The Productivity Shift

Get Krista's Clear Your Clutter toolkit: https://motherhoodsimplified.com/free-training 
Krista on IG: https://www.instagram.com/motherhood_simplified/

Clear your mental clutter with me here:http://www.eliseenriquez.com/gyst
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“It's so essential to simplify your home and your stuff. And I think that's the simplest place to start because everything else in your life is so complicated.”
~ Krista Lockwood

As a productivity coach, I help people with the clutter in their brains and a little bit of physical clutter in terms of what needs to get done in their lives and in their work.

Sometimes, though, the clutter in your physical space goes beyond just “a little bit”. And I don’t know about you, but when things get too cluttered for me, I start to feel scattered.

With the holidays having just happened when this episode comes out, I imagine you might have a little more stuff laying around. That is exactly why I invited this episode’s guest to the podcast.

Krista Lockwood is the founder of Motherhood Simplified. A mother who teaches other moms how to declutter without becoming full-blown minimalists, Krista has been able to create a simple and sustainable business while raising five kids - two of whom were born while she was starting it.

Imagine moving across the country with your family and only packing suitcases…just starting over from scratch? Krista did that!

She spent a month decluttering all of their stuff in Alaska and a decade later, she's still experiencing more time and more energy because of it. Now is that a testimonial for decluttering or what?

To hear even more compelling reasons why decluttering is so essential to creating ease in your life, tune in to the episode. Trust me, you will be energized and inspired to dig through that clutter by the end of it. (If you’re expecting the usual shaming tactics for having lots of stuff, you won’t be finding that in this episode. Krista is so gracious and supportive in her approach.)

Now, I need you to thoughtfully consider this Question of the week: Is your physical space supporting you or stressing you out?

Let me know over on Instagram or Facebook.

I will be hosting a LIVE 5-day challenge in February to help you make time to get everything in front of you and prioritize them.
Head on over to daretoprioritize.com to join the waiting list.
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“Studies show that it can take 15 minutes of uninterrupted work on a certain task to reach a flow state.” ~ Elise.

If you’ve been following the podcast for a while, you will have heard of my GYST productivity coaching program, where I help people build what I call a bonus brain; essentially a dashboard for their life so they can make more intentional choices about how they're spending their time and energy, and they can quit trying to hold stuff in their head which just leads to so much overwhelm.

Anyway, one of the things I teach about is the two minutes or less rule. The intention of the rule is that if, as you are processing a bunch of stuff, eg. cleaning out your email inbox, something is going to take two minutes or less, you would do it there and then because it usually takes longer to put something into a system than it does to just do the damn thing.

This simple rule can get tricky when people think that it is about doing anything that needs to be done that is two minutes or less...regardless of when it comes in.

This is how you can nickel-and-dime your time away two minutes at a time because it's not just the two minutes for the task that you're taking. It's the time that it takes you to read the email, then go do the task that's only two minutes, and then get back into what it was you were working on before — context-switching, essentially.

Studies show that it can take 15 minutes of uninterrupted work on a certain task to reach a flow state, so in reality, that context-switching is going to cost you way more than the two minutes it takes to do that “quick task”.

In this episode, I give you three (3) simple things to do to make sure you are not nickel-and-diming your time away with two minutes or less tasks all the time;

I want to know your takeaway from this episode by answering the question of the week…

What are you going to do to minimize your context-switching starting this week?

Let me know over on Instagram or Facebook at @productivitybreakthrough

Check out Episode 60 for more on finding your own guiding words: productivitybreakthrough/episode60

Find out more about Ashley Brown at routineandthings.com
Follow her on Instagram and Facebook @routineandthings
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“We really have to take inventory of how we are spending our time and seeing, “Is this of value to us truly or is this what society has made us believe that we need to do? If we don't sit down and really assess [...] we can get caught up in what society wants us to believe. Do what works for you, even if it seems unorthodox, weird or strange. It doesn't matter as long as you are living the life that feels good to you.” – Ashley Brown

When this episode drops we'll be kicking off the second week of 2023.

