When I decided to coach introverts working from home specifically around healthy habits, I thought I had a good idea of what a habit is. But as I started to talk about this with people, I realized that there are many different ways that people think about habits and that I really didn’t understand what habits are as well as I thought I did. After working with 1-1 clients as a productivity coach for a few years, I realized that if we paid attention to a few key habits for my clients, it brought them much more joy and peace of mind, and that ended up achieve what they wanted more easily. That’s when I knew that’s what I wanted to focus on for the foreseeable future. But, as I started to explore, there were also a lot of questions about habits. I’m going to make a series to explore all these questions in different chapters of this podcast. I’ll create a playlist on YouTube with all the habit related chapters as I go, so check that out if you want to know more about sustainable healthy habits for introverts who work from home. For example: Is a habit really automatic? Are some people just not disciplined enough to form habits? Why do we get stuck in bad habits? Not to mention, how long does it take to form a habit and what’s the best way to learn a new habit? Today, we’re going to start at the beginning: what is a habit? we’re going to talk about how habits can help you to conserve energy, especially if you’re an introverts. And why we get stuck in a bad habits. --- ▶️ Suggest a topic for a future episode: https://forms.gle/tNjvPHBJBF4JucCn6 ▶️ Join my mailing list for research and tips about healthy habits to improve energy and focus twice a month - especially for introverts who work from home: https://go.thefrankermessage.com/free ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Have you ever noticed that after a meal, you feel really tired and sleepy? I used to think that this was just normal and that you feel sleepy after eating because your body was digesting food. I also thought that feeling tired all the time was just what it was for me because I was an introvert and therefore I just had less energy than more extroverted people. I couldn’t have been more wrong. It turns out that high blood sugar was at least part of the reason why I felt tired all the time and why I had a lot of dips in my energy and my mood. I’ve had issues with high blood sugar for some time. When I was 24, my doctor told me that I was prediabetic and that it was only a matter of time before I got type 2 diabetes. At 27 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with pregnancy diabetes and needed to take insulin injections to protect my baby. Thinking back, eating unhealthy food started in childhood for me and it wasn’t until my late 20s that this slowly started to change. I’ve done quite a bit of research over the years about blood sugar, inflammatory disease like diabetes and healthy nutrition to try and get my blood sugar under control. It’s a journey that I’ve been on for a while and one that I’m still very much still on. Today, I’m going to share with you 3 things that I learned so far about blood sugar and eating healthy that helped me to have more energy, to have less mood swings and to have better concentration and focus. At the end, I’ll give you two simple tips that you can use today to reduce spikes in blood sugar and improve your energy. Topics: - Why is blood sugar important? - What is diabetes (difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes) - What does this have to do with energy dips, especially for introverts? - 3 things that helped me to eat healthy and to have more energy & focus 1. Experiencing the positive effect of healthy nutrition 2. Changing my environment to change my habits 3. Starting small vs going all in: what works better for you? + 2 tips from Jessie, the Glucose Goddess, that you can start today to reduce spikes in your blood sugar - Veggie starter - Vinegar hack ▶️ Vote for your favorite topic and receive the new training for free: https://forms.gle/ByHcSXrNCGU3zfys7 ▶️ Book a free call to learn if the No-Discipline Healthy Habit Roadmap for introverts is right for you: https://go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall ▶️ Join the mailing list for healthy habit research & tips in your inbox twice a month - especially for introverts who work from home: https://go.thefrankermessage.com/freegift ▶️ Visit the blog: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠⁠ — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I’m not affiliated with any of the resources that I share on the podcast, I just share them out of personal interest and to give you context about these topics) — 📖 Jessie Inchauspé - Glucose Goddess https://www.glucosegoddess.com/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

We all know that sleep is important. If you don’t get enough sleep, it impairs your mental ability, your ability to learn and remember things, it affects your mood and your body’s metabolism and immune system. I got a request to talk about how to sleep better without sleeping more. So, let’s talk about that today! I’ve had my share of sleep issues too. When I was in my teens and early 20s, I struggled with depression. Back then, sleep was an escape for me and I easily slept between 9 and 12 hours a day. A few years later, the reverse happened: I started sleeping only 3-4 hours a day due to stress and that was one of the reasons I burned out when I was 27. My ability to focus and my energy levels plummeted and it took me years to build them back up. When I had my first child, sleep became a whole new chapter and it was a challenge to get enough sleep with interrupted nights and nightly feedings. I’ve tried a lot of sleep tips to try to get my sleep back under control and to sleep better. A lot of introverts think that if they could only sleep more, they would stop feeling so tired all the time, but sleeping more is only one piece of the puzzle. If you want to get better sleep, there are a few other things to think about. Today I’ll