Beyond The To-do List

For more than a decade, Erik Fisher has sat down with productivity experts, authors, creatives as they share their insights on how to implement productivity strategies in both your professional and personal life. People like… Everybody Loves Raymond and Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil Creator Phil Rosenthal on creativity, family, food, and travel.  Productivity expert David Allen on Getting Things Done  Whole 30 founder Melissa Urban on Setting Boundaries To Save Relationships   Our goal is to help you gain perspective, practical knowledge, and productivity insights for living a whole life that goes Beyond The To Do List. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I’m excited to re-release this conversation with Gretchen Rubin. At the time of this original recording Gretchen was promoting her then new book The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better. I recently interviewed Gretchen again for a forthcoming book and that conversation will be released soon. However, speaking to her reminded me of how insightful and helpful this talk was. In the Four Tendencies, Gretchen breaks down setting and meeting inner and outer expectations and creating good habits to have greater happiness. I really enjoyed this talk and wanted to share it with everyone in the event that you missed it the first time and get you excited for our new conversation that I will be posting in the coming weeks.  Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. In addition to writing Gretchen also has a very popular podcast, ‘Ha

This week I was really encouraged by my conversation with Jason Feifer. Jason is the the Editor In Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine and author of the new book, Build for Tomorrow: An Action Plan for Embracing Change, Adapting Fast, and Future-Proofing Your Career. If we want to admit it or not, these past few years have been a time of serious change and in this conversation Jason reveals how the ability to cope with and adapt to change is the number one trait that he has observed in successful business leaders, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.  Through his research and experience interviewing and interacting with countless business leaders coupled with observations that he and his colleagues made in the lead-up and unfolding of the pandemic, Build For Tomorrow captures the principles and realities of change and how the fear of change can both inhibit our growth and stifle our present. Jason unpacks his four phases of change and illustrates how, similar to the phases of grief, change can be paralyzing and emo

This week I was excited to welcome Marc Champagne to the show to discuss his new book, Personal Socrates: Questions That Will Upgrade Your Life from Legends & World-Class Performers. I connected with Marc through Joey Cofone from Baron Fig who you might recall was a guest on the show back in October of 2022. Baron Fig is the design house behind a host of beautifully and ergonomically designed notebooks, journals, pens, and other analog productivity tools that I use daily. In this conversation it immediately became clear how Marc’s background in mental fitness and strategy was a logical outgrowth of the work that Joey and his team at Baron Fig encapsulate, making him a perfect fit to release his book under the wing of Baron Fig Publishing. In this chat we explore Marc’s inspiration for modernizing and exploring the Socratic Method and how this ancient system of questioning is perhaps more relevant today than ever.  In this episode we also explore questions about stimulating your mental fitness and how to direc

This week I was happy to welcome Kris Ward back to the show for a wide ranging discussion on everything from time management to the importance of forming the right team to scale your business. Kris is always great to have on the podcast and this discussion was a kind of followup talk to her first appearance where we discussed her book, Win The Hour, Win the Day. In this episode we dive even deeper into that book’s principles while discussing a host of topics on everything from systems and processes to dealing with growth in your business. This was a great chat that has a little of everything for anyone interested in maximizing their efficiency during the workday and beyond.  Kris Ward is the founder of Win The Hour, Win the Day, a platform and Amazon best-selling book, that helps entrepreneurs to systematically grow their business and enjoy a personal life too. After the loss of her husband, Kris returned full-time to the marketing & branding agency she had founded years earlier, only to find her business wa

This week I was encouraged to welcome Carlos Whittaker to the show for an honest and compassionate talk about his latest book, How to Human: Three Ways to Share Life Beyond What Distracts, Divides, and Disconnects Us. Carlos is an author, podcaster, and global speaker who I’ve had the privilege of learning from in live settings and through his podcast Human Hope with Carlos Whittaker.  In How to Human, Carlos offers a fresh vision for becoming the best versions of ourselves. We can refuse to let disagreements define us. We can say no to becoming upset, rage-filled humans and say yes to fuller, happier lives. It begins as we make the shift from “me” to “we” to “everybody” in a three-part journey to be human, see fellow humans, and free those around us. This conversation was a real inspiration for me as Carlos and I unpacked the themes and messages of his book. Carlos reminds listeners that it's more powerful to not stand on issues, but to walk with people. That journey of discovering the true value of relation

This week I was excited to connect with Kieran Setiya about his newest book, Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way. Kieran teaches philosophy at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) working mainly in ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. In addition to his latest book Kieran is the author of Practical Knowledge, Reasons without Rationalism, and Knowing Right From Wrong. In this conversation we discuss the reality that life can be hard and there is no cure for the human condition: But Kieran believes philosophy can help. In this chat he offers us a map for navigating rough terrain, from personal trauma to injustice along with navigating grief and the overall mission of living with one another. This was truly a great conversation about how the pragmatics of productivity share the common goals of philosophy which is living a good life not only for ourselves but alongside others. Connect With Kieran:  Website: www.ksetiya.net Twitter: https://twitter.com/KieranSetiya Book: L

