OK Productive

Leo Dion and Erik Gillespie, productivity and kid wranglers

5.0 (3)
SELF-IMPROVEMENT

a podcast of banter and being productive enough

12/22/2019

036. When to Quit

We're going to step away from the podcast, but the episodes, website, and social media accounts will remain. Reach out if you have questions or want to say hi, and thanks for listening! What led us to this decision... Well first, why did we start?We wanted to talk about things we're interested inWe wanted practical tips, not the productivity trapWe were feeling the courage to experimentWhat decisions made us want to stop?Growth was plateauingWe did the exercises in Traction by Gabriel WinebergLearned that growth would require more time and moneyWe were already constrained by bothWe both want to focus on fewer initiatives in 2020What we learned from the show Struggles that we learned fromFully understanding marketingProductivity is a diluted and saturated topicImportance of organizationBalancing guests and topicsThe happy, fun, growing, learning sideOver 5,000 downloadsDocumenting processes, scheduling, and contentLeo’s growthInterview skillsOrganizationRecruitmentSelf-reflectionErik’s growthLearning from guests and each otherImproved image design that continues to be used in other projectsChanneling nervous energy into talkative yip-yapRelated episodes 001. A Sleepy Episode009. Working On Your Own Episode012. Saying No Episode025. Productive Podcasting031. Clear your Calendar! with Justin JacksonBig thanks to our listeners and these amazing contributors: ❤️ Leah Fitch ❤️ Jonathan Baillie Strong ❤️ Will Gant ❤️ Christian Genco ❤️ Peta Sena ❤️ Jessica D'Amico ❤️ Tim Mitra ❤️ Justin Jackson ❤️ Allison Spooner ❤️ Sophia Dagnon ❤️ Laura Lopuch ❤️ Julien Borrelli ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

34 min
12/08/2019

035. Year in Review, 2019

Differences between 2018 and 2019 Erik fully embraced Notion for planningLeo switched from Todoist to a spreadsheetMastermind meetings for group accountabilityLeo's Year in Review Improvements to healthSuccessful speaking engagementsA consistent schedule with podcastsSuccessful at writing outputAudience improvements:+156.32% at Learning Swift+12.85% at BrightDigit+726.15% at LeoGDionFuture Improvements include email, more video, and audience researchErik's Year in Review Came up with whole-year goals and broke down into quarterly, monthly, and weekly listsAlso made weekly and monthly habits checklistsAbout 20-30% of the anticipated objectives and habits changed over the yearThe habits that stuck were those that Erik had the most direct control, like stretching and dietThe items that changed or were not met the most typically involved other people or deep researchErik's biggest regret: not enough "for-fun, but also is work" tasksErik's biggest desire to change: more regular date nightsLeo referred Erik to Derek Sivers' article: Stay in touch with hundreds of peopleWhat's being cut in 2020 Leo's stepping away from organizing meetups and local networkingErik is getting away from nonprofit administration, business social media management, and the status quo of local tech eventsWe're stepping away from the podcast, too. More on that in the next episode! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

50 min
11/24/2019

034. Crafting a Great Email, with Laura Lopuch

Introduction Laura's first email tip: write so the recipient will imagine how their life could beHow to discover a love of email as a paralegalRealizing skills, eight years laterThe benefits of setting weekly email goalsTreat email correspondence as a journeyWait 2 to 3 business days before the first followupTwo types of cold email: making a pitch and making a connectionAnatomy of a Cold Email Where are people with your problem going to talk about their problem? Explain why you chose the recipient over everyone elseStart a close relationship with your contact and compliment themProve a hypothesis, they should agree with each statement you makeAll of those small yesses lead toward a yes on the big askAvoid exit languageAvoid asking for more than one thingTools Streak, CRM for GmailBoomerangCrystal KnowsLaura Lopuch online @waitingtoberead on Twitterlauralopuch.comHow to double your conversion rate on cold outreach, a recap of Laura's talk at MicroconfHow to Optimize for Replies on Your Cold Emails on Laura’s blogI used cold emails to 14x my freelance copywriting business. Here’s how. on Copy Hackers ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

37 min
11/10/2019

033. Writing to Stand Out, with Sophia Dagnon

Getting your foot in the door Sophia's specialty and how she got there from archaeologyHow UpWork led to better pay in writingDealing with the lack of comfortAn approach to desiring income without being sleazyMaking transactions mutually beneficialPeople don’t buy stuff, they buy solutions to problemsHow does your customer think about the solutions to their problems?How to ask the right questions to better understand your customerImproving pitches by trying different thingsHow to reach your customers The platforms with the lowest barriers or are easiest to self-promoteCopy Hackers (Joanna Web sp.?)Researching, writing a lot, and sharing content where it will be readUnderstanding your reader’s familiarity and how informed they areKnowing what it will take for a reader to take action (lots of specific tips here!)Focus on and measure one action that you want your readers to takeTips for getting started Low-risk and simple ways a person can practice self-promotionReframe risk as an opportunity or something good for youWays to manage the ever-present emotions that come when taking chancesAre there books or other sources where people can learn more on the topicFollow Copy HackersRead Drive by Daniel PinkRead Influence by Robert CialdiniRead Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene SchwartzWhere to find Sophia Dagnon @SophiaDagnon on Twittersophiadagnon.comSophia Dagnon on LinkedIn ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

