April 23, 2024 • 40 mins
Today, I'm joined by Mister Productivity Mark Struczewski.
He shares with us tips for being more productive, how to create better routines, his way of staying motivated, and so much more!
Get ready to throw away your overwhelming productivity apps and simplify your processes.
Listen to the Mister Productivity Podcast: https://misterproductivity.com/
And if you got value from this episode, share your takeaways with me at www.instagram.com/theteriholland
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mark Struczewski (00:00):
people who choose to be happy, they love what they do.
(00:04):
And by nature, by default, they're goingto get more things done because they're
not looking for the bad stuff about like,Oh man, I got to go to this meeting.
I got to write this PowerPoint.
I got to write this newsletter.
No, they're like, man, I get.
I get to do this PowerPoint, I getto go to this meeting, and it's just,
it's the same thing, you're, we'reboth doing the same thing, but instead
(00:26):
of saying I have to go to a Zoommeeting, I get to go to a Zoom meeting,
maybe I can help someone at the Zoommeeting, it's just how we frame things
Welcome back to anotherepisode of Success In Mind.
You are in for such a good episode today.
If you have ever struggled with yourproductivity or you want to improve
productivity, maybe you have tasksthat are just not getting done.
(00:50):
Maybe you've heard of morning routinesand the importance of them, but you
just can never seem to figure it out.
This episode is for you.
Today I'm joined by Mark Struczewski,a productivity coach based in
Houston, and the host of the Mr.
Productivity podcast.
He is dedicated to guiding executivesto master the art of productivity.
(01:10):
With a rich experience of over 1,265 podcast episodes, his goal is
to empower individuals to overcomedistractions, prioritize tasks
effectively, and achieve daily clarity.
You're in for an amazing episode today.
Teri Holland (01:44):
Welcome to the show, Mark.
Thank you so much for coming on today.
Mark Struczewski (01:47):
I am thrilled to be here.
Teri Holland (01:50):
I'm really curious about your podcast.
I want to start there.
Why don't you give us some insightinto what your show's about and what
the inspiration was behind your show?
Mark Struczewski (02:00):
Well, the inspiration is the easy part of that question.
In the spring of 2017, I happened tocatch a video from Gary Vaynerchuk, and
he said, the future is voice and voice.
And audio and everyoneneeds to have a podcast.
So I thought to myself, Isaid I listened to podcasts.
Could I start a podcast?
So I went into Google andtype those fateful words.
(02:22):
How do I start a podcast?
And I launched mine on July 7th, 2017.
And I'll never forget that first episode.
It was just me.
I was in my.
Home office recording into thesoftware we're using at the time.
And I was sweating bullets.
I don't know why I was so nervous.
Now I've got well over 1260 episodes andI have rebranded it in December of 2022.
(02:49):
A coach of mine said, look,I know you love your name.
But the Mark Strzecki podcast, no,people are not going to find that.
So I rebranded it to the Mr.
Productivity podcast.
Amazing.
More people are finding my podcast.
I it's a miracle.
And so I talk about productivity andI love talking about productivity.
And I love the whole space aboutproductivity and I love the Mr.
(03:13):
Productivity moniker so much.
I actually trademarked, I paid like agazillion dollars to get the trademark.
So I can use the TM on mywebsite and everywhere else.
So it's I love the podcast platformbecause unlike social media, you and I
own the podcast, which is really nice.
So if we get booted offa social media website.
(03:34):
Or whatever, for whatever reason,we still have our podcast.
And I love the fact that youand I are talking in people's
ears right now, because nobodyhas a podcast listening party.
And so they may be out on a walk,on a run, riding their bike, on
an airplane, going on vacation,and we're actually in their ears.
(03:54):
And I think that is so cool.
Teri Holland (03:56):
It's very cool.
Very cool.
Why productivity?
What got you into that?
Mark Struczewski (04:02):
Well, I used to tell people it started when I was
fired from my job back in 2005.
And I didn't want to go back to thecorporate world and get a real job.
Like most people do.
So I decided I'm goingto start my own business.
Now, keep in mind, this is 2005.
I went into portrait and weddingphotography, which failed,
(04:24):
but remember, This is 2005.
Facebook was launched 2003.
There was none of theseother platforms out there.
So you had those two platforms.
You had email marketing.
You had direct mail.
And I'm like, I don't know.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
But I remember there was someonein my Bible study class who
(04:44):
was a professional speaker.
A little context.
I like to speak in front of empty rooms.
Literally nobody in the room and here Iam asking to be a professional speaker.
Well, they guided me, go to Toastmasters,go to the National Speakers Association.
And I got through that and peoplesaid, man, you're a great communicator.
But I didn't want to talk aboutSo I had invested in the coach and
(05:10):
I identify as Tigger from Winniethe Pooh, but I was having an ER
moment and he said, what's going on?
I said, I love talking.
I love speaking, training, coaching, butI don't know what my topic should be.
And he said, Oh, why don'tyou talk about productivity?
And I remember saying to him Idon't know where that came from,
but why would you say that?
He goes, I know a lot of people.
(05:30):
And you are the most naturallygifted, productive person I know.
You should share that gift with the world.
That's where the story used to start.
But then I realized I have togive credit to my late parents.
Because I was raised, I was born in 1965.
I got to say 19 because the events ofthis podcast are going to be at 2065.
I got to reference 1965.
(05:50):
And I was an only child.
And I had to do chores acertain way at a certain time.
When I came home from school,I had to do a certain thing.
Set the table, clean the table,do the dishes before, yes,
before there were dishwashers.
And so I have to credit my parents toactually giving me that foundation
(06:10):
of being a productivity guy.
I did not know I was going to be Mr.
Productivity at age eight,but I have to give credit to
my parents for my foundation.
Teri Holland (06:18):
That's amazing.
I love how that, how youfound your way into that.
And I find that with so many entrepreneursthat I speak to is they end up doing
something that they never imagined theywould do, but it was kind of always there.
They just couldn't see it, that theywere supposed to be doing this thing.
And I love stories like that.
When it comes to our productivity,what impacts productivity?
(06:41):
What stops us from being productive?
And then how can we change it?
How do we improve
Mark Struczewski (06:46):
the number one obstacle to our productivity is who we
see reflected back in us to us when welook in the mirror, We are our biggest
reasons why we're not being productive.
So let's start there.
And from there we can go into most peopleare just going through life, winging it.
(07:08):
They don't have a plan.
They're hoping that theyget the right things done.
And so when people come to me, I'm like,okay, we need to start at the beginning.
Because every sporting league,when you go back from the offseason,
you go back to training camp.
So you could be Tom Brady.
(07:28):
He's still throwing footballs.
The punters are still punting.
They know how to do this stuff,but they go back to the basics.
And when I tell my clients and I teach myclients, we go back to the very basics.
I don't care what you knowand what you don't know, what
you tried, you haven't tried.
Let's set the foundation.
Like I just alluded to with my parents,we have to get on the same page.
(07:50):
And when I tell people that thereason why they're not productive
is probably their fault, theykind of look at me like my fault.
Yeah.
I mean, you get to choose what you do.
Every day, every hour, every minute,and once I can get people to understand
and take ownership that theirproductivity is their responsibility,
(08:14):
then it's almost like this lightbulb goes off and like, Oh, yeah,
I never thought about that before.
And then we take off from thereand we get, then I give them really
specific suggestions, tactics,tips, however you want to phrase it.
Teri Holland (08:28):
Can you give us maybe some ideas of tools we can be using
to help our productivity becauseI see so many tools coming out.
It seems like every day there's a newad on my Instagram for something new.
And I just I end up going backto just the notes on my phone.
And that seems to be the simplest for me.
(08:48):
But I'm kind of intrigued by some ofthese other programs out there and
thinking maybe I'm missing something.
Mark Struczewski (08:54):
You're not missing anything.
I am a big fan of simplicity.
I always tell people Maybenot chase the squirrel.
Maybe not chase the bright shiny object.
I Love my notes app on my phone and mycomputer Now, Oh, have you tried notion?
I have not done anything with notion.
(09:15):
I got a free account with notionbecause everyone's sharing me,
sharing with me these notion things.
And like, whatever happenedto sharing your Google doc?
Why do we, what is notion?
So I have as a productivity guy, I haveto learn about notion, but I believe that
there's something about using the stuffthat already comes pre installed on your
phone, on your computer, people are.
(09:37):
Procrastinating.
I'm going to call it what it is, Teri.
Yeah.
Procrastinating.
They're saying, well, maybeif I go get this new app.
It's got a, I love the icon.
I love the colors.
Yeah.
Maybe it's not goingto solve your problem.
Maybe, but maybe it won't.
And I think people need to zoom out,pause, do a timeout, and say, okay, wait.
(10:01):
Is it me or is it the app?
Because I think it's funny when people goout and buy a new app and they go, I got
this new app, it does A, B, C, D, and E.
I'm like, that's whatthe built in app does.
Oh, it does?
Yeah.
And they didn't explore it.
They just assumed because itwas built in, it was garbage.
