The Productivity Lab

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The world is full of advice, tools, and methods of helping you live a productive and intentional life, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. That's where the we at the productivity lab come in. Join Kyle & Mark every episode as they put the tips, tricks,

Austin, TX


    • Feb 22, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 47m AVG DURATION
    • 70 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Productivity Lab

    On Hiatus

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 1:47


    Productivity Lab is going on hiatus. Kyle and Mark are taking a much needed break for some rest, relaxation, and to focus on other life projects. As with all, things can get very hectic, so you have to remember when to take some time away for yourself. Productivity isn't about […]

    Theme System Journal

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2022 42:24


    Do you like journals? You know we do! In this episode, we will be taking a look at the Theme System Journal from Cortex. We talk about themes, so how does this work? Dive into this episode to find out what Kyle and Mark think about the journal and how […]

    Long Breaks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2022 36:09


    Coming off a holiday break, the duo talks about long breaks. What is a long break for you? A week? Two weeks? Maybe three months? We all need them, but we don't all get them. Join Kyle and Mark as they discuss what long breaks mean to them and how […]

    2022 Yearly Themes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2022 47:48


    Another year another round of themes complete. Themes are an important framework for us here at The Productivity Lab. Unlike resolutions, a theme is more flexible and functions more as a guiding star than a solid goal. Themes, unlike resolutions, are (nearly) impenetrable to failure which is why we love […]

    Deep Work Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2021 64:30


    It's finally here! Often discussed, finally reviewed: Deep Work by Cal Newport. Deep Work is “the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.” In this episode, Kyle and Mark dive into a “deep” discussion about the purpose of the book, its philosophies and strategies. Is “Deep Work” […]

    How We Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2021 58:02


    Planning is essential for getting stuff done, some would say it's just as important as doing. In this episode, Kyle & Mark share their current systems for planning, from the tools they use to their planning philosophies. From Todoist to Trello, from daily planning to year-long projects, learn how the […]

    Readwise Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2021 38:27


    Often talked about, never reviewed, Kyle and Mark bring the Readwise App into the lab for a review. Do you love reading? Are you a writer? A researcher? A lover of saving all things written? This app may be just for you. Join us as we discuss the app and […]

    Kyleban Boards

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 47:42


    Welcome to our first exclusive episode of The Productivity Lab where we draw inspiration not from the web or books, but from each other. As mentioned in the Our (Strange) Habits episode Kyle has a rather unique approach to managing his projects. By combining the rotating priority board mentioned in […]

    Morning Pages Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2021 48:13


    How about writing three full pages every morning after you wake up? In this episode, Kyle and Mark review the practice of writing morning pages, a practice started by author Julia Cameron. Will Kyle actually hand write his morning pages every morning? Will emptying their mind ready them for the […]

    The Practice Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 61:28


    What sets the professional from the amateur? How does one go from being a novice to being an expert? How can you make sure you're giving it your all? These are the questions Seth Godin poses in his book The Practice: Shipping Creative Work. In the book, Seth talks about […]

    Our (Strange) Habits

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 67:17


    The spiritual successor to our lost episode: The Quantified Self. In this episode, Kyle and Mark discuss some of their productivity habits that they are a bit obsessed about and that may be a bit strange to all of you ... even us! Get into this discussion to about our strange habits. All of this and more in this episode of The Productivity Lab!

    Daybooks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2021 30:38


    In our recent review of Refuse to Choose by Barbra Sher we got interested in a concept brought up a lot throughout the book: the daybook. The daybook, aka the scanner daybook, is a system of capturing and exploring ideas as they come to you. Have a book idea? Write […]

    Rebroadcast: Scary Fast Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2021 57:25


    This is a rebroadcast of Episode 30: Scary Fast Book Review. Today we take a turn from the best sellers list and take a deep dive into the self publishing scene within our work of productivity. In this episode Kyle & Mark review Scary Fast, a little known book by […]

    Two Years of Experiments

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2021 63:22


    In this episode, we take a look back at the last year of experiments and book reviews. From the app Exist to Refuse to Choose! we rank our top three favorite habits and books and take a look at the habits we didn't necessarily enjoy. It's been a fun two […]

    Refuse to Choose Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2021 66:36


    Do you want to learn and do everything? Do you find it hard to choose one thing to start? Do you feel like a failure because you never complete a project? You're not alone! Author Barbara Sher promises to help us achieve everything we want to do. Can she do it? Find out in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Dice & Doing

