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Jenna Kutcher
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Drew Kutcher
So if you need that extra accountability, I highly encourage you to get it. One of the things is is if we want to get more time and we're not sure where to start, literally open up your settings on your phone and look at your screen time report and see that data for yourself and think about all the time that you're spending on that device.
Jenna Kutcher
I'm Jenna Kutcher, your host of the Gold Digger podcast. I escaped the corporate world at the age of 23 with nothing more than a $300 camera from Craigslist and a dream. Now I'm running a seven figure online business that feels even better than it looks. All from my house in small town Minnesota with my family here, we value time as our currency. We mix the woo and the work, and we are in the pursuit of building businesses that give us the freedom to live lives that we love. I've always loved turning big goals into reality, and I'm here to help you do the same. This isn't just a peek behind the curtain. Come along with me and my guests as we tear the whole curtain down. Every week we tackle practical no fluff marketing strategies and host honest discussions on what works and what doesn't. Join me and my expert guests for actionable insights to help you grow your dream business with confidence. Pull up a seat and get ready to be challenged, inspired and empowered. This is the Goal Digger podcast. What if I told you that a few small shifts could give you back hours of your week without hustling harder, sacrificing sleep, or giving up the things that matter the most to you? Since becoming a mom twice now, I've felt just how limited time can be. But here's what I've learned. It's not about having more time. It's about making the time you do have work better for you. When this episode first aired, my youngest wasn't even a year old, and I was deep in a season of figuring out how to balance work, life, motherhood, and a million other little things in between. And while life looks different now different schedules, different challenges, different measures of growth, the habits that I'm sharing today still help me create more breathing room in my days. So let me ask you, what's one thing you wish you had more time for? Whether it's rest Creativity, family, or just a little space to think? Well, this episode is about helping you find those extra hours. Let's dive on in.
Drew Kutcher
So before we dive into the strategies, I just want to share a tiny bit of research for all of the multitaskers out there or for the people who finish their day and they feel like they're not totally sure what it is that they actually accomplished. I'm raising my hand for both of those camps. Feeling split into is something that I felt since Coco entered my world. But now I feel like I'm split in three between my kids and my business. And one of the greatest battles that I faced in this so called juggle is this fight for presence. It's like we all want to be more present and we start getting stressed out that we're not being present enough. And it's like, when I'm with my kids, I just want to be all in. I want to be focused on them not thinking about work. And when I'm working, I want to spend my time wisely on the things that actually move the needle and not be thinking about my kids. And what happens is when I try to mix the two with multitasking, I basically feel like I'm failing at both, or that I'm wasting time, or that I'm not actually getting anything done. Like, have you ever felt that way? Well, there's this reason that multitasking leaves us feeling inefficient and frazzled. And let me tell you, I have heard this research over and over and over again, and yet I still fall into the trap of believing that I am capable of multitasking. But studies show us that multitasking is actually really ineffective, and we're more likely to make a mistake and take way longer to do anything when we attempt to do two or more things at the same time. Get this, only 2.5% of people are even capable of truly being able to multitask, whereas the majority of humans are actually wired to be monotaskers or wired to only be able to focus on one thing at a time. When we think that we're multitasking, we're actually task switching at this rapid pace, which can be confusing for our brains to manage. And it leads to sloppier work, lower retention, and at least for me, a heck of a lot of less joy with whatever it is that I'm trying to focus my attention on. Like, I absolutely hate feeling super rushed or behind on things, but at the same time, there's something to be said about the ability to get More done when you're strategic about your time. The days when I have fewer items on my to do list and more flexibility or more time to kind of flow through my day and do whatever whenever, those actually tend to be my less productive days than the ones where I know I only have a two hour chunk or a nap time window to finish X, Y or Z. Like when I became a mom a few years ago, I realized just how much I could accomplish in a three hour window between nursing, my efficiency literally increased. Like I feel like it increased tenfold. And the way that I looked at time totally transformed. That's because when we have these boundaries with our time, we're able to use it way more wisely. We're able to focus our efforts and our attention on one thing rather than trying to figure out what to do and swapping tasks throughout the day without a plan. And if you're one of those people where this was me, you