Well, Maybe it's a great app for you.
(10:23):
And I think people arefascinated by the newness.
Why we buy new cars, why weget a new iPhone every year.
We'd like the newness, but I still have aniPhone 13 pro max because it still works.
There's nothing wrong with it.
So why would I want to spend more money,give more money to the Tim Cook coffers
when I have a product that works.
And I think that's part of thereason why we're doing this.
(10:44):
We'd like going for the new stuff, eventhough the old stuff is working just fine.
Teri Holland (10:49):
Yeah.
I'm so glad you mentioned Notion becauseI got into Notion and I spent one night,
I went down the rabbit hole watching allthese YouTube videos of how to set up your
Notion and how to create all these pages.
And then finally I waslike what am I doing?
Like this is, how is this a productivitytool if it's taking me hours to figure
out how to set it up the way I want it
Mark Struczewski (11:09):
and
Teri Holland (11:10):
went right back to the notebook on my phone.
Yeah.
It's
Mark Struczewski (11:15):
I've got the saying that complexity is the
gateway to procrastination.
And because you mentioned simplicityearlier, and I think that it's
easy to go down that rabbit hole.
I had a client of mine once whowould go from to do list app to
do list app to do list app.
And of course, every time heswitched, he had to reset the new
(11:39):
app, he had to learn Use the new app.
And I'm like, is it really worth it?
And he goes, no, but Ilike the new app.
I'm like, why?
And like, I'm not a psychologist,but I was fascinated.
He would go through the pain ofspending a weekend, probably every
three to four months, switching, movingeverything from one app to another app.
(11:59):
And I'm like, is it worth it?
And he admitted to me, no, it's not.
But it, The app is cool.
I'm like, yeah, it's cool.
But think of all the time you'rewasting setting up a new app.
And then he would sometimesgo back to an older app.
And then you go back to another olderapp and I'm like, what are you doing?
(12:21):
It's a waste of time.
It's like when people are lookingfor, like, I love journaling, okay?
I love print journals.
But you can go down the rabbit hole,the procrastination rabbit hole,
looking for the perfect journal.
It doesn't exist.
The perfect app doesn't exist.
I just want your listenersto understand that.
Teri Holland (12:40):
Yes.
I hear that a lot from myclients about journals, so I'm
really glad you mentioned that.
I just get like the plain blacknotebook from Staples and I use this.
Okay.
It fills up, I go get another one.
Like just simple, easy.
Same thing every time.
I don't even look at other ones anymore.
Mark Struczewski (12:58):
I think there's something to be said if you
find a journal that you like.
It's kind of like me.
I'm a daily runner.
So I have running shoes, and when Ibuy new running shoes, I buy the same
ones, the newest version, but I buythe same ones because it's trusted.
Runners don't usually switch shoes.
I found a journal I reallylove, it's by a company called
(13:20):
Gallery Leather and it's nice.
So I found my journal andevery time I need a new one,
I buy another one of those.
I don't go out and look for what elseis out there because what I have works.
And I think if everyone gets onething out of this interview here
that they will go, you know what?
Maybe what I already have works and I'mgoing to put a moratorium on going and
(13:46):
looking for a new journal or a new app.
If what I have works, I'm going to takea step back and maybe just say, I either
a moratorium or you have to get permissionfrom two other people, maybe your spouse
and maybe your friend, because when I wantto buy something for the business, I now
go to my wife who's my business partner,but she'll have seen why and she'll go.
(14:10):
Why do we need this?
And I want to say it's cool.
I want to say it's a cool icon.
I have to explain it and then shewon't give me a yes or no answer.
She'll go research it andthen she'll come back.
Do you know that what you have now does A,B, and C, but this one only does A and B.
Oh, I didn't know that.
I just got infatuated with the new app.
(14:33):
And so I encourage people toharness the power of accountability.
And if you're susceptible of alwaysbuying the new app, new journal,
whatever it is, then go ask someoneand say, listen, you're going to be my
accountability partner when I want topurchase something new, but I want you to
ask me why, and I have to convince you.
Because that's going to stoppeople from wasting their time.
(14:55):
It is wasting time looking forsomething new when what you
already have works just fine.
Teri Holland (15:02):
Oh, that's such a great tip.
I love that.
I almost bought a new water bottle a fewweeks ago because I thought I needed it.
And I was like, Ooh, this one's a bettersize for me and I can hold it more easily.
And I like the color.
And my husband went into the cupboardand he pulled out all the water
bottles I've bought over the years.
And he was like, why don'tyou use one of these?
(15:22):
He's like, Oh, that's hysterical.
He's like, the point of a waterbottle, Teri, is so you don't
create more waste, like stop.
Stop buying new ones.
Just use what you have.
That's a good lesson.
It was a really good lesson.
So
Mark Struczewski (15:38):
how many water bottles do you have in, in?
Teri Holland (15:42):
Oh, I don't even know.
It's too many, far too many.
And so I've been committed todrinking out of my Yeti, which
was the most recent new one.
And he was like, that one's fine.
Just use that.
That's what I'm doing.
Mark Struczewski (15:59):
So you have a built in accountability as do I.
That's pretty nice.
Teri Holland (16:03):
Yeah.
They're great for that.
Mark Struczewski (16:05):
Yes, they are.
Teri Holland (16:06):
Yeah.
How about, can you talk to us a littlebit about some of the daily routines we
can be setting up that help us to be moreproductive and stay on top of our game?
Mark Struczewski (16:15):
Yes.
Now, when I get asked this question,most people think I'm going to
start with the morning routine.
I'm not.
A good morning routinestarts the night before.
Yes.
So I'm going to run through mycurrent routine and then you can
ask me questions based on that.
So.
Perfect.
Teri Holland (16:32):
Perfect.
Mark Struczewski (16:33):
I.
Go screens off around 715 and then at 715I let the dogs out who let the dogs out.
I let the dog and then I make surethe house is all locked up and
then I go in my room and I actuallywill journal for a couple minutes
and then I'll read my Kindle.
I'm not on my phone anymore.
I'm reading my Kindleuntil about 745 to 745.
(16:56):
I turn off all the lights.
I climb in the bed with my Kindle.
Cause I want to be my body to know,okay, we're in the last 15 minutes.
I'm asleep by eight o'clock every night.
Teri Holland (17:05):
Nice.
Mark Struczewski (17:06):
Then I wake up between four 30 and five 30.
I don't use an alarm clock.
I'm a solopreneur.
So I work do my own thing.
I wake up and six days a week I dothe Tim Ferriss 30 30 30 protocol,
which is 30 grams of protein within30 minutes awake and followed by
30 minutes of moderate exercise.
So when I wake up in themorning, the first thing I do.
(17:28):
As I start, I open my timer, thebuilt in timer on my Apple watch.
I didn't go out and get another appand I set it for 30 minutes cause
that's a 30 minute window for me.
I get up and I shavemy head every morning.
Then I go make my breakfast.
My wife cooks the night before.
It's usually two scrambled eggs thatpeople are interested in the minutia, two
scrambled eggs, a half a cup of organicblack beans and four breakfast sausages.
(17:51):
It's about 40 grams of protein.
When that's done every otherday I will lift weights.
If I don't, if it's not aweightlifting day, we have a long
hallway and I walk up and down myhallway while reading my Kindle.
Now we don't have little ones.
I just, I walk as fast as I can to closemy exercise ring of 30, 30 minutes.
(18:11):
When I'm done with that, then I journal.
So the first thing I write in my journalevery day is are my five 2024 goals.
I believe it's important towrite your goals down every day.
Not think about them,write them down every day.
Then there's five journal prompts.
I don't know if I am all memorized.
Like, what's one thing I'm grateful for?
One thing I've got to do one thingI'm excited about one virtual.
(18:34):
I want to exhibit.
And I think one thing that I'mavoiding, I write that out.
And then something new I just startedyesterday and I forgot this morning is.
It's something I learnedfrom Robin Sharma.
It's like you write aparagraph to preload your day.
Like what do you thinkis going to happen today?
Like, write your dream day in miniature.
(18:55):
Nice.
When that's done, I do a lesson.
I do a lingo, although I'vecanceled my membership with them.
I've got a, almost a 1500 day streak,but it's not speaking joy to me anymore.
So I may let that go.
And then I wait patiently.
No, I wait impatiently for thesun to wake up because I'm a
daily runner, as I alluded toearlier, and I won't run the dark.
(19:15):
So as soon as the sun wakes up from itsnight sleep time, then I go out for a run.
I come home from that and I groundoutside bare feet in the ground.
If you're not familiar with that for 15minutes, even if it's cold, I grounded
when it was 25 degrees here in Houston.
And when I'm done with that, Igo in and take a shower, which
is followed by a cold shower.
(19:36):
It's something I learned from Gary Breka.
If you're not, if cold showers don'tappeal to you, take your normal
shower, warm as you want it to be.
When you're all done rinsing,then turn it to all cold and stand
there for one to three minutes.
I'm up to like twominutes and five seconds.
When I'm done with that, it's ready torock and roll for the rest of the day.
