Productivity can be very personal, but all good systems have a couple of things in common. In this episode, Brooks and Mike talk about 5 things you absolutely MUST have for an effective personal productivity system. They define what a personal productivity system is, talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches, and walk you through the necessary pieces you need to make sure you stay on top of everything. They also give you some implementation tips to help you make sure the system you decide to use works for you so that you stick with it long enough to start realizing the benefit.

Cheat Sheet

What it means to have a personal productivity system 1:38

The analog vs digital approaches to personal productivity systems 6:30

Why it might be beneficial to start with analog tools even if you're a "digital native" 10:48

Tool #1: a calendar, and why everything you need to do must be done within the context of time 14:28

The criteria for deciding what gets added to your calendar 22:23

Tool #2 :a time tracker 31:16

Why time trackers help you figure out how you actually spend your time so that you can make changes to how you spend it 37:01

Tool #3: a contact manager 44:26

Tool #4: a note taker 51:00

Tool #5:  a task manager 59:323

Why the weekly review is so important 1:02:06

Implementation tips for the 5 tools of your personal productivity system 1:08:48

Why the best solution is often the simplest one 1:16:05

Links

To Automate or not to Automate Your Personal Productivity System (Lifehack.org)

Until You Have Productivity Skills, Productivity Tools Are Useless (Harvard Business Review)

OmniFocus

2Do

Things 3

Todoist

Trello

Increasing Your Productivity By Using Analog Tools w/ Curtis McHale (TPS177)

Thinking Time: the Counterintuitive Approach to Growth (TPS162)

Fantastical

Busycal

Asian Efficiency 12 Week Calendar

BestSelf journal

Timing Mac app

RescueTime

Toggl

Vitamin-R

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think

BusyContacts

Cardhop

Field Notes notebooks

Drafts iOS

nvALT

Evernote

Leuchtturm1917 - Bullet journal

Baron Fig - Confidant journal

Scanbot

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Efficiency is usually a good thing, but in this episode we talk about some common productivity pitfalls and show you how you can get back on track when you fall victim to the 6 deadly sins of productivity. We share how to avoid the hidden dangers inherent in a wrong (but common) definition of productivity and give you some strategies to use when it all goes wrong. We set the record straight on what productivity really means and show you how to approach it correctly so you can achieve your ideal future, not just get more done. If you or someone you know has been bothered by productivity as a mechanical approach to being busier, this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

The inspiration for this episode on "the dark side of productivity" 1:18

The dictionary definition of productivity vs. the Asian Efficiency definition 4:12

How not only focusing on the numbers can make you more productive 8:39

The 6 productivity pitfalls:

#1: Optimization at the expense of resilience 11:19

#2: Efficiency at the expense of effectiveness 16:14

#3: Busyness at the expense of mindfulness 24:27

#4: Information at the expense of learning 28:42

#5: Consumerism at the expense of contentment 34:40

#6: Projects at the expense of people 38:36

The real reason for productivity (it's not just to get more done) 44:42

Ways to become more productive by removing something that you don't need to be doing 47:14

Why you should budget and not forecast (work with what you have, not with what you'll have in the future) 52:16

The dangers of comparing yourself to other people 55:30

Links

Jason Fried tweet

Hurry Slowly

Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

YNAB

You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

Mac Power Users

Karabiner app

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

How Journaling Can Make You 25% Happier (TPS154)

The 3 Things You Need to Maximize Your Productivity (TPS121)

The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy

Kolbe index

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In this episode, we answer the questions about masterminds that you were too afraid to ask. Mike is joined by Nate Lowrie, a Dojo member and owner of FineLine Automation, who recently attended the Asian Efficiency mastermind that we held in Austin, TX. Nate joins Mike to talk about his experience as well as to dive deep into the concept of masterminds and the clarity they can provide. They discuss what a mastermind is and who it’s for, share several of the benefits a mastermind group can give you, and share the key ingredients of a successful mastermind group if you want to start your own.

