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

Hosted by Erik Fisher

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Aug 2026

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Beyond the To-Do List is a productivity podcast hosted by Erik Fisher. Each week, Erik sits down with experts, authors, and creatives to explore time management, habits, focus, deep work, work-life balance, mindset, and what it actually means to live and work well. The show has featured guests like David Allen, James Clear, Cal Newport, Gretchen Rubin, Seth Godin, and Daniel Pink — covering everything from getting things done and morning routines to burnout, procrastination, creativity, digital minimalism, goal setting, and intentional living. The premise is simple: productivity isn't the point. It's the means to a whole life. ]]>

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August 17, 202646 min

Mindset: Why Fixing Your Habits Won't Fix Your Self-Trust with Lester Clowes

Self-trust and identity are at the center of this conversation with Lester Clowes, executive coach and author of Stop Lying to Yourself . Lester Clowes spent a decade running a school system before building a coaching practice around the exact motivational content he used to be hooked on himself. His new book, Stop Lying to Yourself , examines the quiet lies capable, organized people tell themselves right up until nothing changes. In this conversation, we cover: Promise debt : How years of small broken commitments to yourself compound into a negative balance — and why that balance, not your system, is usually the real problem. Act as if, not fake it till you make it : The difference between performing someone else's identity and architecting your own, and why one has an off-ramp and the other doesn't. Self-trust vs. self-reputation : Why the feeling and the record are two different things — and why feelings always snap back to match the record, no matter how good the pep talk was. The desert : The unglamorous middle phase between enthusiasm and momentum where most people quit, and why learning to act independent of your feelings is the whole game. Seasons, not sweeping change : How naming what season you're in — and giving it a boundary — restores the agency that an over-engineered system can't. If you've built the system and you're still, four years later, the same person — just better at being busy — this conversation is for you. It pairs well with Erik's solo episode on agency versus the illusion of control if you want the fuller framework behind why control was never really the goal. Connect with Lester: defytheaverage.com Connect with Erik: LinkedIn Threads Facebook Bluesky This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist: http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 6, 202652 min

Burnout: Why Thought Load, Not Workload, Is Draining You with Liane Davey

Burnout, energy management, and decision fatigue are at the center of this conversation with Liane Davey, organizational psychologist and the "teamwork doctor." Liane Davey is a New York Times bestselling author and CEO advisor with 25+ years researching what makes teams work. Her latest book, Thoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work , argues the number we've been tracking wrong all along isn't workload — it's the mental and emotional weight underneath it. She previously joined the show to talk conflict; this time she's back with the framework underneath the exhaustion itself. In this conversation, we cover: The Thought Load Equation : cognitive demands plus emotional burden, divided by your energy reserves — and why managers can see your workload but not this. AI and the Hidden Cost : why offloading tasks to AI hasn't lightened the load — it's shifted the hard part to judgment and discernment, and added new anxieties of its own. Output vs. Outcomes : the trap of chasing productivity (did I produce?) instead of effectiveness (did I move the needle?) — and why AI makes this trap worse, not better. Three To-Do Lists, Not One : Liane's system for separating your quest, helping others, and side quests — and matching each to the right hours of your day. Emotions Aren't the Problem, the Story Is : the "dragon and treasure" framework for catching an emotional spiral before it becomes a 2 a.m. spiral, plus why rest alone doesn't cure burnout. This one's for anyone who's done everything the productivity playbook told them to do and still feels like they're drowning. Liane's central point lands right at this show's: winning back your thinking time and energy isn't the finish line — it's what lets you show up for the rest of your life. Get the book and take the free thought load assessment at thoughtload.com . Related episode: Ep 261 — Conflict: Productive Conflict and How to Make Disagreement Work for You — Liane's first appearance on the show, on fighting well at work. Connect with Liane Davey: LinkedIn Website Thoughtload Assessment This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

