Productivity podcasts can be an incredible useful tool, providing you with the information you need for stress-free productivity. Skeptical? Picture this: You make an ambitious to-do list that seems simple enough at first glance. Then 5 p.m. rolls around and you realize you’ve gotten about three things done, and you have no idea where the day went. That’s where productivity podcasts come in.
If this sounds familiar, trust us: You’re not alone. With so many of us working from home, productivity can feel next to impossible some days. But if you can barely make it through your to-do list, surely you don’t have time to make podcasts a part of your daily routine, right? That's the great thing about podcasts: You can listen to them when you’re doing something else, like taking a walk, cooking dinner, the list goes on and on.
Plug in those headphones and open that podcast app, because we compiled a list of the best podcasts about productivity. Just make sure you have something nearby to take notes, because you won’t want to forget these hacks.
18 productivity podcasts
1. Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Hosts: Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft
Length of episodes: Up to 40 minutes.
Happiness guru Gretchen Rubin, author of the blockbuster New York Time bestseller The Happiness Project, brings all her research about productivity and happiness to her podcast “Happier with Gretchen Rubin,” which she co-hosts with her sister, Elizabeth Craft.
Episodes range from four-minute solo episodes to longer episodes that usually include an interview with a thought leader in the happiness or productivity space.
Sample episode to try: “We Review our ‘21 for 2021’ Lists to Consider What We’ve Done (Or Not)”
Listen to “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
2. The Tim Ferriss Show
Host: Tim Ferriss
Length of Episodes: Up to three hours
The name Tim Ferriss is practically synonymous with the word “productivity,” since he wrote the famous book The 4-Hour Workweek, which is all about getting more done in a lot less time. In “The Tim Ferriss Show,” Ferriss digs deep to uncover the tactics, tools, and tricks that top performers like famous investors, pro athletes, and chess players use in an effort to help others adopt them.
Sample episodes to try: “James Dyson: Founder of Dyson and Master Inventor on How to Turn the Mundane Into Magic.”
Listen to “The Tim Ferriss Show” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
3. A Productive Conversation with Mike Vardy
Host: Mike Vardy
Length of episodes: Around 45 minutes
Mike Vardy is a productivity strategist, so it only makes sense that his podcast centers on the very best tips, tools, and tricks to help you live a more productive life. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, better manage your time or create (or break) a habit, this podcast is a great go-to.
Sample episode to try: “Hypnosis and Being Productively Present With Erika Flint”
Listen to “A Productive Conversation” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
4. Getting Things Done
Host: David Allen
Length of episodes: Up to an hour and 15 minutes long
Hosted by executive coach David Allen, “Getting Things Done” is about … well, getting things done. These podcast episodes include interviews with people who have adopted Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) method, plus practical tips from the GTD method that you can apply to your own life.
Sample episode to try: “GTD and the Phenomenon of List Managers”
Listen to “Getting Things Done” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
5. The Productive Woman Podcast
Host: Laura McClellan
Length of episodes: Up to an hour and 15 minutes long
A lot of productivity methods are aimed at men, which is where “The Productive Woman” comes in. Hosted by Laura McClellan, this podcast is intended to help busy women find the tools and encouragement they need to manage their jobs, times, stress, and more so they can accomplish the things they actually care about.
Sample episode to try: “15 Productive Things You Can Do In 15 Minutes or Less”
Listen to “The Productive Woman” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
6. The 5 AM Miracle with Jeff Sanders
Host: Jeff Sanders
Length of episodes: Up to an hour and a half long.
If you’re a morning person (or even if you’re not!), “The 5 AM Miracle with Jeff Sanders” is for you. While it bills itself as teaching you how to “dominate your day” before breakfast, night owls can benefit from it, too. This podcast focuses on healthy habits, productivity, personal development and more.
Sample episode to try: “8 Superpowers for Thriving In Constant Change with April Rinne”
Listen to “The 5 AM Miracle with Jeff Sanders” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
7. Before Breakfast
Host: Laura Vanderkamp
Length of episodes: Up to 10 minutes long
We know what you’re thinking: Another podcast all about everything you can accomplish before breakfast? But these bite-sized episodes brought to you by Laura Vanderkamp might just be exactly what you need to listen to as you sip your coffee in the morning. They’re all about time management strategies and practical tools that can help listeners feel less busy and get more done.
Sample episode to try: “Find Me Time Before Everyone’s Asleep”
Listen to “Before Breakfast” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
8. The ONE Thing with Geoff Woods
Host: Geoff Woods
Length of episodes: Up to an hour long
“The ONE Thing,” hosted by Geoff Woods, centers on how the most successful people in the world approach time management, productivity, business, health, and more. Episodes include enlightening interviews with experts in the productivity field.