Now, Remember I told you I do the30 30 30 protocol six days a week.
(19:59):
I'm doing Tim Ferriss slow carbdiet, which allows for a cheat day.
Saturdays are my cheat day, so I canhave, and I do have anything I want.
I last Saturday I had, cream puffs.
I had 30 cream puffs for breakfast, butit's working because six days a week I'm
low carb and I've lost over 12 poundsand I feel spectacular, a lot of energy.
(20:23):
So it's really important.
You notice how I did it.
I did the evening routine.
My body knows when I pick upmy Kindle and it's dark out,
my body starts shutting down.
My battery's almostempty by eight o'clock.
And then I wake up with an alarm clock.
I'm never in a hurry.
And I do my morning routine.
Now.
I understand some of your listeners mayhave kids they have to go off to school.
(20:44):
They may have little ones that we,everyone has a morning routine.
The problem is most peoplemorning routine is chaotic.
It changes every day.
I encourage everyone listening tothe show today to step back and
go, how can I create a morningroutine that's going to work for me?
This may involve you getting up early.
(21:06):
Let's say your kiddos getup at six 30 for school.
I'm just picking thatnumber out of thin air.
Maybe you get up, instead of getting up30, and then maybe you go in the back
porch and all you do is you just sitthere and just watch the wildlife in
your backyard, if you, like a deer orsomething like that, if you have that
in your backyard, or you're watchingthe sunrise, create a routine that
(21:29):
you can start your day on your terms,you can start your day on your terms.
because you're going to get allthis bombarding later on the day.
You have the most controlof your day in the morning.
A lot of people keep hitting thesnooze Barton over and over again.
And then they're in a state ofchaos, a state of overwhelm.
And I just encourage peopleto control your mornings.
(21:51):
And you will have much better days.
Teri Holland (21:54):
That's a great tip.
If people have, like, if they'restarting to think of that morning
routine, or starting to build it out,what would be the one thing you think
every morning routine should have?
Mark Struczewski (22:06):
Wow, one thing?
Well, I think, wow, you'rereally nailing me down here.
The one thing, because I thinkexercise is important in the morning.
I think journaling isimportant thing in the morning.
If I only had to pick one thing I wouldsay to move when you first get up.
So I get up and like.
(22:26):
Now, I know everyone doesn't have along hallway like I do, but I think
whether you're lifting weights or you'regetting on the treadmill or your exercise
bike or you go for your walk, I thinkyou need to move because you've been
unconscious for six to nine hours andyou're, you need to purge that cortisol.
So I encourage people to move.
(22:47):
Now I'm not saying get up, putyour shoes on and run a marathon,
but I'm saying move around.
I mean, there's this.
This thing, everybody goesby 10, 000 steps a day.
Well, maybe that shouldbe your first goal.
I'm hitting 15 to 17, 000 steps.
I, as you can tell in the video, Iwent out and bought a standup desk
because I read a book called builtto move and they said we're
(23:08):
sitting too much and our goal shouldbe to sit six hours or less a day.
So now when I do these interviews,I'm, I have a standup desk.
We should be standing more than we are.
So I'm constantly standing whenmy wife and I are watching a news
program or something at night.
I will actually put the news programout and I'll like walk around.
We have a a living room and adining room and I'll actually walk
(23:30):
around there for 10 or 15 minutes.
I like to move becausewe were designed to move.
We were not created to sit behindour computers on endless zoom calls.
Teri Holland (23:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
I recently heard Chalene Johnson talkingabout how her new habit is that if she
wants to scroll social media, she pacesaround her living room while she does it.
She's not allowed to sit and scroll.
So she has to be up and moving.
And I thought, what a great idea.
Mark Struczewski (23:55):
Yes, I love that because so many people are on their phones.
And on the audio podcast, you can'tsee that, but they're doing this.
And what they're finding out ispeople have neck injuries now
because they're always lookingdown and I do this weird thing.
Now, the reading walks Idon't just do in my house.
I take a reading walk afterlunch and after dinner, cause
(24:16):
it helps with digestion.
And.
And people go, how do you, now it'snot weird now because people think I'm
on my phone, but I used to read printhardcover books while I was walking.
People, how do you do that?
Well, to make it even more interestingis I'm blind in my left eye.
The nerve didn't develop from the brainbetween the eyeball and the brain.
(24:37):
How do you do that?
I said, I don't know.
I just tried it one day.
Instead of listening to a podcast, I goout and read and people go, That's crazy.
I'm like, have you ever tried it?
And so I love reading,walking reading walks.
And now when my wife and I go to the localparks to run, well, she walks, I run.
I do it much faster than she does.
(24:58):
So what I do is I always bring my Kindle.
I do my running, then come back, grabmy Kindle and I'll go back and do
some walking until she finishes up.
So I like to stay movement.
I'm 58 years old.
And I want to run a mileon my 110th birthday.
So it's 52 years from now.
In order to do that, I'vegot to take care of myself.
I can't be sitting downfor 10, 12 hours a day.
Teri Holland (25:21):
That's fantastic.
How do you stay motivated?
What do you do to keepyour motivation high?
Mark Struczewski (25:27):
I love this question.
I, like I talked aboutearlier, identify as Tigger.
I wake up every morning like Idid when I was a little child,
Christmas morning, couldn't waitto see what Santa Claus brought me.
I think you need to figureout what makes you happy.
For so long, I made themistake of chasing money.
(25:47):
And I was getting frustrated becausewhen I got fired from my job at 2005,
6, 7, 8 10 2012 wasn't making any money.
I mean, literally no money.
Wow.
And then, I mean, I think I made$50,000 from 2005 to the end of 2021.
And my wife was very supportive.
And the reason why is Iwas focused on the money.
(26:12):
I wasn't focused on my happiness.
I was like trying to chasea headless chicken around.
And then it dawned on me one day I go alot of training and I read a lot of books.
I'm like, Oh, if you chasemoney, you'll never catch it.
And then I hear a lot of Gary Vaynerchukand he says, you got to be patient
and you got to chase happiness.
(26:32):
And he shared the story, which resonates.
I share it every time I, everychance I get, he says, I know
people make 50, 000 a year and theyget to go all their kids events.
And they're always there for familymeals and they're happy and I know
people have 50 million dollarsin the bank who are miserable.
He goes, you got to findout what makes you happy.
Now, I would love to have happinessand tons of wealth, but if I had to
choose, I would always choose happinessfirst because I don't have health
(26:56):
problems because I tend to be happy.
Okay.
Now I'm not take her all the time.
I do have my bad days, but I think weneed to figure out what makes us happy
and it may not make you a lot of money.
I know people who are doingthings that they're barely over
poverty, but they're so happy.
And I would think that they're wealthierthan the 50 millionaire who is not happy.
Teri Holland (27:21):
Yes.
Yeah.
So what do you do whenyou have those bad days?
How do you get yourself out of it?
Mark Struczewski (27:28):
Well, walking outside really helps.
I like to, we have two dogs.
One is a 56 pound lab mix to rescue.
We've had her since she wastwo and a half, two years old.
She's, she'll be six this April.
We have her new sister.
My, my father unexpectedly passed 2023.
And so We adopted her andthey're figuring out things out.
(27:52):
She's 11.
Our other dog is, will be six.
But I just I wake up and it'slike, if I'm not having a good day,
I'm like, well, I woke up today.
I mean, that, that's a plus.
And I can still see, and I love to read.
And sometimes like walking outsidereally boosts my energy because
you see people and you say helloto them and stuff like that.
(28:14):
But I just think people need to,you need to choose happiness.
And.
I'm on this quest to changethe spelling of happiness.
By the way, you ever see theWill Smith movie from 2006?
It was called happinessand spelled with a Y.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think we need to spellhappiness with a Y instead of an I.
I really, so whenever I post abouthappiness online, I always spell it H A P
(28:36):
Y N E S And I always put in parenthesis.
I said, this is a nodto the Will Smith movie.
I think we should spellhappiness with a Y in my opinion.
Because it's got the word happy in it.
Happiness, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's not going too far, butI just encourage people to
write happiness, the why.
Let's spread this because I thinkhappiness is so important because
(28:56):
I can tell you happy people tend tobe way more productive than people
who are curmudgeons, who are EORs.
Teri Holland (29:04):
Ah, interesting.
Why is that?
Why?
What's the connection betweenhappiness and productivity?
Because if
Mark Struczewski (29:10):
you start the day as an EOR or as a curmudgeon, you're
already behind the proverbial eight ball.
You're already like I got to go here.
I got this meeting and I chooseto look at life as a positive thing
because I'm only going to be here.
I'm a vapor.
Even if I make it to 110 in thegrand scheme of things, it's a vapor.
(29:35):
And I think that when you're happy,you have all these endorphins and
you're like, Oh man, I love life.
And you don't see the clouds.
If you ask an ER, what's the weather like?
Oh, it's partly cloudy.
If you ask Tigger, Oh, it's partly sunny.
We see the same sky, but welook at it totally different.
