200th Episode Showdown: Can ChatGPT Replace Us?

Hey everybody. It’s not mentioned in the episode, but this is actually Focus on This’s 200th episode. That’s right. Cue the ta-da and cue the applause. I’m going to edit it in so I know it’s there. But that’s a lot of advice. It’s a lot of hearing from you. That’s a lot of scuba gear. So to celebrate 200 episodes, we thought, well, are there 200 more or will we be replaced by our AI robot overlords? And so today we talked to ChatGPT, and hopefully we get to keep our jobs. Enjoy. Okay, Blake, Verbs, you know what’s really popular for everyone to talk about right now?

Grimace shakes.

Grimace shakes. I can’t even get into it, but it’s like the best thing on the internet that really dates this recording right now because in a day we won’t be talking about it, but we’re talking about Grimace shakes. We’re also talking about AI. We’re talking about ChatGPT.

Oh, yeah.

So what I did was I said, well, we’re all going to be out of a job soon anyway. Let’s just get to it right now. So what I did was I asked ChatGPT to tell us some strategies to improve productivity and some myths around productivity. And we’re going to see if we agree with them on this episode. Are you guys up for the challenge of defeating the computer?

Thumbs up, let’s go.

Listen, I can neither confirm nor deny whether or not I am actually Blake or if I am simply a language model of Blake being represented in a holograph right now.

What’s tough is that that is how you’ve always talked.

Exactly. You’ll have to determine that as well. And I may keep my answers neutral.

You’ll have to determine that as well. Welcome to another episode of Focus on This, the most productive podcast on the internet, so you can banish distractions, get the right stuff done, and finally start loving Mondays. I’m Verbs, here with Blake Stratton and Nick Jaworski. Happy Monday to you both.

Happy Monday to you, sir.

Happy Monday. And of course we should probably say happy Monday to our AI overlords who will be imprisoning and enslaving us next week.

Yeah, I’m assuming they’re making notes on who was resistant to this AI revolution and so just let the record show that I love AI and I support its intended goals.

It’s analyzing your voice right now and to determine whether you’re telling the truth.

And not only you also will serve AI and should it come to that, I will do whatever you want. So I just need that to be stated. Okay, so I’ve asked it. We’ve got 10 of each, we’ll cut… Oh no, we got 17 total. I have not really reviewed these closely, so we’re going to see how much the great wisdom of whatever it’s pulled from is correct. This is a positive strategy that it says, number one, it says to set clear goals. Know what you want to achieve in the long and short term and set specific goals. What do we think?

What are we doing? Are we rating it on a scale?

We can, but we could use a scale that’s not like one to 10. We could do like…

We should use binary zero or one.

We could. We could do a scale of one to zero to four planners or something.

Hey, I like that. Zero to four planners.

I like that.

Okay. So number one here is set clear goals. What do we think? What’s your planner score?

I give it a solid three planners. One, because until there’s a goal, there isn’t actually productivity, there’s just busyness. A goal creates meaning for your activities. The reason I withheld that elusive four planner score is because you can up the ante. A clear goal, even setting a clear goal “AI”, you could add more clarity to that answer and we would suggest setting a smarter goal. Which smarter is, if you haven’t listened to this podcast very much, maybe you haven’t heard us talk about this. It’s an acronym that allows you to set very clear goals and it’s backed by the latest goal achievement research. So I would say ChatGPT in this case, consider setting a smarter goal.

Well, just so it doesn’t come and attack me later, AI, it does actually go on briefly to mention smart goals in this description.

Okay. Minus 10 planners then, because that’s not what we say.

Here’s the scary part. Did ChatGPT know how Blake would answer that question and chose to tack on what you just mentioned?

Should I ask?

Oh, you have it up and live right now?

I do.

It’ll say, did you mean Blake Shelton? Here’s a country song about productivity in the style of Blake Shelton. That’s what it’ll respond with.

Write a country song in the style of Blake Shelton about productivity. Okay, here we go. This will be real quick.

All right.

