What's on Your Bookshelf?

163 Joy at Work: Tidying Time

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf, Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a conversation about one of our most precious resources: time. This chapter is all about tidying your schedule, your tasks, and the way work quietly takes over your life. In this episode we discuss: * Why saying yes to everything can slowly drain your focus, energy, and joy. * How unproductive meetings create real cost — not just in dollars, but in attention and momentum. * The difference between urgent tasks and important work — and why urgent tasks often win. * Why multitasking and switch-tasking can quietly wreck your productivity. * How to look at your calendar and ask: Is my work trending toward joy? One Big Takeaway Tidying your time isn’t just about doing less. It’s about making room for the work, people, and priorities that actually matter. Why This Episode Matters If your calendar is packed but your work feels empty, this episode is your timeout. Because every yes costs something. And your time is too valuable to spend on things that don’t deserve it. Coming Next Next week, Sam and Denise dig into tidying decisions — how to make clearer choices when work, life, and leadership feel cluttered. 📖 Buy the book [https://amzn.to/47ArXqK] and come along on the adventure with us. We’re so excited you’re here and would love to hear from you. How to reach us: Denise: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserusso1/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@woyb] | School of Thoughts LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-of-thoughts-inc./] Sam: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapowell13] | Substack [https://substack.com/@sampowellwoyb] | LeadtheGame’s Career Locker Room [https://leadthegame.substack.com/] | Website [https://leadthegame.org/] Subscribe and Review on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/whats-on-your-bookshelf/id1688553668] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/55Bvm2EfXsAIScP4l1fDfc].Subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@woybpodcast]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit woyb.substack.com [https://woyb.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

162 Joy at Work: Tidying Digital Work

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf, Sam Powell and Denise Russo tackle one of the most overwhelming areas of modern work: digital clutter. From overflowing inboxes to endless notifications, this conversation explores how our devices may be quietly draining our focus, energy, and performance. In this episode we discuss: * Why digital clutter (emails, files, apps) creates constant distraction and hidden stress. * How to decide what to keep using three simple filters: * Do I need this for future work? * Will this inspire or inform me? * Does it bring any sense of value or joy? * The reality that more storage isn’t a solution — it’s often just avoiding the decision to clean things up. * Why notifications, emails, and messaging tools can interrupt deep work and lower performance. * How intentional boundaries (filters, rules, turning off notifications) can help you take back control of your time and attention. One Big Takeaway Digital clutter isn’t just sitting in your inbox. It’s sitting in your attention — pulling you away from the work that actually matters. Why This Episode Matters If your day feels scattered, reactive, or constantly interrupted… there’s a good chance your digital environment is part of the problem. This episode gives you a simple starting point: Filter. Delete. Simplify. Reclaim your focus. Coming Next In the next episode, Sam and Denise take it one level deeper — exploring how to declutter your time and focus on what actually deserves your energy. 📖 Buy the book [https://amzn.to/47ArXqK] and come along on the adventure with us. We’re so excited you’re here and would love to hear from you. How to reach us: Denise: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserusso1/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@woyb] | School of Thoughts LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-of-thoughts-inc./] Sam: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapowell13] | Substack [https://substack.com/@sampowellwoyb] | LeadtheGame’s Career Locker Room [https://leadthegame.substack.com/] | Website [https://leadthegame.org/] Subscribe and Review on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/whats-on-your-bookshelf/id1688553668] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/55Bvm2EfXsAIScP4l1fDfc].Subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@woybpodcast]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit woyb.substack.com [https://woyb.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

161 Joy at Work: Tidying Your Workspace

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf, Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a practical conversation about tidying your physical workspace — and why your desk may be affecting more than your productivity. In this episode we discuss: * Why clearing your workspace can help clear your mind — especially when work already feels chaotic. * How to tidy by category, not one random item at a time. * Why decluttering often brings up deeper questions about money, guilt, identity, and sunk costs. * The role of gratitude in letting things go instead of treating tidying like a cold purge. * How the things we keep can reveal our values, priorities, and next version of ourselves. One Big Takeaway Tidying your workspace isn’t really about having a prettier desk. It’s about deciding what still belongs in the life and work you’re trying to build. Why This Episode Matters If your desk, office, or job search space feels cluttered, this episode gives you a practical place to start: Sort by category. Decide with intention. Let go with gratitude. Coming Next Next week, Sam and Denise move from physical clutter to digital clutter — including emails, files, and the inboxes that quietly run our lives. 📖 Buy the book [https://amzn.to/47ArXqK] and come along on the adventure with us. We’re so excited you’re here and would love to hear from you. How to reach us: Denise: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserusso1/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@woyb] | School of Thoughts LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-of-thoughts-inc./] Sam: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapowell13] | Substack [https://substack.com/@sampowellwoyb] | LeadtheGame’s Career Locker Room [https://leadthegame.substack.com/] | Website [https://leadthegame.org/] Subscribe and Review on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/whats-on-your-bookshelf/id1688553668] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/55Bvm2EfXsAIScP4l1fDfc].Subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@woybpodcast]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit woyb.substack.com [https://woyb.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

