Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life
by Erik Fisher · 608 episodes
BusinessEducationSelf Improvement
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.
Latest episodes
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48 min
Optimism: Why It’s a Behavior, Not a Mood with Michelle Gielan
Optimism isn't a mood you're born with, and it isn't a mindset you can summon on command. It's a set of habits you practice, especially on the hard days. That's the case Michelle G…
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60 min
Focus, Sleep, and Stress: The 90-Minute Method Behind Better Work with Christian Poensgen
Focus, sleep, and stress all run on the same 90-minute cycle — and Dr. Christian Poensgen argues that's where productivity that lasts actually begins. He's a scientist turned execu…
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48 min
Simplicity: Confront, Delete, Amplify — Getting 50% More Done with 50% Less with Roy Schwartz
Simplicity and decision fatigue are the focus of this conversation with Roy Schwartz, co-founder and president of Axios.Roy Schwartz co-founded Axios and Axios HQ after helping bui…
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54 min
Marriage Communication: Rules and Tools That Actually Work with Jackie Kelley
Marriage communication looks different when both partners are neurodivergent — so Jackie Kelley and her husband built their own rules from scratch.Jackie Kelley is a neurodivergent…
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46 min
Work-Life Balance for Working Parents: What You Can Let Drop with Sarah Armstrong
Work-life balance and boundaries are at the center of this conversation with Sarah Armstrong, author of The Art of the Juggling Act.Sarah Armstrong is the head of Global Marketing…
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56 min
Goal Setting: Why Your Values Decide What You Finish with Chris Bailey
Goal setting, intentional living, and following through are at the center of this conversation with Chris Bailey, productivity author and co-host of the Intentional AI podcast.Chri…
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56 min
Creativity and Play: A Fuller Life Beyond Productivity with Rachael Renae
Creativity, play, and intentional living are at the center of this conversation with Rachael Renae, artist and author of Prioritize Play.Rachael Renae is an artist, workshop facili…
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58 min
Self-Awareness: The Birkman Method and Working With How You're Wired with Lisa Marker-Robbins
Self-awareness, mindset, and personal productivity are at the center of this conversation with Lisa Marker-Robbins, a Master Certified Birkman Method coach — one of the roughly 3%…
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47 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 schoo…
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52 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…
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54 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…
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47 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,…
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46 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 s…
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47 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 Flouris…
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37 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 k…
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26 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 resea…
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49 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 intenti…
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44 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…
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21 min
Productivity Without Burnout: Executing with Agency Instead of Illusion of Control
Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevi…
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58 min
Productivity A to Z 2025: Letters N Through Z with Mike Vardy
I’m excited to welcome Mike Vardy back to Beyond The To-Do List for one of our ongoing traditions: Productivity A-Z!This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation — and we split it acro…