The Blog
There’s hundreds of hours of hacks, tips, and lessons to share. Here Brian’s sharing them one topic at a time.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Lao Tzu
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Most Recent
Most people are asking the wrong question about AI. "Will AI take my job?" keeps you in a defensive crouch, waiting for bad news. The better question is: "What parts of my work are easiest to replace, and what can I do right now to become more valuable?"
That shift matters more than you think. AI isn't just eliminating work. It's reshaping it. The World Economic Forum expects major job disruption by 2030, but also a large number of new roles created in the process. The real issue isn't whether work continues. It's whether your value keeps rising as the work changes.
Being busy isn't the same as being productive — it's the difference between making actual progress and just marching in a performative "Productivity Parade." In this deeper dive, I break down the cognitive mistakes that leave you exhausted but unaccomplished, why your current to-do list guarantees overwhelm, and the simple 4-step framework that helps you separate the noise from the work that actually matters.
First TimE Here? some popular Posts…
Social media isn’t just stealing your time — it’s draining your focus and fueling your stress. In this deeper dive sparked by my conversation with focus expert Penny Zenker, I break down the hidden productivity costs of scrolling, what the research says, and how you can reclaim your attention without quitting cold turkey.
I’ve been pushing myself to try a new habit. Anytime I need to type one sentence or more, I talk to my computer or device instead of typing. It is so hard to break this habit after so many years of typing!
“You mean you’re talking to your devices? All the time?”
Yep! I talk to my phone, even out in public. I talk to my computer at home. I talk to my computer at work. I do it as much as possible. So. Freaking. Cool! It must be hilarious to be around me while I am working. I’m just taaaaaalking away with no one around.
“Alright, but HOW MUCH faster is it? Why isn’t everyone doing it?”
What if the emails in your inbox were definitely the important ones?
What if you could automatically divert more than half of your interesting but not important emails to another folder?
I’ve implemented 2 email rules in my work email inbox that have done just that.
“There just aren’t enough hours in a day!”
Ever find yourself thinking that? Have you spent hours working on something, only to realize “That took me SOO LONG.” I’ve had those same thoughts at my job: “Wow, did I really just spend 40 minutes crafting the language in that email?” or “I just spent hours on this report that no one is going to read!”
What if we could actually assign a dollar value to that time?
By Topic
Create More Time In Your Life
I haven’t done my own laundry since 2014. Not because I can’t do my own laundry though.
If you experiment with my time value calculator you can see a starting estimate of what your personal time is worth. For me, when thinking about opportunities like this around the house, I value my time at $35 per hour…
I started trying other wash-and-fold services. My perception was that the cost of sending the laundry through a separate service was going to be too high. This isn’t necessarily true though.
I’ve been pushing myself to try a new habit. Anytime I need to type one sentence or more, I talk to my computer or device instead of typing. It is so hard to break this habit after so many years of typing!
“You mean you’re talking to your devices? All the time?”
Yep! I talk to my phone, even out in public. I talk to my computer at home. I talk to my computer at work. I do it as much as possible. So. Freaking. Cool! It must be hilarious to be around me while I am working. I’m just taaaaaalking away with no one around.
“Alright, but HOW MUCH faster is it? Why isn’t everyone doing it?”
Is this type of back and forth familiar to you?
“Hey can you meet next week?”
“Sure what time works good for you?”
“How about Wednesday afternoon?”
“No I’m busy then, what about Thursday?”
“No, I’ve got multiple events going on that day. Any other times work for you?”
And on and on….
This is such a waste of both party’s time sending all this back and forth, and waiting for the replies. Technology and software have eliminated the need for this, so now start using them and changing these habits to get your time back!
Did you know you could get alcohol delivered? People tend to spend hours running errands. When it comes to buying alcohol, for instance, it takes an average person about 20 minutes or more. Often times this goes up depending on travel time to the store, finding what you’re and the time you have to wait in a queue, if there’s any.
It’s a good thing that e-commerce has reached the alcohol industry, and it’s actually thriving. This industry is expected to grow more in the next few years. Have you ever had your alcohol delivered? What are you waiting for? Avoid these random trips to the store to satisfy your cravings, get your alcoholic beverages delivered!
The average American spends on average 10 – 15 hours per week on tasks like doing laundry, picking up the dry cleaning or grocery shopping. And of course, this in addition to their regular “40” hour a week career, and this is frequently even more! This is more than just about work/life balance; it’s about taking back your time!
