176. Productivity Versus Distraction with Chris Bailey

Get Yourself Optimized - A podcast by Stephan Spencer - Thursdays

Productivity is something a lot of people dabble in. Maybe you have bought a book on the topic or tried the Pomodoro Technique or even downloaded an app to help keep you on the straight and narrow. My guest for this episode is someone who did not dabble but went all in. Chris Bailey turned down lucrative job offers and spent a year conducting rigorous experiments to find out what works and what doesn’t. He documented it all in a blog that eventually became a book, The Productivity Project, which is a must own for anyone interested in the topic. It includes interviews with experts like David Allen and Charles Duhigg. His latest book, Hyperfocus, looks at how to manage your attention in a world that is filled with distractions. It is a great read with some powerful insights. One of the more alarming arguments he makes is that distraction doesn’t just affect productivity. It affects our memory, our creativity, and ultimately it makes our lives less meaningful. Join us as we take a deep dive into productivity and distraction and reveal some practical secrets that will help you regain your focus and live a more productive and fulfilling life.