Modern Mentor
Episodes
517 - The Art of Monotasking vs. Multitasking
27 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stop multitasking and use monotasking to give yourself a way to approach your work and life with mindfulness. Read the transcript at Check out all the...
516 - 7 Pro Tips for Managing Your Bursting Email Inbox
20 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Email is a top source of interruptions for most of us. A few simple tips can help you make it a tool you can use, rather than a burden you can bear. R...
515 - Dream Job 101: How to Prepare for a Career Change
13 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When your life isn't giving you what you want, consider jumping to a new phase. Mike Lewis, author of When to Jump, shares tips on making that shift. ...
514 - Make Your Business Better with the (Physical) Kanban Method
06 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than forecasting when you'll need materials, design your business and life to be self-regulating. Use Kanban. Read the transcript at https://ww...
513 - How to Strengthen Relationships with 'Process Conversations'
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How to start a new working relationship (or other kind!) is easy with a little advance planning. Read the transcript at https://www.quickanddirtytips....
512 - What Is the 80/20 Rule? The Pareto Principle Explained
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The 80/20 rule (or Pareto Principle) can help you boost your productivity by doing what really moves your goals forward. Read the transcript at https:...
511 - How to Job Hunt the Right Way: Use Constraints
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How to get a job starts with knowing what you're looking for. This simple four-part framework will help you hone your desires just enough to embark on...
510 - How to Organize Smartphone Apps for Quick Access
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Eliminate smartphone slowdown with a surprisingly simple trick: Each time you use an app, drag its icon to your home screen in the upper left position...
509 - You've Been Writing 'Thank You' Notes All Wrong
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do onerous follow-up tasks in advance, when your motivation is at its peak. Read the transcript at Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.q...
508 - Online Shopping? Be Smart, Track Your Shipping Numbers
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you have a lot of packages in the mail, or irons in the fire, track your tracking numbers so you can move swiftly when disaster strikes. Read the...
507 - Make the Most of the 'Notes' App on Your Phone
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Name your notes consistently, and expand into a folder of notes if needed. Read the transcript at https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/productivity/organ...
506 - Negotiating a Salary (Without Being Lowballed)
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Companies use tricks to pay you as little as possible. Negotiate with integrity and honesty, and be firm. Read the transcript at https://www.quickandd...
505 - How to Meet Commitments Using 'Urgency' and 'Importance'
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When you want something to get done, make sure you manage both its urgency and its importance when you motivate yourself to work. Read the transcript ...
504 - How to Use Bookmarks to Streamline Your Workflow
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Use bookmarks to take you exactly where you need to be, when you need to be there, in the combinations you need to do your job best. Read the transcri...
502 - How to Succeed by Trying to Fail
14 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes the best route to success is along the path that leads to failure. Read the transcript at https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/productivity/lea...
501 - Is the Best Web-Building Workflow For You an All-in-One or Piecemeal Approach?
07 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, sponsored by Weebly, Get-it-Done Guy explains the costs and benefits of all-in-one solutions and more customized "piecemeal" workflow...
500 - Use Your To-Do List to Spot Opportunity
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The value in a task list is as much in what you don't get done as what you do! Here's how to mine your list for gold. Read the transcript at Check out...
499 - How to Psych Yourself Up with Good Self-Talk
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Self-talk, inner voices, self-criticism, and self-praise are all things we do to ourselves. But it may give you better results to engage in other-talk...
498 - How to Quit Social Media Using an Anti-Social-Media Buddy
16 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Social media is addictive, manipulative, and bad. Reclaim your high-quality life by working with an anti-social-media buddy to save the best, leave th...
497 - How to Use 'Good Enough' to Beat Perfectionism
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism is caused by the illusion of immortality. Take away that illusion, and you'll get things done, pronto. Read the transcript at https://ww...
496 - How to Avoid Misunderstandings When Asking Questions
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When asking or answering questions, make your underlying assumptions and motives explicit. You'll get and give answers more quickly, and avoid all kin...
BONUS: Introducing Safe For Work
20 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you listen to my show, you're someone who cares about creating a workplace environment that is productive, professional, and free from distractions...
494 - How to Improve Communication by Text (and Texting)
20 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Text is a very limited medium. Make sure you're using it so it gets your point across. Read the transcript at https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/busine...
493 - It's Not About the Tool, It's About the Workflow
13 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Before you start using a new tool, make sure that you aren't optimizing the trees and forgetting the forest. Read the transcript at https://www.quicka...