Let’s just zero in on those grocery store trips, for example. How much do your grocery visits cost? Let’s put a number to it…
Email Management, Hacks, Tactics
Is this type of back and forth familiar to you?
“Hey can you meet next week?”
“Sure what time works good for you?”
“How about Wednesday afternoon?”
“No I’m busy then, what about Thursday?”
“No, I’ve got multiple events going on that day. Any other times work for you?”
And on and on….
This is such a waste of both party’s time sending all this back and forth, and waiting for the replies. Technology and software have eliminated the need for this, so now start using them and changing these habits to get your time back!
What if the emails in your inbox were definitely the important ones?
What if you could automatically divert more than half of your interesting but not important emails to another folder?
I’ve implemented 2 email rules in my work email inbox that have done just that.
It's that conundrum: It's an email notifying you of something important, but it came in at the wrong time. You can’t do anything with it now, you need it later. Yep, you can do that. Examples like:
Your boss says they’ll take care of your issue by next Tuesday at the latest, you need to follow up Wednesday afternoon if you haven’t heard anything.
Your bill is due in 2 weeks, but you don’t get paid until next week, so you need to remember to get back to it once you have the money.
The aunt/uncle is going in for a medical procedure the end of next week, you want to be a good family member and send them a text or note the day before.
How on earth will you remember these at the right times? Do you have a system for remembering? Will it likely get lost in your inbox somewhere? Snooze the emails so they come back at the right time to remind you…
It’s time for a new habit around email.
The habit of checking our email and refreshing over and over throughout the day is common to many who use email for work. When it dings, lights up, or pops up…it pulls your attention away. It may be for a split second just to read the notification, or you might end up clicking into it and taking care of it right then.
You need to stop checking your inbox constantly, rapid switching in and out of your email decreases your productivity.
You are the supreme ruler over your email inbox! You GOT this!
It happens to everyone, being swamped with a full inbox after a holiday trip, a busy day of back-to-back meetings and they pile up, or you ignored it for a week, and now it looks like a mountain of email. If you get emails a lot, this experience must be overwhelming.
If you want to clean out your email inbox and keep it under control, it starts with two concepts…
Social Media - Handle It So It Doesn’t Handle You
Social media isn’t just stealing your time — it’s draining your focus and fueling your stress. In this deeper dive sparked by my conversation with focus expert Penny Zenker, I break down the hidden productivity costs of scrolling, what the research says, and how you can reclaim your attention without quitting cold turkey.
“Share your biggest time waster or time suck,” is the first activity we do in my workshop on the value of your time. “Social media” is the most common answer…by a landslide. Do you get that feeling too? Is it a struggle for you as well? If so, you’re not alone.
How much time do you spend on social media?
It’s time to get specific, how much time do you spend on social media? These days your phone will tell you. Do it right now.
So…let’s set some time limits for you, right now….
The good news is, technology and apps are being developed to help you keep social media under control.
Here are some of the apps and tech hacks you can use to help rein it in.
“Wait, I just spent 45 minutes on Facebook? Instragram?”
For many, social media has become a habit, and the longer they stick with that habit, the harder it is to break. For some, it becomes an unhealthy addiction or an unfortunate obsession. Are you a constant social media checker? In your leisure time at home? At work? On school breaks? While in line at the grocery store? While eating? While in the bathroom?
So what can you do? Here’s life hacks to get you started!
All Blog Posts, Searchable
You know what you should be doing. You've read the books, listened to the podcasts, maybe even built the system. And yet, some version of a bad productivity habit is still hanging around.
That's not a knowledge problem. And that's exactly what makes it so frustrating.
A recent conversation I had with resilience researcher Courtney Clark, whose latest research surveyed over 1,000 working Americans, cracked this open for me. Her finding: 98% of people believe in adaptability. 64% won't actually change course when the data says they should. And when she asked people what they'd do if they were more than halfway through the year but less than halfway to their goal, the most common answer was: keep doing the same thing, just work harder.
That's grit. And in that moment, grit is the problem.
The gap between knowing and doing isn't a quirk. It's a psychological pattern. And the "never give up" mindset that made most of us successful is often the exact thing keeping us stuck. Here's what the research says about why, and more importantly, what to actually do about it.
Most people are asking the wrong question about AI. "Will AI take my job?" keeps you in a defensive crouch, waiting for bad news. The better question is: "What parts of my work are easiest to replace, and what can I do right now to become more valuable?"