And I think people who choose tobe happy, they love what they do.
(29:59):
And by nature, by default, they're goingto get more things done because they're
not looking for the bad stuff about like,Oh man, I got to go to this meeting.
I got to write this PowerPoint.
I got to write this newsletter.
No, they're like, man, I get.
I get to do this PowerPoint, I get to goto this meeting, and it's just, it's the
same thing, you're, we're both doing thesame thing, but instead of saying I have
(30:23):
to go to a Zoom meeting, I get to go toa Zoom meeting, maybe I can help someone
at the Zoom meeting, it's just how weframe things that's my thoughts on that.
Teri Holland (30:32):
Absolutely, I agree.
What's your take on work life balance?
Mark Struczewski (30:38):
Interesting.
I think when I think of work life balance,I think of the proverbial bicycle wheel.
If the wheel is not truedup, if it's wobbly, you could
fall down and hurt yourself.
So I think people need tostop working 10, hours a day.
Now, maybe you have to do thisfor small periods of time.
(31:00):
If you're got a big launch orsomething that, yeah, but some
people think it's a badge of courageto always Be pushing that rope.
And then when you talk to them, they'realways tired and they're always getting
some new, they always seem to getthe new virus or illness that comes
out because their immune system isweak because they don't take time.
(31:20):
Now I'm speaking as solopreneur.
So I live in Houston.
So if it's a bright, sunny day.
I go outside in just my shorts.
I'm getting vitamin Z.
My bare feet are on the ground.
I'm reading my Kindle.
I understand everybody can't do that.
I get it.
Okay.
But you need to figure out what can youdo that's going to make you feel better
(31:41):
so you have a better work life balance.
Maybe you would try to convert yourselffrom Eeyore to Christopher Robin or Winnie
the Pooh or even Tigger and just havethat attitude because if you're happy.
You're not stressed becauseyou're working all the time.
Now.
I love what I do, but I havea hard rule I'm done at 4 p.
(32:02):
m.
My time.
I start working at 8 o'clock.
I'm done by 4 o'clock.
That's it.
I'm done I spent time with my wife.
Maybe you go for a walk with the dogsBut I also like I said, I do walks after
lunch I do walks after dinner to helpwith the digestion and I understand that
everybody could do that You got five kidsand there are different grades Yeah, you
got to figure out how it works for you.
(32:22):
There's no more magic formulathat you just plug in.
You're going to take what I sayand what you say and other people
say and just figure out how youcreate a system that works for you.
There is a system, I promise you,there is a system that works for you.
Teri Holland (33:46):
Now I have some rapid fire questions I'd like
to ask you if you're willing.
I am
Mark Struczewski (33:52):
willing.
Teri Holland (33:53):
What's your favorite business or mindset book?
Mark Struczewski (33:57):
The 5 a.
m.
Club with Robin Sharma.
Teri Holland (33:59):
Oh, that's a great one.
Favorite food?
Favorite,
Mark Struczewski (34:04):
I am so boring when it comes to this.
I am, my wife is like an adventurer.
My favorite food, I would have to saysomething about crispy fried chicken.
Although I can only have it on mycheat day because it's got bread in it.
Yeah,
Teri Holland (34:20):
wow.
You know what, I think I've hadmore people say fried chicken
than any other food on this show.
And it amazes me.
What's your biggest pet peeve?
Mark Struczewski (34:33):
Complainers.
People who complain insteadof offering a solution.
Like before my father passed away.
He was complaining about all the stuffthat's going on over in Ukraine, and
I'm like dad Are you gonna go over thereand fight cuz no like you gotta let
it go You can't worry about everythingand I could never convince him He was
(34:54):
stuck in his ways, but he would complainabout this that and the other thing.
I'm like dad You can'tdo anything about it.
And a lot of people,they'd like to complain.
Like I get hate comments every oncein a while on a video I post online.
I'm like, really?
That's your life by puttinghate comments on there.
I feel sorry for these people.
I truly do.
Teri Holland (35:14):
Yeah, absolutely.
Who inspires you
Mark Struczewski (35:18):
right now?
It's Robin Sharma.
I'm going through a lot of his trainingand he talks a lot about mindset and
I in the beginning when I, for backin 2005, I'm like, ah, mindset, but
now we understand if you don't haveyour mindset nothing else matters.
You've got to have the right mindset.
(35:40):
And I believe that if you don't havethe right mindset, it's going to be
difficult to have any success in life.
Teri Holland (35:46):
Great.
Three things you take withyou to a deserted island.
Mark Struczewski (35:50):
Number one, the Bible.
Number two, I hope I can combine these,a journal and something to write with.
Can I make that one?
Sure.
Yeah.
Okay.
Cause what sense is a journalif you can't write with anything?
And the third thing not people, right?
We're not talking about living things?
Sure, it can
Teri Holland (36:06):
be.
Whatever.
Oh, I would take my wife, of
Mark Struczewski (36:08):
course.
I'd take my wife.
Teri Holland (36:10):
Nice.
And what if we weren't including people?
I'm curious what you're, Yourother option would have been
Mark Struczewski (36:16):
well, I'm going to say my running shoes because it
may be rocky there and I got it.
I got to run every day.
Teri Holland (36:21):
You got to run.
Of course.
Of course you do.
Who's a celebrity that you would liketo have dinner with dead or alive?
Mark Struczewski (36:28):
Robin Sharma.
I watching his videos.
It's just I'd love to meetthis guy at some point.
Teri Holland (36:35):
Yeah, I think that'd be great.
And your go to karaoke song.
Mark Struczewski (36:40):
Oh my goodness.
Oh Wow, I love music too.
There are so many songs Well, there'sthis song by a Christian artist.
I'm a Christian and I love Christianmusic Toby Mac He's got a song called Mac
Daddy and it's a song about his son Oneto get a Macbook and it's a funny song.
(37:04):
It's got a good jaunty beat to it.
And so whenever it comes up on myplaylist, I always send it to my daughter
because she wants the Mac by Toby Mac.
Teri Holland (37:13):
Oh, I have to check that out.
That sounds like a good one.
Do you have any final thoughts,words of wisdom you'd like
to share before we finish up?
Mark Struczewski (37:21):
I would encourage people to live their own life.
I have been on the slow carb diet sincethe first year, but then people tell
me, Oh, you should never have sugars.
Listen, I'm doing my thing.
You do your thing.
I can tell you.
It's worked for me.
I feel great.
(37:42):
And so I would encouragepeople to live their own life.
Yeah.
If you work for an employer, yeah, theyhave the company goals, but you should
have your own goals for your own life.
And it may not be popular withyour family, your spouse, your
neighbors, whatever you need to say.
I'm going to, I'm going to do my life.
Like I, I don't like when peoplesay, I'm going to write a book.
(38:06):
Oh, you can't write a book.
No one in our familyhas ever written a book.
Don't do that.
What you should do is encourage people.
Leave them better thanwhen you found them.
I find when I hang around peoplewho are successful, they never
say, Oh, you still podcasting?
You don't have a hundred milliondollar Spotify contract like Joe Rogan.
(38:29):
They say, Keep on going.
If I say I'm going to, I'm going tostart, I'm going to really go hard
on building my email newsletter.
Well, the people who are just waiting forthe weekend, they're like, ah, why bother?
But if I talk to people whoare successful, like, yeah,
you keep on doing that.
I'm cheering for you.
And so I try to only hang aroundpeople who are encouraging me
(38:50):
and I encourage your audience.
Please take an inventoryof who is influencing you.
Including social media and startfollowing people on social media
and in real life who encourage you.
It's really important.
Teri Holland (39:05):
Excellent advice.
That's great.
Where should people go to find more outabout you and to listen to your podcast?
And of course I'll put thelinks in the show notes.
Mark Struczewski (39:15):
Really simple.
MrProductivity.
com.
M I S T E R.
MrProductivity.
com.
There you can sign up for my freeemail newsletter, The Productive Life.
You can find out where you canlook up my podcast, which you
could go to your favorite podcastplayer and just type in The Mr.
Productivity Podcast.
It'll pop right up.
I've been doing it since 2017.
I just, you don't haveto go to MarkStuchewski.
(39:38):
com anymore.
Just go to MrProductivity.
com.
It's a lot easier.
And like I said I got Mr.
Productivity trademark, soI'm really proud of that.
No one else cares, but for me,it's like, Oh, it's trademark.
I had the TN next to my name,but yeah, mrproductivity.
com is where everything youwant to find out about is at.
Teri Holland (39:55):
Excellent.
Well, thank you so much, Mark.
This has been great.
Mark Struczewski (39:58):
My pleasure.
What did I tell you?
Did you enjoy this episode?
Did you get some value out of it?
If you did, if you got one takeaway thatyou think is going to help you improve
your productivity or change your mindset,or maybe it's something that you're going
to implement into your morning routine,send me a message, drop me a DM at the
(40:19):
terry holland on Instagram and let me knowwhat was your biggest takeaway from today,
because I I would love to hear from you.
And of course, if you did get valueout of today's show, share it with a
friend who you think will also benefit.