share 5 things that I’ve learned about sleep that have helped me to sleep better and to feel more energized during the day without actually sleeping more hours. Why is sleep important? Why a lot of introverts struggle with sleep Number 1: Simply focusing less on sleeping more Number 2: Training myself to fall asleep quickly Number 3: Keeping a regular sleep schedule Number 4: Paying attention to what I do during the day Number 5: Intermittent fasting — Related episodes: Everything you need to know about introvert hangover: https://link.chtbl.com/068-introvert-hangover — Resources: 📖 Want to Fall Asleep Faster? Military Pilots Use This Hack to Sleep Anywhere in 2 Minutes or Less by Melanie Curtin on Inc.com: https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/want-to-fall-asleep-faster-combat-pilots-use-this-hack-to-get-to-sleep-in-2-minutes-or-less.html — ▶️ Book a free exploration call to discover a will-power free way to have more energy and focus, no matter how busy or overwhelmed you are: https://thefrankermessage.com/freecall ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: ⁠go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe⁠ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

There are a lot of studies that show that the placebo effect is real. “Fake” treatments can actually make you feel better. Interestingly, they can also make you feel worse. The nocebo effect is also real. Is this all just perception? Is it the power of the mind? Or is there something else going on? ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: ⁠go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe⁠ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠ — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I’m not affiliated with any of the resources that I share on the podcast, I just share them out of personal interest and to give you context about these topics) 📖 https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/3196007/Langer_ExcersisePlaceboEffect.pdf 📖 https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2019/11/20/you-know-medicines-placebo-effect-now-meet-the-nocebo-effect.html 📖 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9399436/ 📖 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/rethinking-placebo-in-psychiatry-the-range-of-placebo-effects/48E57FE6798A75E5C019B0CAC3213B38 📖 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6176716/ 📖 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/rethinking-placebo-in-psychiatry-the-range-of-placebo-effects/48E57FE6798A75E5C019B0CAC3213B38 📖 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/210854 — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

In today’s chapter, we’re talking about time blocking. We’re diving into how to make a plan for your day to help you stay focused and energized, especially if you’re an introvert. If you're interested in time management, or if you're struggling with procrastination, you might find time blocking helpful. Time blocking is like making a plan for your day. You plan your day by setting aside certain times to do certain things. Like saying: “I’m going on a call from 2pm - 3 pm, then I’m going to read a book from 3 pm -4 pm. But there’s more than one way to do it. I've tried time blocking many times over the years, and it was tough to find a method that worked for me. One that helped me make the most of my time and energy. As an introvert who runs a business from home and has a family, managing my energy is really important. But time blocking can be hard to do. Some of the introverts in Productive Introvert Community that I’ve spoken with say that they start using methods like time blocking and feel good at first because they're getting things done. But after a few days or weeks, they find it hard to stick to their plan. It takes up a lot of energy. They feel tired all the time and they start procrastinating on important things. Then they think time blocking doesn't work and they stop using it. Often, the problem is that they're being too strict with how they plan their day. They make a plan for the day and force themselves to stick to it no matter what. Or they try one way of time blocking and if it doesn't work, they give up planning their day all together. Today, I’m going to tell you about 3 ways to time block to help you feel more focused and energized, especially if you’re an introvert. The 3 time blocking methods are: activity time blocking, energy time blocking, and theme days. I use these methods myself and they work great for me. But remember, what works for me might not work for me. That’s okay! I'll also give you tips that can help you to plan your day in a way that works for you. — ▶️ Book a FREE call to explore if one of my coaching programs for introverts is a fit for you. I'll help you identify the habit bottleneck that's getting in your way right now and show you the best next step for you so that you get focused in the next 3 months: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for a summary of new podcast episodes right to your inbox twice a month: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I’m not affiliated with any of the resources that I share on the podcast, I just share them out of personal interest and to give you context about these topics) — 📖 Time blocking 101 by Jo Johansson (covers basic time blocking, day theming, task batching, time boxing, Elon Musk’s 5 minute time blocking, Eisenhower matrix & Pomodoro technique: https://resourceguruapp.com/blog/time-blocking 📖 Time blocking by Laura Scroggs (covers task batching, day theming & time boxing): https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/time-blocking#what-is-time-blocking 📖 How to boost your productivity with time blocking by Rachel Hakoune (covers traditional time blocking, pomodoro technique, time theming, energy management time blocking & batch time blocking): https://monday.com/blog/productivity/increase-your-productivity-with-time-blocking-a-step-by-step-guide/ 📖 Elon Musk’s 5-minute rule: Block your time like Tesla’s CEO by Timeular: https://timeular.com/blog/block-your-time-like-elon-musk/ 📖 Why theming my das has made me a better dad by Mike Vardy: https://productivityist.com/theming-days-made-better-dad/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