How are those new year's resolutions holding up? I don't really do resolutions, per se. I make a plan for the year, I find the words I need to inspire me and keep me on track when times get hard throughout the year (Check out Episode 60 for more on finding your own guiding words.)

But I don't really make resolutions. In fact, more than anything these past few years, I've been focused more on the actions I'm taking on a regular basis to get me where I want to go.

This is exactly why I invited Ashley Brown to join me on the podcast.

Ashley Brown is a mom of two, author of the Routine Building Handbook, and owner of Routine and Things, which serves to help women get organized and into routine so they enjoy the heck out of life. Ashley knows when women feel good, the world is better for it. She’s on a mission to see as many women as possible organize their life one routine at a time!

Here are the main takeaways from our conversation: 

What I want for you is for you to create a life that feels good to you. So tell me…What's one tweak you could make to your morning routine to bring more energy to your day

Head on over to @productivitybreakthrough on Instagram and find the question of the week post or send me a DM. I love hearing from you.

Download your "Word For the Year Guide" here: eliseenriquez.com/freestuff

Listen to Episode 19 of the podcast here: the-productivity-breakthrough/episodes/19
Listen to Episode 1 of the podcast here: the-productivity-breakthrough/episodes/1
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Why hello there! Happy new year!

Welcome to the first episode of 2023. This is technically episode 60 of this podcast and the third calendar year of me actually hosting a podcast.

If you would have asked me at the beginning of 2021 if I'd be hosting a podcast I would have told you, hell no!

But something shifted over the year. You see, I have this regular practice of picking a word for the year (if you want to know the history of that, check out episode 19 of the podcast here)

I also had a monthly practice to reflect on how I lived my word each month and how I planned to live it over the next month. I called this my "live your word" practice.

And in looking at how I wanted to achieve my richest and fullest expression, well, podcasting kept coming up.

Well, part of this planning how to live my word each month meant identifying the next step I'd take...Ask for referral to podcast producer

Fast forward to many next steps later and On September 13, 2021, Episode 1 of The Productivity Breakthrough podcast went live.

If you've been listening for a while now, you know I'm big on being intentional, and having a word for the year is another way that I do that.

So I wanted to share my process with you. I created a free PDF guide that you can use to discover your word for the year. Go to eliseenriquez.com/freestuff to download it.

In this episode, I give you the step-by-step process I use to help my 1:1 clients and coaching group members to discover their word for the year.

And no, you don't need to go to the PDF now. Just go on and listen so you can hear the process once, then you can go download the guide and listen to the episode again as you work through the process. See you there!

PS: Do you want to know my word for this year? Be sure to head on over to Instagram and see the pinned post with my word for the year.

OK, your turn...What are your guiding words for the year?

If you don't know yet, remember to head on over to EliseEnriquez.com/freestuff to get a copy of the Word For the Year guide. Print it out and listen to this episode again...then tag me when you share your guiding words.

I can't wait to hear from you!

**By the way, don't keep this goodness to yourself. Send the free stuff link to your bestie, get together with them and find your words together! This is also a great activity to do with your partner and family members.**

Download your Burning Bowl Guide: eliseenriquez.com/burn
Listen to Episode 13 of the podcast for my burning bowl origin story: productivitybreakthrough/episode13
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If you are listening to this when it first comes out, it is the day after Christmas 2022.

My family celebrates Christmas. Not in the Christian tradition; more in the decorate-a-tree, stuff-stockings, eat-cookies, and gather-with-the-people-we-love kind of tradition.

Whatever your traditions are, I hope you are happy and well. AND it's possible that as the year ends, there are things you don't want to bring with you into the new year.

Enter one of my favorite annual traditions: Burning Bowl Ritual.

If you want to hear all about my burning bowl origin story, check out EP 13. However, you don’t need to hear the backstory to move forward with the Burning Bowl ritual. In fact, this episode is a step-by-step guide to the what, why, when, and how of the burning bowl ritual. To help you out even more, I created a PDF guide that covers all of this as well.

Head on over to eliseenriquez.com/burn

Again, you don't have to download the guide first. Go ahead and give this episode a listen and then you can download and print the guide and listen again if you need to.

So tell me, after listening to the episode…What ONE thing do you want to let go of for good and not bring with you into 2023?