And of course, leavethat five star review.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
I'll be back again on Thursdaywith another solo episode episode.
(40:41):
Oh my goodness.
And until then, have a great day.
Bye for now.
people who choose to be happy, they love what they do.
(00:04):
And by nature, by default, they're goingto get more things done because they're
not looking for the bad stuff about like,Oh man, I got to go to this meeting.
I got to write this PowerPoint.
I got to write this newsletter.
No, they're like, man, I get.
I get to do this PowerPoint, I getto go to this meeting, and it's just,
it's the same thing, you're, we'reboth doing the same thing, but instead
(00:26):
of saying I have to go to a Zoommeeting, I get to go to a Zoom meeting,
maybe I can help someone at the Zoommeeting, it's just how we frame things
Welcome back to anotherepisode of Success In Mind.
You are in for such a good episode today.
If you have ever struggled with yourproductivity or you want to improve
productivity, maybe you have tasksthat are just not getting done.
(00:50):
Maybe you've heard of morning routinesand the importance of them, but you
just can never seem to figure it out.
This episode is for you.
Today I'm joined by Mark Struczewski,a productivity coach based in
Houston, and the host of the Mr.
Productivity podcast.
He is dedicated to guiding executivesto master the art of productivity.
(01:10):
With a rich experience of over 1,265 podcast episodes, his goal is
to empower individuals to overcomedistractions, prioritize tasks
effectively, and achieve daily clarity.
You're in for an amazing episode today.
Teri Holland (01:44):
Welcome to the show, Mark.
Thank you so much for coming on today.
Mark Struczewski (01:47):
I am thrilled to be here.
Teri Holland (01:50):
I'm really curious about your podcast.
I want to start there.
Why don't you give us some insightinto what your show's about and what
the inspiration was behind your show?
Mark Struczewski (02:00):
Well, the inspiration is the easy part of that question.
In the spring of 2017, I happened tocatch a video from Gary Vaynerchuk, and
he said, the future is voice and voice.
And audio and everyoneneeds to have a podcast.
So I thought to myself, Isaid I listened to podcasts.
Could I start a podcast?
So I went into Google andtype those fateful words.
(02:22):
How do I start a podcast?
And I launched mine on July 7th, 2017.
And I'll never forget that first episode.
It was just me.
I was in my.
Home office recording into thesoftware we're using at the time.
And I was sweating bullets.
I don't know why I was so nervous.
Now I've got well over 1260 episodes andI have rebranded it in December of 2022.
(02:49):
A coach of mine said, look,I know you love your name.
But the Mark Strzecki podcast, no,people are not going to find that.
So I rebranded it to the Mr.
Productivity podcast.
Amazing.
More people are finding my podcast.
I it's a miracle.
And so I talk about productivity andI love talking about productivity.
And I love the whole space aboutproductivity and I love the Mr.
(03:13):
Productivity moniker so much.
I actually trademarked, I paid like agazillion dollars to get the trademark.
So I can use the TM on mywebsite and everywhere else.
So it's I love the podcast platformbecause unlike social media, you and I
own the podcast, which is really nice.
So if we get booted offa social media website.
(03:34):
Or whatever, for whatever reason,we still have our podcast.
And I love the fact that youand I are talking in people's
ears right now, because nobodyhas a podcast listening party.
And so they may be out on a walk,on a run, riding their bike, on
an airplane, going on vacation,and we're actually in their ears.
(03:54):
And I think that is so cool.
Teri Holland (03:56):
It's very cool.
Very cool.
Why productivity?
What got you into that?
Mark Struczewski (04:02):
Well, I used to tell people it started when I was
fired from my job back in 2005.
And I didn't want to go back to thecorporate world and get a real job.
Like most people do.
So I decided I'm goingto start my own business.
Now, keep in mind, this is 2005.
I went into portrait and weddingphotography, which failed,
(04:24):
but remember, This is 2005.
Facebook was launched 2003.
There was none of theseother platforms out there.
So you had those two platforms.
You had email marketing.
You had direct mail.
And I'm like, I don't know.
I don't know what I'm going to do.
But I remember there was someonein my Bible study class who
(04:44):
was a professional speaker.
A little context.
I like to speak in front of empty rooms.
Literally nobody in the room and here Iam asking to be a professional speaker.
Well, they guided me, go to Toastmasters,go to the National Speakers Association.
And I got through that and peoplesaid, man, you're a great communicator.
But I didn't want to talk aboutSo I had invested in the coach and
(05:10):
I identify as Tigger from Winniethe Pooh, but I was having an ER
moment and he said, what's going on?
I said, I love talking.
I love speaking, training, coaching, butI don't know what my topic should be.
And he said, Oh, why don'tyou talk about productivity?
And I remember saying to him Idon't know where that came from,
but why would you say that?
He goes, I know a lot of people.
(05:30):
And you are the most naturallygifted, productive person I know.
You should share that gift with the world.
That's where the story used to start.
But then I realized I have togive credit to my late parents.
Because I was raised, I was born in 1965.
I got to say 19 because the events ofthis podcast are going to be at 2065.
I got to reference 1965.
(05:50):
And I was an only child.
And I had to do chores acertain way at a certain time.
When I came home from school,I had to do a certain thing.
Set the table, clean the table,do the dishes before, yes,
before there were dishwashers.
And so I have to credit my parents toactually giving me that foundation
(06:10):
of being a productivity guy.
I did not know I was going to be Mr.
Productivity at age eight,but I have to give credit to
my parents for my foundation.
Teri Holland (06:18):
That's amazing.
I love how that, how youfound your way into that.
And I find that with so many entrepreneursthat I speak to is they end up doing
something that they never imagined theywould do, but it was kind of always there.
They just couldn't see it, that theywere supposed to be doing this thing.
And I love stories like that.
When it comes to our productivity,what impacts productivity?
(06:41):
What stops us from being productive?
And then how can we change it?
How do we improve
Mark Struczewski (06:46):
the number one obstacle to our productivity is who we
see reflected back in us to us when welook in the mirror, We are our biggest
reasons why we're not being productive.
So let's start there.
And from there we can go into most peopleare just going through life, winging it.
(07:08):
They don't have a plan.
They're hoping that theyget the right things done.
And so when people come to me, I'm like,okay, we need to start at the beginning.
Because every sporting league,when you go back from the offseason,
you go back to training camp.
So you could be Tom Brady.
(07:28):
He's still throwing footballs.
The punters are still punting.
They know how to do this stuff,but they go back to the basics.
And when I tell my clients and I teach myclients, we go back to the very basics.
I don't care what you knowand what you don't know, what
you tried, you haven't tried.
Let's set the foundation.
Like I just alluded to with my parents,we have to get on the same page.
(07:50):
And when I tell people that thereason why they're not productive
is probably their fault, theykind of look at me like my fault.
Yeah.
I mean, you get to choose what you do.
Every day, every hour, every minute,and once I can get people to understand
and take ownership that theirproductivity is their responsibility,
(08:14):
then it's almost like this lightbulb goes off and like, Oh, yeah,
I never thought about that before.
And then we take off from thereand we get, then I give them really
specific suggestions, tactics,tips, however you want to phrase it.
Teri Holland (08:28):
Can you give us maybe some ideas of tools we can be using
to help our productivity becauseI see so many tools coming out.
It seems like every day there's a newad on my Instagram for something new.
And I just I end up going backto just the notes on my phone.
And that seems to be the simplest for me.
(08:48):
But I'm kind of intrigued by some ofthese other programs out there and
thinking maybe I'm missing something.
Mark Struczewski (08:54):
You're not missing anything.
I am a big fan of simplicity.
I always tell people Maybenot chase the squirrel.
Maybe not chase the bright shiny object.
I Love my notes app on my phone and mycomputer Now, Oh, have you tried notion?
I have not done anything with notion.
(09:15):
I got a free account with notionbecause everyone's sharing me,
sharing with me these notion things.
And like, whatever happenedto sharing your Google doc?
Why do we, what is notion?
So I have as a productivity guy, I haveto learn about notion, but I believe that
there's something about using the stuffthat already comes pre installed on your
phone, on your computer, people are.
(09:37):
Procrastinating.
I'm going to call it what it is, Teri.
Yeah.
Procrastinating.
They're saying, well, maybeif I go get this new app.
It's got a, I love the icon.
I love the colors.
Yeah.
Maybe it's not goingto solve your problem.
Maybe, but maybe it won't.
And I think people need to zoom out,pause, do a timeout, and say, okay, wait.
(10:01):
Is it me or is it the app?
Because I think it's funny when people goout and buy a new app and they go, I got
this new app, it does A, B, C, D, and E.
I'm like, that's whatthe built in app does.
Oh, it does?
Yeah.
And they didn't explore it.
They just assumed because itwas built in, it was garbage.
Well, Maybe it's a great app for you.
(10:23):
And I think people arefascinated by the newness.
Why we buy new cars, why weget a new iPhone every year.
We'd like the newness, but I still have aniPhone 13 pro max because it still works.