Sample episode to try: “Strengthen Your Relationship By Honoring Your Core Values”
Listen to “The ONE Thing” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
9. Hurry Slowly
Host: Jocelyn K. Glei
Length of episodes: Up to an hour long.
What if we told you that the secret to getting more done is slowing down? That’s what “Hurry Slowly,” hosted by Jocelyn K. Glei, is all about: Slowing down so you can be more productive, creative, and resilient. Through in-depth interviews with deep thinkers, artists, and entrepreneurs, these episodes always have something interesting to offer.
Sample episode to try: “Mark Epstein: The Importance of Uncertainty”
Listen to “Hurry Slowly” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
10. Harvard Business Review’s Ideacast
Hosts: Curt Nickisch and Alison Beard
Length of episodes: Up to 30 minutes long.
Harvard Business Review’s “Ideacast” is a weekly podcast that features interviews with thought leaders in the business and management space—and it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that these deep thinkers know a thing or two about productivity.
Sample episode to try: “Rethinking Our Relationship to Work”
Listen to HBR’s “Ideacast” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
11. The Paul Minors Podcast
Host: Paul Minors
Length of episodes: Up to 20 minutes long
The Paul Minors Podcast is all about optimizing your time and income so you can live how you want, on your own terms. Of course, you’ll need some tips and tricks to actually make this happen, which is where Minors’ tips and tricks come in. These podcasts episodes are short, but they all have something interesting and enlightening to offer.
Sample episode to try: “5 Tricks to Instantly Stop Procrastinating”
Listen to “The Paul Minors Podcast” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
12. The Upgrade
Hosts: Jordan Calhoun and Meghan Walbert
Episode length: Up to an hour long.
Looking for a more general (and fun) self-improvement podcast? “The Upgrade,” brought to you by LifeHacker and hosts Jordan Calhoun and Meghan Walbert, is all about bringing in all-star guests to tackle the stuff that really matters: How to be happy, how to buy a TV (see what we mean by fun?) and how to be better with money.
Sample episode to try: “How to Be Happy Right Now, With Dr. Laurie Santos”
Listen to “The Upgrade” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
13. Eat Sleep Work Repeat
Host: Bruce Daisley
Episode length: Around an hour
“Eat Sleep Work Repeat” host Bruce Daisley asks one simple question: How can we make work better? In these podcast episodes, Daisley talks with scientists and experts about how we can improve our jobs and be more productive.
Sample episode to try: “The Surprising Root of Resilience”
Listen to “Eat Sleep Work Repeat” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
14. Beyond the To-Do List
Host: Erik Fisher
Episode length: 45 minutes
In “Beyond the To-Do List,” host Erik Fisher talks with productivity experts about exactly how they implement practical, productivity strategies in their personal and professional lives. In these podcast episodes, Fisher explores what he believes is the end goal of productivity—living a meaningful life.
Sample episode to try: “Jess Cording on Managing Stress and Anxiety”
Listen to “Beyond the To-Do List” on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
15. The BizChix Podcast
Host: Natalie Eckdahl
Episode length: Up to 50 minutes
Hosted by Natalie Eckdahl, a coach for high-performing women, “The BizChix podcast is all about helping female entrepreneurs master their mindsets, grow as leaders, refine their strategies, and more. Eckdahl is also an expert at outsourcing at home and work, so she offers great tips for that in these episodes.
Sample episode to try: “4 Coaching Models That Save You Time”
Listen to "The BizChix Podcast" on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
16. The Productivityist Podcast
Host: Mike Vardy
Episode length: Around 40 minutes
Hosted by Mike Vardy, this podcast shares tips for improved time management, better habits, and more. Plus, you can expect great guests like "Deep Work" author Cal Newport, Michael Hyatt, and more.
Sample episode to try: "Create Good Mornings With Craig Kulyk"
Listen to "The Productivityist Podcast" on Productivityist.com.
17. Optimal Living Daily
Host: Varies
Episode length: Around 10 minutes
You can think of Optimal Living Daily as an "audioblog" or "blogcast," where top-notch content from different blogs on productivity, personal development, and minimalism are read out loud to you with author permission.
Sample episode to try: "How to Create Habits That Stick - with Minimum Effort and Maximum Results"
Listen to Optimal Living Daily on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
18. The Work Smarter, Not Harder Podcast
Host: Kim Sutton
Episode length: Between 11 and 46 minutes
Host Kim Sutton helps empower "parentpreneurs" with systems and strategies to help improve their businesses with topics that include mindset, boundaries, confidence, visibility, and more.
Sample episode to try: Advocate for Yourself: Finding Ways That Can Help You With Heather Hansen
Listen to the Work Smarter, Not Harder Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.
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