This week I was excited to welcome Chris Clews to the show for a more laid back chat and pop cultural conversation about what 80s movies can teach us about leadership, our workplace, and even ourselves. Chris is an author and keynote speaker whose latest book is, Raised on the 80s: 30+ Unexpected Life Lessons from the Movies and Music That Defined Pop Culture's Most Excellent Decade. In this conversation Chris and I discuss such 80s classics as, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Field of Dreams, and more. Chris brings a fun approach towards learning from these classic films and I really enjoyed both reminiscing about when I first encountered each movie while also hearing Chris discuss some of the more profound life and leadership lessons that are hiding just under the surface of these beloved classics. Follow Chris:  Website: chrisclews.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/chris.clews Instagram: www.instagram.com/chrisclews80s/ Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/chrisclews/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/80sp

This week I’m joined by my friend Jeff Sieh of Social Media News Live to talk through the top productivity books for 2023. With the new year well underway I wanted to take the time to compile and curate a list of my favorite productivity books of the past year and share them with listeners. In this episode Jeff and I break down my list and share some of the many tips and takeaways that these books have given us. In addition Jeff and I discuss some of the highlights from the various authors' appearances on the show while offering up opinions on how each book benefits the different aspects of our productivity.  All books in the list below are available for purchase at: BeyondTheToDoList.com/books The Daily Creative: Find Your Inspiration to Spark Creative Energy and Fight Burnout by Todd Henry The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur: 366 Daily Meditations to Feed Your Soul and Grow Your Business by John Jantsch The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by Allison Fallon

This week I was excited to welcome back to the show, Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt-Miller. Michael Hyatt is the founder and chairman of Full Focus. He has scaled multiple companies, including a $250M publishing company with over 750 employees and his own award-winning goal achievement and coaching company, Full Focus. Through his coaching program for small business owners, BusinessAccelerator®, and the bestselling Full Focus Planner, Michael has helped hundreds of thousands of achievers reach their biggest goals. He is also the author of several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including Platform, Living Forward, Your Best Year Ever, Free to Focus, The Vision Driven Leader, and Win at Work & Succeed at Life. Michael enjoys The Double Win with his wife of 40+ years, five daughters, and ten grandchildren. Megan Hyatt Miller is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Full Focus and the co-host of the popular Business Accelerator® podcast. As the chief executive of Full F

This week I'm excited to share my conversation with Chris Bailey. Chris has been a guest on the show a number of times, and in this episode he unpacks the origins, research, and results of his new book, How to Calm Your Mind: Finding Presence and Productivity in Anxious Times.  This was a really timely conversation for me and I suspect it will be for you as well. Chris and I discuss the events that led up to him writing this book while exploring a number of techniques, and tips for finding presence and calm that he developed and practiced along that journey. We discuss digital fasting, the advantages of analog items for productivity, and how slowing down your lifestyle can often lead to speeding up your efficiency! Chris Bailey is a productivity expert, and the bestselling author of two books about productivity: Hyperfocus https://amzn.to/3iGCsCF, and The Productivity Project https://amzn.to/3CP2dHT. Chris writes about productivity at https://chrisbailey.com, and speaks to organizations around the globe on ho

This week I was excited to welcome my old friend Matt McWilliams to the show to discuss his new book, Turn Your Passions into Profits: The Proven Path for Building a Rewarding Online Business. Matt is a successful entrepreneur and in-demand online business coach who specializes in helping entrepreneurs gain clarity on the exact steps it takes to start, grow, and monetize their online platform.  So many entrepreneurs either run a profitable business but hate their work or run a business they love, with a message they’re proud of, without making any money. There’s a better way to build a business, one that helps you wake up every day excited and full of purpose and make a profit. In this conversation Matt outlines the details on how to find and attract your audience, build a following, and ultimately how to monetize your venture quickly and sustainably. Matt shares a variety of stories from clients and entrepreneurs he has worked with through the years while illustrating how to build up the confidence necessary

This week I'm excited to re-share an episode I recorded almost two years ago with Ryan McRae. Ryan has had ADHD all of his life, but he wasn’t going to let it slow him down. He has worked hard to figure out how to take all the benefits and cancel out all the drawbacks of this condition that many people only associate with young people yet affects millions of adults as well. Ryan has been on the show previously to talk about ADHD, but in this conversation he and Erik talk about Setting resolutions and sticking to them. With the new year upon us many people are either setting or recommitting to resolutions for 2023. Though this practice is by no means unhealthy or unproductive, the act of setting resolutions can at times be demoralizing, resulting in more harm than good. In this hour Ryan and Erik talk about the power of setting realistic resolutions and how having grace and patience with yourself along the road of resolutions can result in more long-term and sustainable practices that will go far beyond 2023. 