There's nothing wrong with it.
So why would I want to spend more money,give more money to the Tim Cook coffers
when I have a product that works.
And I think that's part of thereason why we're doing this.
(10:44):
We'd like going for the new stuff, eventhough the old stuff is working just fine.
Teri Holland (10:49):
Yeah.
I'm so glad you mentioned Notion becauseI got into Notion and I spent one night,
I went down the rabbit hole watching allthese YouTube videos of how to set up your
Notion and how to create all these pages.
And then finally I waslike what am I doing?
Like this is, how is this a productivitytool if it's taking me hours to figure
out how to set it up the way I want it
Mark Struczewski (11:09):
and
Teri Holland (11:10):
went right back to the notebook on my phone.
Yeah.
It's
Mark Struczewski (11:15):
I've got the saying that complexity is the
gateway to procrastination.
And because you mentioned simplicityearlier, and I think that it's
easy to go down that rabbit hole.
I had a client of mine once whowould go from to do list app to
do list app to do list app.
And of course, every time heswitched, he had to reset the new
(11:39):
app, he had to learn Use the new app.
And I'm like, is it really worth it?
And he goes, no, but Ilike the new app.
I'm like, why?
And like, I'm not a psychologist,but I was fascinated.
He would go through the pain ofspending a weekend, probably every
three to four months, switching, movingeverything from one app to another app.
(11:59):
And I'm like, is it worth it?
And he admitted to me, no, it's not.
But it, The app is cool.
I'm like, yeah, it's cool.
But think of all the time you'rewasting setting up a new app.
And then he would sometimesgo back to an older app.
And then you go back to another olderapp and I'm like, what are you doing?
(12:21):
It's a waste of time.
It's like when people are lookingfor, like, I love journaling, okay?
I love print journals.
But you can go down the rabbit hole,the procrastination rabbit hole,
looking for the perfect journal.
It doesn't exist.
The perfect app doesn't exist.
I just want your listenersto understand that.
Teri Holland (12:40):
Yes.
I hear that a lot from myclients about journals, so I'm
really glad you mentioned that.
I just get like the plain blacknotebook from Staples and I use this.
Okay.
It fills up, I go get another one.
Like just simple, easy.
Same thing every time.
I don't even look at other ones anymore.
Mark Struczewski (12:58):
I think there's something to be said if you
find a journal that you like.
It's kind of like me.
I'm a daily runner.
So I have running shoes, and when Ibuy new running shoes, I buy the same
ones, the newest version, but I buythe same ones because it's trusted.
Runners don't usually switch shoes.
I found a journal I reallylove, it's by a company called
(13:20):
Gallery Leather and it's nice.
So I found my journal andevery time I need a new one,
I buy another one of those.
I don't go out and look for what elseis out there because what I have works.
And I think if everyone gets onething out of this interview here
that they will go, you know what?
Maybe what I already have works and I'mgoing to put a moratorium on going and
(13:46):
looking for a new journal or a new app.
If what I have works, I'm going to takea step back and maybe just say, I either
a moratorium or you have to get permissionfrom two other people, maybe your spouse
and maybe your friend, because when I wantto buy something for the business, I now
go to my wife who's my business partner,but she'll have seen why and she'll go.
(14:10):
Why do we need this?
And I want to say it's cool.
I want to say it's a cool icon.
I have to explain it and then shewon't give me a yes or no answer.
She'll go research it andthen she'll come back.
Do you know that what you have now does A,B, and C, but this one only does A and B.
Oh, I didn't know that.
I just got infatuated with the new app.
(14:33):
And so I encourage people toharness the power of accountability.
And if you're susceptible of alwaysbuying the new app, new journal,
whatever it is, then go ask someoneand say, listen, you're going to be my
accountability partner when I want topurchase something new, but I want you to
ask me why, and I have to convince you.
Because that's going to stoppeople from wasting their time.
(14:55):
It is wasting time looking forsomething new when what you
already have works just fine.
Teri Holland (15:02):
Oh, that's such a great tip.
I love that.
I almost bought a new water bottle a fewweeks ago because I thought I needed it.
And I was like, Ooh, this one's a bettersize for me and I can hold it more easily.
And I like the color.
And my husband went into the cupboardand he pulled out all the water
bottles I've bought over the years.
And he was like, why don'tyou use one of these?
(15:22):
He's like, Oh, that's hysterical.
He's like, the point of a waterbottle, Teri, is so you don't
create more waste, like stop.
Stop buying new ones.
Just use what you have.
That's a good lesson.
It was a really good lesson.
So
Mark Struczewski (15:38):
how many water bottles do you have in, in?
Teri Holland (15:42):
Oh, I don't even know.
It's too many, far too many.
And so I've been committed todrinking out of my Yeti, which
was the most recent new one.
And he was like, that one's fine.
Just use that.
That's what I'm doing.
Mark Struczewski (15:59):
So you have a built in accountability as do I.
That's pretty nice.
Teri Holland (16:03):
Yeah.
They're great for that.
Mark Struczewski (16:05):
Yes, they are.
Teri Holland (16:06):
Yeah.
How about, can you talk to us a littlebit about some of the daily routines we
can be setting up that help us to be moreproductive and stay on top of our game?
Mark Struczewski (16:15):
Yes.
Now, when I get asked this question,most people think I'm going to
start with the morning routine.
I'm not.
A good morning routinestarts the night before.
Yes.
So I'm going to run through mycurrent routine and then you can
ask me questions based on that.
So.
Perfect.
Teri Holland (16:32):
Perfect.
Mark Struczewski (16:33):
I.
Go screens off around 715 and then at 715I let the dogs out who let the dogs out.
I let the dog and then I make surethe house is all locked up and
then I go in my room and I actuallywill journal for a couple minutes
and then I'll read my Kindle.
I'm not on my phone anymore.
I'm reading my Kindleuntil about 745 to 745.
(16:56):
I turn off all the lights.
I climb in the bed with my Kindle.
Cause I want to be my body to know,okay, we're in the last 15 minutes.
I'm asleep by eight o'clock every night.
Teri Holland (17:05):
Nice.
Mark Struczewski (17:06):
Then I wake up between four 30 and five 30.
I don't use an alarm clock.
I'm a solopreneur.
So I work do my own thing.
I wake up and six days a week I dothe Tim Ferriss 30 30 30 protocol,
which is 30 grams of protein within30 minutes awake and followed by
30 minutes of moderate exercise.
So when I wake up in themorning, the first thing I do.
(17:28):
As I start, I open my timer, thebuilt in timer on my Apple watch.
I didn't go out and get another appand I set it for 30 minutes cause
that's a 30 minute window for me.
I get up and I shavemy head every morning.
Then I go make my breakfast.
My wife cooks the night before.
It's usually two scrambled eggs thatpeople are interested in the minutia, two
scrambled eggs, a half a cup of organicblack beans and four breakfast sausages.
(17:51):
It's about 40 grams of protein.
When that's done every otherday I will lift weights.
If I don't, if it's not aweightlifting day, we have a long
hallway and I walk up and down myhallway while reading my Kindle.
Now we don't have little ones.
I just, I walk as fast as I can to closemy exercise ring of 30, 30 minutes.
(18:11):
When I'm done with that, then I journal.
So the first thing I write in my journalevery day is are my five 2024 goals.
I believe it's important towrite your goals down every day.
Not think about them,write them down every day.
Then there's five journal prompts.
I don't know if I am all memorized.
Like, what's one thing I'm grateful for?
One thing I've got to do one thingI'm excited about one virtual.
(18:34):
I want to exhibit.
And I think one thing that I'mavoiding, I write that out.
And then something new I just startedyesterday and I forgot this morning is.
It's something I learnedfrom Robin Sharma.
It's like you write aparagraph to preload your day.
Like what do you thinkis going to happen today?
Like, write your dream day in miniature.
(18:55):
Nice.
When that's done, I do a lesson.
I do a lingo, although I'vecanceled my membership with them.
I've got a, almost a 1500 day streak,but it's not speaking joy to me anymore.
So I may let that go.
And then I wait patiently.
No, I wait impatiently for thesun to wake up because I'm a
daily runner, as I alluded toearlier, and I won't run the dark.
(19:15):
So as soon as the sun wakes up from itsnight sleep time, then I go out for a run.
I come home from that and I groundoutside bare feet in the ground.
If you're not familiar with that for 15minutes, even if it's cold, I grounded
when it was 25 degrees here in Houston.
And when I'm done with that, Igo in and take a shower, which
is followed by a cold shower.
(19:36):
It's something I learned from Gary Breka.
If you're not, if cold showers don'tappeal to you, take your normal
shower, warm as you want it to be.
When you're all done rinsing,then turn it to all cold and stand
there for one to three minutes.
I'm up to like twominutes and five seconds.
When I'm done with that, it's ready torock and roll for the rest of the day.
Now, Remember I told you I do the30 30 30 protocol six days a week.
(19:59):
I'm doing Tim Ferriss slow carbdiet, which allows for a cheat day.
Saturdays are my cheat day, so I canhave, and I do have anything I want.
