5 Podcasts to Elevate Your Productivity

Here at NoCo, we are always looking for ways to boost our productivity and learn something new. Podcasts can be a great way to unwind while also practicing self-improvement. There can be little time in the day to designate to reading or picking up information. However, podcasts can solve this issue. They allow you to listen and learn on the go, during a workout, or on the way to work. There is a sea of podcasts out there so finding a starting place may be difficult. Here are our best podcasts for staying efficient during chaotic work weeks. 

1.The Accidental Creative

With more than ten million downloads, The Accidental Creative podcast has provided weekly tips and interviews with top thinkers, leaders, and artists since 2005. With this podcast you learn to develop everyday skills that can help you stay healthy, creative, and productive. The Accidental Creative Podcast is hosted by Todd Henry, author of Die Empty, Louder Than Words, and of course, The Accidental Creative. The Accidental Creative podcast explores how to stay prolific, brilliant and healthy in life and work as a creative pro. Each episode is less than half an hour, which is perfect for squeezing in a little wisdom into a lunch break or on your way to and from work! Todd Henry also gets outside perspective from guests on the podcast who include Dan Harris, Cal Newport, and Laura Vanderkam. Whether you’re a creative or a business professional, there’s something for everyone to learn in this podcast.

2. Beyond The To-Do List

Host, Erik Fisher talks with productivity experts as they share how they implement practical productivity strategies in their personal and professional lives. Not only does each episode teach you how to get more done, it also tries to explore the main purpose of productivity, which is living a meaningful life between personal and work life. Another great thing about this show is that it doesn’t just share stories about people’s success. There are also episodes where the guests share how they have failed at something, while highlighting the lessons learned from those failures. The podcast features interviews with real entrepreneurs and leaders, extracting their most important lessons. Some of the reason themes explored by Fisher and his guests include remote management, inbox zero, creativity, and the hustle.

3. The Productivityist Podcast

The Self-described “productivity enthusiast” Mike Vardy hosts the Productivityist show weekly. During the show he examines tactical time-management techniques to boost efficiency and effectiveness. This podcast will teach you how to craft your time to make every moment of your day matter. The show brings  productivity to a whole new level to make the most out of both your professional and personal life. Vardy’s main goal is to help his listeners “define your day, funnel your focus, and make every moment matter” through actionable tips and useful tools. Which isn’t bad for a half hour weekly podcast.

4. Back to Work

If you want something specifically focused on improving work habits, you’d struggle to find something better than Back to Work. The team of Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin creates just the right blend of informative and engaging content as they discuss topics such as: workplace communication,productivity tools, time management barriers to success and much more. While this podcast is slightly longer than the others with each episode lasting an average of an hour and a half, listeners are sure to be  entertained by the duo’s funny antics on the side. Listening to Merlin and Dan is just like listening to two friends talk casually, which makes for some great background listening on your way home from work. ​​The hosts’ funny antics take the edge off what would be an otherwise serious and somewhat boring podcast about how to excel at work. This award-winning podcast is unlike any other. 

5. The Tim Ferriss Show

Whether it’s minimizing the workweek or maximizing your fitness, Tim Ferriss is all about the “minimum effective dose.” Ferris, bestselling author and “world’s best human guinea pig,” is best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, which is now translated into over 40 languages. Tim’s weekly podcast shares the results of his own life experiments as well as those of many famous guests. Tim always makes sure to ask his guests about their morning rituals and habits for productivity. Past guests include Hugh Jackman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Maria Sharapova and many more! Ferriss invites and interviews people from niche backgrounds and industries, then uncovers the secrets to their success. Out of all the podcasts, Tim Ferriss’s stood out as the most popular!

Try to remember that podcasts can be a great way to force yourself to take a break! We recommend scheduling 30 minutes after your lunch to take a walk, listen to a podcast, and have some “think” time away from your computer. Podcasts have been found to help people perform better and become more productive even in high-pressure situations. Studies have shown that listening to amazing podcasts can help people transform their work-life balance.