That shift matters more than you think. AI isn't just eliminating work. It's reshaping it. The World Economic Forum expects major job disruption by 2030, but also a large number of new roles created in the process. The real issue isn't whether work continues. It's whether your value keeps rising as the work changes.
Being busy isn't the same as being productive — it's the difference between making actual progress and just marching in a performative "Productivity Parade." In this deeper dive, I break down the cognitive mistakes that leave you exhausted but unaccomplished, why your current to-do list guarantees overwhelm, and the simple 4-step framework that helps you separate the noise from the work that actually matters.
Weekly planning isn’t just about being organized — it’s the difference between feeling in control and spending your week reacting. In this deeper dive sparked by my conversation with productivity coach Demir Bentley, I break down the weekly planning mistakes that silently wreck your productivity, why most plans fail by midweek, and the simple 30-minute system that helps your plan survive reality.
Social media isn’t just stealing your time — it’s draining your focus and fueling your stress. In this deeper dive sparked by my conversation with focus expert Penny Zenker, I break down the hidden productivity costs of scrolling, what the research says, and how you can reclaim your attention without quitting cold turkey.
The Problem Is Clear: Manager behavior is the primary driver of employee turnover in modern organizations. The research consistently shows that 57% of employees leave jobs specifically because of their boss, while 82% would consider quitting due to poor management. When "toxic work environment" ranks as the #1 reason people quit—a condition directly tied to management practices—the solution becomes clear.
The Solution: Seven specific behavioral changes, each backed by multiple research studies, that measurably improve employee retention. This isn't theory—it's a proven framework based on data from over 100,000 employees across multiple industries.
Career coach Kendall Berg learned the hard way: "Everyone wants you on their team because you're efficient, and nobody likes working with you." This brutal feedback revealed why high performers get stuck—the workplace isn't a meritocracy, and working harder isn't enough for promotion.
Digital clutter is silently wrecking your productivity. In this deep dive inspired by my conversation with digital organization expert Judith Guertin, I break down the hidden costs of disorganized files, scattered tools, and endless app switching. Backed by research from Pew, Asana, and Stanford, you’ll learn why your brain struggles to focus—and exactly how to create a simpler, more resilient digital system. From naming conventions to backup strategies to using AI responsibly, here’s your roadmap to a digital life that’s organized, stress-free, and future-proof.
We don’t just fall behind because of deadlines or distractions—sometimes, it’s the quiet voice in our head telling us we’re not enough. Inspired by my conversation with Rachel Druckenmiller, this post explores how hidden beliefs and self-talk quietly wreck productivity—and how to rewrite the story. Learn how identity, self-awareness, and small actions can help you reclaim focus, confidence, and momentum.
Most teams and relationships don’t fail because of big mistakes—they stall because people avoid the real conversations. Inspired by my interview with Jess Pettitt, this post dives into why “conversations that matter” are the secret to trust, progress, and real results. Learn what makes these talks so powerful, how to actually have them (without all the drama), and why leaning into discomfort is the shortcut to success—at work and at home.
Tired of missed messages, too many meetings, or not knowing if your Slack ping is urgent? A communication protocol might be the fix your team needs. In this post, inspired by my interview with team effectiveness coach Theresa M. Ward, I break down what a communication protocol is, why it matters, and exactly how to create one that cuts confusion, boosts productivity, and keeps your team in sync—without adding more red tape.
I haven’t done my own laundry since 2014. Not because I can’t do my own laundry though.
If you experiment with my time value calculator you can see a starting estimate of what your personal time is worth. For me, when thinking about opportunities like this around the house, I value my time at $35 per hour…
I started trying other wash-and-fold services. My perception was that the cost of sending the laundry through a separate service was going to be too high. This isn’t necessarily true though.
I’ve been pushing myself to try a new habit. Anytime I need to type one sentence or more, I talk to my computer or device instead of typing. It is so hard to break this habit after so many years of typing!
“You mean you’re talking to your devices? All the time?”
Yep! I talk to my phone, even out in public. I talk to my computer at home. I talk to my computer at work. I do it as much as possible. So. Freaking. Cool! It must be hilarious to be around me while I am working. I’m just taaaaaalking away with no one around.
“Alright, but HOW MUCH faster is it? Why isn’t everyone doing it?”