This week we’re talking about dopamine. I feel that there's a bit of confusion about this topic. Maybe you’re wondering what does dopamine do? How does dopamine make you happy? How can I increase my dopamine? And is too much dopamine bad for you? It's really normal to be confused about this topic. If you search online about dopamine and how it influences us, you might find things describing how dopamine makes you happy, how to hack dopamine to be more disciplined and motivated and how you can boost dopamine to be happier. But you may also find resources saying that we’re addicted to dopamine, that instant gratification is ruining our lives and that you should go on a dopamine detox or a dopamine fast and delay gratification. So, yeah… If you’re confused about this topic, you’re not alone… I want to demystify this a little bit for you today to help you better understand how the brain works and how you can stop fighting and instead start working with your natural processes more. Calling dopamine the happy hormone is a bit misleading and I’m going to tell you why. There are two sides to this: what is dopamine and what does it have to do with happiness? andwhat do we humans actually need to be happy? — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I’m not affiliated with any of the resources that I share on the podcast, I just share them out of personal interest and to give you context about these topics) 📖 All in the mind podcast: Pleasure, pain, dopamine and the brain with dr. Anna Lembke: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/allinthemind/pleasure-pain-dopamine-and-the-brain/14043764 📖 Everything you need to know about introvert hangover (what is it, the science, and how to recover): https://link.chtbl.com/068-introvert-hangover 📖 Veritasium: What the longest-running study on happiness reveals: https://youtu.be/vSQjk9jKarg — Learn more from me about healthy habits for introverts — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: ⁠https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style⁠ ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: ⁠go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe⁠ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Have you ever wishes that you could remember things better? You might read or see something really interesting and you get an idea but by the time you sit down to write down your idea, you forgot what it was. It’s frustrating when ideas slip away from us before we can do anything with them. Or when you can’t recall a key piece of information that you’d like to build on. That’s where a second brain comes in. A second brain is a database of all the things that you find important and interesting. It’s there to help you to use your human brain for what it’s best at: coming up with creative ideas. I started experimenting with how to build a second brain a year ago and I want to share with you what I’ve learned so far. In todays chapter of the podcast, I’ll tell you about my personal experience with building a second brain so far, what I’ve learned this book: building a second brain by Tiago Forte’s, and why this system might now work for everyone. The core system of Tiago Forte’s method to build a second brain is the acronym CODE (Capture, Organize, Distill, Express): the four steps to remember what matters. But first, what is a second brain and why should you care? — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I’m not affiliated with any of the resources that I share on the podcast, I just share them out of personal interest and to give you context so that you can make your own decision) — 📖 Building a second brain by Tiago Forte (available on amazon): https://a.co/d/55NjJEY — Learn more from me about healthy habits for introverts — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: http://go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe ▶️ Visit the blog and read client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Today’s chapter is a little bit different than the usual episodes. I’m going to share with you small ways in which we’ve add more meaning into our life as a family. This chapter is Christmas themed and I’m going to share with you Christmas tree journey - I’ve tried all sorts of different trees over the years - and why we stopped having a traditional Christmas tree.I’m also going to show you our special memory ornaments. This started as a silly idea a few years ago and it’s now grown into a tradition that I really love. Instead of putting regular ornaments in our tree, I started decorating our tree with memory ornaments. These are small items that we’ve collected throughout the year. They’re holiday souvenirs from travels and that we’re gotten from people, they’re hand made gifts and pictures. The memory ornaments make decorating the Christmas tree and looking at the tree during the Holiday season even more meaningful and joyful for me. If you’re catching this on the video podcast on YouTube, you’ll be able to see some of the memory ornaments from my family that I’ll share with you. So, I invite you over to YouTube if you want to see, I’ll leave the link underneath wherever you’re finding this podcast. If you’re on audio only, I’ll do my best to describe some of these to you! — Learn more about healthy habits for introverts — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style⁠⁠ ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: ⁠⁠go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe⁠⁠ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠⁠ 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Today, we're diving deep into a phenomenon that many introverts experience but may not have a name for: the 'Introvert Hangover'. This is a state of physical and mental exhaustion that can occur after being in a highly