Tell me all about it. Find the question of the week post on Instagram @productivitybreakthrough and share what you are releasing...or DM me...either way, I look forward to hearing from you.

**One last thing. This is a fun year-end activity to do with loved ones, besties, etc. So feel free to share this episode and a link to the guide with anyone you know who might enjoy this ritual.**

If you want a handy dandy worksheet to fill out, just ask and I'll send you one. Either DM me on Instagram or Facebook or send me an Email: [email protected]
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For those of you that are new to The Productivity Breakthrough, this podcast is all about moving forward what matters most without focusing on perfection…What matters most to you, not to the rest of the world, not to your parents, society, your judgy neighbor, or whoever. YOU.

From time to time, it's important to zoom out and look at the big picture of things to make sure that whatever it is you're working on really is what matters most to you. Sometimes that means lifting our heads up and looking out ahead of us, or even looking back.

That's what this episode is all about— looking back. In fact, it actually kicks off a series of three episodes that take you step-by-step through some of the rituals that I follow at the end of every calendar year.

Now all of these rituals really could be used at any time of the year, I just happen to do them all at the end of the year.

This first ritual, The Top 25 in 2022, is an exercise I adapted from one of my coaching mentors, Michelle Woodward, paired with this definition of the word “HOPE” I heard years ago: 

“Hope is the belief that tomorrow will be better than today and that I will have a hand in making it so.”

So, it doesn’t only focus on being a practice in gratitude, it’s also an exercise in hope and empowerment. It’s about building hopefulness - soaking up what I'm grateful for, big or small, and reminding myself that it didn't happen by accident.

While focusing on the gratitude part alone is great, also focusing on the hope part reminds me that I'm capable of making things happen in my business.

So tell me…

What is ONE thing you are grateful for this year and what was your part in making it happen?

All you need is a pen and a piece of paper with “GRATITUDE” on one side, “HOPEFULNESS” on the other,  and you can jump right in. AND if you want a handy dandy worksheet to fill out, just ask and I'll send you one. Either DM me on Instagram or Facebook or send me an Email: [email protected].

Ready to get out of playing small and into being the really big amazing person that you are? If you want a little help with this, check out Chrissy's free guide.

Show Up Fully As Yourself. Download it here:https://www.chrissymellinger.com/stopplayingsmall
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“Authenticity is about being who you are and owning it without judgment.”~ Chrissy Mellinger

There are definitely times in business ownership that can be lonely and confusing.

Most of these times, it's because I've lost touch with myself…I've gotten caught up in doing what the "successful" people are doing and not checked-in to see if doing those things really aligns with who I am and what I care about.

It's this very thing that my guest and I talk about in this episode.

Chrissy Mellinger is an authenticity and business coach. She helps women discover who they truly are and embrace that to show up authentically and confidently in business. After all, our businesses are tools for our lives, not the other way around! Chrissy holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Economics, as well as an MBA. She is also the host of the Soulfully Strategic Entrepreneurship Podcast.

The main themes from my discussion with Chrissy were:

You know me, I'm a big fan of running little experiments and taking action, because let's face it…you can spend a LOT of time in your head, but the only way to truly find out is to try.

So tell me…

What would showing up in your business as your true self look like?

Come on over to my Instagram or Facebook @productivitybreakthrough under the question of the week post and let me know your answer.

If you wanna chat about what it could look like for you to go through the GYST program, to build that bonus brain, to be able to move forward what matters most to you, and still be present to the people, experiences, and opportunities all around you…

Head over to Eliseenriquez.com/gyst and schedule a quick call
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“Life is easier when you know what you want—but most people don't take the time to figure out what they want. It's not that we are completely lost, but our efforts are often slightly misdirected.

People will work for years and ultimately achieve a lifestyle that isn't quite what they were hoping for—often, simply, because they never clearly defined what they wanted.

An hour of thinking can save you a decade of work."
~ James Clear, Atomic Habits

Back at the beginning of November, I led a 2-day retreat for my GYST community. My GYST community is a group of graduates from my GYST program who have decided that they wanna stay engaged in actively working on their productivity. 