Do you forget things in the morning sometimes? Forget to shave? Forget mascara or another piece of your makeup routine? Leave that important paper you needed? Forget your computer? Forget to take your pills? Ever stood at the front door racking your brain before you leave thinking, “What am I forgetting?”
After all of that, do you find you’re starting your day already feeling a little mentally drained?
I decided to implement in my morning routines some of the visual management tactics I use at work in LEAN Six Sigma, and combine them with the concept of a checklist, inspired by a book that was a productivity game changer for me, Checklist Manifesto.
So what changed?
I used to do this frequently. I used to be mentally tired even as I started my day. I thought it was lack of sleep, but it turns out, a simple adjustment changed all that.
Your Time Is Worth Something, Let’s Incorporate That.
This calculator helps frame that discussion and provides a recommendation to consider in two main types of decisions.
1) Situations where you’re choosing your time vs. your money, such as:
2) Situations where you’re choosing to give your time, often in exchange for something, such as:
Give it a try, shoot me a note, and let me know what you think!
“Share your biggest time waster or time suck,” is the first activity we do in my workshop on the value of your time. “Social media” is the most common answer…by a landslide. Do you get that feeling too? Is it a struggle for you as well? If so, you’re not alone.
How much time do you spend on social media?
It’s time to get specific, how much time do you spend on social media? These days your phone will tell you. Do it right now.
So…let’s set some time limits for you, right now….
Going paperless, might sound daunting, but it’s not as bad as you might think. It’s easily within your grasp, and you can even do it for free. I’ve been paperless for years, and have found some tactics that really work. I’ve had friends try this approach successfully too, so I wanted to share it with you in case you’re interested.
What’s the benefit to going paperless?
Here’s a few…
Okay, how can you go paperless for free?
So many usernames and passwords to remember! Research by Digital Guardian found the average person in the US has more than 130 account with logins. For you and I, it might be significantly more than that. I just checked, and for me I have over 500. If you’re not already doing so, use a password manager app to save your mental bandwidth - it manages all of your account passwords and other confidential information. Also, you’ll be saving time with every login because the app can automatically fill in your username and password, no matter which device you’re on.
Lists can be your savior! Let’s talk about how. Ever been in these situations?
Your partner looks at you and says “Where shall we go out to eat tonight?” You look back at them, drawing a blank, just shrug your shoulders, “I don’t know, where do you want to go?”
You find out school is cancelled for the day, the kids run to you saying “Yay, no school today! What are we gonna do?!”
These lists are not actions-to-take as much as they’re ideas-to-remember.
Here’s a bunch of lists people have found helpful.
This pandemic has caused the closure of businesses and events, resulting in people being forced to stop working or do it from home. Are you one of those affected? With all this time on your hands, what are you doing with it?
Looking back on this Corona Virus break, will you be proud of what you accomplished?
Did you just sit around? Watch a lot of shows? Or did you accomplish something you can be proud of? Don’t let this time be a waste! You have so many opportunities right now! It’s still your time, and you still get to choose how you spend it!
Here’s some free ideas. You can start right now…
Commuting! It’s one of the most common examples people mention as something they “waste time” doing. The longer the commute, the higher the likelihood:
1) you won’t exercise as often or as intensely as you should,
2) you’ll grab quicker/unhealthier food instead of preparing something healthy or making smart choices, and
3) you won’t sleep as much as you should or need.
Eliminating your commute isn’t an option. How could you improve it? Make it more productive? Here are a bunch of ideas for you to consider:
To-do lists can be daunting. Do you feel like you’re getting anywhere with them? Do you feel overwhelmed when you look at yours?
Here’s some tactics and best practices which may help!
-Categorize Your Lists…
Is this type of back and forth familiar to you?
“Hey can you meet next week?”
“Sure what time works good for you?”
“How about Wednesday afternoon?”
“No I’m busy then, what about Thursday?”
“No, I’ve got multiple events going on that day. Any other times work for you?”
And on and on….
This is such a waste of both party’s time sending all this back and forth, and waiting for the replies. Technology and software have eliminated the need for this, so now start using them and changing these habits to get your time back!
What if the emails in your inbox were definitely the important ones?
What if you could automatically divert more than half of your interesting but not important emails to another folder?
I’ve implemented 2 email rules in my work email inbox that have done just that.