If you’ve ever been curious about the idea of a mastermind but didn’t know how to proceed, or if you love the idea of a mastermind but have been hesitant to start one of your own because you didn’t know how, this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

Nate's background and why he got into making CNC machinery 1:48

What is mastermind? 3:09

The benefits of joining a mastermind group 8:11

How masterminds help refine your focus or vision for your future 12:55

How you can find much needed accountability by joining a mastermind group 17:07

The 3 key ingredients you need to make your mastermind successful 24:30

Why you need to be vulnerable to get the most from a mastermind 28:00

How many people is ideal for a mastermind group 33:10

Different mastermind formats that you can use to help you achieve your goals 36:46

How to figure out what question you want to be answered in a mastermind (this is important!) 46:10

Guidelines for hosting your own live mastermind 47:23

Nate's experience being a part of the AE mastermind 54:19

Advice for people looking to attend a mastermind 1:06:09

Links

How to Beat Your Brain and Conquer Cognitive Biases to Make Better Decisions (TPS152)

Clarity.fm

Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less

Think Like a Geek: How Simple Systems Lead to Sustainable Success (TPS174)

Thinking Time: the Counterintuitive Approach to Growth (TPS162)

 Connect with Nate Lowrie

FineLineAutomation.com

@NateLowrie

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In this episode, we dive deep into the topic of analog productivity. Mike is joined by Curtis McHale, a Dojo member and business owner who has been running a successful web software consulting business for 6 years and helping others do the same for the last 2. Curtis is also the creator of the Analog Productivity video module which was just published on the Dojo where he does a great job explaining how sometimes the best way to speed up is to slow down by using analog tools. Mike and Curtis talk about how analog productivity can actually help you get more done by introducing constraints, share the benefits and drawbacks to analog productivity, and walk you through some popular analog systems. They discuss the essential components to any productivity system, and give you a sneak peek into Curtis’ own hybrid system that he uses to stay on top of all his professional responsibilities and still carve out time for outdoor activities and being a dad. If you are intrigued by the concept of speeding up by slowing down, this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

How Curtis got started with analog productivity 2:12

The advantages of embracing an analog productivity system 2:59

A simple question you should ask before you use any tool, analog or digital 6:29

The drawbacks of analog productivity and why the benefits may outweigh the costs for you 9:07

How to resist "shiny new object syndrome" when using an analog system 14:25

An introduction to several popular analog productivity systems 17:48

What the KJ method is 20:20

The 5 parts of a good task management system 23:59

What anti-goals do and how to use them to move you forward 32:28

Curtis's hybrid system that combines digital and analog 35:15

How he applies this system to personal projects 45:03

Links

The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard

Leuchtturm1917 Weekly Planner & Notebook

The Power of Anti-Goals

Merlin Mann's Hipster PDA

BestSelf Journal

$1 Dojo offer (includes access to Curtis' Analog Productivity video course)

Connect with Curtis McHale

CurtisMcHale.ca

@CurtisMcHale

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It’s a new year, which means a bunch of New Year’s resolutions about how this is the year that you’ll finally get in shape, get a promotion, or make that big step towards your ideal future. But oftentimes, these well-intentioned self-promises don’t actually materialize. Sure, we may start off strong, but after only a few weeks we find ourselves starting to skip out on the gym and when that happens it’s not long until we stop going altogether.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. In this episode, Brooks and Mike talk about what you can do to help your New Year’s resolutions actually stick. They share 5 reasons why New Year's resolutions typically don’t last and show you what you can do it about by giving you 3 strategies to make them sticky so you don’t find yourself in the exact same position next year.

Cheat Sheet

Why everyone can relate to the topic of not keeping your New Year's resolutions 2:06

What to do if you don’t see results immediately 6:04

Why it hurts to put in the time and get outside your comfort zone 9:40

How to handle unexpected "emergencies" and not let them derail your plans 15:14

Why you need people around you to support you if you really want to create new habits 20:35

What happens when your “why” is not strong enough 25:16

What to do to make sure this is the year your resolutions stick 37:08

Why establishing rituals work so well to help you achieve your goals 41:04

The 4 essential components of a good ritual 46:02

Why you should be very careful about who you choose let speak into your life 58:04

Links

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life: How a Growth Mindset Leads You to Your Ideal Future (TPS171)

Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All

Mind Food: How to Become More Creative and Successful by Watching What You “Eat” (TPS170)

The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months

Happy New Year: Why Labour Day Has Become My New Year’s Day

The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals

Sam Carpenter

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

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Ever find yourself with time to work on your important project but you don't still don't get anything done because you just don't have the energy to work on it? In this episode, Brooks and Mike explain why energy management (and not time management) is the key to taking massive action on your goals. We explore the power of gratitude, showing you how a simple mindset shift can help you become happier AND more productive. We talk about why living your life according to the old saying that “life is a marathon” is actually a very bad idea if you want to achieve your goals, teach you the mindset you should be developing instead, and share some of our best tips for staying positive. If you're ready to go beyond basic time management and start making serious progress towards your ideal future, this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

Why you are always going to get more done by tackling your most important tasks (MITs) at the beginning of the day 1:30

What Mike has learned by implementing the ritual of morning pages 6:56

Why energy management (and not time management) is the real key to success 9:19

Why life is not a marathon and this is actually a very dangerous idea 12:44

How downtime is essential and actually productive 16:05

Explanation of the energy quadrant and what zone you want to be spending your time in 21:26

Why it’s hard to thrive in that survival zone and the how it can quickly translate into burnout 27:21

How to get into the state of sprinting and then recovering 33:15

How practicing gratitude can help you stay in a positive mood and be more productive 35:40

Why meditation can help you be more effective and how it helps you stay positive 40:40

Accountability and its power of making you more productive 44:20

Examples of gratitude we can have in our lives 50:32

Links

What time do top CEOs wake up?