GYST (Get Your Shit Together) is a 3-to-6-week group, individual or team coaching program in which I help my GYSTers build what I call a bonus brain and think about a different way of approaching action so that they can move things forward and actually make progress without worrying about perfection.

Quite often, once they go through the whole program, they want to join the GYST community so that they can stay engaged in moving forward what matters most to them, without getting back into the trap of perfectionism and overwhelm.

The community has got some great perks, and this annual 2-day retreat is one of them. I will let you find out the details of how it works as you listen to the episode.

One of the main things I wanted to highlight about the November retreat was the vision work exercise I led to help my GYSTers focus on what they wanted to create in their health, their love relationship, their home, their career, their finances, family and friends, learning and growth, their spiritual, faith, community area, whatever that looked like. 

And as you listen to this episode, I would like you to consider what you would like this holiday season to look like for you.

As the James Clear quote above says, life is easier when you know what you want.

So, here’s my question for you this week…

How do you want to feel this holiday season?

As usual, let me know your thoughts over on Instagram or Facebook.

PS: 

Hey there. Would you like some practical tools to help you with the 3 big stressors around the holidays: overwhelm, finances, and lack of time?

Head on over to eliseenriquez.com/holidays to get everything you need to reduce your stress and increase your joy.
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“Forgiveness is not about changing the past; it is about shifting our perception around what happened so that we can be present today, right here and create the future we desire.”
~ Brenda Reiss

For my avid listeners who are listening to this episode the week that it goes live you may have just celebrated Thanksgiving.

And sometimes being around our close family and friends can bring up some tough issues, possibly some resentments even. And this could be your chance to make Christmas even easier by recognizing those resentments and seeing if you are ready to do some forgiving.

This is exactly why I asked Brenda Reiss to join me in this episode.

Brenda is a 2-time author, speaker, podcast host and a sought-after Forgiveness Coach who guides her cherished clients from being stuck in shame, resentment, and self-sabotage to feeling freer, more expanded, and ready to share themselves and their passions with the world.

When she is not providing compassionate guidance to help her clients create more abundance, clarity of purpose, and freedom in their lives, you can find her hiking, playing with grandkids, snuggling with her fur babies, or reading a book (or two) to expand her mind, soul and business.

Brenda left a Question of the Week for you: In what area of your life are you feeling stuck? Could there be resentment or unforgiveness hiding there? 

If, in answering that question, you find resentment and unforgiveness there, you can check in and see if you are ready to forgive. Brenda shared some signs that you might be ready:

If you aren't sure if you are ready to forgive, check out Brenda's Podcast: "Forgive Yourself" 

You can also head on over to her website and take her “Unique Forgiveness Archetype Quiz”: www.brendareisscoaching.com

Find out more about Brenda on...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendareisscoaching/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brenda.Reiss.Coach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendareiss/

Listen to Episode 47 with Gaby Sundra here.

Listen to Episode 52 on Holiday Systems, here.

Head on over toeliseenriquez.com/holidays to get your free download of my favorite tips and tricks for making the holidays merrier and a bonus gift.
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When this episode airs it will be Thanksgiving week in the United States and, unsurprisingly, I'm talking gratitude…gratitude pitfalls, in fact.

We all know that gratitude is important, and according to Psychology Today, when they did a study of gratitude journaling, people who tracked their gratitude once a week were happier after six weeks. So a quick journal session capturing some gratitude once a week made them happier. How cool is that?!

Having said that, though, I want you to be careful with gratitude.

I know that sounds ridiculously silly! It’s like saying, "I want you to be careful with butterknives."

Gratitude seems like a pretty safe thing. Maybe it seems like a pretty dull thing too, just like butter knives.

Just hear me out, because there are lots of tools out there for happiness and fulfillment, and it's important not to rely too much on one tool.

So, in honor of thanksgiving, I touch on these 3 gratitude pitfalls:

And show you how you can instead:

So, for our question of the week;
Pick ONE thing you are grateful for right now. What are 3-5 reasons you are grateful for it?

I can't wait to hear what you are grateful for and why. Please share it with me over on Instagram @productivitybreakthrough.