get to the end of the day and you're like, I don't know where time went, I don't actually know what I did. You find yourself like not actually progressing forward in any substantial way, then I highly recommend taking, taking a little bit of time and doing an actual audit of your time to keep track of where and what you're spending your time on all day. Now this might sound extra, but I really encourage you to try it and just see how it goes. You can literally track and write down your hour by hour routine for like two or three days, starting from the time you wake up all the way to the time you go to bed. Like, keep track of how much time you spend on everything from getting ready for the day, making meals, doing household chores, working on various tasks for your job, even extracurricular things like exercise or happy hour with friends. I always encourage myself and my team, like keep a log of what you do when, even the times that you might get distracted or attempt to multitask. And I have a feeling that it might just reveal some surprising data that will help you to start seeing potential gaps, inefficiencies and opportunities for you to create better boundaries with your time. I want for you to use this like, time audit idea and the data that comes with it, and then couple it with what I'm going to share in the rest of today's episode so that you can feel more in control of your time each day and that you can trust that you're using your time to steward the life and the schedule that you desire, rather than feeling like you're always behind or you don't have enough time to do everything you wish you could do. So let's dive on in to tip number one and hear me out before you shut this episode off. Tip number one is this Wake Up Just a Little Bit earlier now, as a sleep deprived mom, sleep is foundational in my life and I am not at all saying you need to get up at 4 in the morning. But I am telling you that maybe just 10 or 15 extra minutes in the morning could be what you need to start the day on the right foot and to help you get clear on your priorities for the day while waking up in a less urgent way. Now, I am someone who literally sleeps by the baby monitor and that is usually my wake up call and there are absolutely seasons of life where that is going to happen. But if you are in a place where you can wake up just a little bit earlier, like 15 extra minutes a day is nearly 2 extra hours per week of time that you can use for whatever it is that you're seeking more of. Whether it's journaling or reading or doing a little face mask or sneaking in sun salutations or mindfully brewing your precious cup of coffee. Notice that I'm not necessarily saying you need to spend this time working, but just setting yourself up. I feel like our mornings are so critical. Maybe you wish you felt a little less unorganized. You could use that time to write down a quick plan or a to do list for your day. Or maybe you hate feeling rushed. Use those 15 minutes to get yourself ready or to prepare things for your kids before they wake up. Do you wish you could feel maybe less tension throughout your day? Start off your day with a short stretch and a meditation. While I'm a huge proponent of using our mornings intentionally and creating a little more time to kick off your day on the right foot. I am so not about doing this at the detriment of your sleep quality. Like I firmly, like in my heart of hearts, believe that if you want to have a great day, it starts with a great night's sleep. So if you're a person who can limp along through your day after just four or five hours of not super restful sleep, then I want for you to start here and focus on getting at least seven hours of good quality sleep. We are kind of crazy about sleep. Like we are hyper aware of the quality of our sleep and have been actually trying to be super consistent with going to bed early so that we can get up just a little bit earlier. And actually 90% of the time Drew and I, we like naturally just wake up early. If we had it our way, we'd be in bed every night by 9pm, sleeping by 9:30 after reading to unwind. That's like our dream world and it's something that we prioritized a lot before we became a family of four. I feel like in my final stages of pregnancy we would high five ourselves as we were like getting into bed at 9 o'clock and I was telling myself I was like banking up on sleep, which we all know is not an actual thing. But since we're the kind of people we hate alarm clocks, we have learned how to kind of set our body clocks. And we also totally trust our toddler to wake us up slightly before 7am saying, Mommy, Daddy, Coco, out of bed please. So, you know, it's different scenarios, but I just want to really focus in on just even starting your day with a little bit of peace can really, really set the stage for how it unfolds. Now, if you're listening to this and you're like, oh my sleep is terrible. Some proven ways to improve your sleep include aiming to go to bed around the same time every night, avoiding screens and blue light at least an hour before going to bed, avoiding caffeine and naps later in the day, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet while you sleep. We literally have gone as extreme as using little face masks. We have really great blackout shades. We've also thoughtfully invested in sheets, pillows, blankets that we love. Making bed feel like this, like precious escape every night. So if you have not updated your bedding since college, here is your reminder. You are a grown up and you deserve to love how you are sleeping.