August 3, 202653 min

Creativity: How Rest, Wonder, and AI Redefine Productivity with Natalie Nixon

Creativity, rest, and mindset are at the center of this conversation with Natalie Nixon, author of The Creativity Leap and Move, Think, Rest . Natalie Nixon has spent two decades as a creativity strategist advising Fortune 500 companies on innovation strategy — work she calls being a "creative whisperer to the C-Suite." She's the founder of Figure 8 Thinking, and her two books make one connected argument: creativity means toggling between wonder and rigor, and rest isn't procrastination — it's fuel for better thinking. In this conversation, we cover: Rest that looks like nothing: Why Natalie assumed her best thinking — staring out the window, taking a slow walk — was procrastination, and what finally convinced her it wasn't. Wonder and rigor, not "creative types": The real definition of creativity as a toggle everyone already uses, and why "I'm not a creative person" misses the point entirely. The 90-second daydream break: The neuroscience of the default mode network, and how a short, timed pause can unstick a problem that's had you stuck for hours. What her father taught her about rest: A weekly Saturday ritual that was equal parts self-care and discipline — and why the work still got done anyway. Flourishing over productive: Why the right question about AI isn't "how does this make us more productive," but "how does this help us flourish." If your calendar rewards constant output and treats stillness like a red flag, this one's for you. Connect with Natalie: Figure 8 Thinking Connect with Erik: LinkedIn Threads Facebook Bluesky This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist: http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 27, 202647 min

Energy Management: What Johnny Carson Knew About Saying No with Mark Malkoff

Energy management, decision making, and knowing when to walk away are at the center of this conversation with Mark Malkoff, author of Love Johnny Carson . Mark Malkoff is a comedian, filmmaker, and interviewer who spent eight years and nearly 400 interviews building The Carson Podcast . That work became his first book, Love Johnny Carson , written with biographer David Ritz and a USA Today bestseller. He's back on the show fourteen years after his first appearance — back when he was the guy making viral creative stunt videos. In this conversation, we cover: Guarding your energy: Why Carson stayed alone all day and showed up minutes before showtime — treating energy as the one thing worth protecting — and what that means for anyone who has to perform without burning out. Saying no to protect the work: He turned down film roles and refused to chase trends, because staying number one meant declining almost everything that wasn't the show. Making other people look good: Carson's rule was that the guest gets the laugh, and the same instinct drove how fiercely he protected and publicly thanked his staff. The cost nobody edits out: An honest look at the reviews he couldn't let go of, the drinking, and four marriages — and why Mark won't hold Carson up as a life to copy wholesale. Walking away, and the power of asking: Why Carson left at the top to go actually live, plus Mark's own craft — the long game, the homework, and the curiosity behind nearly 400 impossible interviews. If you make things — if you write, record, build, or perform — this one's for you. Carson is that rare figure who's both a model and a cautionary tale, and the line Mark keeps returning to is the one worth carrying out the door: follow the curiosity, and don't mistake the work for the point of the work. Grab Love Johnny Carson wherever you buy books, and start on The Carson Podcast for the interviews underneath it. Connect with Mark: Website The Carson Podcast Connect with Erik: LinkedIn Threads Facebook Bluesky This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist: http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

July 6, 202645 min

Time Management: Trading Time Scarcity for Abundance with Laura Vanderkam

Time management and time abundance are at the center of this conversation with Laura Vanderkam , bestselling author and time-use researcher. Laura Vanderkam has spent over a decade studying how people actually spend their time — tracking her own hours for 11 years and collecting data from thousands of others along the way. Her new book, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance , makes the case that time isn't the scarce resource we assume it is, and that shifting how you see it changes how you live it. In this conversation, we cover: The lottery ticket reframe — why Laura argues we should treat the time we've been given as an unearned windfall to manage, not a resource we're constantly running out of. The "not actually more overworked" argument — what a century of time-use data really shows, and why the story you tell yourself about having no time matters more than the data itself. Complexity isn't the enemy, chaos is — Laura's circus metaphor for running a full, complicated life without it feeling like it's running you. Dream big, plan small — how reading War and Peace one short chapter a day (the same time it takes to brush your teeth) is the model for tackling anything that feels too big to start. Active patience — Laura opens up about a brutal year of chronic pain and the hardest lesson in the book: sometimes the answer isn't a better system, it's time itself doing its work. This one's for anyone who's ever ended a Tuesday feeling like the whole evening just disappeared. Grab Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance wherever books are sold, and find more of Laura's work — including her podcast, Before Breakfast — at lauravanderkam.com . Connect with Erik: LinkedIn Threads Facebook Bluesky This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month Descript Descript 101 Castmagic Ecamm Podpage Rodecaster Pro Grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist: http://beyondthetodolist.com/blinkist See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

