In this episode of the 5-Hour Formula, we’re diving into the truth about prioritization—why most people get it wrong, and how the most successful people in the world approach it differently.

Spoiler: they don’t start with to-do lists. They start with better questions, better boundaries, and better systems.

If you want to work fewer hours while getting more of the right things done, this episode is a must-listen. I’ll walk you through the three big ideas that have transformed how I plan my weeks and protect my time—and how you can do the same.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why personal time must come first—and how to put it on your calendar like a pro
• How to use the Focusing Question from The ONE Thing to identify your highest-leverage task
• Why weekly planning is more powerful than to-do lists
• What it means to prioritize using elimination, not just discipline
• The mental model behind “lead domino” actions that create exponential results
• How to say “no” gracefully but firmly (with help from Gary Keller and Greg McKeown)

Weekly Experiment:

Take action by following this 3-step experiment:
Block time to plan your week (offsite and undistracted)

1. Prioritize personal time first (if it matters, it goes on the calendar)
2. Protect your ONE Thing (your most impactful work block of the week)

Pro Tip: Color-code your personal time. Make it pop.

Resources + Mentions:

• Book: Essentialism by Greg McKeown
• Book: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
• Domino Effect Demo Video: Watch this 5mm domino knock over a 100-pounder
• Tim Ferriss Podcast with Gary Keller (on how to say no)

Recap of the 3 Big Ideas:

1. Prioritize Personal First — Your health, family, and values are made of glass. If they break, they don’t bounce back.
2. Start with One Thing — Identify the lead domino. The ONE action that makes everything else easier or unnecessary.
3. Eliminate Ruthlessly — Say no to the trivial many so you can say yes to the vital few. If it’s not a heck yes, it’s a no.

Join the Conversation:

Have you tried planning your week this way? DM me on LinkedIn or leave a comment—I’d love to hear how this experiment works for you.

Episode Summary

In this episode, I share the single most powerful strategy that changed everything for me during my Five Hour Workday experiment: habit design. I explain how I went from running on willpower to designing my day with intention using a simple formula that helped me stick to the habits that mattered most.

I talk through:

• How I learned to automate willpower so I could focus on what matters most
• The one simple formula I now use to design new habits
• Why identity is the foundation for habits that actually stick
• How I applied the four laws of habit design to change my behavior
• How I stopped relying on motivation and started building momentum through tiny wins
• Why celebrating my habits helped hardwire them faster
• How long it really took me to install habits (hint: it wasn’t 21 days)

What I’ve Learned

1. Start with Who I Want to Become

I used to set goals based on results I wanted. But real change happened when I asked:
“Who do I want to be?”
When I tied my habits to identity—“I’m a reader,” “I’m a Spartan athlete,” “I’m a present father”—my behaviors started to align naturally. Each time I acted in alignment, I’d say:
“That’s like me.”
It was a game-changer.

2. I Use Algorithms to Make Habits Stick

I follow a simple structure:
When [trigger], I will [behavior]

Examples from my day:

• When I get into bed, I will pick up my book and read one page.
• When I sit at my desk, I will review my vision statement before opening email.
• When I finish a call, I will stand and stretch for 60 seconds.

This formula helped me remove decision fatigue and lock in powerful, automatic habits.

3. I Design Habits Using the Four Laws

From Atomic Habits, I follow these steps when building a new habit:

1. Make it obvious – I leave visual cues (like my book on the nightstand).
2. Make it attractive – I pair habits with something I enjoy (like listening to a podcast while working out).
3. Make it easy – I start tiny. (One page, one push-up.)
4. Make it satisfying – I check a box, celebrate, or simply say “That’s like me.”

To break a habit, I reverse the rules:

• I make the bad habit invisible, unattractive, difficult, and unsatisfying.
• Example: I removed social media apps from my phone and created friction to log in.