Jenna Kutcher
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Drew Kutcher
Okay, number two is this set screen time and phone limits. So it's pretty obvious, but one of our biggest distractions and time sucks of our modern age are these things that we carry with us literally everywhere, even the bathroom, which is our phones. Like, have you ever caught yourself where you're just avoiding a task or you're dreading something, and instead of facing it, you take a little quote break by grabbing your phone without a second thought, and before you know it, you find yourself 20 minutes later scrolling around on social media. It happens to all of us. And it's super easy when we're constantly having our phones with us or on our desks. They're basically just sitting there taunting us, right? They're like telling you like you're missing something or somebody might be trying to get a hold of you or did you respond to that yet? And for me, someone with a neurodivergent brain, my phone can be the ultimate time thief if I'm not careful or if I'm not mindful about it. So get this. This stat literally makes me want to throw up. But Americans check their phones on average 262 times per day. That is once every five and a half minutes. And that's like five and a half minutes when we're talking about, like, not our sleep hours. Like, that stat is wild to me. 262 times a day, we're looking at our phones. And on top of that, we spend, on average, nearly three and a half hours actually on our phones each day. That's crazy, right? But it's like, when we think about it, it's not all that unbelievable. So much of our information lives on these devices that come with us everywhere, from our email to the news, social media to music, connection with family and friends, text messages, phone calls. Like, it is no wonder that we're so attached to them and that they serve as this distraction when we'd really benefit by focusing our attention elsewhere. Drew and I talk about this all the time. But, like, when we were kids, we would get bored, and then we would get creative, whether, you know, it was going out back and building a dam in the stream or making, like, a pillow fort. And kids these days aren't used to getting bored because they're so distracted because they use screens, too. And it's just something, as parents that I think it's super hard to watch happen. But it's also like, our kids are watching us, so what are they seeing when they're looking at us? So it's a conundrum, and it's something I don't have the answers for. But if you want to create more time in your day, it can happen pretty simply by eliminating or putting limits on your own screen time and how often you allow yourself to peruse your phone. So Drew and I realized a couple of years ago, I would say now it's probably even five years that we'd get into bed at night and we'd sit on our phones. And we used to do this all the time. We would literally just sit in bed together, scroll mindlessly, rather than connecting with each other at the end of the day or doing something way more restorative for ourselves, like reading. And it clicks. Like, hey, we don't want to spend our time together at night that way. And we also don't want that to be the thing that we fall asleep to or wake up to. So we designated a little corner in our kitchen, and that is where we charge our phones. Our bedroom is a no phone zone. And so we literally plug our phones into a cabinet in our kitchen at dinner time, and then they are out of sight, out of mind for the rest of the evening. And one, it really helps wind us down to get Better sleep. But two, having them in this designated location, it's like if we start walking over there, the other person can call you out, right? Like, they're like holding you accountable of like, I know why you're in that corner of the kitchen. What are you doing? Like, what's so important right now? And so for me, like, I have to have that really hard boundary. And not having our phones in our bedroom, it doesn't really tempt me. Like, it means that I'm not gonna wake up in the middle of the night and zombies scroll away. They are on a different floor in our house and that's where they stay. So maybe you have way more self control than I do. Whether you trust yourself to hold yourself accountable or you decide to designate a zone where your phones can live and stay for a portion of the day, creating some sort of expectation around when and how you're using screens can save you a lot of time and can help you to stay focused. And one thing I love about how we charge our phones downstairs is then in the morning, like when I get cocoa up, like, I haven't even touched my phone yet, nothing has been urgent. I get to spend time with her, getting her ready for school in the morning and things like that. And just a much more peaceful way to start the day. And I found that, like, I don't even touch my phone until like 9, 10am and it really does just kind of impact one, how I start my day, but two, how I prioritize what needs to get done. So maybe you don't mind sleeping next to your phone, but you do know it's a major distraction when you try to sit down and do deep work in your afternoons. Or maybe it's the thing that's keeping you from starting the day the way that you actually want to as you jump onto your email and your Instagram the second your eyes open. But my