June 3, 202646 min

Team Habits: How Small Actions Create Better Teams and Better Work with Charlie Gilkey

I’m excited to revisit this conversation with Charlie Gilkey on his book, Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results . Charlie is the founder of Productive Flourishing, a company that helps professional creatives, leaders, and changemakers take meaningful action on work that matters. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on productivity, planning, strategy, and leadership, and is also the author of Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done and The Small Business Life Cycle . Charlie is also an Army veteran and near-PhD in philosophy. In this conversation, we cover: The Power of Team Habits: Charlie explains why great teams aren’t built by simply adding talented people, but by developing intentional habits and systems that shape how people work together. Small Problems, Big Consequences: We discuss how seemingly minor issues inside a team can compound over time, affecting morale, communication, trust, and the overall health of the workplace. Improving Systems Instead of Blaming People: Charlie shares why leaders should focus on changing broken team dynamics and processes rather than trying to “fix” individual team members. Better Communication and Collaboration: We explore practical ways teams can improve meetings, expectations, feedback, and everyday interactions to create more productive and enjoyable work environments. Creating Humane High-Performing Teams: Charlie discusses how teams can balance excellence and accountability with empathy, understanding, and respect for the people doing the work. Charlie’s insights offer a practical roadmap for anyone looking to create healthier, more effective teams. Whether you lead a team, work within one, or are trying to improve how people collaborate around meaningful work, this conversation is packed with strategies for building better habits that lead to better outcomes. Learn more about Charlie and his work at ProductiveFlourishing.com, and check out Team Habits: How Small Actions Lead to Extraordinary Results wherever books are sold. Connect with Charlie: Better Team Habits Productive Flourishing Connect with Erik: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

May 19, 202636 min

Mentoring: What Most People Get Wrong and How to Do It Right with Claire Diaz-Ortiz

I'm excited to revisit this conversation with Claire Diaz-Ortiz discussing her book, One Minute Mentoring , co-authored with legendary leadership expert Ken Blanchard. Claire is a keynote speaker, author, and former head of social innovation at Twitter who helps individuals and organizations build more intentional, meaningful connections — and this conversation is one of the most practical we've had on the show when it comes to how relationships actually help us grow. In this conversation, we cover: Mentoring vs. Everything Else: Claire breaks down how mentoring differs from coaching, consulting, masterminds, and accountability groups — and why the holistic, mutual nature of a true mentoring partnership is what sets it apart. How to Find the Right Mentor: She walks through the practical first steps for identifying the type of mentoring relationship you need in this season of life, and why leading with essence over form is the key to getting it right. The MENTOR Formula: Claire shares the six-step framework from the book — Mission, Engagement, Networking, Trust, Opportunity, and Review — that gives any mentoring partnership a clear structure without making it feel clinical. The Mentoring Mission Statement: Why putting a simple, shared mission statement in place at the start of a mentoring relationship can save you both from the most common reason these partnerships quietly fall apart. Mentoring Moments and Low-Stakes Entry Points: For anyone not ready to commit to a full mentoring relationship, Claire offers a practical way to start small — and how those smaller moments can open the door to something much more meaningful. If you've ever wondered whether you're the type of person who should have a mentor — or whether you have what it takes to be one — this conversation will answer both questions and give you a clear next step. Learn more about Claire and her work at ClaireDiazOrtiz.com , and find One Minute Mentoring wherever books are sold. Connect with Erik: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

May 7, 202626 min

Social Media Detox: How to Take a Break from Digital Overload and Get Your Focus Back