My Weekly Habit Design Experiment

At the end of this episode, I guide you through a 3-step process to create your own habit:

1. Ask Two Questions:
   • What’s one thing I need to stop doing?
   • What’s one thing I need to start doing?
2. Write Your Habit Algorithm:
   • When [trigger], I will [behavior]
   • Add: “That’s like me.”
3. Anchor It to Identity:
   • I want to be an energizer, so I work out in the morning.
   • I want to be a world-class advisor, so I review my vision before opening my inbox.
   • I want to be a lifelong learner, so I read one page each night.

Even better, I celebrate each habit—mini fist pump, smile, or just a simple affirmation. This tiny celebration gives me a little dopamine hit and helps the habit stick faster.

Resources That Helped Me

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• With Winning in Mind by Lanny Bassham
• BJ Fogg’s Behavior Design Lab at Stanford
• The ONE Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan

Episode Summary:

When I look back on my best workdays, they usually have one thing in common: solid routines. And the same goes for my worst days—when I feel scattered or drained, it’s almost always because I skipped my key habits.

In this episode, I share the three core routines that have helped me thrive while working five-hour days since 2016. These aren’t just time management tips—these are energy and focus systems that set the tone for every part of life.

By the end, I’ll guide you through a simple experiment to upgrade your own routine and build more intentional structure into your day.

What I Covered:

1. A Great Day Starts the Night Before (PM Routine)

When I improved my evening routine, everything changed. Better sleep, clearer mornings, and more presence during the day.

Here’s what works for me:

• I turn off all screens at least an hour before bed.
• I stretch, read, and wind down without digital inputs.
• I use a PM alarm on my smartwatch to remind me to start shutting it down.
• This routine helps me get high-quality sleep—and sleep is the foundation of everything: focus, decision-making, presence, even emotional regulation.

I used to scroll my phone or watch TV right before bed and wondered why I didn’t sleep well. Now I treat my wind-down time as sacred. As Matthew Walker says in Why We Sleep, sleep is the pillar that supports all other pillars of health.

2. Win the Morning (AM Routine)

When I stopped grabbing my phone first thing in the morning, my days immediately got better.

I now prioritize “pre-input time,” which means:

• No email, news, or social media first thing.
• Instead, I hydrate, journal, and get moving before screens.

Some mantras that have stuck with me:

• Goals before screens (from my cousin Jay Papasan)
• Sweat before screens (from mental performance coach Brian Cain)
• Creativity before inputs (inspired by Julia Cameron)

Most mornings, I get out of bed, drink water, write for 15 minutes, make breakfast for my family, help get the kids on the bus, and then head to the gym or yoga with my wife. No digital noise—just calm, clear, grounded energy.

When I do this, I step into my five-hour workday feeling rested, focused, and on purpose.

3. Shutdown Work with Intention

The biggest challenge I’ve faced—and seen in clients—is not starting work, but stopping it. Without a proper shutdown, I found that work would follow me into dinner, family time, and even sleep.

Here’s my shutdown routine:

1. I review what I accomplished that day.
2. I look at tomorrow’s top priorities.
3. I say out loud, “Shutdown complete” as I close my laptop.
4. I leave my phone in my office until after dinner.

That last step alone—leaving my phone behind—has made the biggest difference in being present with my family. My goal is to finish work before my kids get home from school so when they walk off the bus, I’m there, fully. No distractions. No lingering to-dos. Just presence

Your Turn: Try This Week’s Experiment

Step 1: Identify your current AM and PM routines
Grab a notebook and make two columns.

• In column one, list your current morning and evening habits.
• In column two, rate them:
  • (+) Positive = supports focus/energy
  • (–) Negative = drains or distracts
  • (=) Neutral = doesn’t really help or hurt

Step 2: Replace one negative behavior
Choose one habit to shift.
Example: Instead of checking your phone in bed, put it across the room and stretch or journal instead.

Small shifts build momentum. You don’t need a perfect routine—just a better one than yesterday.

Resources I Mentioned:

• Atomic Habits – James Clear
• Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker
• The Compound Effect – Darren Hardy
• The One Thing – Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
• The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
• Deep Work – Cal Newport