45 min
10/27/2019

032. Flash Fiction with Allison Spooner

Introductions NaNoWriMo and flash fictionAllison Spooner is the author of Flash in the Dark and The Problem with HumansFind Allison online at spoonfulstyle.com or @allyspoonOutsource your writing parameters Accountability through writing groups, events, and contestsBenefits of deadlines, prompts, settings, and other writing constraintsOutlining and other ways to complete a novel in small piecesWriting exercises and parameters that help you get better with practiceTelling a story with Joseph Campbell's Hero's JourneyTips for writing when you need some structureMethods for practicing writing Look for random writing prompts online or in your physical environmentStart small, like 500 wordsGo to writing events near youTry writing at different times and with different techniques to find what works best for youDonald Miller's 5 Writing TipsMake your customer the hero of your business' storiesWrite for fun, define writing success for you, and a little progress is still progressScale up to make a novelOne flash fiction story per day will help you reach your NaNoWriMo goalCome up with writing prompts for the whole month in advance ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

34 min
10/13/2019

031. Clear your Calendar! with Justin Jackson

In this episode What does a "cleared" calendar look like?How can clearing the calendar improve one's productivity?Why you shouldn't fill up your calendar with work if you are self-employedA clear calendar is open to interruptions and stimulates creativityHow to stay focused and avoid getting lost in free timeHow to be healthy active on social mediaAn experiment that you can try at home or at the officeHow clearing the calendar can be used by employees at traditional or regimented officesHow to observe the benefits of unstructured or free timeOther ways to experiment with your calendar and free timeRelated links Justin’s talk on YouTubeJustin is the co-founder of Transistor.fmLearn more about Justin at JustinJackson.caFollow @mijustin on TwitterJustin (megajustin) livestreams on TwitchBooks by BasecampShape Up by Ryan Singer11 Reasons Why You Should Schedule Free Time For Yourself by Glenn SantosRelated Episodes 003. Goals and Actions Episode006. Top Disciplines Episode009. Working On Your Own Episode019. The Optimization Trap020. Multitasking021. Staying Organized with Idea Management023. 3 Hat Productivity with Christian Genco027. Productive Creativity with Pete Sena ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

50 min
09/29/2019

030. Neuroplasticity with Tim Mitra

Where to find Tim Mitra online @TimMitra on TwitterHost of the More Than Just Code Podcast and SpockcastCohost of RoundaboutFMit-guy.comAuthor of How to Keep Learning After 50Tim's SwiftTO talk about NeuroplasticityNeuroplasticity Why should we keep learning?Neuroplasticity in simple termsThe advantage of learning in 45-minute spurtsCompound learning:Short-term memoriesLong-term memories through repetitionMicro-skill development (building functions in the brain)Breaks help move memories from one level to the nextUse communication to reinforce learningExplain and seek confirmationThe rubber ducking techniqueUsing emoji to punctuate words with emotionWhat the ~ at the end of a Tweet or text meansApplying learning concepts to unlearningThe amygdala typically makes statementsThe neocortex typically asks questionsSelf-monitor and ask yourself questions to consciously replace habitsRelated links Brainjo's Breakthrough Banjo CourseDr. Lara Boyd's TEDx Talk about NeuroplasticityBecause Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCullochRelated episodes Multitasking ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

32 min
09/15/2019

029. Public Speaking

In this episode The value in public speaking for you and your audienceHow to understand your audience by researching the conferenceDifferent ways to organize a talk: story-telling, LEGO instructions, fireside chat, speed dating, and moreHow to handle interruptions and questionsFollowing up with your audience after your talkTips for promoting yourself and your work without giving a sales pitchPractice: it smooths out the wrinkles and lets your confidence shineDifferent ways to practice your talk before the big eventUse simple slides, don't switch apps, use a clicker, more words, fewer pictures, use notesObserve your body language, tone, pace, and filler wordsHow to turn your nervousness into confidence and excitementGet extra practice at Toastmasters, meetups, and lunch-and-learns, but remember to get feedbackFigure out what to speak about by considering past conference topics, your own expertise, whatever excites you, and where you want to growHow to find speaking gigs and tips for getting accepted to speakSpecial thanks to Justin JacksonKristen BelcherMohammad FaaniOlivia LiddellPatrick MasiRelated episodes Event Planning with Jessica D'Amico ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

44 min

5

out of 5

3 Ratings

a podcast of banter and being productive enough

Creator

Leo Dion and Erik Gillespie, productivity and kid wranglers
Years Active

2018 - 2019
Episodes

36
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Copyright 2019 Dion Gillespie Media Productions
Show Website

OK Productive