160 Joy at Work: If You Keep Falling Back to Clutter

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf, Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue their conversation on Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work by digging into a question almost everybody knows too well: Why do we keep falling back into clutter — even after we clean things up? This episode moves beyond tidying as a task and gets into the deeper mindset, identity, and work-life vision needed to actually sustain change. In this episode we discuss: * Why clutter isn’t just about mess — it’s often a sign of unclear priorities, unclear identity, or an unclear vision for how you want to work. * The powerful link between mindset and maintenance — and why people who stay organized usually start with a clear picture of the life and work style they want. * How to visualize your ideal work life in practical detail, including your environment, schedule, energy, and daily rhythms. * Marie Kondo’s three categories of workplace joy: * things that directly spark joy * things that provide functional joy * things that lead to future joy * Why tidying is not really about throwing things away — it’s about keeping what supports your best self and removing what gets in the way. One Big Takeaway You don’t stay organized just because you cleaned up once. You stay organized because you got clear on who you want to be and what kind of work life actually supports that version of you. Why This Episode Matters This one gets to the real game: Not just how to tidy.But how to stop rebuilding the same mess. Because clutter usually comes back when your systems don’t match your life. Coming Next In the next episode, Sam and Denise get into the practical step-by-step process of tidying — how to sort, what to keep, and how to create a workspace that actually works for you. 📖 Buy the book [https://amzn.to/47ArXqK] and come along on the adventure with us. We’re so excited you’re here and would love to hear from you. How to reach us: Denise: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserusso1/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@woyb] | School of Thoughts LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-of-thoughts-inc./] Sam: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapowell13] | Substack [https://substack.com/@sampowellwoyb] | LeadtheGame’s Career Locker Room [https://leadthegame.substack.com/] | Website [https://leadthegame.org/] Subscribe and Review on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/whats-on-your-bookshelf/id1688553668] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/55Bvm2EfXsAIScP4l1fDfc].Subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@woybpodcast]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit woyb.substack.com [https://woyb.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

159 Joy at Work: Why Tidy?

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf, Sam Powell and Denise Russo begin their journey through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work and explore how clutter at work affects more than just your desk — it impacts your stress, focus, energy, and even your sense of purpose. This conversation is about more than tidying. It’s about creating a work life that feels lighter, calmer, and more intentional. In this episode we discuss: * Why physical clutter at work creates mental clutter too — and how it quietly drains productivity, motivation, and peace. * The surprising connection between messy environments, higher stress, and rising cortisol levels. * How clutter shows up in more than your office — including emails, meetings, papers, and unfinished decisions. * Why creating a tidy, intentional workspace can improve not just performance, but also confidence, self-esteem, and clarity. * A deeper reframe on tidying: it’s not just about neatness — it’s about discovering what kind of work style actually supports the life you want. One Big Takeaway A cluttered workspace doesn’t just slow your work. It can quietly shape your stress, your attention, and the way you feel about your life. Sometimes the first leadership move is simpler than we think: Clear the space. Why This Episode Matters If work has felt heavy lately, this episode offers a different question: What if the problem isn’t only the workload…but the clutter surrounding how you do it? Coming Next In the next episode, Sam and Denise dig into why people fall back into clutter — and what it takes to actually create a work environment that stays aligned with what matters most. 📖 Buy the book [https://amzn.to/47ArXqK] and come along on the adventure with us. We’re so excited you’re here and would love to hear from you. How to reach us: Denise: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniserusso1/] | Substack [https://substack.com/@woyb] | School of Thoughts LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-of-thoughts-inc./] Sam: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthapowell13] | Substack [https://substack.com/@sampowellwoyb] | LeadtheGame’s Career Locker Room [https://leadthegame.substack.com/] | Website [https://leadthegame.org/] Subscribe and Review on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/whats-on-your-bookshelf/id1688553668] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/55Bvm2EfXsAIScP4l1fDfc].Subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@woybpodcast]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit woyb.substack.com [https://woyb.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]