492 - How to Coach People Around You (Quickly and Effectively)
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than giving people answers, Michael Bungay-Stanier's book The Coaching Habit offers questions that lead them to find their own answers. Read th...
491 - How to Resist Social Media and Reconnect with IRL Friends
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than subjecting your brain and your relationships to the manipulative mechanisms of social media, use social media to trigger and deepen real l...
490 - How to Make Great Progress Using Accountability
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The killer app when it comes to stopping procrastination and getting things done is to engage the part of your brain that feels social obligation. Rea...
489 - How to Overcome Perfectionism
12 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Perfectionism is one of the greatest obstacles to movement. Instead of the perfect product, shoot for the perfect process. You'll get farther than you...
488 - How to Be Deliberate with Your Distractions
05 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Don't let clickbait run your life. Here's how to find and destroy the hidden time killers that seem useful but really suck away at your productivity. ...
BONUS: Introducing Launch
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Three out of five people dream of writing a book. Few follow through. What does it take to take that from dream to reality? Screenwriter John August (...
486 - How to Schedule Meetings When Traveling
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
When traveling and scheduling a lot of meetings, you want to make the best possible use of your time. Yet negotiating individual meeting times is a lo...
485 - How to Easily Manage and Secure Your Passwords
15 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this day and age, everything needs a password. Use good password hygiene so you use passwords, safely. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddi...
484 - How to Plan Properly with Deadlines and Milestones
08 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Proper use of deadlines and milestones will help keep your project moving, even with an unrealistic boss and a daunting project plan. Read the transcr...
483 - Why You Should Memorize Phone Numbers (and How to Do It)
01 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Phone numbers are a surprising lifeline to the world. Don't let convenience strand you in an emergency. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirt...
482 - Using Location-Based and Future Reminders
25 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Not all reminders fit simply into a to-do list. But luckily (for once) our to-do list apps aren't simple. Use location-based and future reminders to r...
481 - 5 Principles for Setting Good Goals
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Not all goals are created equal. In this episode, Stever lays out the minimum requirements for setting goals you can achieve. Read the transcript at h...
480 - How to Avoid 'Yak Shaving' When Solving a Problem
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Learn to rethink your process when you're spending too much time on the steps to your goal. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/pr...
015 - Overcommit? "No" More
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Learn to say an honest "No" when people ask you to overcommit. Guest Byron Katie demonstrates. Questions go to [email protected]...
479 - The Top 10 Productivity Tools For the Holidays
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Read the transcript at Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW GET-IT-DONE GUY Facebook: https://www.f...
478 - The Top 8 Must-Know Principles of Productivity
20 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Stever's shares his top principles of productivity from ten years of productivity podcasting. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/...
477 - The 6 Best Tips to Creating a Basic To-Do List
13 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Make a list, prune it often, and don't magically expect things on it to get done. Phrase your to-do items properly so your brain can get moving on the...
475 - How to Agree on Deliverables Quickly and Clearly
29 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You can prevent misunderstandings and get your whole team on the same page by using the simple tool of an IS-IS NOT list. Read the transcript at Check...
474 - How to Use the 'Idea Parking Lot' in 4 Simple Steps
23 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It's hard to keep meetings focused when side issues and tangents come up. Use a “parking lot” to keep your tangents under control. Read the transc...
472 - 4 Ways to Build Close Relationships That Last
09 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Every relationship has a give and a take. The best relationships are founded on the principle of giving something other than what you get. Read the tr...
470 - How Scanning Apps Can Organize Your Life
25 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Scanning documents with your cell phone can be a huge time saver. Today, we review the major features to look for in a scanning app. Read the transcri...
468 GID How to Organize Purchased Products and Accessories
11 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Create an organization system for all the bits that come with products: physical accessories, AC adapters, and warranties. Modern Mentor is hosted by ...
324 GID How to Deal With People Who are Late
04 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When people are late, they're wasting time you'll have to make up later. But as Get-It-Done Guy reveals, there are things you can do to manage them--a...
389 GID Get More Out of College by Prioritizing Learning
28 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When priorities conflict in college, you can find yourself choosing between multiple good choices. At this stage of life, choose learning. Read the fu...
414 GID How to Form Great Habits Using Triggers
21 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Making habits is hard. And most times we have to do them. But by attaching a trigger to the thing we want to do more of, it gets easier to just do it....
467 GID Write Faster by Separating Cognitive Tasks
14 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There are many parallel tasks we do while writing, and computers can help with all of them. But doing them all at once is a distracting trap. Do the s...