Okay. We got two lines so far. It says, well, I rise with the dawn, put my work boots on, got a long day ahead before the night comes on. Got my trusty old lists with things I can’t dismiss. Got to get it all done. There’s nothing I can miss. That’s verse one. And the chorus, I’m not going to do all of it of the song, but the chorus is, productivity, you’re my old friend. With you by my side, I know I’ll never bend from the rising sun to the setting light. I’ll keep on working hard with all my might. Does anyone know Blake Shelton music well enough to tell me if that’s good?

No shade of Blake Shelton, but I can already tell I wouldn’t listen to it, which is that tracks with Blake Shelton so far for me. Sorry. That’s that sounded meaner than I meant it. I just don’t like country music. That’s why I live in Nashville for some reason.

First of all, half of Music Road just went on strike due to that creation of that lyric. Second of all, this should become the theme song for Focus on This.

Listen, I cannot offer you any more money, either of you, because I have no control over that. But if either of you want the lyrics to this song, you could make…

Yeah, copy the clipboard. Send it on over.

Okay. All right. Verbs real quick. How many planners set clear goals?

Yeah, I was thinking four right when I heard it and then Blake’s answer made more sense, but I’m going to stick for with four.

All right, here we go. We’re going to go to some myth that it says is a productivity myth. The first one it says is multitasking improves productivity. They’re saying that that’s a productivity myth. Verbs, what are your thoughts on that?

Does multitasking improve productivity?

So it’s tough. We’re rating the accuracy of this statement. They’re saying that it is not true.

I’m going to go with the ChatGPT on this one and say, yes, it is a myth. Do I still give them planners for this?

Yeah.

Okay. So we’ll stick with the four planners on this one as well.

Again, I guess it’s either a yes, it’s a myth, or no, it’s not. It sounds like so. Listen, it feels like a planner grab. Slow pitch for ChatGPT. I hope we spice it up a little bit here, but yeah, four planners, way to go.

Let’s go back. It says number two in terms of a productivity strategy of thing to do. It says prioritize tasks. Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Blake, how would you rate this and also how might this connect to the full focus system?

Again, you’re on the right track here ChatGPT. I just want to see a little more from you. I don’t know if you’re using version 3.5 versus…

I’m using four, how dare you?

Okay, so I would expect just a little bit more from you. There’s not these freebies. You’re not barred, right? You’re not in full on beta. So let’s have a little more here. Eisenhower Matrix is great to prioritize, but what does it mean to prioritize? How many priorities should you have? Give me some context here. I’m going to give two planners plus a quarterly preview, so a 2.25 planners to ChatGPT on this one. I want to hear about a big three. I want to hear about prioritizing tasks, separating them out. I want to hear about a little bit… Put a little more meat on the bone. Obviously using the Eisenhower Matrix is great. Urgency and importance. I think there’s some more factors that we might consider in the full focus system, such as your ideal week, and that can actually be a way to help you prioritize tasks day to day as well. But put a big three on it, and you would maybe get to that third planner for me, ChatGPT.

All right. A myth here that it says is for a productivity myth, it says you have to be a morning person to be productive. Blake, do you think that’s an accurate statement, that that is incorrect?

Do I think it’s an accurate statement that it’s incorrect?

Listen, I was a music major.

Look.

All right. Fine, I can’t speak well.

You don’t have to be a morning person to be productive. No, you do not. You just have to have access to caffeine.

Okay. So when is your most productive times? Both of you?

Now mine, yes, is in the morning time.

Is it?

But that can’t be a blanketed statement across the board.

That’s not mine. That’s crazy.

For all of humanity. But as Blake mentioned, one of the benefits of the full focus system is with a tool like an ideal week, you can map out when your most productive times are during the days of the weeks and adjust your workload based on those times or be able to block out those times so you can be the most efficient with the energy you do have. And as we’ve just seen between us three, that’s going to be different for everybody. So everybody’s most productive time can’t be the morning time, just by the natures of how some people’s jobs are and their schedules during the week as well.

Yeah. Blake, what’s your most productive time?

I would say mid-morning, probably that 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM range. That’s the sweet spot for me.

All right. This is another productivity myth, so I know this is complicated. This is my fault. I told it to do this. This is a myth. It says a clean desk equals a productive worker. It’s saying that’s a myth, Blake.