I last Saturday I had, cream puffs.
I had 30 cream puffs for breakfast, butit's working because six days a week I'm
low carb and I've lost over 12 poundsand I feel spectacular, a lot of energy.
(20:23):
So it's really important.
You notice how I did it.
I did the evening routine.
My body knows when I pick upmy Kindle and it's dark out,
my body starts shutting down.
My battery's almostempty by eight o'clock.
And then I wake up with an alarm clock.
I'm never in a hurry.
And I do my morning routine.
Now.
I understand some of your listeners mayhave kids they have to go off to school.
(20:44):
They may have little ones that we,everyone has a morning routine.
The problem is most peoplemorning routine is chaotic.
It changes every day.
I encourage everyone listening tothe show today to step back and
go, how can I create a morningroutine that's going to work for me?
This may involve you getting up early.
(21:06):
Let's say your kiddos getup at six 30 for school.
I'm just picking thatnumber out of thin air.
Maybe you get up, instead of getting up30, and then maybe you go in the back
porch and all you do is you just sitthere and just watch the wildlife in
your backyard, if you, like a deer orsomething like that, if you have that
in your backyard, or you're watchingthe sunrise, create a routine that
(21:29):
you can start your day on your terms,you can start your day on your terms.
because you're going to get allthis bombarding later on the day.
You have the most controlof your day in the morning.
A lot of people keep hitting thesnooze Barton over and over again.
And then they're in a state ofchaos, a state of overwhelm.
And I just encourage peopleto control your mornings.
(21:51):
And you will have much better days.
Teri Holland (21:54):
That's a great tip.
If people have, like, if they'restarting to think of that morning
routine, or starting to build it out,what would be the one thing you think
every morning routine should have?
Mark Struczewski (22:06):
Wow, one thing?
Well, I think, wow, you'rereally nailing me down here.
The one thing, because I thinkexercise is important in the morning.
I think journaling isimportant thing in the morning.
If I only had to pick one thing I wouldsay to move when you first get up.
So I get up and like.
(22:26):
Now, I know everyone doesn't have along hallway like I do, but I think
whether you're lifting weights or you'regetting on the treadmill or your exercise
bike or you go for your walk, I thinkyou need to move because you've been
unconscious for six to nine hours andyou're, you need to purge that cortisol.
So I encourage people to move.
(22:47):
Now I'm not saying get up, putyour shoes on and run a marathon,
but I'm saying move around.
I mean, there's this.
This thing, everybody goesby 10, 000 steps a day.
Well, maybe that shouldbe your first goal.
I'm hitting 15 to 17, 000 steps.
I, as you can tell in the video, Iwent out and bought a standup desk
because I read a book called builtto move and they said we're
(23:08):
sitting too much and our goal shouldbe to sit six hours or less a day.
So now when I do these interviews,I'm, I have a standup desk.
We should be standing more than we are.
So I'm constantly standing whenmy wife and I are watching a news
program or something at night.
I will actually put the news programout and I'll like walk around.
We have a a living room and adining room and I'll actually walk
(23:30):
around there for 10 or 15 minutes.
I like to move becausewe were designed to move.
We were not created to sit behindour computers on endless zoom calls.
Teri Holland (23:39):
Yeah, absolutely.
I recently heard Chalene Johnson talkingabout how her new habit is that if she
wants to scroll social media, she pacesaround her living room while she does it.
She's not allowed to sit and scroll.
So she has to be up and moving.
And I thought, what a great idea.
Mark Struczewski (23:55):
Yes, I love that because so many people are on their phones.
And on the audio podcast, you can'tsee that, but they're doing this.
And what they're finding out ispeople have neck injuries now
because they're always lookingdown and I do this weird thing.
Now, the reading walks Idon't just do in my house.
I take a reading walk afterlunch and after dinner, cause
(24:16):
it helps with digestion.
And.
And people go, how do you, now it'snot weird now because people think I'm
on my phone, but I used to read printhardcover books while I was walking.
People, how do you do that?
Well, to make it even more interestingis I'm blind in my left eye.
The nerve didn't develop from the brainbetween the eyeball and the brain.
(24:37):
How do you do that?
I said, I don't know.
I just tried it one day.
Instead of listening to a podcast, I goout and read and people go, That's crazy.
I'm like, have you ever tried it?
And so I love reading,walking reading walks.
And now when my wife and I go to the localparks to run, well, she walks, I run.
I do it much faster than she does.
(24:58):
So what I do is I always bring my Kindle.
I do my running, then come back, grabmy Kindle and I'll go back and do
some walking until she finishes up.
So I like to stay movement.
I'm 58 years old.
And I want to run a mileon my 110th birthday.
So it's 52 years from now.
In order to do that, I'vegot to take care of myself.
I can't be sitting downfor 10, 12 hours a day.
Teri Holland (25:21):
That's fantastic.
How do you stay motivated?
What do you do to keepyour motivation high?
Mark Struczewski (25:27):
I love this question.
I, like I talked aboutearlier, identify as Tigger.
I wake up every morning like Idid when I was a little child,
Christmas morning, couldn't waitto see what Santa Claus brought me.
I think you need to figureout what makes you happy.
For so long, I made themistake of chasing money.
(25:47):
And I was getting frustrated becausewhen I got fired from my job at 2005,
6, 7, 8 10 2012 wasn't making any money.
I mean, literally no money.
Wow.
And then, I mean, I think I made$50,000 from 2005 to the end of 2021.
And my wife was very supportive.
And the reason why is Iwas focused on the money.
(26:12):
I wasn't focused on my happiness.
I was like trying to chasea headless chicken around.
And then it dawned on me one day I go alot of training and I read a lot of books.
I'm like, Oh, if you chasemoney, you'll never catch it.
And then I hear a lot of Gary Vaynerchukand he says, you got to be patient
and you got to chase happiness.
(26:32):
And he shared the story, which resonates.
I share it every time I, everychance I get, he says, I know
people make 50, 000 a year and theyget to go all their kids events.
And they're always there for familymeals and they're happy and I know
people have 50 million dollarsin the bank who are miserable.
He goes, you got to findout what makes you happy.
Now, I would love to have happinessand tons of wealth, but if I had to
choose, I would always choose happinessfirst because I don't have health
(26:56):
problems because I tend to be happy.
Okay.
Now I'm not take her all the time.
I do have my bad days, but I think weneed to figure out what makes us happy
and it may not make you a lot of money.
I know people who are doingthings that they're barely over
poverty, but they're so happy.
And I would think that they're wealthierthan the 50 millionaire who is not happy.
Teri Holland (27:21):
Yes.
Yeah.
So what do you do whenyou have those bad days?
How do you get yourself out of it?
Mark Struczewski (27:28):
Well, walking outside really helps.
I like to, we have two dogs.
One is a 56 pound lab mix to rescue.
We've had her since she wastwo and a half, two years old.
She's, she'll be six this April.
We have her new sister.
My, my father unexpectedly passed 2023.
And so We adopted her andthey're figuring out things out.
(27:52):
She's 11.
Our other dog is, will be six.
But I just I wake up and it'slike, if I'm not having a good day,
I'm like, well, I woke up today.
I mean, that, that's a plus.
And I can still see, and I love to read.
And sometimes like walking outsidereally boosts my energy because
you see people and you say helloto them and stuff like that.
(28:14):
But I just think people need to,you need to choose happiness.
And.
I'm on this quest to changethe spelling of happiness.
By the way, you ever see theWill Smith movie from 2006?
It was called happinessand spelled with a Y.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think we need to spellhappiness with a Y instead of an I.
I really, so whenever I post abouthappiness online, I always spell it H A P
(28:36):
Y N E S And I always put in parenthesis.
I said, this is a nodto the Will Smith movie.
I think we should spellhappiness with a Y in my opinion.
Because it's got the word happy in it.
Happiness, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's not going too far, butI just encourage people to
write happiness, the why.
Let's spread this because I thinkhappiness is so important because
(28:56):
I can tell you happy people tend tobe way more productive than people
who are curmudgeons, who are EORs.
Teri Holland (29:04):
Ah, interesting.
Why is that?
Why?
What's the connection betweenhappiness and productivity?
Because if
Mark Struczewski (29:10):
you start the day as an EOR or as a curmudgeon, you're
already behind the proverbial eight ball.
You're already like I got to go here.
I got this meeting and I chooseto look at life as a positive thing
because I'm only going to be here.
I'm a vapor.
Even if I make it to 110 in thegrand scheme of things, it's a vapor.
(29:35):
And I think that when you're happy,you have all these endorphins and
you're like, Oh man, I love life.
And you don't see the clouds.
If you ask an ER, what's the weather like?
Oh, it's partly cloudy.
If you ask Tigger, Oh, it's partly sunny.
We see the same sky, but welook at it totally different.
And I think people who choose tobe happy, they love what they do.
(29:59):
And by nature, by default, they're goingto get more things done because they're
not looking for the bad stuff about like,Oh man, I got to go to this meeting.
I got to write this PowerPoint.