challenge for you is just to take a little bit of time, examine your own phone habits, and ask someone in your life for a little bit more accountability. If this is truly an area where you're struggling with, you can build in boundaries in either where you place your phone somewhere else for a period of time, have somebody hide it from you, set it on do not disturb mode during times you need to focus or even through setting limits on specific apps that suck you in. Like, your phone can literally shoot up reminders that your time is being spent on your screen. So if you need that extra accountability, I highly encourage you to get it. One of the things is, is if we want to get more time and we're not sure where to start, literally open up your settings on your phone and look at your screen time report and see that data for yourself and think about all the time that you're spending on that device. Okay, number three is something a little more recent for me, but something I am loving. So set a timer for for focused work. So I already referenced, like, I don't love feeling like pressure or urgency, like in the form of deadlines, but I will say that there is something super powerful about giving yourself some sort of timeframe to work on something or to focus on doing as much as you can within this short little window of time. So I'm not talking about like having this big work assignment or this big project or this big thing thing that you want to do around the house and saying, okay, I'm going to give myself all week to do it. I'm talking like 20 to 30 minute increments to get something started or to finish a task that you've been putting off. Now, you could extend it if you're like 20 or 30 minutes. It's not going to get me anywhere. Trust me, it will. But if you're like, I need an hour, an hour and a half, fine, take what you need. But listen to this. Studies actually suggest that the maximum our brains can focus on one task is 90 minutes at a time before we need a 15 minute break. 90 minutes, that is the maximum. So dedicating a day or a week to getting one thing checked off of your list, even if it is a really big thing, isn't actually motivating for your brain to conceptualize getting something done. This is exactly why we often delay starting something or wait until the very last minute. Because we make a task out to be bigger or harder or more time consuming than it actually is. And in doing that, it paralyzes us from actually taking any action. So how the heck do we combat this? We combat it by breaking down what you need to do in chunks and tackling it piece by piece in smaller windows of time. And I will tell you, take it a step further. Have a timer handy to keep you accountable to what your brain is able to really do. It is literally amazing that when you give yourself a smaller deadline to focus on completing one thing and one thing only, how quickly you're actually able to get certain things done. Whether it's the stack of bills in your drawer or putting your laundry away, or writing that one email, setting a timer and simply taking focused action can quickly move the needle and yield results. Not to mention, it can help you release that guilt and that stress that you feel when you put things off that you know that you should be doing now. While this idea might lead you to believe that maybe having a timer set would make you feel frantic or rushed, in reality, you're giving yourself the freedom within this time window to fully focus your attention, your efforts, and your energy on a specific task and in a way that allows you to actually progress where you might be prone to procrastinating. So I got one of these hourglass timers on my desk. It's exactly 20 minutes, and when I'm really struggling with focusing or putting off doing something that I find myself avoiding, I'll flip that thing over and use that timer to focus and get things done. There are also timers online. If you Google the Pomodoro timer or even just use a timer on your phone, I want for you to incorporate this and just try it out. Like, promise me you'll just give it a try. You can set it exit out of all your distractions, whether it's email or slack. Like, put your phone in airplane mode and give yourself this ability to fully focus anywhere from 2030 all the way up to 90 minutes. And my advice here is to start with smaller increments of time, because your focus is going to be sharpened the more that you do this. So don't set yourself up for failure and say, I'm going to sit here for 90 minutes and do this thing. Start small. Check in with yourself. It's kind of like when you're dreading a workout and you get five minutes in and you're like, oh, okay, I feel good. I can keep going. Very similar to this. Our focus is something that we need to train. Okay. Number four is something Coco taught me. Prep for your day the night before. So did your mom ever, like, lay out your clothes before school when you were growing up? Or have you, like, packed your lunches the night in advance before work? There is something to be said about simplifying your days and the decisions that you have to make before that first cup of coffee hits. And something we've learned as parents is that Coco does really well when she knows exactly what to expect for the next day. So every night when I put her to bed, I'll share what the game plan is for the