Decision fatigue is real, and it is quietly draining your best thinking before you ever get to the choices that matter. 

Your brain does not know the difference between deciding what to eat for breakfast and deciding whether to change careers. Every choice draws from the same limited well of mental energy, and that is the idea at the center of this episode: decision fatigue, and the batching practice that protects you from it.

In this episode, Chris LeBrun shares exactly how he has automated the small stuff in his own life:

• The same breakfast, every single morning, for years
• Weekend meal prepping so lunch never becomes a daily decision
• A two-outfit Friday rule (#FlannelFriday and #FloralFriday)
• Batching content and social media creation into one focused session

Then Chris turns to a decision most people never batch or even track: how you take care of yourself. Using the sleep, water, and productivity tracker inside the Wholistic Productivity Planner, he explains why self-care is not a break from productivity, it is the foundation of it, and shares a personal story about choosing a family movie night over checking another box during a stressful season.

This episode is hosted by Chris LeBrun, host of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, helping you achieve your goals in every area of life so you can dream big, plan smart, and live fully.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:31 Making Everyday Decisions
02:08 Decision Fatigue
02:52 Batching Decisions
04:24 #FlannelFriday
05:10 Making Batch Decisions Part of your Process
06:08 Batching Self-Care
06:27 Making Important Connections
08:00 Why Self-Care Matters
10:29 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

Do you know your top values, or do you just know the words for them? There's a real difference between the values you believe in and the values you actually operate from — and most of us are much better at the first one than the second.

If you've ever felt busy without feeling aligned, or organized without feeling fulfilled, this episode will help you tell the difference between a decorative plan and one that's actually working for you.

In this episode:

• Why chasing a goal without knowing the value underneath it leads to a "very efficient path to nowhere"
• Chris's personal story about the four-day work week he didn't know he valued until he lost it
• How to reverse-engineer your goals to find the values actually driving them
• Why a plan that isn't serving a purpose is just "steps on a page"
• The difference between a plan that adapts and a plan that becomes sacred
• Why you don't need a ten-step master plan — just your purpose and the next best step

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:14 Understanding Values and Their Impact
02:32 The Importance of Aligning Goals with Values
04:59 Putting Your Values To Work
05:49 The Problem With Plans
07:48 Not Sure How To Start?
09:31 Building a Plan
10:37 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

You already know what you need to do. What you might be missing is an equally clear list of what you need to stop.

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris dives into one of the most underutilized productivity tools: the not-to-do list. Learn how to identify the habits, patterns, and expectations that are actively working against your goals.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between a to-do list and a not-to-do list (and why you need both)
• How to draw clear boundaries with yourself
• The surprising connection between perfectionism and being stuck
• A powerful story about letting go that will shift your perspective
• One actionable challenge to loosen your grip this week

When we think about what's keeping us from our goals, we usually look outward. But the biggest barriers we face are often the ones we're holding onto ourselves. Discover how letting go can be the breakthrough you've been waiting for.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:23 The Not-To-Do List
02:07 Going Beyond Productivity
04:17 Understanding The Why
05:15 Creating Your Not-To-Do List
05:59 What's Keeping You From Your Goals
07:24 What I'm Holding On To
08:28 The Story of the Vase
09:45 Holding On To What's Holding Us Back
11:29 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

Failure doesn't mean you're doing something wrong—it means you're gathering information.

In this episode, Chris reframes how we think about missed goals, underperforming projects, and incomplete attempts. Instead of seeing them as verdicts on your capability, learn to extract the data they offer.

Through his experience analyzing nonprofit fundraising appeals and a recent weekend learning digital ham radio, Chris shows how celebrating incremental progress—even when you haven't reached your destination—is where real growth happens.

Key Takeaways:

• Why treating failure like a verdict closes the door on growth
• How to reframe a miss as data instead of a setback
• The difference between progress and completion (and why it matters)
• Why half-finished attempts are actually part of the process

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:14 Learning from Failure
01:16 Data is Your Friend
02:57 What Growth Looks Like
05:11 Progress is Not Failure
07:42 Embracing the Process of Goal Achievement
09:55 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

Welcome to the Wholistic Productivity Podcast! In this episode, Chris sits down with Chanelle Wimbish, clinical research professional and disability advocate who has transformed her lived experience into a mission of accessibility and purpose.

For 17 years, Chanelle has been living with a spinal cord injury and using a wheelchair—but she hasn't let that stop her from mountain biking, kayaking, traveling, or pursuing a rich, full life. During their conversation, Chanelle shares:

• How her lifelong mindset of determination shaped her after her injury
• Why adaptation is the biggest skill she's learned living on wheels
• The importance of community and support systems
• Her advocacy for better accessibility in public spaces (she serves on the board of Patapsco Valley State Park)
• Her new children's book Bradley's Big Question, which she coauthored with her husband—a story about how curiosity and kindness turn confusion into connection

Show Links

• Buy Chanelle's book Bradley's Big Question 
• Learn about adaptive opportunities at Patapsco Valley State Park 
• Connect with Chanelle on LinkedIn 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction 
02:57 Living Life Without Limits
06:13 Adapting to Life on Wheels
10:28 The Power of Community
12:18 Balancing Family, Advocacy, and Career
15:52 The Importance of Accessibility
18:39 Understanding the Challenges of Parking
21:25 Confronting Accessibility Issues
24:37 Inspiration Behind the Book
27:47 The Journey to Publication
30:16 The Emotional Achieving Your Dream
32:44 Future Aspirations
34:02 Advice for Rebuilding and Support
35:25 Chasing Big Dreams
38:26 The Questions

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

Small wins compound. But what about invisible progress?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris dives into the gap between consistency and visible results. Using personal examples from trail running (he's training for the Ragnar Appalachian Relay in August) and over 25 years in nonprofit fundraising, Chris shares how to maintain consistency when the evidence of progress is nowhere to be found.