I got to write this newsletter.
No, they're like, man, I get.
I get to do this PowerPoint, I get to goto this meeting, and it's just, it's the
same thing, you're, we're both doing thesame thing, but instead of saying I have
(30:23):
to go to a Zoom meeting, I get to go toa Zoom meeting, maybe I can help someone
at the Zoom meeting, it's just how weframe things that's my thoughts on that.
Teri Holland (30:32):
Absolutely, I agree.
What's your take on work life balance?
Mark Struczewski (30:38):
Interesting.
I think when I think of work life balance,I think of the proverbial bicycle wheel.
If the wheel is not truedup, if it's wobbly, you could
fall down and hurt yourself.
So I think people need tostop working 10, hours a day.
Now, maybe you have to do thisfor small periods of time.
(31:00):
If you're got a big launch orsomething that, yeah, but some
people think it's a badge of courageto always Be pushing that rope.
And then when you talk to them, they'realways tired and they're always getting
some new, they always seem to getthe new virus or illness that comes
out because their immune system isweak because they don't take time.
(31:20):
Now I'm speaking as solopreneur.
So I live in Houston.
So if it's a bright, sunny day.
I go outside in just my shorts.
I'm getting vitamin Z.
My bare feet are on the ground.
I'm reading my Kindle.
I understand everybody can't do that.
I get it.
Okay.
But you need to figure out what can youdo that's going to make you feel better
(31:41):
so you have a better work life balance.
Maybe you would try to convert yourselffrom Eeyore to Christopher Robin or Winnie
the Pooh or even Tigger and just havethat attitude because if you're happy.
You're not stressed becauseyou're working all the time.
Now.
I love what I do, but I havea hard rule I'm done at 4 p.
(32:02):
m.
My time.
I start working at 8 o'clock.
I'm done by 4 o'clock.
That's it.
I'm done I spent time with my wife.
Maybe you go for a walk with the dogsBut I also like I said, I do walks after
lunch I do walks after dinner to helpwith the digestion and I understand that
everybody could do that You got five kidsand there are different grades Yeah, you
got to figure out how it works for you.
(32:22):
There's no more magic formulathat you just plug in.
You're going to take what I sayand what you say and other people
say and just figure out how youcreate a system that works for you.
There is a system, I promise you,there is a system that works for you.
Teri Holland (33:46):
Now I have some rapid fire questions I'd like
to ask you if you're willing.
I am
Mark Struczewski (33:52):
willing.
Teri Holland (33:53):
What's your favorite business or mindset book?
Mark Struczewski (33:57):
The 5 a.
m.
Club with Robin Sharma.
Teri Holland (33:59):
Oh, that's a great one.
Favorite food?
Favorite,
Mark Struczewski (34:04):
I am so boring when it comes to this.
I am, my wife is like an adventurer.
My favorite food, I would have to saysomething about crispy fried chicken.
Although I can only have it on mycheat day because it's got bread in it.
Yeah,
Teri Holland (34:20):
wow.
You know what, I think I've hadmore people say fried chicken
than any other food on this show.
And it amazes me.
What's your biggest pet peeve?
Mark Struczewski (34:33):
Complainers.
People who complain insteadof offering a solution.
Like before my father passed away.
He was complaining about all the stuffthat's going on over in Ukraine, and
I'm like dad Are you gonna go over thereand fight cuz no like you gotta let
it go You can't worry about everythingand I could never convince him He was
(34:54):
stuck in his ways, but he would complainabout this that and the other thing.
I'm like dad You can'tdo anything about it.
And a lot of people,they'd like to complain.
Like I get hate comments every oncein a while on a video I post online.
I'm like, really?
That's your life by puttinghate comments on there.
I feel sorry for these people.
I truly do.
Teri Holland (35:14):
Yeah, absolutely.
Who inspires you
Mark Struczewski (35:18):
right now?
It's Robin Sharma.
I'm going through a lot of his trainingand he talks a lot about mindset and
I in the beginning when I, for backin 2005, I'm like, ah, mindset, but
now we understand if you don't haveyour mindset nothing else matters.
You've got to have the right mindset.
(35:40):
And I believe that if you don't havethe right mindset, it's going to be
difficult to have any success in life.
Teri Holland (35:46):
Great.
Three things you take withyou to a deserted island.
Mark Struczewski (35:50):
Number one, the Bible.
Number two, I hope I can combine these,a journal and something to write with.
Can I make that one?
Sure.
Yeah.
Okay.
Cause what sense is a journalif you can't write with anything?
And the third thing not people, right?
We're not talking about living things?
Sure, it can
Teri Holland (36:06):
be.
Whatever.
Oh, I would take my wife, of
Mark Struczewski (36:08):
course.
I'd take my wife.
Teri Holland (36:10):
Nice.
And what if we weren't including people?
I'm curious what you're, Yourother option would have been
Mark Struczewski (36:16):
well, I'm going to say my running shoes because it
may be rocky there and I got it.
I got to run every day.
Teri Holland (36:21):
You got to run.
Of course.
Of course you do.
Who's a celebrity that you would liketo have dinner with dead or alive?
Mark Struczewski (36:28):
Robin Sharma.
I watching his videos.
It's just I'd love to meetthis guy at some point.
Teri Holland (36:35):
Yeah, I think that'd be great.
And your go to karaoke song.
Mark Struczewski (36:40):
Oh my goodness.
Oh Wow, I love music too.
There are so many songs Well, there'sthis song by a Christian artist.
I'm a Christian and I love Christianmusic Toby Mac He's got a song called Mac
Daddy and it's a song about his son Oneto get a Macbook and it's a funny song.
(37:04):
It's got a good jaunty beat to it.
And so whenever it comes up on myplaylist, I always send it to my daughter
because she wants the Mac by Toby Mac.
Teri Holland (37:13):
Oh, I have to check that out.
That sounds like a good one.
Do you have any final thoughts,words of wisdom you'd like
to share before we finish up?
Mark Struczewski (37:21):
I would encourage people to live their own life.
I have been on the slow carb diet sincethe first year, but then people tell
me, Oh, you should never have sugars.
Listen, I'm doing my thing.
You do your thing.
I can tell you.
It's worked for me.
I feel great.
(37:42):
And so I would encouragepeople to live their own life.
Yeah.
If you work for an employer, yeah, theyhave the company goals, but you should
have your own goals for your own life.
And it may not be popular withyour family, your spouse, your
neighbors, whatever you need to say.
I'm going to, I'm going to do my life.
Like I, I don't like when peoplesay, I'm going to write a book.
(38:06):
Oh, you can't write a book.
No one in our familyhas ever written a book.
Don't do that.
What you should do is encourage people.
Leave them better thanwhen you found them.
I find when I hang around peoplewho are successful, they never
say, Oh, you still podcasting?
You don't have a hundred milliondollar Spotify contract like Joe Rogan.
(38:29):
They say, Keep on going.
If I say I'm going to, I'm going tostart, I'm going to really go hard
on building my email newsletter.
Well, the people who are just waiting forthe weekend, they're like, ah, why bother?
But if I talk to people whoare successful, like, yeah,
you keep on doing that.
I'm cheering for you.
And so I try to only hang aroundpeople who are encouraging me
(38:50):
and I encourage your audience.
Please take an inventoryof who is influencing you.
Including social media and startfollowing people on social media
and in real life who encourage you.
It's really important.
Teri Holland (39:05):
Excellent advice.
That's great.
Where should people go to find more outabout you and to listen to your podcast?
And of course I'll put thelinks in the show notes.
Mark Struczewski (39:15):
Really simple.
MrProductivity.
com.
M I S T E R.
MrProductivity.
com.
There you can sign up for my freeemail newsletter, The Productive Life.
You can find out where you canlook up my podcast, which you
could go to your favorite podcastplayer and just type in The Mr.
Productivity Podcast.
It'll pop right up.
I've been doing it since 2017.
I just, you don't haveto go to MarkStuchewski.
(39:38):
com anymore.
Just go to MrProductivity.
com.
It's a lot easier.
And like I said I got Mr.
Productivity trademark, soI'm really proud of that.
No one else cares, but for me,it's like, Oh, it's trademark.
I had the TN next to my name,but yeah, mrproductivity.
com is where everything youwant to find out about is at.
Teri Holland (39:55):
Excellent.
Well, thank you so much, Mark.
This has been great.
Mark Struczewski (39:58):
My pleasure.
What did I tell you?
Did you enjoy this episode?
Did you get some value out of it?
If you did, if you got one takeaway thatyou think is going to help you improve
your productivity or change your mindset,or maybe it's something that you're going
to implement into your morning routine,send me a message, drop me a DM at the
(40:19):
terry holland on Instagram and let me knowwhat was your biggest takeaway from today,
because I I would love to hear from you.
And of course, if you did get valueout of today's show, share it with a
friend who you think will also benefit.
And of course, leavethat five star review.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
I'll be back again on Thursdaywith another solo episode episode.
(40:41):
Oh my goodness.
And until then, have a great day.
Bye for now.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.