Listening to the best productivity podcasts are a great way to spend your downtime. With the average commute time in the United States at 25.4 minutes, a podcast can fit perfectly within that time frame. Rather than tuning out to the same playlist you hear every day, tune into a podcast — specifically about productivity.
Below is a list of the 15 best productivity podcasts to listen to in 2023
Without further ado, here is our list of the best productivity podcasts that will teach you the tips and tools needed to better manage your time so you can get more done each day.
1. The Tim Ferriss Show
The Tim Ferriss Show has over 600,000,000 downloads making it one of the best productivity podcasts out there. Tim Ferriss is a self-experimenter and entrepreneur, who could probably be dubbed King Productivity himself. His podcast takes an analytical approach to productivity.
Each episode is an interview with a professional in their field. Past interviewees include Jamie Foxx, Marc Andreessen, Malcom Gladwell, and Amanda Palmer. Tim hears their story and then deconstructs what they have to say to give the listener actionable productivity tips in areas like setting routines, time management, and getting more exercise. Recent topics include taming your inner critic, tips for building a morning routine, and the art of setting goals.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS feed, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Anne Lamott on Taming Your Inner Critic, Finding Grace, and Prayer
2. Optimal Living Daily
Optimal Living Daily has over 250 million podcast downloads and focuses on personal development and minimalism through productivity. Incorporating productive tactics in your day happens one step at a time, which is what this podcast aims to help you with.
Recent topics on their show include moments when we are stuck in ruts, growing your health support system, tips to curb spending, and digital minimalism, which focuses on the knowledge economy and how you can cultivate your own ability to be distraction free and engage in deep work.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Recommended by Oprah Daily as one of the Best Motivational Podcasts.
Recommended by Good Housekeeping as one of the best podcasts that will help you live your best life.
Check out their starter packs that are arranged by theme.
- Mindfulness Starter Pack
- Minimalism Starter Pack
- Productivity Starter Pack
- Improve Your Self-Confidence
- Sticking to New Year’s Resolutions
Top episode: 2047: How to Be Happy – Live in the Moment with a Plan for the Future by Jay Harrington of Life And Whim
3. The Productivity Show
Asian Efficiency’s The Productivity Show, aptly named, is a podcast about time management in every aspect of your life. This podcast has over 9 million downloads and takes everyday tasks and tools and centers them around productivity.
On their blog page, episodes are organized into such categories as journaling, family/parenting, getting things done, and scheduling/calendars. Recent topics include strategies for waking up early, overcoming distractions, all about flow state and the power of focus playlists.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: CEO of Brain.fm on High Performance, Focus, Meditation, and Workflows w/ Dan Clark
4. Beyond the To-Do List
Erik Fisher is a social media examiner, who hosts Beyond the To-Do List. Each episode examines the productivity failures of other people and how they overcame their struggle. Examining failure is essential to growth because it offers the perfect platform to learn from.
You’re forced to think about what you shouldn’t do next time. In learning from failure, Fisher will help you choose the right projects, tasks, and goals both in work and in life that will help you move forward in your own journey. Recent topics include managing stress and anxiety, the positive benefits of mindfulness, and the power and skill of listening.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music | Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: James Beshara on Caffeine Alternatives for Energy and Productivity
5. TED Radio Hour
Inspiration is at the heart of TED Radio Hour by NPR. This podcast will give you solutions to old problems, and new ways to think and create, as well as cover recent astonishing inventions.
TED Talks relate to personal productivity at the smallest scale and is a great show to listen to when you need that inspiration to keep you moving. Recent topics include the power of breath, revitalize yourself when feeling exhausted and finding happiness.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Revitalize
6. The Accidental Creative
Since 2005, The Accidental Creative podcast has had more than 10 million downloads. The podcast offers up tips and interviews from experts on how to stay productive, healthy and creative.
It is hosted by Todd Henry, author of Die Empty, Louder Than Words, and of course, The Accidental Creative. Episodes are under 30 minutes which gives you just enough time to get some wisdom on your lunch break. Recent topics include re-thinking your rituals, tips for dealing with burnout and how to stay mentally healthy at work.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Making Work More Effortless (with Greg McKeown)
7. How I Built This
How I Built This is another popular NPR podcast that shares the stories of extremely successful entrepreneurs and innovators and how they arrived at where they are—how they built their product or brand. It puts stories to the brands we all know and love.