Overlap: A simple strategy for closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be w/ Sean McCabe (TPS163)

Timing app

The Artist's Way

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life: How a Growth Mindset Leads You to Your Ideal Future (TPS171)

The Power of Full Engagement

Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day

The AE Holiday Gift Guide (TPS173)

30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer

Calm

Headspace

Meditation Studio

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Simple systems are all around us, and being able to influence these systems is important in order to attain both personal and professional success. There’s a saying that you are where you are today because of the choices that you made yesterday. But if you don’t like the results that you’re getting, we have good news for you - YOU have the ability to create the positive change you want. All you need to do is tweak the system.

In this episode, Brooks and Mike talk about how everything in life is the result of simple systems mechanics, share how these simple systems are vital to working effectively (and not just efficiently), and why they are the real key to achieving your goals. All you need to do to change your future is make the right adjustments to your systems, and in this episode we’ll help you identify the systems that need attention in your own life by sharing 6 characteristics of a good system, show you how to develop a systems mindset and achieve the results you’re looking for, and give you some quick tips you use to start making those 1% improvements that will take you to your ideal future.

Cheat Sheet

What is a system anyway? 2:15

The 3 key parts of any system 4:40

Six characteristics of a good system 9:18

Why a system should always give you predictable results, and how to change it if it doesn’t 18:15

Thinking like a geek: how to always be on the lookout for improvements to your systems 23:21

How to create habits and rituals to manipulate your systems for greater success 28:00

1% improvements that leverage the compound effect to get you to your ideal future 34:42

Why "eating your frog" is so important to your success 36:39

Why you need to get better sleep 44:45

How movement is an important habit, and why meditation and gratitude can transform your habits 53:22

Saying "no" even when there is free space on your calendar 59:36

Additional resources to help you develop a systems mindset 1:05:46

Links

Video Interview with Sam Carpenter of Work the System

6 Characteristics of Good Systems

Work the System: The Simple Mechanics of Making More and Working Less

Think Like a Geek Image

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Mind Food: How to Become More Creative and Successful by Watching What You “Eat” (TPS170)

Overlap: A simple strategy for closing the gap between where you are and where you want to be w/ Sean McCabe (TPS163)

Sleep Cycle

Flux

Headspace

The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do To Get More of It

AE NeuYear calendar 

The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months

The Systems Mindset: Managing the Machinery of Your Life

The Compound Effect

The Art of Exceptional Living

1% Better Video

The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM)

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

2 Second Lean

The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer

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It’s time for another edition of the Asian Efficiency Holiday Gift Guide! If you have no idea what to get for the productivity nerd in your life (or just want a few ideas for yourself), this episode is packed with the top tools and toys that the Asian Efficiency team considers essential productivity gear. If you have trouble shopping for that special someone who always seems to have everything, this episode will give you a bunch of great ideas to help make you a holiday hero.

Special Offer (10% discount): 3 month Dojo gift subscription!

Cheat Sheet

#askTPS: "My brother is a big productivity nerd and I don’t know what to get him for Christmas. Any gift ideas? - @matthewcschmitz" 1:17

Thanh’s first pick for the Holiday Gift Guide 2:26

How Brooks fixed the horrible wifi in his home 5:11

Why Mike bought a Sonos One to replace the Echo in his kitchen 7:57

How Thanh relieves stress and sleeps better with this gift (he’s had it for many years) 10:56

The suitcase that both Brooks and Mike use 14:13

Why Mike uses this specific notebook to jot things down while he’s working 18:12

What book Thanh gifts the most, and why it was also his 2014 book of the year 20:44