It's that conundrum: It's an email notifying you of something important, but it came in at the wrong time. You can’t do anything with it now, you need it later. Yep, you can do that. Examples like:
Your boss says they’ll take care of your issue by next Tuesday at the latest, you need to follow up Wednesday afternoon if you haven’t heard anything.
Your bill is due in 2 weeks, but you don’t get paid until next week, so you need to remember to get back to it once you have the money.
The aunt/uncle is going in for a medical procedure the end of next week, you want to be a good family member and send them a text or note the day before.
How on earth will you remember these at the right times? Do you have a system for remembering? Will it likely get lost in your inbox somewhere? Snooze the emails so they come back at the right time to remind you…
It’s time for a new habit around email.
The habit of checking our email and refreshing over and over throughout the day is common to many who use email for work. When it dings, lights up, or pops up…it pulls your attention away. It may be for a split second just to read the notification, or you might end up clicking into it and taking care of it right then.
You need to stop checking your inbox constantly, rapid switching in and out of your email decreases your productivity.
You are the supreme ruler over your email inbox! You GOT this!
It happens to everyone, being swamped with a full inbox after a holiday trip, a busy day of back-to-back meetings and they pile up, or you ignored it for a week, and now it looks like a mountain of email. If you get emails a lot, this experience must be overwhelming.
If you want to clean out your email inbox and keep it under control, it starts with two concepts…
Did you know you could get alcohol delivered? People tend to spend hours running errands. When it comes to buying alcohol, for instance, it takes an average person about 20 minutes or more. Often times this goes up depending on travel time to the store, finding what you’re and the time you have to wait in a queue, if there’s any.
It’s a good thing that e-commerce has reached the alcohol industry, and it’s actually thriving. This industry is expected to grow more in the next few years. Have you ever had your alcohol delivered? What are you waiting for? Avoid these random trips to the store to satisfy your cravings, get your alcoholic beverages delivered!
The average American spends on average 10 – 15 hours per week on tasks like doing laundry, picking up the dry cleaning or grocery shopping. And of course, this in addition to their regular “40” hour a week career, and this is frequently even more! This is more than just about work/life balance; it’s about taking back your time!
Let’s just zero in on those grocery store trips, for example. How much do your grocery visits cost? Let’s put a number to it…
Ever been behind, and wish you could get “in the zone” to really crank up your productivity? With the right kind of music, you may see a huge difference!
With a work day requiring so much from us, it’s frustrating how often we get distracted. Even with the knowledge that we have a lot to accomplish, or the pressure of a deadline, the distractions continuously pull you away, keeping you from accomplishing what you want to during the day…
The good news is, technology and apps are being developed to help you keep social media under control.
Here are some of the apps and tech hacks you can use to help rein it in.
“Wait, I just spent 45 minutes on Facebook? Instragram?”
For many, social media has become a habit, and the longer they stick with that habit, the harder it is to break. For some, it becomes an unhealthy addiction or an unfortunate obsession. Are you a constant social media checker? In your leisure time at home? At work? On school breaks? While in line at the grocery store? While eating? While in the bathroom?
So what can you do? Here’s life hacks to get you started!
“There just aren’t enough hours in a day!”
Ever find yourself thinking that? Have you spent hours working on something, only to realize “That took me SOO LONG.” I’ve had those same thoughts at my job: “Wow, did I really just spend 40 minutes crafting the language in that email?” or “I just spent hours on this report that no one is going to read!”
What if we could actually assign a dollar value to that time?
Hey there, I’m Brian. I’ve been doing personal development, organizational change, training and development, and productivity improvement work since 2006. The About page is pretty brief, so I want to share a little more of the story on who I am, and where Productivity Gladiator came from.
You know what you should be doing. You've read the books, listened to the podcasts, maybe even built the system. And yet, some version of a bad productivity habit is still hanging around.
That's not a knowledge problem. And that's exactly what makes it so frustrating.
A recent conversation I had with resilience researcher Courtney Clark, whose latest research surveyed over 1,000 working Americans, cracked this open for me. Her finding: 98% of people believe in adaptability. 64% won't actually change course when the data says they should. And when she asked people what they'd do if they were more than halfway through the year but less than halfway to their goal, the most common answer was: keep doing the same thing, just work harder.
That's grit. And in that moment, grit is the problem.
The gap between knowing and doing isn't a quirk. It's a psychological pattern. And the "never give up" mindset that made most of us successful is often the exact thing keeping us stuck. Here's what the research says about why, and more importantly, what to actually do about it.