Past episodes dive into to the creation stories of Lyft, Warby Parker, Instagram, Patagonia, and Zappos. This podcast will show you exactly how billion dollar brands and the ideas behind them. It will inspire you to act on your own ideas both personally and professionally. Recent interviews are with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Numi Organic Tea and Casper.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Mailchimp: Ben Chestnut
8. Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod
Hal Elrod is a successful author, speaker, and entrepreneur. This podcast is all about empowering and equipping listeners with practical productivity advice. Elrod’s podcast has a more entrepreneurial tone than other general productivity podcasts.
His episodes help listeners strategize in their professional lives to find success in their careers. Recent topics include how to commit to your mission in life, living up to your full potential and how to make any day your best day.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: How To Commit To Your Mission In Life
9. Eat Sleep Work Repeat
This is one of the most popular productivity podcasts. It sits at #1 on the Apple Business Podcast Chart and has over 250,000 streams per month.
The host, Bruce Daisley, conducts interviews with experts in psychology and neuroscience, in the hopes of understanding how everyone can improve their jobs. Recent topics include politics in the workplace, how to better human connection and how to disagree better at work.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: This 12 Year Old Wrote A Novel…What’s Your Excuse?
10. The Startup Chat
The Startup Chat is hosted by B2B and SaaS gurus Hiten Shah and Steli Efti. They’ll help you cut through the noise when it comes to managing and running a startup by giving you actionable tips and insights into how you can solve common problems.
Their chats will help your company boost productivity in your processes and as new hurdles come up every week. Recent topics include how to manage remote teams, customer acquisition tips, sales hiring tips and more.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Inbox Insanity? Archive All Your Emails Now!
11. The 5AM Miracle
The 5AM Miracle is a podcast dedicated entirely to dominating your morning before breakfast. I think anyone can agree that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to maintain a healthy work/life balance.
This podcast with over 10 million downloads, will teach you life long habits and new ways to start your day early and with enthusiasm, even at 5am. Host Jeff Sanders will stock you up with sleep and health productivity tips so you can get the most hours out of your day. Recent topics include high performance communication, rediscovering joy in your life and how to rejuvenate your creativity.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Android or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Sabbaticals, Creative Rejuvenation, and New Directions
12. The Productive Woman
The Productive Woman podcast is designed specifically for busy women to help them manage their time, lives and stress better. Host Laura McClellen is a writer and lawyer who has always loved connecting with other women in managing their family and professional lives. Recent topics include simple ways to manage your to-do list, prioritizing your passions and productive living.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: Simple Way to Manage To-Dos
13. The Biz Chix Podcast
Biz Chix is a fun productivity podcast for women who are looking to grow in their professional lives. Their podcast contains interviews with female entrepreneurs (and some men), who share their strategies in work/life balance and their experiences as women in startup culture.
They range in having backgrounds from tech to brick and mortar, so there’s productivity advice for every kind of female entrepreneur. Recent topics include tips for stepping into a leadership role, rebranding your business and how to discuss career planning with your team.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: SYT 168: The Easiest Weekly Team Report EVER
14. Productivityist
A productivity podcast favorite, Productivityist is a half hour weekly podcast led by Mike Vardy. His company was built around the idea of how more focus can be provided to your day. to help you with providing more focus to your day.
His company has been mentioned by Fast Company and Lifehacker for its actionable tips and useful tools. Not bad for a half hour weekly podcast. Recent episodes include how to to rock the self employed life, how to help your brand evolve and what are the best ways to use your time.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Best episode: Hypnosis and Being Productively Present with Erika Flint
15. Back To Work
If you are looking to improve your work habits, the Back To Work podcast is for you. Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin run this award-winning weekly podcast and they cover everything from communication to productivity.
Here is where to subscribe: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Top episode: You’re Sad Wrong
Want to know more about the science behind productivity? Check out this video.
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