The Skyward Spiral

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

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[S2E1] Focus

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 13:07:27 -0000

David and Brent are back with the first episode of the second season of the podcast.

David and Brent discuss "focus", what it is and how to attain it. David talks about his recent diagnosis of ADD, and how this changed affected his productivity. He brings up the idea of "Deep Work" as presented in the book by Cal Newport, but also mentions the surprising value of "shallow" work.

Two definitions of focus are presented:

Focus as "freedom from distraction"
Focus as "one-pointedness"

Brent talks about his idea of "bamboozlery", sneaky distractions that interfere with productivity.

David and Brent discuss ways to attain focus, including the idea of a "temple" of focus, a designed space that is most conducive to productivity.

Today's 3 Takeaways

If you've always considered yourself unforgivably lazy, it might not just be "laziness". Consult experts and friends and family, and see if there might be more to what's holding you back.
Be aware of, and account for "bamboozlery". Set dedicated time aside for distraction-free, focused work.
Understand and appreciate your "temples" of focus. Learn what they are and how to build them and work in them.

Our links

https://monthlymethod.com

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

Talking SCRUM with Polina Bee

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:09:22 -0000

Today's guest is Polina Bee the founder of Monthly Method - a SCRUM-based framework for personal productivity.

David and Polina talk about SCRUM, Agile, sprints, and the monthly method. How can you apply Scrum methodology to your life? How can it help your professional and personal goals?

Polina's top tips:

Set goals in these different areas of your life (and don't neglect any!):
- Career and Growth
- Health and Key Relationships
- Quality of Life
- Keep a backlog. Both for ongoing projects, and ideas for new ones.
- Ensure you have a proper definition of "done".

The Monthly Method

Find out more about the Monthly Method at these links:

hello@monthlymethod.com

@monthly.method on Instagram

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E10] Hindsight 2020

Sun, 20 Dec 2020 16:00:00 -0000

David and Brent look back on the year, and the first season of the podcast.

David and Brent discuss the unusual year that was 2020 and their own experiences during it. David looks back at the podcast so far and the various principles and strategies presented. Brent introduces his new framework for work and rest which he calls the 'negative space' of productivity.

Today's 3 Takeaways

2020 was a difficult year for everyone. Bear this in mind when reflecting back on it.
Play with the idea of the 'negative space' of productivity. Embrace the inhale as well as the exhale.
Thank you for listening to our podcast! We hope you'll join us for many more great discussions in 2021 and beyond.

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E9] Real Productivity

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:23:14 -0000

David and Brent talk real productivity: what it means, and how to access it.

David talks about riding the wave of getting things done, and learning to be a better 'surfer'. Brent asks us to better define what we mean about productivity in the first place. They debate the finer details of what entails a productive day/week/month/year, and how best to live a fully productive life.

Brent's 4 Pillars of Productivity

Clarity (and vision)
Strategy (and structure)
Implementation (and routine)
Flow (and challenge)

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E8] Impostor Syndrome

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:14:10 -0000

David and Brent talk about impostor syndrome and their own struggles with it.

David defines impostor syndrome and explains some of his own experience of feeling like an 'impostor'. Brent details his own experience as he became a productivity coach. David presents the idea that "you're only ever you", and what it implies. They discuss how impostor syndrome is most often invalid, and how best to think about it.

Today's 3 Takeaways

You are the person most capable of undermining your own self-belief. But you can also control for this (and you should).
Remember what first brought you to the opportunities you are taking. Let your confidence win out over your doubts.
Don't feel inferior. But do feel grateful.

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E7] Burnout

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 16:48:13 -0000

David and Brent talk about burnout and how to avoid it.

Brent talks about recent struggles with burnout. David relates his own experiences in his creative projects. Brent describes the "mastermind paradox" and definitions of burnout, as well as his approaches to solving it.

Today's 3 Takeaways

Make sure to make regular time for self-renewal.
When your best efforts are not yielding results, reassess and review your strategies and approaches.
Keep a balance between your logical rational mind and your unknown hidden mind to avoid burnout.

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E6] Iteration

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 13:29:27 -0000

David and Brent talk about iteration and iterative loops, and how to apply them to your work and life.

David shares his theory of iteration or "controlled improvement" with Brent. They discuss the finer points of the iterative loop including how to make the best possible omelette.

David's formulation of the iterative loop consists of four steps:

BLUEPRINTING
PROTOTYPING
FEEDBACK & EVALUATION
ITERATION

Today's 3 Takeaways

Be aware of the iterative loop, its stages, and its applications.
Make your iterative loops into a personal sanctuary. Customise them to fit your life.
Be creatively fearless.

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E5] The Story of You

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 11:24:25 -0000

Brent talks about his recent spiritual homecoming, drawing inspiration from one of his favourite books, The Power of Now.

What are the negotiations between our past and future selves, and how do we navigate them? Where is the balance between happiness and creative fulfilment?

Today's 3 Takeaways

Discern between yourself and your 'story'.
Figure out what you're really after and what its significance to you is.
Find out if what you want needs to be accessed right now.

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E4] Launch

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:20:49 -0000

David and Brent talk about starting new projects, including how they started this podcast.

David talks about his strategy of dealing with idea overflow and how to be deliberate with choosing what projects to work on and how to allocate time and energy to them. Brent discusses how important your mindset is when going into new projects, including being ready to accept failures and obstacles along the path towards success.

Today's 3 Takeaways

Be deliberate and selective about starting new projects.
Be willing to fail, and remember that failure is OK.
Make it enjoyable. Make sure you can stay enthusiastic about your work.

Our links

https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202 https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_flow_the_secret_to_happiness

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E3] Flow

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 04:41:12 -0000

David and Brent discuss "flow" and how to maximise it in your own life.

Brent introduces the concept of flow, as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and explains its crucial importance in the world of productivity. David talks about occasions when he's experienced flow, in writing, editing, and learning how to play the piano.

Today's 3 Takeaways

Calibrate the required skill and the challenge of a given task to maximise flow.
Release any impatience and immerse yourself in the task at hand.
Happiness is a (wonderful) side effect of reaching flow states.

Flow links

Our links

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E2] Morale

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 17:36:54 -0000

David and Brent discuss low morale and ways to recover.

David shares his recent low morale and productivity struggles and his desire for a more consistent workflow. Brent offers some advice and a larger framework within which to think about morale and how to manage it.

Today's 3 Takeaways

Morale is important - it could be the invisible reason for your difficulty.
Take a break when you need to - refresh and reset and start again.
Keep your expectations manageable and build up your momentum.

Find out more at https://skyward-spiral.pinecast.co

[S1E1] Skyward Spiral

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:12:02 -0000

David and Brent introduce themselves and discuss the premise of the podcast.

The Skyward Spiral is all about building a healthy and consistently productive lifestyle - the focus is on long-term sustainable growth rather than short-term overdrive and burnout.