following day. And I'll do simple things like laying out her clothes or if she's going to take a bath, I'll have her towel ready or pack up her backpack. Like, all of these little things. And what's so cool about it is it helps her to wake up knowing what to expect and anticipating what the day is going to hold. And the funny thing is, I was thinking about this, like, oh, she just does really well when we prepare her. And I was like, dude, so do you. I feel like we're really prone to do these certain preparations for other people, but we are quick to neglect to set ourselves up well for the next day. And it's funny because there are just so many little, small, seemingly quick tasks that ultimately drain a lot of our time and force us to make a ton of decisions before we're even fully awake. Things like picking out our clothes, planning what to eat or what to feed your family, Getting kids stuff ready for school, Even writing out your to do list or priorities for the day. When we save all of these quote little things for the day of, they add up to take a lot of our time. That's like, why we finish our day and we're like, I was moving all day, I swear I didn't even sit down. But I don't know what I got accomplished. So I want for you to consider what instead you could do maybe the night before. Even if it's just one or two things that are going to eliminate some of those small decisions that you have to make in the morning. Like, I found that the more I can prepare or know what I've got to tackle next, the more my brain can truly rest knowing that I've got a plan. Like, whenever I wake up in the middle of the night and I have like a checklist in my brain of things I need to do, I'm like, okay, your planning is not working right now. Like, you need to get these things out of your brain, release them, trust that they're stored somewhere, whether it's on your computer or your phone or on a piece of paper. And I can tell that when I'm not preparing well, it does impact my stress levels, it impacts my ability to focus, and it also impacts my ability to make decisions. So whether you lay out your clothes or prep your food or pack lunches or have your kids school clothes ready or even just picking up the house at night so that you wake up and it feels refreshed the next morning, morning, it is proven that we as humans get decision fatigue throughout the day. So anything that you can do to prepare a piece or two the night before can help for you to save yourself from trying to balance and make a hundred decisions at the same time. And it can Set you up for success and it can also save you time. Okay, number five is this. I'm about to sound like I'm contradicting myself, but hang with me. Number five is integrate things together. So we've already talked about we're not team multitask. I am likely not in the 2.5% of people that can multitask, and chances are you probably aren't either. But there are a few certain scenarios where I am a proponent of this idea, let's call it stacking, or integrating certain activities to make the most of your time. So I recognize that like we as human beings cannot always compartmentalize all of the roles that we play or all the ways that we show up. And so when we can find ways to integrate things, it allows us to achieve a little bit more each day. Now the key here is to integrate a no brainer task with an educational yet hands free task so that you're getting something productive done while challenging and expanding your knowledge. So things like listening to a podcast while you're doing the dishes, or taking an online course in your ears on your commute, or while you're out walking the dog or pushing the baby in the stroller, or listening to audiobooks while you're in the shower. Now here's the thing. Don't get this twisted in that I'm saying you need to fill every single minute of your day with enrichment and that you need to continue doing, doing, doing. We all have to rest. We deserve to rest. And that can look like just chilling out on your lawn chair. But if you're sitting there and you're like, I'm super relaxed and I have the capacity to take on something more, maybe you could listen to an audiobook or a podcast. So I want for you to just think about like your regular days where you don't have a ton of extra time for learning or pouring back into yourself or feeling inspired. This is an awesome way to learn on the go and knock out two important things at the same time. I mean, when I clean my closet, it has a totally different sort of energy. If I'm doing it while I'm listening to a funny podcast or something that's inspiring me or an audiobook, you know? Now the blessing here is that you can feel like you're getting new experiences and you can learn new things while checking off some of the nitty gritty menial tasks that we all need to get done, the things that we have to do, but the things that don't necessarily require our full brain power. Like, I don't know about you, but I get my best ideas in the shower and I love listening to audiobooks that make me think while I'm in the shower because I'm not distracted, I'm actually focused and I don't need to think too hard about shampooing my hair or putting soap on the loofah. So for me, like that's been something where it's like a way where I'm pouring into myself but I'm not taking away from any other aspect of my life.