All the things you can do with Phillips Hue light bulbs 26:34

Thanh’s favorite board game and why you should gift it 31:52

The pants that bring Brooks happiness 36:15

Thanh's justification for picking the same gift 2 years in a row 41:43

Why Brooks uses this rugged bag that attaches to the top of his car 46:37

The travel coffee maker that Mike (the coffee snob) recommends 48:46

2017 Holiday Gift Guide

Round 1

(Thanh): Gunnar Optiks

(Brooks): eero Routers

(Mike): Sonos One

Round 2

(Thanh): MobilityWOD Supernova

(Brooks): Away Travel Carry-On

(Mike): Panobook by Studio Neat

Round 3

(Thanh): 30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer

(Brooks): The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth

(Mike): Phillips Hue White Bulb Starter Kit

Round 4

(Thanh): Carcassone board game (iOS available too)

(Brooks): Uniqlo Blocktech Warm-Lined Pants

(Mike): AirPods

Round 5

(Thanh): Fitbit Charge 2

(Brooks): Thule Interstate Cargo Bag

(Mike): Cafflano travel pour-over coffee maker

Other ideas/mentions

Mind Food: How to Become More Creative and Successful by Watching What You “Eat” (TPS170)

Chemex Ottomatic

Pandemic (board game)

Tsuro (board game)

Slow Dance

Productive Spice Rack

Oura Ring

Killer Bunnies (board game)

Kaizen foam

The AE Holiday Gift Guide (2016 Edition)

Dojo 3-month gift subscription

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In this episode, Mike talks with Dave Caolo, a writer, author, and podcaster who has a lot of experience working remotely. Dave and Mike dive deep into coffee shop productivity, talking about why it can be beneficial, addressing the specific challenges you’ll have to face, tips for finding the right shop, and what gear you’ll need once you get there. This episode has tons of tactics you can use to make your next remote work session more productive. If you frequently work outside your office or home or even if you just want some strategies to help you overcome a noisy open office environment, you'll get a lot out of this episode.

Cheat Sheet

Why you might actually want to leave your home or office to work in a coffee shop and the science behind why it can make you more productive 1:59

How working from your local library can be a cost-effective strategy for people who need to change their location 5:36

Challenges that come with leaving your home or office and working in public places 9:24

How travel time can be an advantageous to your productivity and just wasted time 12:04

Tips for finding the right coffee shop to get some serious work done 14:36

The gear that you need to work successfully from the coffee shop 20:40

How to account for outlets and charging when you go to a public place to work 26:21

Etiquette to use when you’re working from a coffee shop (don't be that guy!) 32:02

How to keep your Internet access secure when working outside a trusted network 35:55

Links

Is Noise Always Bad? Exploring the Effects of Ambient Noise on Creative Cognition

Bose QC35s

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

How to Get Things Done at Coffee Shops and Cafes Like You Would at the Office

Field Notes

Fisher Space Pen

TPS78: Live a Minimalist Luxury Lifestyle w/ Thanh Pham

Shush

Encrypt.me

Connect with Dave Caolo

@davidcaolo

52tiger.net

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Ever wonder why some people are so successful and others seem to really struggle? More than likely, it has little to do with their talent or ability and more to do with their growth mindset. In this episode, Thanh and Mike talk about the importance of developing a growth mindset and how it can translate into personal and professional success. They explain what a growth mindset looks like and how it’s different from a fixed mindset, how you can spot a growth mindset in several different areas, and share some tips about how you can change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset yourself. If you find it difficult to take action on things that you know are important but you struggle to find motivation, or you find yourself giving in to procrastination more often than you’d like, then this episode is for you.

Cheat Sheet

How today’s topic came from an #AskTPS question on Twitter 1:10

The difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset 3:23

The surprising benefits that come from having a growth mindset 9:50

What the fixed mindset does to you personally 15:12

How to tell if you might have a fixed mindset in certain areas of your life 21:15

How you can have  a growth mindset in some areas of your life while having a fixed mindset in other areas 27:59

3 quick tips to identify if a business partner, friend, or romantic partner has a growth mindset 29:30

The impact of truly mastering a skill, and why it's about how you put in the time and not just the amount of time 36:01

Examples of using a growth mindset for your relationships 44:33

Using a growth mindset for finances 51:15

The top areas where Thanh and Mike have a growth mindset 55:14

Where Thanh and Mike find themselves struggling with a fixed mindset 57:48

5 tips to change from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset 1:01:38

Why you should collect “reference experiences” in order to make yourself believe that your goals are possible 1:07:24

Dojo member Jon talks about why he joined and how he’s changed since joining 1:12:42

Links

Tim Ferriss

Mind Food: How to Become More Creative and Successful by Watching What You “Eat” (TPS170)

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

How to Take Massive Action on Your Goals by Implementing the 12 Week Year Effectively (TPS138)

Tony Robbins

Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think

Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, PocketCast or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure. You can also leave a review! Here's how.

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!