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2021 26:12


    Sometimes our todo list can be overwhelming with too many things of equal importance on it all at once. How do you stop such madness from consuming you? In this episode of The Productivity Lab we test out one method for sorting our todo list know as Dice & Doing. […]

    Distraction Free Workspaces

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 45:33


    Sometimes it can feel like it's impossible to get anything done, the world is just so full of distractions and now more than ever it's possible to distract ourselves with social media, video streaming services, and messaging apps. In this episode of The Productivity Lab Kyle and Mark decide to […]

    Distraction Logging

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2021 28:25


    What where we doing, oh, right! Continuing with challenges from the Productivity Project book, Kyle and Mark start tracking their distractions. What did they learn? What distracted them the most? Find out in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Maintenance Days

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2021 45:08


    The Routinery App helps you create and manage your routines with guided task completion, task timer, and routine reminders. Does the app do what it claims? Does it help you build a routine? Kyle and Mark put the Routinery app to the test; find out their results in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    The Productivity Project Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2021 60:46


    Three years ago Kyle picked up a book that caught his eye, and little did he know at the time would lead to the creation of this very podcast you're listening to right now. The that would lead to the genesis of this very show was The Productivity Project by […]

    Routinery App Review

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021 46:26


    The Routinery App helps you create and manage your routines with guided task completion, task timer, and routine reminders. Does the app do what it claims? Does it help you build a routine? Kyle and Mark put the Routinery app to the test; find out their results in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Burnout

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2021 43:29


    Burnout is the silent killer of productivity. It sneaks up on you like a snake in the dark, and then when it's through with you it leaves you mentally and physically exhausted, unable to fend for yourself. That's why it's best to keep an eye out for the signs before […]

    Analog by Ugmonk Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2021 47:21


    Like the infamous Paper Only episode, Mark and Kyle jump back into the world of analog productivity with Analog by Ugmonk! Kyle, the digital loving productivist, and Mark, the paper loving planner, takes the Analog kit for work-day test to see how the system works for me. Did Mark find a new paper love? Will Kyle ditch digital for his to-do's? What did they think about the Analog productivity kit? Find out in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    The Resistance List

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 44:45


    Sometimes it doesn't matter just how productive you are there will always be those tasks that you just don't want to do. Whether it be running to the store to pick up groceries, or planning for a meeting, there are just tasks that our brains do not want to do, […]

    Algorithms To Live By Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2021 46:07


    Algorithms to Live By from authors Ben Christian and Tom Griffiths, looks at how to apply computer algorithms, such as caching, sorting, or scheduling to your everyday life. In this episode, Kyle and Mark attempt to wrap their heads around the proposed algorithms. Find out what they thought and more in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Different Work Stations

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2021 42:55


    Back in the olden days of pre-COVID it was easier for one to separate where one works, relaxes, and sleeps, but in a post-COVID world, those separations have grown harder to distinguish between. From working at your dining room table to working out in your living room, the spaces where […]

    Zettelkasten

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2021 53:11


    In this episode, Kyle and Mark discuss their methods and results in utilizing this new found way of taking notes. Find out in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Stoic Week

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 43:41


    The world can seem large and chaotic sometimes. Every day we are bombarded with news about events we can't control in locations far from us. This can result in anxiety and hopelessness, especially during times of crisis like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But what if we told you that that […]

    Don’t Break the Chain

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2021 41:55


    Don't. Break. The Chain! How long can you go in building a streak, a habit, or in completing a daily goal with no breaks in-between? In this episode, Kyle and Mark discuss their methods and results in following the Don't Break the Chain productivity challenge. What did they choose? Did they succeed? Find out in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    The New Corner Office Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2021 38:49


    The effect of COVID-19 upon the world was not a small one. With remote work becoming the norm overnight workplaces and workers had to adapt to the new challenges of getting stuff done in their own homes. Now that we've ten months into the pandemic remote work has become even […]

    2021 Yearly Themes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2020 74:05


    In time for the new year, Kyle and Mark reflect on their 2020 themes and establish themes for the coming year. Themes are different from resolutions, where resolutions notoriously fail, themes propose a different approach: they provide a filter to make all your decisions through. A theme allows you to […]

    Magic Mind

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2020 57:12


    What if there was a drink out there that just by the simple act of drinking it could magically make you more productive and focused? And no we're not talking about coffee. Well, the folks over at Magic Mind sure think they've cracked the code, going as far as calling […]

    Time Blocking

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2020 52:55


    In this episode, Kyle and Mark discuss Time Blocking, what works for them, how they do it and what they've learned. All this and more in this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Decaf

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 37:04


    The modern world is built upon caffeine, from a Starbucks on every corner to a coffeemaker in every office, everything around us can be attributed to busy bodies like you and I consuming the sweat sweat caffeine to make us more alert, more awake, and more focused. But what if […]

    Grit Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2020 46:06


    It isn't talent that makes people successful. It's Grit. What is it? And do you have it?