Look, if you could see my desk right now, you would know that’s surely a myth. This Titan of productivity as I am. I’ve got some stuff strewn about. What I tell myself is… Now here’s the wrinkle, is that I’ve heard or I’ve read, oftentimes creative people, whatever, they’ve got stuff spread out over their desk. However, I would be lying if I said, when my desk is clean, I feel sharper, and I think that it actually does help my productivity. I don’t think it does oftentimes, but when I finally clean and I’ve vacuumed this place and I’ve organized stuff, it really does help me quite a bit. In fact, I’m reading this biography, I think I mentioned this to you Verbs, on J Dilla, a very famous music producer, and he had this routine of… He had his fun in the evenings, but every morning he would meticulously clean his entire studio before he worked and then he would engage. And so I’m sure it’s technically a myth, however, if I’m just going on my experience, I think that if you haven’t cleaned your desk recently, maybe give it a shot and see what happens.

Verbs, what’s your desk situation like?

Yeah, I’m definitely a creative as well, and I should probably take a moment, an opportunity…

For people who are watching on YouTube, you’re not at your desk right now, you do not work on the [inaudible 00:13:27].

That’s correct. That’s absolutely correct. That’s probably part of the reason why I’m not at my desk is because of the state of my desk currently.

Blake, if I put you on the spot. Do you have anything random? What’s the most random thing on your desk right now?

Most random thing on my desk.

I’ve got two that I’m prepared to share.

It would be… Let’s see. I’ve got a card to a gym that I don’t presently go to anymore. So it’s pretty random.

Wait, that was a beautiful statement. I don’t presently go to anymore.

I’m not at the gym right now. That’s another reason.

Are you still supporting the business though? That’s the question.

No, I’m not.

That’s good.

Well, I’m going to show you three things. I have a baseball here that found its way into my cable management hole. I have a thermometer that we were using for the baby at some point that never made it away from my desk. And I just noticed I bought this for Christmas for my brother, but it never made it to him. He lives in New Jersey. I’m wondering if this is going to communicate to you guys. I have a cassette tape of Joe Satriani, guitarist from the 90s and 80s. I have a cassette tape on my desk right now. So for all of you people at home, listen to this. Remember that sound?

Oh yeah.

You win Nick. You win.

That brings back some serious nostalgia, that sound itself.

Oh, and hey, real millennial energy here, look, liner notes, look at that. This is another productivity tip, and I’m going to say this is not one that people talk about a lot, so I’m actually interested in this. It says, continual learning, keep refining your work methods and learning new skills to increase efficiency. Verbs, how do you feel about this?

I say that is an accurate statement from ChatGPT. It’s important to continue to learn new things to increase your skillset or skillsets and your time and efficiency as well.

Yeah, I would say this gets a high score from me to ChatGPT, because this is underrated I would say. Sometimes we get in our ways… In fact, this is something I find myself with a lot of clients, is that they start with the premise that things have to go a certain way in order to achieve their goal. And so then it’s just, how do I dress this up or make this process faster? What continual learning allows you to do is to make a leaps in productivity because you can, for instance, ChatGPT is leaping us right now because it’s able to learn every fact about everything in existence faster than me. But when you learn new methods, when you deepen your learning on the topic that you work within or area of your expertise, you can discover new, better ways to do things and actually just get… Outright delete entire processes to your work or automate entire processes to your work, which allows you to make a leap in productivity. So continual learning, underrated productivity tip, way to go ChatGPT. Please stop learning. Thanks.

Is that a four planner from you?

I’ll give it a four.

Wow. Let’s do another productivity tip. ChatGPT says, batch similar tasks together. This reduces the mental load of switching between different types of tasks. Blake, is that enough for you?

Look, if we’re going by a full focus standard, I’d say yeah, you’re totally on the right track here, but come on language model. I know you say you only know through 2021, but Free to Focus, as I recall, was published before 2021. So absorb that information and then come back to me with a little bit more depth on your batching strategy.

I’m so scared for Blake, Verbs. I’m so scared. The level of antagonizing he’s doing of these machines is very scary.

It’s tough love. It’s tough computer love, robot love.

Do you want to learn or not, ChatGPT?

I’m not part of this. When this episode gets scrubbed by ChatGPT and analyzed, I want it to know, I am not antagonizing you.