466 GID Make a Plan for Motivation
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Even an inaccurate or incomplete plan can give you the motivation to do great things. Use plans everywhere, even when you don't think you're ready for...
465 GID How to Make Your Own Luck
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Luck is an essential ingredient to success! But by its nature, you can't plan for it. ... or can you? Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A trans...
464 GID How to Organize Your Stuff for Camping
24 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Get all the convenience of a tidy, organized closet, even when you’re camping Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11481 Che...
463 GID How to Send Perfect Calendar Invites
17 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We often think of calendar invites as a quick throwaway activity. But they aren’t. They’re deliberate communication; treat them well! Modern Mento...
462 GID Take Charge of Your Career and Grow a Pair!
09 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Don't leave your career to chance. Decide where you want to go, and how you'll get there. Then get your boss on board--or find a new boss. Modern Ment...
380 GID Negotiate More Money with These Simple Tricks
03 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Good negotiators can reach good outcomes and keep the relationship strong by thinking differently about how they approach the bargaining table. Read t...
461 GID Control Email Using Custom Domains and Catch-All Emails
26 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Lots of sites want your email address. Keep them organized (and honest) by giving them each a unique address at a custom domain. Modern Mentor is host...
460 GID The Simple Trick to Keep Track of What People Owe You
19 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Great things that are more than one person can do require, well, multiple people. Delegating to others requires a good follow-up system. Fortunately, ...
459 GID Get Even More Organized With a Table of Contents
12 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Is your life full of half-full notebooks and jotted information everywhere? A table of contents might be just the thing you need to clear out the clut...
458 GID Orient Your Life Around Results Not Hours
05 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We've been trained by our corporate overlords to care about giving our hours, even though we'd all be better off organizing our lives around progress....
457 GID How Customer Pictures Can Improve Your A-Game
29 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Put the right external cues in place and you can do better work for your customers. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2stTi95 Check out all the Qui...
456 GID Keep Your Roles Separate by Switching Hats
22 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Different roles call for different actions. Avoid mix-ups between clashing roles by pairing them each with a context. Modern Mentor is hosted by Rache...
455 GID How to Negotiate with Contingency Clauses
15 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
People can’t always agree on what will happen in the future. But they can agree to do something if something happens in the future. Use this to nego...
454 GID How to Be Radically Candid: Q&A with Kim Scott, Part 2
09 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2 of his interview with author and CEO Kim Scott, Git-It-Done-Guy learns how to be wrong, how to handle an angry boss, and why radical candor ...
453 GID How to Be Radically Candid: Q&A with Kim Scott, Part 1
02 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Get-It-Done Guy sits down with Kim Scott to discuss how to show care for others by giving feedback and getting vulnerable. Read the full transcript he...
452 GID PHow to Keep Track of Irregular Events
24 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Scheduling the unscheduleable is a challenge. But with modern tools, as well as pen and paper, we can make sure you have what you need, when you need ...
451 GID How to Turn Hopes into Actions
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has something they wish would come true for themselves. Instead of just wishing, turn those hopes into productive dos. Make action-based plan...
450 GID Pick the Correct Medium for Your Message
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Now we have more communication options than ever before. Choosing the right one is essential to getting your message across. Read the full transcript ...
449 GID Why You Should Communicate Directly with Others
03 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When things are confusing or not going well, don't just imagine you know what's going on, actually talk to people to make sure your thoughts are real....
448 GID How to Learn From Your Experience When Leaving a Job
27 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You won't get better without reflection and thought. After you leave a job, spend some time reviewing what you've learned so you'll be even better in ...
447 GID Get More Done by Dividing Your Week into Project Days
20 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Focus each day on a single project and your brain will be very happy indeed. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2oGvIqX Modern Mentor is hos...
446 GID How to Get Your Way in a Negotiation
13 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Know who’s across the table from you — and who’s not, but should be. Adapt your plan to get them what they want, and you'll get your way. Read t...
444 GID 6 Tricks to Negotiate with More Power
28 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
When you’re at the negotiating table, power isn't just attitude. You also want to behave in ways that show you're at the top of your game. Read the ...
443 GID How to Be a Power Player in Negotiations
20 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Prepare for a negotiation by understanding the power dynamics involved, and setting yourself up to be the power player. Read the full transcript here:...
442 GID How to Write Emails From Your Readers' Point of View
13 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Make your email work for the reader, and you’ll quickly become the most popular person around. Then once others acknowledge you as an email sensei, ...