    Ivy Lee Method

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 36:22


    Sometimes our task lists can be overwhelming and you don't know just where to draw the line. There are many different task triage systems out there from the Eisenhower Matrix to the Rule of 3, in this episode Kyle and Mark put to the test the Ivy Lee Method a […]

    The Kanban Method

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2020 66:24


    In this episode, Kyle & Mark put The Kanban Method to the test. See what they think on this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Technical Difficulties

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2020 1:21


    Unfortunately today's episode has been lost to time. Kyle's audio file is corrupted and any attempts to recover it have failed so far. We hope to return to the topic of the quantified self again in the future, but for the time being please stand by until our next episode […]

    Exist App Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2020 46:36


    In this episode, Kyle & Mark put the Exist App to work. Does this app help us review and track things that could be affecting our productivity? See what they think on this episode of The Productivity Lab.

    Scary Fast Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2020 68:12


    Today we take a turn from the best sellers list and take a deep dive into the self publishing scene within our work of productivity. In this episode Kyle & Mark review Scary Fast, a little known book by Canadian-American author Brian Michael Stegner. The book promises that the methods […]

    One Year of Experiments

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2020 54:20


    In this episode, Kyle & Mark look back on all the challenges they completed in the lab and rank their favorites and least favorites. Dive into the discussion to see what their thoughts are. Resources and Fun Stuff: NaNoWriMo Camp NaNoWriMo ApexThis Podcast Plan with Me vid by Mark Standing […]

    The Natural Alarm Clock

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 50:43


    Ever feel tired and groggy in the morning? Are you looking for ways to improve your focus and creativity? Or do you just want to have a better sense of well being throughout the day? Well do we have a challenge for you! In this episode of The Productivity Lab […]

    Working Vacation

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 49:39


    There comes a time when your side-projects and task lists grow and grow until you're unable to focus on your work. Enter the “working vacation”. Kyle and Mark have been fortunate to use their vacation time to recharge from work and focus on their side projects and health. In this […]

    Brain.FM

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2020 35:22


    The post iPod world is no stranger to hand crafted playlist to help you focus. Any productivity nerd out there has a go to album, soundtrack or playlist they'll use to get down to business. From unintrusive ambient music to lo-fi hip-hip beats we all know what will help us […]

    Ultralearning Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2020 83:26


    In the time of this global pandemic, many are finding themselves looking to improve existing skills or cultivate new ones. But how do you learn quickly and apply these new skills? Enter Ultralearning by Scott Young where we are promised that we can future-proof our careers by learning. In Ultralearning, […]

    Bulletproof Coffee

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2020 47:04


    What if I told you that just by tweaking your coffee a little bit you could improve your focus, increase your energy levels, get healthier and lose weight? According to the official Bulletproof Coffee, just by adding a little bit of butter and some coconut oil you can gain all […]

    20/20/20 Rule

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2020 35:40


    We continue our “Work from Home” series to try out the 20/20/20 rule. With this rule, Kyle and Mark must work for 20 minutes, then take a 20 second break by walking 20 feet away from their workspace. Has Kyle's experience changed with this rule? Has this made Mark love […]

    Working From Home

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2020 55:33


    These have been unusual times, it seems that over night we have had to upend our routines habits as a means to help flatten the curve. Many offices have required their employees to work from home including the very offices our hosts Kyle and Mark work at. In this episode […]

    Digital Minimalism

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2020 53:44


    We've read the book on Digital Minimalism, now we put it into practice. While Kyle & Mark don't go for the full digital detox, we find and identify our existing digital uses and see how we can be intentional with our digital tools. What did Kyle & Mark seek to […]

    Digital Minimalism Book Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 69:56


    Join us in this episode of The Productivity Lab for our review of Cal Newport's latest book, Digital Minimalism. In the book Newport pitches the idea of digital minimalism, which is the practice of not overbearing yourself with tech and apps, and using the tech in your life wisely. Kyle […]

    Under Desk Bike

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2020 35:22


    In this episode, Kyle & Mark put their legs to work by turning their workstation into a bike? See how peddling throughout their work day impacts their productivity in this episode of The Productivity Lab. Resources and Fun Stuff: Exercise Peddler League of Women Voters Habit Hub This Guy Edits […]

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