Monthly Method

What if the reason you’re stuck isn’t the goal you picked — but the fact that you’re trying to pick the "perfect" one? In this episode, I share why your first sprint goal barely matters, what the first sprint is really for, and why messy starts often lead to the most meaningful progress. If you’ve ever felt busy but not truly moving forward, this might change how you begin. Learn about my private membership where we cultivate a focused life: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_term=&utm_content=First-goal-doesn't-matter Work with me 1-on-1: https://monthlymethod.com/meaningful-month/?utm_source=porcast&utm_medium=social&utm_term=&utm_content=First-goal-doesn't-matter ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I share a counterintuitive realization I had after noticing my own behaviour around Black Friday—and how it completely changed the way I think about New Year’s resolutions, procrastination, and consistency. Book mentioned in the video: Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov Video about chaotic ambition: https://youtu.be/o3XosnSnGPU Learn about my private membership where we cultivate a focused life: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_term=&utm_content=Why I Didn’t Start on January 1st&utm_campaign= Work with me 1-on-1: https://monthlymethod.com/meaningful-month/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_term=&utm_content=Why I Didn’t Start on January 1st&utm_campaign= Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:16 The Black Friday Story 02:37 How Black Friday is similar to New Year's Resolutions 04:46 My best decision of last year 05:53 New Year's resolutions never worked for me in the past 06:12 New Year - Old Me 07:42 Picking the hardest time to start 09:16 The most consistent year 10:39 Not needing a perfect start point 11:43 The parenting analogy 12:42 What are we teaching our brain? 13:55 Waiting can be great 15:38 What's so magical about January 1? 16:50 Practicing the new lesson daily 17:09 My favourite book about procrastination 20:48 My proposal ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Everyone says to break goals into subtasks. But what if that’s exactly what’s slowing you down? I show why this common productivity advice fails when you’re building something new—and what to do instead. You’ll learn a faster, lighter Agile-inspired system that: - Cuts planning time to one hour - Keeps you focused without overwhelm - Builds clarity through action, not research If you’ve ever fallen into the “perfect plan” trap, this video will change how you plan forever. Learn about my private membership where we do monthly sprints together: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ Videos mentioned in the video: Agile goal management • Agile approach for managing your goals. Sp... What is a sprint? • What is a sprint? How to use it in your life. Choosing sprint goals • Choosing sprint goals. Definition of Done. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Most people think of goals as boxes to check off. But what if they were something completely different? In this episode, I share how I think about goals in a way that makes decision-making easier, life less overwhelming, and priorities much clearer. 👉 A free tool you can use right away to get crystal clear on your next 3 actionable purpose-driven goals https://monthlymethod.kit.com/focus-finder ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 – My view on goals 0:59 – Example: Dental appointment 1:55 – The purpose of a goal 3:38 – Example: Weight loss 4:50 – Example: Work clothes 5:21 –Example: Learning how to cook 6:15 – Example: Shopping 7:48 - Free guide to discover your next 3 goals ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Enrollment for the Focus Room October Sprint closes tomorrow! 🎉 In this episode, I share what the Focus Room is, how we run 3-week sprints with live planning, coworking, and reviews, and why it’s a calm, sustainable approach to productivity—tailored to your real life, not hustle culture. Join us before doors close Thursday to start your sprint this Friday! Join the Focus Room → https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What if your life and projects were as simple and durable as a Fisher-Price toy? In this episode, I talk about the Fisher-Price simplicity, how I've learned about it, and how it inspired me to apply it in my own life. I talk about how my pursuit of elegance and optimization often led to unnecessary complexity, and why I’m choosing to rebuild my foundations on simplicity instead. Think: fewer frills, fewer moving parts, more durability, and more ease. If you’ve been feeling paralyzed by over-optimization or weighed down by layers of complexity, this framework might help you get back to basics. 👉 Want support as you simplify and focus on what really matters? Join me inside the Focus Room, my membership where we work in 1-month sprints, keep each other accountable, and actually finish the projects we start: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Learn more about the Focus Room: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ Enrollment closes this Thursday. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, I share a fresh perspective on why rest is essential for productivity—through the lens of agriculture. Just as farmers rotate crops and allow fields to rest to maintain soil health, we too need scheduled breaks to protect our focus, creativity, and long-term output. I talk about: This episode is about reframing rest not as laziness, but as a vital strategy for longevity, health, and sustainable productivity. 00:00 Introduction to the Cool Off Week 00:34 Understanding Soil Health and Agriculture 02:18 The Importance of Resting Fields 03:16 Government Initiatives and Soil Health 04:03 Applying Agricultural Principles to Productivity 05:24 Practical Tips for a Cool Off Week 07:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Join the Focus Room: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

