Summer of Success Series: Hacks, Tips, and Tricks for Energy Management and Productivity with Kristin Graham

In this episode, Coach Kooley interviews Kristin Graham, founder of Unlock the Brain and host of the Fewer Things Better podcast. Kristin shares insights from neuroscience, psychology, and habits to help listeners unlock their potential and boost productivity. She shares strategies for time management, organization, setting boundaries, and prioritizing joy and self-care. Kristin shares "brain snacks" and productivity hacks, particularly for busy professionals and working parents. She also talks about managing energy, improving productivity, and finding joy in your daily life. Kristin shares insights on how to put yourself first on your to-do list and offers simple hacks to boost cognitive performance.

Tune in now!

Timestamps:

[01:15] Kristin’s biography

[04:48] Kristin's journey and approach to career pivots

[06:40] Challenges and fears associated with taking a leap of faith

[09:14] Benefits of actively pursuing your goals after taking a leap of faith

[11:55] Importance of understanding and optimizing our attention spans

[16:02] Benefits of understanding your natural chronobiology 

[19:54] Tools for improving productivity and reducing overwhelm

[32:31] The importance of aligning your brain and body when you wake up

[33:27] Energy management and cognitive performance strategies

[35:15] The four key elements of cognitive performance

[37:59] Strategies for enhancing energy and cognitive performance

[41:03] Importance of prioritizing oneself in daily routines

[50:47] The distinction between soothing and trying to fix or escape from emotions

Quotes:

• Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. I'd like to add a dash of bravery and courage because those things intersect often. It's when we have faith, which is a big word. So I'll just say lowercase, faith to think it'll work out or won't, but I'll be all right either way. 
• If it's easy, we feel like we don't deserve it. We have somehow convinced ourselves that reward comes after extraneous effort.
• If you are interested and express that interest with your voice, body language, and words, other people will be interested in what you're talking about as well.
• When we disrupt [our melatonin cycle] in the morning, it's like we put a pause button on it. Some people say, 'I'm exhausted, but I can't fall asleep. 

• I encourage you to make a hobby of finding out more details about yourself. The elements of your day, the things you reach, and finding joy instead of escape. Because the difference becomes, did I find smiles? Did I find a happy size? Did I find energy in whatever form on the other side of that? Versus, did you check something off the list?
• There's a difference between soothing and trying to fix or trying to reverse or escape. So if we're like, I am feeling this way and shouldn't feel this way, we try to fix it. Or I'm feeling this way and want to hide from the world. Soothing is different because it's temporary. 

Resources:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristingraham1

Unlock the Brain: https://unlockthebrain.com/

Fewer Things Better podcast: https://fewerthingsbetter.buzzsprout.com/

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