What happens when you delete every app off your phone for 21 days? In this solo episode, Erik shares what he discovered during a Christmas break internet break — and what the research says about why so many of us feel like we can't put the phone down in the first place. In this episode, Erik covers: How We Got Here Without Deciding To: The boiled frog drift into five-to-seven hours of daily screen time wasn't a choice anyone made — it happened gradually, and the data from researcher Gloria Mark at UC Irvine shows exactly what it's cost our attention spans. It's Not Just Social Media: Email, Slack, the news app — your brain doesn't distinguish between Instagram and Outlook. The real pattern is letting an outside ping decide what you think about next, and that pattern is everywhere. The Research That Should Actually Motivate You: Studies from the University of Bath and Beth Israel found measurable reductions in anxiety, depression, and insomnia after just one week off social media — improvements that typically take months of therapy to achieve. The Five-Level Detox Ladder: From turning off notifications and going grayscale all the way to Cal Newport's 30-day deep reset protocol, Erik walks through a tiered framework so you can pick the experiment that fits your life right now. The Healthy Cadence Framework: A reset alone isn't enough — Erik lays out how to build purposeful, sustainable habits around when and why you use each channel, so you don't just slide back to baseline. If you've ever felt less busy the moment you put your phone down — or wondered what your brain might feel like with a little less noise in it — this episode is the permission slip and the practical roadmap to find out. Connect with Erik: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This Podcast is Powered By: Brain.fm - 20% off your first month ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

April 21, 202648 min

Retreat Rhythms: Monthly, Quarterly, and Annual Practices for Renewal with John Drury

I’m excited to welcome back my good friend Dr. John Drury for part two of our conversation on the rule of life and how ancient practices can help us live and work with more intention. John is a New Testament scholar, professor, and thoughtful guide when it comes to integrating spiritual rhythms into ordinary life. In this continuation, we move from the big-picture ideas we introduced in part one into the practical how-to of building rhythms that create space for rest, reflection, and renewal before burnout forces the issue. In this conversation, we cover: Monthly Desert Days: John explains the idea of a monthly “desert day” or “9 to 4 retreat,” a set-apart block of time for radical understimulation, reflection, rest, and reconnecting with what matters most. Why Understimulation Matters: We talk about why screens, noise, and constant input keep us from noticing our own lives—and how analog activities, silence, walking, journaling, and slower rhythms can help reset our attention. Expect Nothing, Expect Everything: John shares why retreat practices work best when we stop demanding breakthrough moments and instead learn to receive whatever emerges without forcing productivity out of rest. Quarterly and Annual Retreat Rhythms: We explore what longer rhythms can look like, from overnight quarterly retreats to annual time away, and how even a small amount of intentional distance can create clarity and renewal. Vacation, Visitation, and Vocation: John offers a helpful distinction between true vacation, trips to visit family, and work-related travel—showing why naming the difference can help us be more intentional with our energy and expectations. This conversation is full of practical wisdom for anyone who wants to move from admiring better rhythms to actually experimenting with them. What I appreciate most is that John doesn’t present this as a rigid formula, but as an invitation to start where you can, pay attention, and let the practice itself teach you what you need. If part one helped you rethink Sabbath and weekly rhythms, this episode helps you start building the next layer. Connect with Erik: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This Podcast is Powered By: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

April 15, 202643 min

Rule of Life: How Ancient Practices Can Transform Your Productivity and Rest with John Drury

I'm excited to revisit this conversation I had with John Drury to the show to discuss how ancient spiritual practices can reshape the way we approach productivity, rhythm, and life itself. John is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University's School of Theology and Ministry, holding an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a close personal friend of mine for over 25 years. In this conversation, we cover: Rethinking the Rule of Life: John introduces the concept of regula vitae — the rule of life — and explains why the question isn't whether you have one, but what's currently ruling yours. The Pandemic as a Mirror: We reflect on how COVID-19 disrupted our routines and created an unexpected opportunity for radical understimulation — and what we can learn from the people who actually took it. Life vs. Work-Life Balance: John challenges the very language of "work-life balance," arguing that life is your time — and work is just one part of it — never the other way around. Orienting Values and Stabilizing Practices: He walks through his hands-on framework for building a rule of life, including five orienting values and five stabilizing practices across daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms. The Sabbath as Productivity Practice: John shares how a 24-hour weekly Sabbath transformed his Fridays, redirected his procrastination, and deepened his connection with family — without a hint of legalism. If you've ever felt like your schedule is running you instead of the other way around, this conversation will give you the framework — and the permission — to start living with more intention. Learn more about John and his work at Indiana Wesleyan University, and stay tuned for part two of this conversation coming next week. Connect with Erik: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This Podcast is Powered By: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Castmagic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rodecaster Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .