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This list of productivity podcasts includes shows with tons of tips and tricks to help you increase YOUR productivity.
* This post was originally written in 2017 featuring just 3 podcasts about productivity. It has been updated to include more productivity podcasts that I listen to now.
Productivity. It’s a big buzzword these days. (Just like podcasts.)
We all want to be more productive, and everyone else expects us to be, too. Often, by trying to be more productive, we add things to our to-do list, thus making it harder to complete any of it!
A while back I was on a productivity podcast tear. I listened to multiple episodes of a few different shows every day. The hosts of these shows would break down the ways in which they had achieved, or even surpassed, their goals, all with time to spare every day.
It wasn’t until I stopped listening to these shows on a regular basis that I realized how much I had learned and incorporated into my own life, thereby increasing my daily and weekly productivity.
The productivity podcasts listed below are great for people who:
- Have a job or don’t have a job
- Work from home or work in an office setting
- Have kids or don’t have kids
- Love technology or love pen & paper
So, pretty much EVERYONE.
While the hosts of some of these shows sound like they’re focused on productivity for business, rest assured that their tips, tricks, and recommendations apply to your personal and family life.
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Podcasts That Help You Get Stuff Done
The Lazy Genius
I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this podcast, but it has been a true blessing. Can you say "mindset shift"?
The motto of Kendra, the host of The Lazy Genius podcast, is to be genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. In order to put that mindset into action, you first have to figure out what matters. Kendra guides you through how to do that, with practical, real-life tutorials and advice.
These are quick podcast episodes (usually under 20 minutes), and like most of the podcasts in this list, you can listen to episodes in any order. Once I got hooked on this show, I went back and binged a bunch of random episodes.
Companion Book: The Lazy Genius Way
Kendra wrote a book, titled The Lazy Genius Way, and it's one of my favorite books of all time. It takes what she does in the podcast and bumps it up a notch, teaching you 13 Lazy Genius Principles that you can use for just about any situation.
I waited to buy this book until it was on sale, and then I kicked myself for not buying it sooner! Get yourself a copy ASAP!
Productivity Paradox with Tonya Dalton
Tonya Dalton is the founder of Inkwell Press, a company that makes planners and productivity tools, so she knows a LOT about how to be your most productive self.
In her podcast, Tonya shares tangible tips and tricks for how to prioritize your tasks, set goals, and be honest with yourself. My favorite episodes are the ones in which she shares her own successes and failures, and how she felt along the way.
What I really love about this show is the inspirational, "you can do this" tone that Tonya has to everything. It seems sincere and you can hear her passion for productivity in each and every episode.
Listen to Productivity Paradox
Works for Me
There's nothing I like more than a good podcast, TV show, or book that experiments with an idea to help the rest of us figure out if it's any good.
The Works for Me podcast is a self-help meets productivity hack experiment that does just that. Bloomberg colleagues Rebecca Greenfield and Francesca Levy set out to try popular productivity solutions that will help them both at work and at home, then chronicle it all for the rest of us.
Although this is a short-run series with limited episodes (there are 8 in total), you can start with any of them. The episode titles are clear and helpful, and you can really target your own biggest productivity pitfall and zone in on it.
If you're a fan of the By The Book podcast, you'll enjoy the entertainment angle of Works for Me.
Beyond The To-Do List
This podcast is about productivity, from A-Z. Every week, the host, Erik Fisher and a guest speak talk about inbox zero, distractions (avoiding them and overcoming them), and the best websites and apps to use to keep you organized and on-task.
Erik and his guests recommend a LOT of apps, some of which are sponsors of the podcast, but many that aren’t. They also reference systems (techie and non-techie) that they use to stay on task. I actually like it most when they talk about why a system or productivity strategy didn't work for them.
If you’ve never used an app or system that they reference, some of this chatter can be confusing. Do what I do: pause the show, write down the info, and search online later.
Listen to Beyond The To-Do List
The Productivityist Podcast
As I write this, I’m listening to the most recent episode of The Productivityist, which is about “analog planning”, also known as using pen and paper. To some people, pen and paper is an old-school system, but planners and bullet journals have never been more popular.
The host of the podcast, Mike Vardy, and his guests, discuss time management, workflows, goals, habits, and “focusing your efforts on getting the right things done.”
This is one of those shows that leads to a lot of “ah-ha” moments. Whenever I listen, I gain more perspective on what I should be spending my time on, and new ways in which I can do those things.
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ProdPod Podcast
If you’re so busy trying to be productive that you don’t have time to listen to the podcasts listed above, this 2-minute podcast is perfect for you.
The host of the show, Ray Sidney-Smith, speaks at a rapid pace in order to squeeze in the best tips for overcoming overwhelm, indecision, distraction, and how to make your daily routines work for you.
There are smart, actionable tips in every episode, and if 2 minutes isn’t enough to say it all, he’ll string it into the next episode.
ProdPod is no longer in production, but there are episodes dating all the way back to 2011 and productivity tips don’t expire.
Bonus Recommendations
Episode 2 of The Next Big Idea podcast (which is brand new at the time of this post being updated) is about how to be "indistractable" and get more done (plus avoid making errors on the things you're doing). It's a great standalone podcast episode about productivity that I recommend listening to.
Your Turn to Recommend
What podcasts do you listen to to increase your productivity? Let me know so I can listen and be even more productive!
Read This Next:
3 Self-Help Podcasts That Motivate & Inspire
Related Books:
There are also a bunch of great productivity-themed books over the Books by Podcasters page.
Thanks for sharing these podcasts! Always looking to add more to my list. Great explanation of each one 🙂 Excited to listen!
xoxo,
Liv
http://www.livslookbook.com
Thanks, Stacey! I’ll be posting more productivity podcasts soon, due to the great response to this post!
Oh thank you for sharing – I absolutely need to find my way to be more productive. It’s only 24 hours and it’s not enough. Going to listen on my way!
Awesome, Sofia! I totally agree – need to find ways to better use those 24!
I could definitely benefit from being more productive! Totally going to check these out.
That’s great, Nicola! You can basically pick any episode whose description sounds good to you and listen – you don’t have to start with Episode 1, which I like!
I’ll have to check these out! Thanks for the suggestions!