Jenna Kutcher
It's 2025 and we all know how loud the B2B marketing space has gotten. It's not just enough to run ads. You need to make sure that they're actually reaching the right people. That's why I love LinkedIn ads. You're not just throwing your message out and hoping it sticks. You can get super specific targeting by job title, industry or even the exact company you want to work with. There are over 130 million decision makers and 10 million C level execs on LinkedIn. These are the people who can actually say yes to your offer. And it's not just who you reach, it's the results you get. In the tech industry, LinkedIn ads delivered up to five times the return on ad spend compared to other platforms. I mean, 79% of B2B content marketers say LinkedIn gives them the best paid media results. So if you're ready to cut through the noise and get your ads in front of the people who matter, LinkedIn ads is the way to go. Start converting your B2B audience into high quality leads today. We'll even give you a hundred dollar credit on your next go to LinkedIn.com goal to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com goal. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn the place to be, to be. Winter is finally loosening its grip, but our skin is feeling the effects. Dry, tight, flaky. It's the worst. As the seasons shift, so should our skincare. And that's why I'm obsessed with Osea's TikTok famous Underia algae Body butter. This isn't just any moisturizer. It is rich and deeply nourishing, but it melts in instantly. I'm talking no greasy residue, just soft and happy skin and the scent of it. It is a bright, refreshing blend of grapefruit, lime and mandarin. Pro tip. I keep my OSEA body butter right next to our shower. As soon as I dry off, I slather it on to lock in the moisture and my skin stays soft all day. I've even caught Drew sneaking some OSEA uses powerhouse ingredients like underia, seaweed and ceramides. The kind of things that are usually reserved for high end facial products. Because your skin deserves that level of tlc. Treat yourself to clean clinically tested skin care from osea. And right now we have a special discount just for our listeners. Get 10% off your first order site wide using the code gold digger@ocamalibu.com that's O S E A Malibu.com and use the code Gold Digger.
