Welcome to Episode 100!
This special milestone episode is a no-guest conversation between your hosts Joey and Jeremy. After 100 episodes, they reflect on lessons learned about productivity, focus, neurodivergence, energy management, and finding joy in everyday work.
JN: What has changed in your routines since starting the podcast?
- Joey: Shifted to working with ultradian rhythms: 90 minutes focus, 30 minutes break.
- Jeremy: Focused more on energy management, not time management. Uses longer focus blocks instead of strict Pomodoros.
JN: How do you apply Pomodoro alongside ultradian rhythms?
- Joey: Adjusted breaks for eyesight and movement. Micro-stretches every 30 minutes.
- Jeremy: Uses Focus Bear to cue breaks when natural pauses happen. Breaks spark creativity.
JN: How has your work-life balance evolved?
- Jeremy: More meetings now, harder to find long focus blocks. Misses the "maker schedule" days.
- Joey: Importance of "keystone habits" like journaling. When they slip, everything else follows.
JN: How do you prioritize when things get overwhelming?
- Jeremy: Weekly accountability call, paper notes, and identifying the three most important tasks daily.
- Joey: Returns to fundamental routines (morning and evening journaling) to regain clarity.
JN: What are your current capture systems?
- Jeremy: Paper inbox for short-term, medium-term, and long-term tasks.
- Joey: Hybrid journaling system—handwriting for stream-of-consciousness, typing for daily logs.
JN: How do you use journaling for insight?
- Joey: Tracks convergence and divergence from personal values.
- Jeremy: Journals help identify "intrinsic motivation" versus "extrinsic obligation."
JN: How do you approach "sunk cost fallacy" and project decisions?
- Jeremy: Reflects on intrinsic joy versus external obligation. Wants to move toward more internally motivated projects.
- Joey: Discusses reframing tough situations to reclaim agency.
JN: How do you inject creativity into boring tasks?
- Jeremy: Takes the "scenic route" on tasks (e.g., scripting automation instead of manually updating diagrams) to make work more fun
JN: What role does environment play in focus and creativity?
- Joey: Walks in nature for creative thinking.
- Jeremy: Flights and long train rides without WiFi help with deep reading and focus.
JN: How do coworking spaces fit into your workflow?
- Joey: Home is the cave; coworking spaces offer diffuse, social stimulation.
- Jeremy: Sees coworking as a "cathedral" space for connection.
JN: Final reflections after 100 episodes?
- Grateful for the journey, lessons learned, and excited for the next 100 episodes!
- Invite listeners to suggest guests or topics.
More from Focus Bear:
Website: https://focusbear.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-bear/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@focusbearapp
Twitter: https://twitter.com/focusbear1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focus_bear/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusbearapp/
Podcast: https://podcast.focusbear.io
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@focusbear
Connect with Jeremy:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io
Connect with Joey:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeycorea/
Newsletter: https://thepluckyjester.com/newsletter/
