We made it to episode 35—halfway to 70, not that it means anything… or maybe it does? In this episode, Chris and Toby take a raw, hilarious, and deeply practical look at what it really means to be “productive” in a modern knowledge economy that thrives on exhaustion and disconnection.

From cobblers and calendars to Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity, we break down:

• Why most productivity systems are lying to us
• The difference between projects and tasks, and why our brains don’t treat them differently
• The social pressure of busyness and how it feeds into the exhaustion Olympics
• The seductive appeal of working at a natural pace
• Why you should give yourself permission to do fewer things with higher quality—and how to actually do that

We also explore how to:

• Set boundaries that prioritize clarity over constant accommodation
• Shift from reactive task-juggling to intentional, project-focused work
• Stop letting other people’s urgency become your problem

This one’s for anyone who’s ever ended the day staring at a task list and wondering: Was I even productive?

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
• The “Inbox-first” trap
• The power of time blocking and the myth of urgency