Drew Kutcher
Okay, the last one is this. Finally, number six, Managing interruptions. So we've talked about screen time, but what other distractions are consistently pulling you out of the task at hand? Like, I'll tell you that one of my most challenging things that I've had to navigate working from home as a mom is like taking my mom hat off and allowing myself to be in full business owner mode, even if it's for like one hour. Like, it is so easy for me to hear the babies and want to run in or help or play. And as many of you know, it's just a juggle. Like mom guilt is real and it can be super distracting, especially when everyone's under the same roof. But first, I just want to say, in case I haven't, it is 100% okay and it is a lot of times necessary to let someone else come in and care for your kids. And it's also okay for you to give yourself the permission to spend some uninterrupted time on work non apologetically. So a few things that have helped me are getting noise canceling earbuds. I listen to very Zen music. I'm talking like spa music. Most of the time I'm listening to spa music and I try to get my workspace ready in terms of things like water and snacks and chapstick or anything that would make me get up off of my desk to go get something else in the house. And I don't know about you, but if you have a toddler, if you've ever been through toddler stage, there were times where I would like literally have to hide in the closet or in the bathroom just to get some work done. Because if Coco knew where I was in the house, she would want to be with me, which is literally like the most special but also the most heartbreaking thing, especially when you need to get something done. And so setting up your workspace to try to keep you separate is very, very helpful. And if you can find a space With a door that you can close so that people and pets are not pulling you out of your workplace flow. Do that. I highly encourage it. And I mean, a lot of times I record my podcast in the closet away from everyone else, so I totally get it. One thing that I think is so critical, and I do this every single day, is I put my phone into do not disturb mode. And that has been so helpful for me because I can still see things. I wear an Apple watch so I can see if something's coming through that's actually urgent, which, guess what, never is. But if you can put your phone onto airplane mode or do not disturb mode, it is really, really a great way to stay focused. And the other thing that I would say that I would encourage you to do is try to only check emails at the beginning and the end of your day. One thing that happens is, is when we keep our email up. Like, we're constantly sitting there, refreshing our inboxes, almost waiting for more work to come in. And what happens is, is if we respond to every email right away in the morning, we start these threads where there's tons of responses back and forth, and every single time we're in our inbox, it's taking us away from other work. So creating some sort of system or boundaries around how you are checking notifications, whether that's on your phone, your email, your social media, that can be a huge, huge, huge way to get more time. And one thing to remember, literally adopt this phrase into your life. Breathe it over you. Their urgency is not my emergency. Meaning you can do your best to get to everyone, to make sure everyone has what they need to respond to things in a timely manner. But you don't always have to be available or accessible, especially when you're juggling multiple things or you're trying to stay focused. For me, I recognize, like, it's up to me to do what I can to stay dialed into one task before moving on to something else or answering someone else. Because the time that it takes for me to refocus and pick back up after a distraction hits is a ton of wasted time. In fact, listen to this. A study found that it takes about 23 minutes to refocus after we're interrupted or distracted. So imagine if we planned ahead to intentionally set up our workspace in order to reduce our distractions. If we were able to plan out our communication to not always be available while we're trying to focus. There are just so many little ways that could absolutely help us get back time in our days. But also give us that beautiful feeling of finishing the day thinking, man, I just crushed it. I got so much done. Now, for me, in this season of Life, like, time is absolutely my most valuable currency. And I have to imagine that if you're listening to this, time is pretty dang important to you, too. And it's impossible for humans to perfectly optimize every minute of our day. We're humans, we're not robots, and so we can't hold ourselves to this impossible standard. But it is possible to be a little bit more thoughtful and intentional with where your time is going each and every day. And if it's being used in a way that feels good and rewarding and meaningful, that is what ultimately matters. So if you are in a season and you're like, I haven't evaluated how my time is being spent, that's when it's so easy for us to be on autopilot and to end up wasting minutes and hours of our week on things that don't truly matter or that we don't want to be spending our time on. And so my encouragement as we close out is for you to take an audit of where your time is going and then try implementing one or even a few of these steps into your weekly rhythm to see if you feel less pulled in a million directions and instead can experience this more peaceful flow within your work and your personal life. Time is our currency. We have to spend it well. And know that I am fighting right alongside of you to figure out how we can do just that. Thank you so much, Gold Diggers, for listening to another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. Of course. Until next time, keep on digging your biggest goals.
Jenna Kutcher
Thanks for pulling up a seat for another episode of the Gold Digger Podcast. I hope today's episode fueled you with inspiration, gave you information that you can turn into action, and realigned you with your true north in life and business. If you've enjoyed today's episode, head on over to gold diggerpodcast.com for today's show, notes, discount codes for our sponsors, freebies to fuel your results, and so much more. And if you haven't yet, make sure you're subscribed so that you never miss a future show. We'll see you next time, Gold Diggers.
