Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin - The Do's and Don'ts of Productive People

Episode Date: January 19, 2022

Spoiler alert: productive people eat frogs. Intrigued? Listen up to hear the ways productive people get it together and get it all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Money rehabbers, you get it. When you're trying to have it all, you end up doing a lot of juggling. You have to balance your work, your friends, and everything in between. So when it comes to your finances, the last thing you need is more juggling. That's where Bank of America steps in. With Bank of America, you can manage your banking, borrowing, and even investing all in one place. Their digital tools bring everything together under one roof, giving you a clear view of your finances whenever you need it. Plus, with Bank of America's wealth of expert guidance available at any time, you can feel confident that your

money is working as hard as you do. So why overcomplicate your money? Keep it simple with Bank of America, your one-stop shop for everything you need today and the goals you're working toward tomorrow. To get started, visit bofa.com slash newprosmedia. That's b-o-f-a dot com slash n-e-w pros p-r-o-s media. bfa.com slash newprosmedia. Hey guys, are you ready for some money rehab? Wall Street has been completely upended by an unlikely player, GameStop. And should I have a 401k? You don't do it? No, I never do. You think the whole world revolves around you and your money.

Well, it doesn't. Charge for wasting our time. I will take a check. Like an old school check. You recognize her from anchoring on CNN, CNBC, and Bloomberg. The only financial expert you don't need a dictionary to understand. Nicole Lappin. I've interviewed hundreds, if not thousands, of very, very productive people.

And I can tell you that they are not magically productive. They have systems and processes in place that they have protected over the years to work like magic for them. Kathy Engelbert, for example, who is the commissioner of the WNBA, grew up a college athlete with five brothers and two sisters. She says she's competitive about almost everything except productivity. She says, quote, I've learned that productivity should not be a competitive sport. You're never going to win, end quote. Over time, you'll develop your own productivity hacks and ways to shore up lagging motivation. But here are a few of my field-tested do's and don'ts to get you started. Do determine whether holding a meeting is something you need to do or whether it would

be more time effective over email. If it does need to be a meeting, try a standing meeting. Yes, one where you actually stand your ass up, either in person or remote. If you're standing, you're more likely to be more productive because your whole body is engaged. Plus, you'll be super efficient if you're eager to sit back down. Fun fact, I am currently standing. Don't schedule something for 30 minutes or an hour just because that's the default on your calendar. If the meeting should

only take seven minutes, then great. The meeting can be seven minutes and then you just got 23 minutes back of your valuable time. There's no need to chit chat until the end of the allotted time when you have other things on your plate you'd prefer to be doing. Do streamline your choices for basic stuff like food and clothes throughout the day. It's no coincidence that Steve Jobs had a uniform of jeans and a black turtleneck. Simon Cowell and Mark Cuban have been known to do this as well. It's not only a guy thing. Jenna Lyons, who famously transformed J.Crew into the mega brand it became, minimizes her wardrobe staples so that she can just reach into her closet and know she'll pull out a winner. Having to make fewer mundane choices throughout the day leaves more time for making the important

ones. Don't schedule meetings back to back. Melinda Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which tackles some of the world's most pressing issues like reproductive health, often talks about curbing burnout by taking 15 minutes throughout the day to fill what she calls her own joy bucket. I love that. She says that in order to be good at her work, she needs quiet time to close out one meeting before she heads into the next. Do consult science. Within the first two to four hours of waking up, your brain is the sharpest it's going to be all day. And research shows that the afternoon, specifically 3 p.m., is the most optimal time for social activities like meetings.

Your body is on your side, so trust that bitch. That being said, don't ignore your body clock and how you feel at different times of the day. Take your natural body rhythms into consideration when planning your schedule. Emily Weiss, founder of Glossier, has mastered her own internal clock to know when she's the most productive and she targets those times of the day accordingly. She says, quote, I am not a morning person. I'm best in the afternoons. I love that. We stan a self-aware queen. So follow Emily's lead and tailor your schedule based on what's best for you. Don't put off anything that takes less than two minutes. This productivity strategy comes from David Allen, who wrote the popular book on productivity,

Getting Things Done. The rationale behind the two-minute rule is that once you put something off or kick something to your to-do list, you're elongating the time that it will take you to accomplish it because then you have to make a plan to get it done, and it may just hang around in the corners of your mind while you're trying to be productive on other things because that's just the way our brains work. This strategy may make sense if the task in question is big and requires some planning. But if it's just a two-minute task like moving your laundry from the washer to the freaking dryer, texting a friend back who needs your TLC,

or making a doctor's appointment. Just do it as soon as you think to do it. There's no reason for a two-minute task to become something you think about for hours. I love this rule because it's quick, simple, and clears the clutter on your to-do list. Do use communication apps like Slack or OneNote, but only if you actually like using them. The founder and CEO of Bumble, Whitney Wolf Hurd, who has the best name ever, has her employees use Facebook Messenger under the theory that everyone is super comfortable with it because they've been using it personally, so they're more likely to be productive with it. Of course, there are days when your big kid adulting productivity pants aren't going to fit no

matter how hard you try to squeeze your ass into them. Shit happens. There are emergencies, disasters, breakups, days when you can barely function at all, much less be productive. I totally get that. I've had those days. It's okay. Remember, you don't need to be perfect. Even small things can make a big difference. A mosquito can give you malaria. A butterfly can change the weather. And you can take baby steps all the way to the finish line. For today's tip, you can take straight to the bank. My final and favorite productivity tip, eat the frog. No, I am not talking about eating Kermit.

Eat the frog first just means do the hard thing first. This is one of my favorite mottos and it comes from Mark Twain. His full quote is, eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. By doing the hard things first thing, you have the confidence that your day will only get easier. Money Rehab is a production of iHeartRadio. I'm your host, Nicole Lappin. Our producers are Morgan Lavoie and Mike Coscarelli. Executive producers are Nikki Etor and Will Pearson. Our mascots are Penny and Mimsy. Huge thanks to OG Money Rehab team Michelle Lanz for her development work, Catherine Law for her production and writing magic,

and Brandon Dickert for his editing, engineering, and sound design. And as always, thanks to you for finally investing in yourself so that you can get it together and get it all.