My complicated relationship with summer is about to end. Learn more about the focus room here: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Polina from The Monthly Method discusses her hiatus from podcasting and introduces the 'Three Levers' framework, a concept she learned as a junior product manager. The framework helps simplify and streamline any project. Learn more about the Focus Room: https://monthlymethod.com/focus-room Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back 00:20 The Three Levers Framework 01:05 Applying the Framework to the Podcast 01:32 Exploring Resource Options 04:06 Adjusting the Timeline and Scope 06:28 Personal Insights and Changes 09:28 Normalizing and Optimizing 14:53 Final Thoughts and Invitation ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The final ingredient of my Agile-inspired personal productivity system is the cool-off week. In this video, I share its origin story, explain what it is, describe what I do during this week, and reveal why it has been the key to staying consistent with my productivity system for the last 10 years. The Calm Ambition Club: https://monthlymethod.com/calm-ambition-club/ Blogpost mentioned: When feeling down, turn to aesthetics https://monthlymethod.com/aesthetics/ Timeline: 00:00 - Why I invented the cool-off week 01:44 - What is a cool-off week? 03:30 - What's the point of a cool-off week? 05:03 - I'd rather take the breaks on my own terms 06:33 - What do I do during the cool-off week? 09:50 - Benefit: No burnout in the last 10 years 10:52 - Benefit: Gult-free rest 11:31 - Benefit: Looking forward to the next sprint 13:27 - Benefit: Interesting projects get done 15:07 - Benefit: Time and space to think 15:42 - Benefit: Serves as a reward for my long-term efforts 18:17 - Benefit: Creates a nice rhythm in my life 19:30 - If you want to actually DO the things you want to do. Learn how to apply Agile to your life in a free course: http://monthlymethod.com/school/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - monthlymethod.ck.page/newsletter 💻 Blog - https://monthlymethod.com/blog 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Sprint retrospective is the most important ritual in Agile philosophy. I'll share how you can build your own goal management system that is perfectly tailored to your life circumstances. The Calm Ambition Club: https://monthlymethod.com/calm-ambition-club/ Blog posts mentioned: Sprint-end celebration https://monthlymethod.com/sprint-end-celebration/ The baby shower story https://monthlymethod.com/failed-sprint-goals/ Optimizing life for a regular Tuesday https://monthlymethod.com/regular-tuesday/ Timeline: 00:00 - Overview 00:38 - What is a sprint retrospective? 01:07 - The shocking part 02:58 - Agile take on growth 04:03 - Sprint retrospective in teams 05:48 - Personal sprint retrospective 07:17 - Becoming your own guru and building your own system 08:51 - Cathedral Effect 09:18 - What got done? 10:46 - What didn't get done? 13:01 - How accurate was your sprint capacity calculation? 13:38 - Quality of life review 14:48 - Creating a Notes file for sprint retrospectives 15:50 - Example: Deeper Why 18:55 - Don't add to your to-do list 20:08 - Example: Making a promise 21:44 - Example: Leaving my phone at home 22:51 - Example: Reddit goal 25:54 - Going a level deeper into why we should do sprint retrospectives 26:54 - Life craftsmanship. The art of living. 28:50 - Curation in a function of time. Learn how to apply Agile to your life in a free course: http://monthlymethod.com/school/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - monthlymethod.ck.page/newsletter 💻 Blog - https://monthlymethod.com/blog 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Why the advice to disappear for a year is problematic. And what you can do instead. Enrollment for the Calm Ambition Club - February sprint closes tomorrow https://monthlymethod.com/calm-ambition-club/ Chapters: 00:00 - YouTube, we have a problem 01:23 - The only way to change our lives 02:04 - What happens if you manage to disappear for a year? 03:00 - My favourite quote 03:43 - Celebrating limitations 06:26 - If you were feeling hopeless 07:56 - On young generation being lost 08:46 - If you can't escape your life If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - https://monthlymethod.ck.page/newsletter 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What a good gym membership can teach us about goal setting in other areas of our lives? Learn more about the Calm Ambition Club: https://monthlymethod.com/calm-ambition-club/ Chapters: 00:00 - Have you ever wondered why people choose to pay for a gym membership in this day and age? 00:32 - What does it teach about our goals in general? 01:29 - Shopping for information 01:52 - Back to the initial question 05:26 - How to apply it to your goals for the New Year 06:29 - If you have creative or business goals that require a lot of deep work 09:59 - Become a founding member 13:12 - Who is the Calm Ambition Club for? If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - https://monthlymethod.ck.page/newsletter 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Ever feel like your work has to be perfect before hitting 'publish'? Discover how embracing B- work can actually accelerate success. Blogpost with all the links mentioned: https://monthlymethod.com/b-work/ 00:00 - My story of working in a tech startup 03:23 - Perfectionism and the B- work 05:19 - Done first. Improved later. 06:56 - The B- work can change the world. 09:39 - Time constraints help. How to apply Agile to your life: http://monthlymethod.com/start-here/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - monthlymethod.ck.page/newsletter 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

