Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work & Life

This week, I'm revisiting a conversation with Gillian Tietz. Given the topic and the time of year, I felt it was the perfect moment to bring this discussion back to light. Gillian is a biochemist, educator, and entrepreneur who, after struggling with alcohol moderation, found productivity and success in sobriety. She is the host of the Sober Powered Podcast and works as a biochemist in the Boston area. When she quit drinking in 2019, Gillian dedicated herself to understanding alcohol's influence on the brain and its role in addiction. In this episode, Gillian shares her personal journey of recognizing the negative impact of drinking on her productivity and confidence, and how sobriety has led to numerous accomplishments. We explore the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol, the importance of self-awareness, and the potential benefits of taking breaks from both alcohol and caffeine. Gillian also provides resources for those curious about exploring sobriety, offering insights into the benefits and challenges of the popular "Dry January" movement, which has gained significant traction among young professionals. We close the episode with reflections on personal habits and making informed decisions to build a healthier and more productive future. Make sure to check out one of our sponsors: Lingoda.com/beyond50 and use promo code 'Beyond50' Make sure to check out our sponsors to help support the show! Connect with Gillian: Website  Podcast Instagram  LinkedIn  Connect with Erik: LinkedIn  Facebook  Instagram  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was encouraged to welcome Carlos Whittaker to the show for an honest and compassionate talk about his latest book, "Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human." Carlos shares his transformative journey through living with monks and the Amish to understand different worldviews and lessen his dependency on technology. Initially struggling with the absence of his phone, Carlos learns the healing power of solitude and forms deep connections within these communities. Carlos returns with practical life skills and a new perspective on screen time, emphasizing the importance of solitude and offline activities for personal growth and deeper relationships. He also discusses his significant decrease in phone usage and how it has positively affected his life and those around him. The episode explores strategies to reduce screen addiction, the balance between online and offline connections, and the broader implications of leading a more present and engaged life. Carlos Whittaker Learns About the Genetic Predisposition to Dementia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kab34ZYfXM8 Carlos was previously on this show here: https://www.beyondthetodolist.com/carlos-whittaker-on-sharing-life-beyond-our-differences/ Connect With Carlos: Website: https://www.carloswhittaker.com Book: http://reconnectedbook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loswhit/ Connect with Erik: LinkedIn  Facebook  Instagram  ______________________________________ This Podcast is Powered By: Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Erik's Top Productivity Books List Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.  Make sure to support the show by checking out the sponsors! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was so happy to welcome Jon Acuff back to the show to discuss his newest book, 'How Teens Win: The Student's Guide to Accomplishing Big Goals' for an insightful conversation about goal-setting, parenting, and supporting teenagers. This powerful new book which Jon co-authored with his two teenage daughters is a must read for parents, educators, and mentors. Connect with Erik: LinkedIn  Facebook  Instagram  ______________________________________ This Podcast is Powered By: Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Erik's Top Productivity Books List Make sure to support the show by checking out the sponsors! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I'm excited to revisit this conversation with Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst discussing their book, Workstyle: A revolution for well being, productivity and society. They coined the term nearly a decade ago during an inspired conversation at a pub. Little did they know that that conversation would lead them to co-found the multi-million pound social enterprise Hoxby to test and prove the concept of workstyle.  Today Hoxby has helped thousands of workstylers around the world to set, project and respect their own workstyles. They have set up their own longitudinal research study into the link between autonomy, productivity and wellbeing and have delivered projects for some of the biggest businesses in the world including Unilever, Amazon, AIA, and Merck. Forbes.com have described them as 'creating the freelance revolution 3.0' and they have been featured in the FT, Times, Telegraph, Stylist, Marie Claire, Metro and The Guardian, among others. I really enjoyed this book and believe that it will start to help countless people and businesses find relief from their work conditioning, inspire them to create a workstyle for themselves, and enable them to take part in the most significant change to working practices since 1817. By giving you the complete freedom to identify and pursue a way of working which fits around the unique nature of your lifestyle, this book can teach us how to be well, work better and do great things on our own time.  Connect with Lizzie and Alex  Website Book  Lizzie’s Instagram Alex’s Instagram  Connect with Erik: Facebook  LinkedIn  Instagram Threads This Podcast is Powered By: Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Top Productivity Books List Make sure to support the show by checking out the sponsors! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices