Podcasts have exploded in popularity in the last couple of years. The format is straightforward and commute-friendly. Additionally, since the media can be consumed as video and audio, the content needs to be interesting enough.
Otherwise, it won’t keep the attention of its listeners. Simply put, people don’t have a long attention span nowadays.
That being said, creating a podcast takes a lot of energy.
Also, you need to have the knowledge and experience. Namely, the audience won’t lovingly accept a podcast that doesn’t actively make life easier.
It is one thing to have something playing in the background.
It is completely different to be educated and entertained while getting useful tips. Among the plethora of currently available ones, we have found the 10 best productivity podcasts.
How I Built This
NPR’s How I Built This is a productivity podcast that doesn’t focus on massive conglomerates. Moreover, the show is dedicated to successful small businesses. Owners of such businesses are the most common guests of the podcasts. Their stories don’t begin with wealth and investment opportunities. Instead, they are stories of real people facing and solving real problems.
Once they come up with a reliable solution, the guests of the show have developed their own businesses or joined famous companies in the field. That is to say, the podcast can be an inspiration and a guide to anyone looking to start and grow a small business. Entrepreneurs varying from clothing designers, creators of famous websites, and even scientists who have collaborated with NASA are just some of the guests appearing on the podcast.
If you are looking for realistic inspiration and solutions for specific problems, How I Built This can be a great podcast for you.
Habits for Action
Habits for Action is an Audible exclusive podcast. It is a part of their “Habits” series. This specific podcast is related to creating healthy habits by overcoming excuses. The host of the podcast is Dr. Tim Sharp, otherwise known as Doctor Happy. He uses his expertise as a clinical and consulting psychologist to help his listeners overcome personal hurdles preventing them from becoming the most productive version of themselves.
He tackles the ideas of excuses and poor timing, proving again and again throughout the eight half-hour episodes. In other words, you’ll be able to go through the entire podcast relatively quickly. Each episode focuses on a different aspect and obstacle to productivity. Ranging from the lack of motivation, over thinking it’s too late, or you’re too old to accomplish your goals, to making your happiness your priority, the episodes look at the psychological impact of different beliefs and responses on productivity. The series uses science and examples from real life to inspire its watchers to accomplish their goals. If you recognize that your views are preventing you from being productive, this could be a great podcast for you.
The Productive Woman
Are you a busy woman, trying to balance your personal and business obligations? The Productive Woman could be the push you need to become the most productive version of yourself. The podcast has a special focus on working mothers and helping them be the best employees they can be without losing precious family time.
The podcast’s host, Laura McClellan has gone back to college at the age of 35 and got a law degree. That is to say, she has a lot of experience in what she’s talking about. However, she isn’t the only one holding the podcast’s reins. There are also other experts, such as professional organizers. Hence, you won’t be getting a single perspective. Instead, the podcast offers professional advice.
One of the greatest characteristics of the podcast is that it doesn’t offer a single solution or method for all issues. Moreover, McClellan advises her listeners to adjust the suggested methods to fit their specific needs. She also shares her favorite productivity tools and advice and shows how they help her.
Love Your Work
David Kadavy is the host of Love Your Work, a productivity podcast aimed at entrepreneurs and creatives. The host examines positive work habits and explains how to get the most out of them. Yet, the podcast doesn’t rely on unrealistic methods. Moreover, Kadavy takes each approach and breaks it down to its basic elements. Then, he shows how anyone can apply these techniques through examples.
The techniques presented in the podcast range from organizational tips, over personal productivity, to entire strategies. The show gives advice different people with different work habits can use.
One of the podcast’s best features is that it doesn’t focus solely on work. Personal improvement, including learning, is also discussed. The host doesn’t focus only on success either. The podcast talks about the price of over-eagerness and coming to terms that you’ll have to adjust your goals.
Overall, Love Your Work focuses on exactly what its name says – learning how to love your work. This can mean implementing new productivity and time management techniques or examining your own views on work.
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferris is the author of “The 4-Hour Workweek”. This title possibly rings a bell, as the time management bestseller has been one of the most popular books in this genre for quite a while. The podcast itself is often at the top of Apple Podcasts as well. Hence, we can already assume we can learn some important lessons.