441 GID How to Deal with Coworkers Who Complain
06 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
People who complain all the time are just Debbie Downers. Here's how to deal with them. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2lELlcN Modern Me...
440 GID Eliminate Vagueness for Stronger Business Agreements
30 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Eliminate wiggle room in your agreements by giving concrete examples. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2kmjZad Modern Mentor is hosted by ...
439 GID How to Boost Productivity with Your Keyboard
23 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A small improvement, repeated a hundred thousand times a day, really adds up. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2khFcqQ Modern Mentor is ho...
438 GID How Due Diligence Can Improve Your Company's Hiring Process
16 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Some prospective employees are a bad fit. Some don’t even exist at all. Make sure your job prospects are worth interviewing using the Internet. Read...
437 GID 4 Ways to Be More Proactive
09 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Instead of waiting for something outside yourself to rescue you from circumstance, take action to create the life you want. Read the full transcript h...
304 GID How Small Changes Can Lead to Big Time Savings
02 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you examine your workday carefully, you may find that very minor time delays are actually eating up much of your productivity. Read the full transc...
436 GID How to Close Loops to Make Your Life Easier
26 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When you wrap up incomplete tasks, you free your mind for what's really important. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2iTLkQS Modern Mentor ...
372 GID Brain Training: How to Stay Focused and Stop Multitasking
19 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Turn off your computer. Turn off your smartphone. Work. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1J2td1f Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. ...
435 GID 9 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Online Sales Efforts
09 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Email sales is more and more common, and as a result, it's less and less effective. But with just a little bit of effort, you can make sure it fails f...
434 GID How to Remember People's Names
05 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
We meet countless people in our personal and professional lives whose names we want to remember. But our usual tactics for remembering facts and figur...
433 GID How Technology Can Tank Your Success in Class: Part 2
28 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Today's college students are used to using their computers in class, but they don't realize just how much their tech is distracting them. College is f...
432 GID Productivity Products That Make Perfect Holiday Gifts
21 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you're looking for holiday gift ideas for the productivity geek in your life, look no further! In this episode, Stever reviews his current lineup o...
431 GID How Technology Can Tank Your Success in Class: Part I
14 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s college students are used to using their computers in class, but you don’t realize just how much your tech is distracting them. College is...
430 GID Manage Your Priority Emails with This Simple Tagging Tip
02 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Learn how to use tags in the body of your email to keep your high priority email visible, while you just might ignore the rest. Read the full transcri...
322 GID Beware of Being Too Productive
31 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If you're too productive, you just may find yourself fired...for being too lazy! With Get-It-Done Guy's expert tips, that won't happen to you. Read th...
429 GID How to Simplify Your Life with Custom URLs
24 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Use website redirection to easily remember how to get to your personal control panels, shared folders, etc. Read the full transcript here: http://bit....
428 GID How to Eliminate Your Own Unconscious Political Bias
17 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How to cast an unbiased, well-thought-out vote is difficult. Politics brings out the worst in all of us. Unfortunately, the worst is often unconscious...
427 GID How to Get Powerful People on Your side
10 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When approaching a powerful person to get them involved in a project, make sure there’s something in it for them. But what could that be? In this ep...
426 GID When Should You Shut Down Your Business?
03 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When a business just isn’t working, it may be time to call it quits and do something else. But how do you know? In this episode, Stever tackles the ...
425 GID How Team Office Hours Can Boost Your Productivity
26 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
To be as productive as possible, you not only need to optimize your schedule for yourself, you need to coordinate and synchronize with the rest of you...
156 GID How to Memorize Lines Quickly
19 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How to memorize a speech, monologue, or dialog quickly involves starting from the end, not the beginning. By putting the novel material up front, you ...
424 GID 4 Life and Business Lessons from Burning Man
12 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What a temporary city in the desert can teach you about daily life. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2cUFSNd Modern Mentor is hosted by Ra...
423 GID How to Use Madlibs to Streamline Micromanagement
05 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When checking in on minute steps in your employees' work, its easy for them to miss a task. Unless you help them out with this simple checkin. Read th...
330 GID How to Become a Manager
29 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
When you move from individual contributor to manager, your job has just changed completely. You need an entirely new framework to know what's importan...
422 GID The Simple Trick to Say "No" to Help-Seekers? Create Hurdles
22 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Helping everyone who asks is a quick way to overload, especially when many people ask just because they’re lazy. By making it just a bit harder to a...