Beyond the To-Do List - Productivity for Work and Life

What happens when you delete every app off your phone for 21 days? In this solo episode, Erik shares what he discovered during a Christmas break internet break — and what the research says about why so many of us feel like we can't put the phone down in the first place.
In this episode, Erik covers:
How We Got Here Without Deciding To: The boiled frog drift into five-to-seven hours of daily screen time wasn't a choice anyone made — it happened gradually, and the data from researcher Gloria Mark at UC Irvine shows exactly what it's cost our attention spans.
It's Not Just Social Media: Email, Slack, the news app — your brain doesn't distinguish between Instagram and Outlook. The real pattern is letting an outside ping decide what you think about next, and that pattern is everywhere.
The Research That Should Actually Motivate You: Studies from the University of Bath and Beth Israel found measurable reductions in anxiety, depression, and insomnia after just one week off social media — improvements that typically take months of therapy to achieve.
The Five-Level Detox Ladder: From turning off notifications and going grayscale all the way to Cal Newport's 30-day deep reset protocol, Erik walks through a tiered framework so you can pick the experiment that fits your life right now.
The Healthy Cadence Framework: A reset alone isn't enough — Erik lays out how to build purposeful, sustainable habits around when and why you use each channel, so you don't just slide back to baseline.
If you've ever felt less busy the moment you put your phone down — or wondered what your brain might feel like with a little less noise in it — this episode is the permission slip and the practical roadmap to find out.
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I’m excited to welcome back my good friend Dr. John Drury for part two of our conversation on the rule of life and how ancient practices can help us live and work with more intention. John is a New Testament scholar, professor, and thoughtful guide when it comes to integrating spiritual rhythms into ordinary life. In this continuation, we move from the big-picture ideas we introduced in part one into the practical how-to of building rhythms that create space for rest, reflection, and renewal before burnout forces the issue.
In this conversation, we cover:
Monthly Desert Days: John explains the idea of a monthly “desert day” or “9 to 4 retreat,” a set-apart block of time for radical understimulation, reflection, rest, and reconnecting with what matters most.
Why Understimulation Matters: We talk about why screens, noise, and constant input keep us from noticing our own lives—and how analog activities, silence, walking, journaling, and slower rhythms can help reset our attention.
Expect Nothing, Expect Everything: John shares why retreat practices work best when we stop demanding breakthrough moments and instead learn to receive whatever emerges without forcing productivity out of rest.
Quarterly and Annual Retreat Rhythms: We explore what longer rhythms can look like, from overnight quarterly retreats to annual time away, and how even a small amount of intentional distance can create clarity and renewal.
Vacation, Visitation, and Vocation: John offers a helpful distinction between true vacation, trips to visit family, and work-related travel—showing why naming the difference can help us be more intentional with our energy and expectations.

This conversation is full of practical wisdom for anyone who wants to move from admiring better rhythms to actually experimenting with them. What I appreciate most is that John doesn’t present this as a rigid formula, but as an invitation to start where you can, pay attention, and let the practice itself teach you what you need. If part one helped you rethink Sabbath and weekly rhythms, this episode helps you start building the next layer.
Connect with Erik:
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Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm excited to revisit this conversation I had with John Drury to the show to discuss how ancient spiritual practices can reshape the way we approach productivity, rhythm, and life itself. John is a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University's School of Theology and Ministry, holding an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a close personal friend of mine for over 25 years.
In this conversation, we cover:
Rethinking the Rule of Life: John introduces the concept of regula vitae — the rule of life — and explains why the question isn't whether you have one, but what's currently ruling yours.
The Pandemic as a Mirror: We reflect on how COVID-19 disrupted our routines and created an unexpected opportunity for radical understimulation — and what we can learn from the people who actually took it.
Life vs. Work-Life Balance: John challenges the very language of "work-life balance," arguing that life is your time — and work is just one part of it — never the other way around.
Orienting Values and Stabilizing Practices: He walks through his hands-on framework for building a rule of life, including five orienting values and five stabilizing practices across daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythms.
The Sabbath as Productivity Practice: John shares how a 24-hour weekly Sabbath transformed his Fridays, redirected his procrastination, and deepened his connection with family — without a hint of legalism.

If you've ever felt like your schedule is running you instead of the other way around, this conversation will give you the framework — and the permission — to start living with more intention. Learn more about John and his work at Indiana Wesleyan University, and stay tuned for part two of this conversation coming next week.
Connect with Erik:
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This Podcast is Powered By:
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ecamm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Top Productivity Books List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Make sure to grab Shortcasts from Beyond The To-Do List by Blinkist. A Shortcast is a 7-10 min version of a podcast where you get the core takeaways.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the first episode of 2026! If you’re feeling that “new year, new me” pressure: goals, plans, fresh calendars, the whole thing—this one’s for you. Because when life inevitably punches your perfectly color-coded week in the throat, the issue isn’t your planning… it’s what you thought planning could control. This episode is all about Control vs. Agency—and how to stay productive when outcomes refuse to cooperate.
In this episode we cover:
• Why Control Breaks (and Agency Doesn’t): Control tries to guarantee outcomes; agency chooses your response when the day goes sideways.
• The Identity Trap of Productivity: What happens when “being on top of things” becomes self-worth—and why that makes disruptions feel like failure.
• The 4-Step Agency Process: Name what you’re trying to control, separate what’s in your hands vs. not, choose one “agency lever,” then replan from reality.
• Stabilization Over Catching Up: Why the goal isn’t to “win the week,” but to stop the panic spiral and choose the next stabilizing move.
• Plan Like a Menu (Not a Script): Scripts make you panic when life changes a line; menus give you options when the day changes the plot.
If you’ve been stuck in the loop of “I did everything right and still lost control,” this episode is your reminder that you don’t need a new system—you need a different stance. You may not control the story, but you do get to choose how you show up on the page.
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Connect with Erik:
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I’m excited to welcome Mike Vardy back to Beyond The To-Do List for one of our ongoing traditions: Productivity A-Z!
This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation — and we split it across both shows. Part 1 is over on Mike Vardy’s podcast, A Productive Conversation. You can also watch the whole two part video here.
Here on Beyond The To-Do List, we pick up the thread and cover letters N-Z.
In this part of the conversation, we cover:
What “Nuance” Actually Means for Productivity: Moving beyond rigid rules and one-size-fits-all advice into decisions that fit real life.
Pacing vs. Speed: Why sustainable progress is less about going hard and more about going smart—without the burnout tax.
Rhythm and Cadence: How to build productivity patterns that flex with your energy, your season, and your responsibilities.
Rest as Part of the System: Why recovery isn’t a bonus feature—it’s a core component of doing meaningful work consistently.
The Middle Ground Between Chaos and Control: How to keep enough structure to stay on track, without so much rigidity that the whole system snaps.

Connect with Erik:
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This podcast is Powered By:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript 101⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podpage⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Top Productivity Books List⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.