Evolving Systems with Life Changes

Is your productivity system feeling sluggish or overwhelmed? In this episode, we dive deep into how to reset and refresh your productivity system for 2026. We explore the “TEA Framework” (Time, Energy, Attention), the power of the GTD Weekly Review, and how to leverage AI-augmented workflows to move from reactive fire-fighting to proactive planning. Learn why recovery is your secret performance driver and how to design a system that actually makes you happy.

Make the switch! MINTMOBILE.com/PRODUCTIVITY.

https://try notion custom agents at notion.com/tps.

Masterclass.com/TPS for an additional 15% off any annual membership.

Upgrade your denim game with Rag & Bone!. Get 20% off sitewide with code TPS at www.rag-bone.com #ragandbonepod.

Visit asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics.

Cheat Sheet:

Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “One Tweak A Week” shirt.

• Top 3 Productivity Resources [01:14].
• Brooks’ “new year” reset collides with the AI tool tidal wave—here’s what he’s testing [03:23].
• Thanh's reset “rhythm” [05:13].
• Reactive vs proactive resets—plus the “mini email bankruptcy” move most people overlook [09:00].
• The first step of any reset (hint: it’s not picking a new app) [16:29].
• The most underrated reset —and why it works better than you think [18:23].
• A reset for chronic tool-hoppers: the “commitment window” that restores calm fast [23:20].
• A quick diagnostic checklist for time, energy, and attention—spot the bottleneck in minutes [24:43].
• Reset pitfalls: the sneaky way “optimizing” can make everything worse (and the copying trap) [34:43].
• Real story: vibe coding, skill bloat, and the one-at-a-time rebuild that actually sticks [40:04].
• The reset mistake that backfires: changing your system without bringing your people along [44:08].

Links:

• MintMobile
• Notion Custom Agents
• Masterclass
• Rag & Bone
• 25X Productivity Coaching
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
• The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain
• Field Notes Notebooks
• Productivity Academy
• The Productivity Show on Youtube
• The Productivity Show Youtube Clips
• Become a member of TPS+
• Take the Productivity Quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!