Beyond the To-Do List

This week I was privileged to be joined by Anita Stubenrauch. Anita is a former Apple Computers Executive and graduate of The Art Institute of Chicago. As a creative sojourner Anita is paving her own path towards both creative and professional success by thinking outside the bounds of typical corporate boxes. In this conversation Anita and I discuss the challenges that face creatives in today's workforce and how remote work is presenting both limitations and opportunities for creatively minded individuals. Anita Stubenrauch is a former Apple Executive who was able to pivot her success and experience into creating her own creative business. As the founder of Cause:Effect Creative [https://www.causeeffectcreative.com/] and the developer of the soon to be Land of Make+Believe, Anita is leading small business owners and entrepreneurs to an enlightened way of thinking and making decisions. Anita currently lives in Murphys, California, where she's building a beautiful retreat space, The Land of Make+Believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week I was excited to welcome Dr. Jennifer Heisz to the show to discuss her new book, Move the Body, Heal the Mind [https://amzn.to/3eD1Fvs]: Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve Focus, Creativity, and Sleep. This was a really motivating conversation about the incredible benefits of exercise and movement on not only our body's fitness but our brain’s functions. Dr. Heisz unpacks a host of benefits that exercise has on cognitive functions, memory, creativity, and of course productivity. In addition to discussing the many benefits that movement and exercise can have on creativity and focus in our work lives, Dr. Heisz also discusses the litany of ways that exercise can reward the pleasure centers of our brain helping to both prevent and assist various behaviors associated with addiction. Jennifer also addresses the relationship between exercise and depression and how important it is to be aware of the rhythms of our movement and how they can change throughout the seasons. Dr. Jennifer Heisz is a leading expert on the neuroscience of exercise and is the Director of the NeuroFit Lab at McMaster University, which boasts one of the top kinesiology departments in the world. Structured around Dr. Heisz’s personal journey from sedentary scholar to triathlete, the book combines anecdotes, research, and case studies to explain how exercise and the brain are intertwined. And, each chapter includes specialized workout regimens to help readers get started on their own fitness journey, whether they’re looking to reduce stress/depression or improve their sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Ryan McRae has had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder all of his life, but he wasn’t going to let ADHD run him down. He has worked to figure out how to take all the benefits and cancel out all the drawbacks. In this episode, Ryan and Erik discuss overcoming the productivity challenges of College and University Students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week I was excited to welcome Todd Henry back to the show for the sixth time to discuss his latest book, Daily Creative: A Practical Guide for Staying - Prolific, Brilliant, and Healthy [https://amzn.to/3QBgfAI]. Todd is a prolific author and speaker who focuses on the creatives and dispelling myths about who is and who is not “creative” within corporate or professional workforces. For over a decade Todd has helped readers unlock their creative potential and find new ways to apply their talents. In this new book Todd explores the benefits of reflecting on creative practices on a daily basis by creating a daily guide which succinctly and contemplatively welcomes readers to reflect upon both their creative potential and the ways that creativity can be applied in the most unlikely of work and life circumstances. Todd Henry is the founder of Accidental Creative, a company that helps creative people and teams be prolific, brilliant and healthy. He regularly speaks and consults with companies about how to develop practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of six books (The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, Daily Creative). which have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and he speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. With more than twelve million downloads, his podcast The Accidental Creative offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy. Learn more at AccidentalCreative.com. The Daily Creative [https://amzn.to/3QBgfAI] is a daily reader for busy professionals, creative and otherwise, designed to help you gain focus for your day and advance toward your goals. Each daily reading is: * Quick: Takes less than 5 minutes to complete * Focused: Centers around a specific theme * Inspiring: Includes a quote from great thinkers and creatives throughout history * Actionable: Wraps with a daily action to help you achieve results Even if you don't think of yourself as creative, you'd probably be surprised by how many creative tools you use every day. You solve problems, design, write, invent, or in other words―create. But the pressure we feel to continually create value with our minds can cause tremendous stress and eventually neutralize our ability to be effective in our roles long term. Todd’s previous appearances on the show: * Todd Henry on Motivation and Discovering the Hidden Forces That Drive Your Best Work [https://www.beyondthetodolist.com/todd-henry-on-motivation-and-discovering-the-hidden-forces-that-drive-your-best-work/] * Todd Henry on Challenge, Stability and Leading Creatives [https://www.beyondthetodolist.com/todd-henry-on-challenge-stability-and-leading-creatives/] * Todd Henry on Honing Your Voice, Practice and Creative Work [https://www.beyondthetodolist.com/todd-henry-on-honing-your-voice-practice-and-creative-work/] * Todd Henry on Creativity, Productivity and Passion [https://www.beyondthetodolist.com/todd-henry-on-creativity-productivity-and-passion/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week I was so happy to welcome Jon Acuff [https://acuff.me/] back to the show to discuss his newest book, Your New Playlist: The Student Guide to Tapping into the Superpower of Mindset. [https://www.amazon.com/Your-New-Playlist-Students-Superpower/dp/154090248X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1CU9WK8XUXCB3&keywords=John+Acuff&qid=1662335068&sprefix=jon+acuff%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-3] This powerful new book which Jon co-authored with his two teenage daughters is a must read for parents, educators, and mentors seeking to empower young people with the mindset and tools that allow them to not only reshape their thoughts, but change the trajectory of negative voices that often plague young people’s everyday life. When Jon’s previous book, Soundtracks [https://www.amazon.com/Soundtracks-Surprising-Overthinking-Jon-Acuff/dp/1540900800/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CU9WK8XUXCB3&keywords=John+Acuff&qid=1662335713&sprefix=jon+acuff%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1], came out, one reaction surprised him. Parents across the country all said the same thing: "Do you have a version for teenagers? If I knew how to change my mindset when I was that age, my entire life would have been different." Why did they say that? Because truth grows like compound interest. Saving money when you're young has a bigger impact than it does when you save in your 40s. A single new soundtrack--Acuff's phrase for a repetitive thought--believed when you're 14 or 18 can change your whole life in the same way. In response, Acuff tagged his two daughters to help him create an honest, actionable guide to mindset for teenagers. Jon Acuff is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books, including Soundtracks, The Surprising Solution To Overthinking [https://amzn.to/3TNuPs2]. Jon’s books have been published in more than twenty languages and his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers around the world. When he’s not writing, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He’s spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world including FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central. Known for his insights wrapped in humor, Acuff shared the stage with an American Icon when he opened up for Dolly Parton at the Ryman Auditorium. For over 20 years he’s also helped some of the biggest brands tell their story, including The Home Depot, Bose, and Staples. His fresh perspective on life has given him the opportunity to write for Reader’s Digest, Fast Company, The Harvard Business Review and Time Magazine. 45 Day Extended Trial of Canva Pro - canva.me/beyond [http://canva.me/beyond] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]