Episode Summary: The Goal Digger Podcast - Episode 862: Feeling Overworked and Overwhelmed? Try These 6 Time-Saving Habits
In Episode 862 of The Goal Digger Podcast, host Jenna Kutcher tackles a pervasive issue faced by entrepreneurs and busy individuals alike: feeling overworked and overwhelmed. Joined by her co-host Drew Kutcher, they delve into six actionable time-saving habits designed to optimize productivity without sacrificing personal well-being. Drawing from personal experiences, research, and practical strategies, Jenna and Drew provide listeners with a comprehensive guide to reclaiming their time and enhancing their daily routines.
(00:39 - 11:21)
Jenna Kutcher opens the episode by emphasizing the transformative power of a slightly earlier wake-up time. She shares her personal journey of balancing motherhood and building a seven-figure business, highlighting how incremental changes in her morning routine have significantly impacted her productivity and mindset.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“What if I told you that a few small shifts could give you back hours of your week without hustling harder, sacrificing sleep, or giving up the things that matter the most to you?”
— Jenna Kutcher (00:39)
(13:29 - 29:11)
Drew Kutcher takes the lead in discussing the detrimental effects of excessive screen time. He presents compelling statistics about phone usage and its impact on productivity and mental well-being.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“When we think that we're multitasking, we're actually task switching at this rapid pace, which can be confusing for our brains to manage.”
— Drew Kutcher (02:41)
(29:11 - 31:33)
Jenna introduces the concept of using timers to enhance focus and productivity. She explains how setting specific time blocks can help in completing tasks efficiently without feeling overwhelmed.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“Setting a timer and simply taking focused action can quickly move the needle and yield results.”
— Jenna Kutcher (13:29)
(31:33 - 37:24)
Drew discusses the benefits of evening preparations to streamline morning routines and reduce decision fatigue. Drawing inspiration from parenting practices, he outlines how preparing the night before can lead to a more organized and less stressful day.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“When we save all of these little things for the day of, they add up to take a lot of our time.”
— Drew Kutcher (31:33)
(37:24 - 29:11)
Jenna explores the concept of integrating tasks that complement each other, allowing for simultaneous productivity without the pitfalls of multitasking. She emphasizes combining low-effort tasks with passive learning activities.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“Listening to podcasts or audiobooks while doing chores allows you to learn on the go and check off tasks that don't require full mental engagement.”
— Jenna Kutcher (37:24)
(29:11 - 37:24)
Drew addresses the challenge of managing interruptions, especially in a home environment. He provides strategies to create a focused workspace and minimize disruptions.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“If you can plan out your communication to not always be available while you're trying to focus, you can reclaim a significant amount of time each day.”
— Drew Kutcher (37:24)
(37:24 - End)
Jenna wraps up the episode by reiterating the value of time as a precious currency. She encourages listeners to conduct a time audit and implement the discussed habits incrementally to experience a more balanced and productive life.
Key Points:
Notable Quote:
“Time is our currency. We have to spend it well.”
— Jenna Kutcher (37:24)
Throughout the episode, Jenna and Drew intersperse their discussion with personal anecdotes and relatable scenarios, making the strategies both practical and inspiring. Their conversational tone ensures that listeners feel supported and empowered to make meaningful changes in their daily routines.
Notable Quotes:
Episode 862 of The Goal Digger Podcast offers a wealth of actionable advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by their commitments. By adopting these six time-saving habits—waking up earlier, setting screen time limits, using timers for focused work, prepping the night before, integrating tasks, and managing interruptions—listeners can enhance their productivity and achieve a more harmonious work-life balance. Jenna Kutcher and Drew Kutcher provide not only strategies but also the motivation and support needed to implement these changes effectively.
For more resources, show notes, and additional tips, visit goaldiggerpodcast.com. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest episodes designed to help you dig deeper into your goals.