The content doesn’t disappoint, as Ferris himself has solid knowledge on the topic. However, the guests of the show are an additional factor that attracts listeners. These guests include famous politicians, businessmen, authors, athletes, etc. Neil Gaiman, Mark Zuckerberg, and Maria Sharapova are just a few names on the ever-growing list of 500+ celebrity guests.
So, you can learn about productivity and time-saving tips straight from the most successful people from all walks of life. This automatically means the advice is diverse. So, your personal industry doesn’t matter. Our own advice is to always tailor your habits so they give you the best results. On the other hand, the technical details aren’t as important, as long as you’re being more productive. That is why The Ferris Show is a great addition to our list and your life.
Getting Things Done
Getting Things Done is a productivity podcast hosted by David Allen. Allen published the eponymous productivity book back in 2001 and sold over 2 million copies. The GTD method relies on to-do lists that make sure you finish all your tasks.
Allen has created multiple tools to help list-lovers keep up with the demands of their busy schedules. These tools include online courses, apps, and physical planners. Finally, if you are a pro at the system, you can become a certified Getting Things Done coach with training.
The podcast features occasional celebrity guests who are fans of the GTD method. They discuss the ways the method has helped them and share their tips. There are also other guests, including coaches and psychologists. These guests talk about the method from their perspectives.
If you are looking for a clear example of how to implement the technique, this is the podcast for you. Namely, you’ll be able to learn from beginners and experts of the method alike.
Lastly, the podcast doesn’t only talk about business applications of the system. That is to say, you will be able to organize your personal life as well with useful tips and examples of their application.
Beyond the To-Do List
In Getting Things Done the focus is completely on to-do lists. However, Beyond the To-Do list has a different approach. Erik Fisher, the podcast’s host talks about the importance of efficiency and a holistic approach to your work. That is to say, he doesn’t base his productivity principle on breaking complex tasks down into easily achievable parts.
The podcast’s mission isn’t to help you work more efficiently, even though it is a hugely important factor. Instead, Fisher is more interested in the combination of personal and business endeavors in hope of living a more meaningful life. That is why the topics in different episodes vary.
The podcast features a variety of productivity expert guests who share their experiences with different productivity techniques. In other words, you can learn both the principles and their practical application in different situations and industries. If you are looking for tips on how to work in a way that matters, this podcast can give you an incentive and some useful and practical advice.
Eat Sleep Work Repeat
First impressions can be deceiving. The title of Bruce Daisley’s podcast can suggest the importance of constant work, or hustle culture, as it is sometimes called. In contrast, the content of the episodes is extremely scientific. The guests of the show are neuroscientists, workplace analysts, and psychologists. They all discuss the way work impacts our minds and the ways to improve our performance without endangering our physical and mental health.
The acknowledgment of toxic workplace practices is one of the podcast’s strongest suits. That is to say, the host sees the challenges of many companies’ cultures. He, therefore, wants to replace common negative practices with ones that will not be detrimental to the employees. This is where the expertise of the guests comes in. They explain different work-related misconceptions, and their effects on employees, and give positive examples of alternative ways of leading a business.
The podcast’s tagline of “happiness and work culture” explains how one is possible with the other. However, the host and the guests aren’t afraid to tackle the most popular opinions on productivity.
The 5 AM Miracle Podcast
The 5 AM Miracle Podcast by Jeff Saunders is another productivity podcast that focuses on teaching a specific system. It is a great option for people who want to implement healthy habits into their daily schedules. As the name suggests, Saunders tackles tips and tricks related to morning routines. This can be a great approach if you are motivated by a good start. The topics of this weekly podcast vary from healthy morning habits and healthy meals to self-improvement.
The host promotes a 7-step system he invented and discussed in his eponymous book. The system is shown through specific situations and can help different people improve their habits. The application of the system itself isn’t set in stone. Over 400 episodes of the podcast discuss different ways to make the best of it with attention to their circumstances.
To Conclude
Podcasts are one of the most popular entertainment formats at the moment. Yet, many discuss the topic of productivity and look for ways to create more manageable daily routines. This also means they explore the ever-important work-life balance.
Some podcasts rely on their hosts’ methods and approach to productivity. Others are working on the deconstruction of what we know as the norm. Finally, some discuss the productivity habits and tips of some of the greatest minds. However, they are not all the same when it comes to quality.
We have found the top 10 productivity podcasts currently available. They are all very different, with a variety of topics, approaches, guests, etc. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find some that can help you become more productive and enhance your overall approach to work.
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