I share the best tool I have found in Agile methodology for overcoming perfectionism and analysis paralysis. I talk about the process of picking your sprint goals and polishing them up with the Definition of Done. Watch this episode is in video format: https://youtu.be/k7kR9OUn1B0 00:00 - Are you a perfectionist? 01:25 - Agile concepts we've already covered 02:25 - The purpose of your first sprint 03:16 - How do you pick your sprint goals? 03:25 - Can you get it done in one sprint? 04:00 - Account for your sprint capacity 04:20 - Had time to age 04:42 - You are still excited 04:55 - You are in full control of getting it done 06:53 - Finalizing your goals with the definition of done 09:35 - The Random Person Test 12:47 - The Definition of Done is not a collection of subtasks 13:58 - Where to find more examples of Definitions of Done How to apply Agile to your life: http://monthlymethod.com/start-here/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - http://monthlymethod.com/blog/ 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

One of the core Agile concepts is working in short sprints vs. setting long-term goals and plans. Let's look into what a sprint is, how long it should be, how to calculate sprint capacity, and choose a sprint focus. As always, we'll discuss how you can apply all of this to your own personal projects and goals. Timeline: 00:00 - Innovation in the tech industry 00:47 - What is a sprint? 02:07 - What is a good sprint duration? 04:36 - Sprint capacity 09:27 - Adjusting the scope of your sprint 10:15 - Calculating the sprint capacity is an investment in your future self 14:17 - Sprint capacity for the first sprint 15:49 - Sprint focus 20:29 - Topic for the next video 21:31 - Homework How to apply Agile to your life: http://monthlymethod.com/start-here/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - http://monthlymethod.com/blog/ 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One 💌 Send me an email: https://monthlymethod.com/contact/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Backlog is where an Agile sprint begins. It's the foundation of the Agile Framework. Let's dive into the deeper meaning behind a backlog, why you need one in your life, and how to build one from scratch. Timeline: 00:00 Why Agile? 01:26 Backlog - what it is 01:58 Chaotic life filled with frantic action 03:00 How much time we actually have 04:10 How do we measure the quality of our goals? 06:56 The best time management hack 08:26 Agile tool for measuring the quality of your goals 09:22 Example of using backlog 10:06 That's how you stop the chaos 12:50 How to start a backlog 17:36 What you can do today 19:08 Unpopular opinion 21:35 The comment that made me record this video How to apply Agile to your life: http://monthlymethod.com/start-here/ If you want to stay in touch: 💌 Newsletter (notes on applying Agile, calm productivity, and finding sanity in this hustle-culture obsessed world) - http://monthlymethod.com/blog/ 💻 Website - https://monthlymethod.com 𝕏 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Agile_for_One Or simply leave a comment! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Let's review the core components and rituals of a sprint cycle and how you can apply those to your personal goals and projects. Link to the video version of this episode. Timestamps: Useful links - Subscribe to my newsletter for more frequent deep-dives into Agile life - Recent newsletter entries - Start Here page to see the blogposts on the core principles of Agile and how those can be applied to personal productivity - Twitter for regular examples of my scrum board and how it looks throughout the sprint - YouTube to 'Back to Agile Basics' type of videos - Monthly Method School for step-by-step instructions on how to run your first Agile sprint ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode I talk about why long-term goals don't work and how we've been mislead all this time by the traditional goal setting advice. I also share my story of finding out about Agile and how it changed my approach to personal productivity. Link to the video version of this episode. Timestamps: Useful links - Subscribe to my newsletter for more frequent deep-dives into Agile life - Recent newsletter entries - Start Here page to see the blogposts on the core principles of Agile and how those can be applied to personal productivity - Twitter for regular examples of my scrum board and how it looks throughout the sprint - YouTube to 'Back to Agile Basics' type of videos - Monthly Method School for step-by-step instructions on how to run your first Agile sprint ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★