You'll learn:

• Why small, consistent actions compound into disproportionate results
• How to redefine success when your metrics don't show the real progress
• Three concrete ways to keep showing up when you can't see the wins
• Why trust in the process isn't blind—it's informed

This episode bridges two powerful principles: the effects of compounding and the mindset required to believe in invisible progress.

Chapters

00:00 The Problem with Big Goals
02:35 The Power of Small Steps
05:02 Building Consistency for Big Goals
05:46 When Progress Feels Invisible
08:37 Plateaus  in Every Area of Life
09:52 Redefining Success in Training and Life
11:25 Trusting the Process of Consistency
12:34 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

What if the journaling practice you've been avoiding only takes one sentence?

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris makes the case for the smallest possible version of a journaling habit — and why that's actually the version that sticks. He shares how pairing it with gratitude gives you a starting point every single day, even the ones that feel completely unremarkable.

But finding the time is its own challenge. Chris also walks through how a well-designed weekly routine can protect space for the things that matter — not just your work, but your workouts, your family, and yes, your one sentence.

Small habits. Intentional schedules. Big results.

🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Subscribe so you never miss one.

Links

Sign up for the weekly Wholistic Productivity Newsletter https://wholprod.link/newsletter

Chapters

00:00 The Power of One Sentence Journaling
02:30 Gratitude and Journaling
04:14 Journaling Tips
06:24 Why You Need A Routine
07:38 Building A Weekly Routine
10:24 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

When you fall behind, what's your first instinct? For most people, it's to work more. Stay later, get up earlier, push through the weekend. But in most cases, falling behind isn't a time problem. It's a focus problem. And adding more hours to a focus problem doesn't help you accomplish more, it just gives you more time to be unfocused in.

In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, Chris LeBrun shares a story from his own career about a meeting culture that completely swallowed his workday and what happened when leadership finally addressed the right problem instead of just the symptoms. Then, a Foo Fighters song on a trail run sparks a bigger question: are you actually getting the best of yourself, or are the people and obligations around you getting it all while you run on empty?

Self-care isn't selfish. It's the foundation. And this episode is a reminder to stop rescuing rest and renewal from the scraps of your week and start treating them as the priority they are.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 More Hours
01:19 Meeting Culture Gone Wild
03:36 Fixing the Right Problem
05:10 The Unlikely Question
06:22 Facing the Music
07:15 Self-Care: The Key to Giving Your Best
08:52 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

Your calendar doesn’t lie. But a packed schedule and an empty one can both be working against you in ways you might not expect. In this episode of the Wholistic Productivity Podcast, host Chris LeBrun breaks down two ideas that will change how you think about your time.

First: why a wide-open calendar isn’t freedom — and the simple shift that turns a chaotic to-do list into a schedule that actually reflects your life.

Second: zero-based scheduling. Borrowed from the accounting world, it’s a framework that asks every recurring meeting, standing appointment, and monthly habit to justify its place on your calendar from scratch. No automatic rollovers. No assumed commitments.

Chris draws on real experience — managing a fundraising department budget and a personal monthly commitment he eventually had to let go of — to show how this works across professional goals, personal goals, and the purpose-driven things that matter most.

Your calendar is a self-portrait. This episode helps you make sure it’s painting the right picture.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:14 Your Calendar Is a Self-Portrait
02:03 The Power of Time Blocking
03:47 Creating a Self-Portrait with Your Calendar
04:46 Zero-Based Budgeting —The Concept
07:20 Zero-Based Scheduling
08:40 Rethinking My Calendar Commitments
10:34 Zero-Based Scheduling for All Your Goals
11:33 Implementing Zero-Based Scheduling in Daily Life

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community 

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away suddenly at age 41, just six days after his final race victory. In his last interview, he said something that stopped Chris LeBrun in his tracks: "Take whatever you can get, man. You never know when the last one's gonna be. So cherish them all, trust me."

In this episode, Chris reflects on the life and legacy of Kyle Busch — not as a sports tribute, but as a masterclass in wholistic productivity. Because Kyle wasn't just the winningest driver in NASCAR history. He was a husband, a father, a mentor, and a champion of a cause close to his heart — the Bundle of Joy Fund, which has helped fund IVF treatment for families who couldn't otherwise afford it, resulting in over 100 babies born.

Kyle chased his personal and purpose-driven goals with the same intensity he brought to racing. And that, Chris argues, is exactly what it looks like to Dream Big. Plan Smart. Live Fully.

You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to get something out of this episode. You just have to have goals worth fighting for.

Show Links

Samantha and Kyle Busch The Bundle Of Joy Fund - https://wholprod.link/bundleofjoy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
03:26 Kyle's Impact on NASCAR
04:57 Kyle's Attitude
08:14 Lessons from Kyle Bush's Life and Career
11:37 Chasing Personal and Purpose-Driven Goals
18:00 Conclusion

This episode is sponsored by Efficient.app
Don't waste time searching for the best software. Let the experts at efficient.app do it for you. They have tons of "No BS" reviews on all kinds of software so you'll always get an honest recommendation. When you're ready to buy they offer discounts as well. So check them out next time you are looking for new software!

This episode is sponsored by Little Golden Shepherd
If you're looking for an all-natural remedy to manage your muscle, joint, and nerve pain, check out Little Golden Shepherd butters. Made with herbs and natural oils, LGS butters are a great natural alternative for pain. Use this link & the promo code "wholprod" to save 15% on your first order. Experience relief, naturally.

Support the show

Join the free Wholistic Productivity online community