In this episode I'm excited to re-release a conversation I had with Greg Mckeown. Greg is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less'. His latest book is 'Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most'. In addition to writing Greg is also the host of the 'What's Essential Podcast'. In this conversation, Greg talks about what essentialism is and making the most essential activities the easiest ones, so you can achieve the results you want, without burning out. We talk about turning tedious tasks into enjoyable rituals, setting a sustainable pace instead of having to power through and easy setting up of one time choices that eliminate many future decisions, simplifying processes, removing unnecessary steps, making relationships easier to maintain and manage. This is all under that umbrella of effortless making things that matter most easier to do and this is a great conversation and a great book to kick start that process in your life. In addition to discuss

This week I’m thrilled to re-release this episode with Allison Fallon. Allison is an award winning author, sought after public speaker, and nationally recognized writing coach. She has coached hundreds of thousands of writers - from NYT Bestselling authors to total beginners to help them finally get their books written and on shelves. Her most recent book The Power of Writing Things Down walks anyone - even those who swear they aren't "real" writers - through a simple daily practice they can use to reduce anxiety, curb depression, improve their confidence and gain clarity in their life. Grab the first chapter free here. I wanted to bring this episode back out and top of mind moving forward into the new year because even though I don’t particularly subscribe to the idea of doing New Years Resolutions, I do believe in making progress and have been thinking about goals I want to push forward next year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I was excited to welcome Dr. Cassie Holmes to the show to discuss her new book, Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most. Cassie is a professor of marketing and behavioral decision making at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and is a renowned expert in the field of time and its correlation to happiness.  In this conversation Cassie guides listeners through a variety of insights and exercises she’s shared with MBA students in her wildly popular UCLA course. Dr. Holmes unpacks concepts such as time poverty, what it is, why it’s damaging, how it’s subjective, and ways you can quickly increase your time affluence. We discuss how the use of time tracking can easily and quickly guide those suffering from time poverty to a more fruitful, fulfilling and happier pace of life. In addition to sharing techniques and research that she has discovered while writing the book, Cassie also reveals some of the psychology and behavioral science that can lead to the so

This week I'm excited to reshare with you a conversation I had with Megan Hyatt Miller. Megan is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Full Focus, previously known as Michael Hyatt & Company, and the co-host of the popular business podcast, Lead to Win. She's the oldest daughter of Michael Hyatt, whose name you'll recognize because he's been on this show a number of times. I wanted to reshare this conversation because I've been thinking about it a lot lately for two reasons: She and Michael are coming back on the show in January to talk about their new book: Mind Your Mindset: The Science That Shows Success Starts with Your Thinking I've been thinking a lot lately on the topic of this conversation which is all about their previously co-authored book: 'Win at Work & Succeed At Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself From the Cult of Overwork' In this conversation we talk about the five principles that help you rethink work and productivity from the ground up so that you can achieve what they call the Dou

This week I'm excited to share an episode of Social Media News Live in which my friend Jeff Seih interviewed yours truly about the process and productivity mindset for podcasting. I guess you could say these topics fall within the perfect venn diagram of two of my biggest interests. In this episode Jeff and I discuss a wide array of topics and hurdles that face anyone looking to start a podcast either for their professional career or simply as a hobby.  Topics include recruiting and working with guests, how much time per week you should spend on your podcast, how to set up and manage scheduling, and the importance of working with an editor. In addition to laying out many of the things I’ve learned in my ten years of hosting Beyond the To-Do List, Jeff and I also discuss some of the advice I would have given myself when I was just getting started! Jeff Sieh is an international speaker and visual marketing consultant, specializing in Pinterest, visual marketing, and video. He hosts the Social Media News Live sh

This week I was excited to welcome Heather Adams to the show to discuss the many facets and benefits of both mentorship and becoming a mentor. Heather is the founder and CEO of Choice Media and Communications and host of the top-ranked podcast, Make Me Known. As a mentor too many Heather’s experience and passion for elevating the women around her has inspired her to take women under her wing and usher them into the next phase of their careers.  Through one-on-one conversations and group settings, Heather relies on her experience, having played an instrumental role in launching more than 100 New York Times bestsellers and securing clients' coverage in a host of national and international media outlets.  In this conversation we talk about the value of both finding a mentor and the rewarding experience of being one. In addition we discuss some of the barriers that prevent people from seeking out mentorship and talk through some of the ways that virtual mentorship is connecting people to both coaching and informa

This week I was privileged to welcome Michelle Segar to the show to discuss her new book The Joy Choice: How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise. Michelle is a researcher at The University of Michigan who studies sustainable behavior change and the science of habits. In this conversation Michelle unpacks the science behind our choices and explains how thinking around behavior change has often made the mistake of an all or nothing approach to changing our habits and lifestyle. The Joy Choice offers a fresh, brain-based solution that turns the old behavior-change paradigm on its head. This groundbreaking book liberates you from the self-defeating obligations and rigid requirements of past diet and workout regimens and reveals what emerging research suggests really drives the consistent choices that power sustainable change. Michelle Segar, PhD is an award-winning lifestyle coach and sustainable behavior change researcher at the University of Michigan. For nearly three decades, she has pion