me a comment with “If I could wave a magic wand, then I’d…”

Remember that big changes rarely come overnight though, most of them have grown out of small practices that we do every day.

Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez 

Resources

Visibility is one of the things that the introverts in my community tell me they struggle with the most.

Anything from: "I'm not consistent when it comes to being visible for my business" to "I just don't even wanna do it!"

This is so recognizable! And I’ve had (and still have) my issues with visibility. At several times, I've had anxiety about being visible for my business.

In this episode, I’m taking you a bit along my visibility journey.

From my first company (you’ll be hard pressed to find evidence that I owned that company because I was closer to being INvisible with that company) to now, sharing publicly on YouTube and all the different podcast apps… We're also talking about what you can do to manage anxiety if you struggle with visibility.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✅ That it's okay to take it slow when it comes to working on your visibility

✅ Why “getting out of your comfort zone” doesn’t work for most introverts or sensitive people

✅ I share a recording of an experience that triggered my anxiety around around visibility at the start of my business

✅ Why small steps matter to manage overwhelm and anxiety

✅ How to bring down anxiety and still take a step

Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez Resources

Channeling your thoughts and creativity into a finished “thing” can be stressful at times.   

Where do I start?  

I don’t feel ready!  

I don’t have enough information to start.  

I think I bit off more than I can chew…  

Uh oh, it’s not going according to plan, what now?  

These are just some of the thoughts that may be going through your head when the word “deadline” flashing in front of your face. 

All these thoughts flashed through my head as I was working on getting this podcast out. 

I shared a bit of my process in the pre-podcast series before. In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes again and sharing a few lessons that I learned from the planning and development stage of this podcast.  

On August 11, I’m giving a free masterclass where I’ll talk about this in more detail and, more importantly, we’ll talk about things you can look out for when working on a (creative) project to get it done on time and without completely stressing yourself out.

Sign up here to join: https://courses.thefrankermessage.com/masterclasses 

What you’ll learn in this episode:  

✅ How to take steps even when you don’t have the full picture yet  

✅ How you can make quicker progress to get it done in time  

✅ Why it’s important to revisit your timeline as the project changes  

✅ That it’s okay when things don’t go according to plan  

✅ How you can join my free masterclass “Lessons from building a podcast in 6 weeks”

Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez Resources

Do you ever have that feeling of arriving at a crossroads?

Like something isn't quite right anymore? Or that you’re itching to do something new?

For me, it shows up as feeling a bit frantic and unfocused. It's when I start putting off work or looking for things to keep "busy" rather than doing the things that are important.

A strong sign is that I haven't enjoyed the things I'm doing on a daily basis for too many days in a row.

That's when I know I've lost focus.

In this week’s podcast episode, we’re talking all about focus.

What does it mean to be focused on something? And is it one of those things that you just have it or you don’t have it or can it be trained?

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✅ Why it’s not strange that so many of us struggle with focus

Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez

Resources

- Join the community for introverted entrepreneurs: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe

- Get the free ebook: https://go.thefrankermessage.com/stressedtofocused

- Get the free masterclass: https://courses.thefrankermessage.com/masterclasses

- Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariellafranker

- My website: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/

Did you know that the official definition of introvert is “a shy person”? I was shocked to learn that most dictionaries still carry that definition. I believe we’re in need of an update 😉

In this episode we’re starting with the pink elephant: What does it really mean to be introverted? We’re talking about some of the misconceptions around introverts and why quiet time isn’t a luxury but it’s a physiological need for most introverts!

What you’ll learn in the next 20 minutes:

✅ Why there are so many misconceptions about introverts

✅ The difference between introversion and shyness

✅ The main difference between introverts and extroverts

✅ An unseen and powerful trait of introverts

✅ Why quiet time isn’t a luxury but it’s a physiological need for most introverts

Get the free ebook "From unseen to empowered: 10 powerful introvert qualities": https://go.thefrankermessage.com/ebookintrovertsuccess

Join the community for introverted entrepreneurs: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe

Music credits: Andrés Rodríguez