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
