Asian Efficiency: Productivity, Time Management, Getting Things Done (GTD),
500 episodes listed below
Asian Efficiency's Tan Pham and Brooks Duncan on time management, habits, and AI tools.
The Productivity Show is a practical productivity series built around small changes that compound. Tan and Brooks Duncan move from everyday frustrations to concrete systems for attention, projects, workspace setup, creative energy, and AI-assisted work.
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The Productivity Show is produced by Asian Efficiency and published weekly, mixing co-hosted interview-style episodes with shorter solo commentary from founder Tan Pham. The recurring format pairs Tan Pham, based in Austin, Texas, with co-host Brooks Duncan, based in Vancouver, Canada, in conversations that typically move from a personal anecdote into a broader productivity concept and end with a concrete action step. Core subject matter includes time and attention management (such as attention residue from context-switching), habit formation and habit stacking onto existing routines, physical and digital workspace decluttering, and energy-based scheduling of creative versus administrative work. A growing share of recent episodes focuses on artificial intelligence — building AI fluency, tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Cowork, OpenClaw, and WhisperFlow, and what AI competency means for job seekers, students, and knowledge workers facing a widening skill gap. The hosts frequently cite outside authors and frameworks, including James Clear's Atomic Habits, Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism, Ethan Mollick's Co-Intelligence, and Katie Milkman's How to Change, and reference past guests such as Julie Morgenstern and Courtney Carver on organization and minimalism. The show is grounded in Tan Pham's company Asian Efficiency, and many segments use the hosts' own routines, coaching clients, and business operations as working examples rather than abstract theory. Listeners who benefit most are knowledge workers, entrepreneurs, and students looking for practical systems for time management and focus, and increasingly for integrating AI tools into daily workflows. Production is conversational and lightly edited, with sponsor reads for products like Shopify, Notion, and SelectQuote embedded in episodes. Episode lengths vary widely, from roughly 9-minute solo framework episodes to nearly hour-long two-person discussions.
Made for: Knowledge workers, entrepreneurs, and students seeking practical time-management systems and guidance on applying AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT to daily work.
What sets it apart: It is anchored in one company's (Asian Efficiency) actual client coaching and internal routines rather than generic advice, with an increasing focus on applied AI-tool workflows alongside traditional habit and workspace systems.
Win back time, double your energy, and achieve your goals. Become more productive at work and in life. Get weekly episodes on productivity, time management, and efficiency to achieve your goals in record time. At The Productivity Show, we believe you should get your important things done without sacrificing your health, family and things that matter to you. This is a weekly podcast where we show you ways to save time, and increase your productivity and happiness.
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Tan and Brooks Duncan turn productivity concepts into small experiments that listeners can apply to routines, attention, workspaces, and AI skills.
The Productivity Show (Time Management) turns productivity into a series of manageable decisions about routines, attention, workspace, and emerging technology.
A cluttered dock and an AI side quest both become one practical tweak you can try today.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A practical reset for clearing unfinished tasks from your head before the next interruption takes over.
Attention residue comes across as the workday tax you pay when one unfinished task keeps running in your head while the next meeting, message, or obligation takes over.
A practical reset for anyone whose desk, dock, or delayed decisions are quietly pulling focus.
The Clutter-Free Workspace makes a tidy, useful case that productivity is not only a calendar or app problem. Tan and Brooks treat the desk, the screen dock, and the objects left in the wrong place as part of the same operating environment.
A practical case for using people, playbooks, and AI to get unstuck faster.
Copy and Paste Strategy treats progress as a search problem: find the person, book, course, tool, or AI workflow that has already solved the thing slowing you down, then adapt what works.
A practical argument for improving routines through small, testable tweaks instead of rebuilding the whole system.
Evolution, Not Revolution treats productivity as a series of small upgrades to routines that already exist. Tan and Brooks argue against the reflex to install a whole new system when a base hit would do: get invoices moving sooner, leave the office on time, or make one daily…
Ed Mylett interviews entrepreneurs, athletes, and leaders about the moments that changed everything.
This episode explores the fresh start effect as a psychological tool to boost productivity by creating clean slates that separate old habits from new possibilities.
Tan Pham and Brooks Duncan frame attention residue as the mental drag that remains after task-switching, using browser tabs, weekend worry about a Monday meeting, and open loops as examples.
This episode discusses the AI skill gap, comparing the current technological shift to the late 1990s internet revolution and warning that waiting to adapt poses significant risks.
The host of The Productivity Show argues that creativity and productivity are not opposing forces but mutually reinforcing ones when aligned with personal energy rhythms, skill combinations, and intentional environments.
Clutter is delayed decisions.
This episode introduces a framework for letting go of inefficient tasks by leveraging AI tools like Claude to automate workflows and focus on higher-value activities.
The hosts discuss strategies for breaking down big goals into manageable chunks, starting with their top three favorite productivity tips.
This episode discusses how to avoid the hollow feeling of checking off tasks without real accomplishment, offering actionable productivity advice.
This episode provides practical AI tips for everyday productivity to help listeners reclaim their time and work more efficiently.
The host introduces the show's philosophy and teases the secret to peak performance, after a sponsor ad for Drip Drop hydration.
The hosts discuss transitioning from reactive to proactive productivity while sharing personal experiences with autonomous vehicles in Austin.
This episode discusses balancing short-term urgent tasks with long-term goals to achieve sustainable productivity.
This episode discusses burnout, its signs, and practical strategies to prevent it by managing time, energy, and attention.
A productivity podcast episode offering a quick tip on leveraging the 'fresh start effect' to boost motivation and efficiency.
This episode provides guidance on resetting your productivity system, discussing whether to patch existing systems or start fresh, and shares practical resources and experiences.
A weekly podcast offering tips and strategies to improve productivity, manage time, and achieve goals without sacrificing health and family.
This episode argues that you don't need to create original productivity systems from scratch; instead, you can adapt proven methods.
This episode discusses strategic planning frameworks and tactics for 2026, focusing on productivity and efficiency in work and life.
The host shares his favorite apps and tools for boosting business productivity and efficiency.
Brooks has the bug.
Small wins come first.
The hosts discuss a recent Logitech mouse outage caused by a certificate expiration, reflecting on over-reliance on internet-connected devices for productivity.
The hosts discuss the concept of fresh starts and how to implement them for achieving goals in the new year.
The hosts introduce a discussion on the five whys exercise for deep thinking and problem-solving, with a humorous exchange about avoiding on-the-spot ambushes.
Hosts Tan and Brooks introduce the show's philosophy of small tweaks for big productivity gains and preview their top three resources.
Interview with Tiago Forte about his productivity system 'Building a Second Brain' and favorite resources.
The hosts discuss their favorite productivity apps and tools, sharing personal experiences and recommendations to help listeners save time and increase efficiency.
An interview with Rick Mathis about his productivity methods, favorite tools, and how health impacts efficiency.
The hosts introduce the T-Framework (Time, Energy, Attention) and discuss advanced productivity strategies.
The hosts discuss how to reset and find calmness when overwhelmed, introducing strategies to avoid burnout and regain control.
Tan interviews Alan P.
This episode provides tips on meal planning to save time and eat healthy, improving productivity.
This episode explores how to balance and maximize both creativity and productivity in work and life, based on the hosts' three core philosophies.