No. So batching tasks together, yes, absolutely great for your productivity. You can up the ante by providing some more detail with batching. So when we talk about the ideal week, for instance, we talk about batching like activities together, which can be helpful, but you can also… A form of batching that we would call horizontal batching versus the vertical batching of things where there’s, for instance, a ritual or thing that happens every day at a certain time. That’s another form of batching. And then there’s mega batching. Mega batching, which of course means that you are taking even larger chunks of time to accomplish versus just doing, hey, I’m going to do all my emails at a certain time of day. You are taking on a big project and batching it as a whole, taking half or even an entire day on that thing. So a solid… Let’s give this one… We’ll give him three planners plus an index for ChatGPT on this one.

I think it’s definitely three and a half planner statement for ChatGPT.

Okay. Lastly, curious to see how this goes. This is a myth, everybody. Let’s be clear. So ChatGPT is telling us that this is a myth of productivity. We’re going to rate it whether or not we agree with the myth or not.

Got it.

It’s saying technology…

Based on its non mythiness. No, based on its mythiness.

Yes.

Technology always…

Based on its mythiness.

Technology always increases productivity. That’s the myth. Verbs, do you agree that that is in fact a myth?

I agree that that is in fact a myth, and this is why, as we just talked about in a recent episode, as far as the importance of vacation. You can’t have technology go on vacation with you, but your vacation is going to help you be more productive because it involves rejuvenation, mentally, physically, spiritually. The whole person can get rejuvenated from just taking time away. So that’s one of my reasons why I support that ChatGPT claim of that being a myth. I’d give it four planners.

I’d give this a big four planners because… And you know what? Good on you ChatGPT as a really trendy technology to have some self-awareness, although perhaps self-awareness is the exact last thing we want you to have. This does show a little bit of self-awareness. When we think about productivity and what it is really about, it’s really about becoming who we want to become and accomplishing what we hope to accomplish in our lives. And technology often gets in the way. It can absolutely get in the way because we try to use so many tools and we can get sucked in. Our phones are a great example of this. The iPhone was brought to market because it was going to simplify our life and make things easier, faster, better. And now if you search, it’s all about people trying to break the addiction from their phones and to sleep better if they could just put down their phone for five seconds. And that’s this whole… It’s a cottage industry right now to break free from that technology. So absolutely, that’s a myth.

And it’s interesting that you took the ChatGPT limitation route. That technology doesn’t always help, but also the concept of technology itself is complicated. I mean, the pencils of technology we use. I’m a pro pencil user for my planner. The planner itself is a technology even though it’s not a computer. So you can have good planners, you can have bad apps, you can have whatever. So I would agree that this is a myth, but remember, please don’t take my job. That’s the end of that statement.

So that’s how many planners for you, Nick? Four? Three?

It’s four planners, for sure.

Four portfolios.

Let’s wrap it up. Should I ask ChatGPT for a final thought?

Yeah.

Write a final thought for an episode on…

In the tone of Michael Hyatt.

Okay. Write a final thought in the style of Michael Hyatt on the value of productivity tips.

Yes.

Okay. I’ll put some music behind this.

Productivity is about more than just getting things done. It’s about aligning our activities with our deepest goals and values. It’s not about cramming more into our day, but investing our time where it counts. The value of productivity tips lies not in their application as universal truths, but in their potential to be personalized tools that help you live intentionally and purposefully. The best productivity strategy is one that is tailored to you, fostering both efficiency and joy in your journey towards your goals.

That’s pretty good.

Strong.

All right. Take it out Verbs.

All right. Well, thank you. Thank you for joining…

Oh, wait, sorry. I lied. Wait.

Okay.

Wait. Okay. In the chat here, Verbs, you’ll be H1. Blake, you’ll be H2. This is the close to this episode as written by ChatGPT.

Great.

That’s all the time we have for today. Remember, productivity isn’t about following a specific set of rules. It’s about understanding your personal needs, habits, and rhythms, and working in a way that’s best for you.

Couldn’t have said it better. Thanks for tuning in everyone. Until next time, remember to stay focused.

I like how it got close to the tagline at the end.

Pretty strong.

Well, at least our jobs are safe this week. Next week it’s going to learn the right way.