stimulating environment, often involving a lot of social interaction. We'll explore how to know if you’re having an introvert hangover (for example you may be extremely tired, feeling unwell, have headaches, and have trouble concentrating). We'll also discuss why this happens often happens to introverts after activities involving lots of socializing or stimulation and what the science says about this. One of the key topics we'll cover is the relationship between introverts and extroverts and dopamine (also known as “the happy hormone”). Dopamine is associated with pleasure and reward and it affects introverts and extroverts differently. Introverts are more sensitive to dopamine, which could explain why they get overstimulated more easily than extroverts. But it’s not all about the challenges. We'll also delve into energy management strategies for introverts. We'll discuss how recognizing the situations that overstimulate you and taking micro-breaks during these situations can help manage your energy better. I’ll share practical advice on how to prevent or recover from an introvert hangover, emphasizing the importance of understanding and respecting your own energy needs. Remember that understanding your energy needs is the first step towards effective energy management and time management. I hope this podcast gives you insights and inspires you in some way to learn how to naturally excel and how to develop healthy habits that support you as an introverted solopreneurs. — Resources mentioned in this podcast (I have no affiliation with these sources and share them with you just because they helped me when I researched this topic) — 📖 According to Elaine Aron (who coined the term highly sensitive person HSP) 70% of HSPs are introverts: https://hsperson.com/faq/how-do-i-know-for-sure/ 📖 12 Signs You Have an ‘Introvert Hangover’ (Yes, It’s Real) on Introvert, Dear: https://introvertdear.com/news/introvert-hangover-signs/ 📖 Background information about dopamine from Harvard Medical School: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dopamine-the-pathway-to-pleasure 📖 About dopamine sensitivity in introverts vs extroverts "On the Psychobiology of Personality: Essays in Honor of Marvin Zuckerman”, edited by Robert M Stelmack: https://books.google.nl/books?id=swhd33LCBqcC&lpg=PA409&ots=E2xBnGII6r&dq=dopamine%20sensitivity%20introverts&lr&pg=PA411#v=onepage&q=dopamine%20sensitivity%20introverts&f=false 📖 Book “Introvert advantage” by Marti Olsen Laney on Amazon: https://a.co/d/a5goagk — Learn more about my work — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: ⁠https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style⁠ ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: ⁠go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe⁠ ▶️ Blog and client stories: ⁠https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog⁠ ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/⁠ 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

I do a lot of research, read loads of books and online sources. I’m also I’m a certified introvert coach, I work with private coaching clients, I’m an introvert myself and I’m the mom of an introverted child. In this podcast, I’m going to talk about things like energy management and time management, how to stay focused and gain clarity about what’s important to you, how to leverage natural discipline, and how to make meaningful contributions to others and find fulfillment in the things you do. And we’ll drill down to what this all means for you on a daily basis: what lessons can you take from all this research to develop healthy habits so that you have the energy to work on your goals without daily routines that feel forced or that last only 2 weeks. Today, we’re talking about the book Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erikson. This book is about the four types of human behavior also known as the DISA or DISC profile. If you’ve ever wondered why there are some people who just don’t seem to understand you and some people who you just can’t seem to get through to, then spend the next 15 minutes with me for some insights & inspiration from this book. -- Resources (I have no affiliation with these resources and just share them with you if you want to know more about these topics) 📖 Surrounded by idiots by Thomas Erikson: https://www.amazon.com/Surrounded-Idiots-Behavior-Effectively-Communicate-ebook/dp/B07J4YT2HB 📖 DISC Profile of Barack Obama & A Surprise Introvert by Human Performance Technology: https://blog.hptbydts.com/disc-profile-of-barack-obama-a-surprise-introvert -- Learn more about my work — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Hi there, introverted solopreneur 🤗 If you work solo most of the time like me, it can get tough to stay motivated. You may have asked yourself: “How do I stay motivated?” or "What should I do if I'm not motivated?” My answer: focus on the small wins. Especially in the midst of the holiday season, there’s so much pressure to do this or that. It’s a busy time and one person might be telling you to slow down and take a much needed break while another might be urging you to make this your most productive month this year yet..! Whether you’re in a season of slowing down or ramping up… focusing on small wins is a great hack to boost motivation and to show you the progress that you’re making. You don’t have to wait for the end of the year to appreciate how far you’ve come either. In this video, we'll delve into the power of celebrating small wins, an important way to maintain motivation. Even with the distractions and challenges of solopreneurship. It’s often overlooked but these small moments of progress are key to staying motivated. I’ll share with you how I made celebrating small wins a regular part of your routine to give you some inspiration how you can boost your motivation levels consistently. Celebrate your introverted solopreneur journey. It's about understanding that motivation isn't a constant state, but something that ebbs and flows. And most importantly, it's about equipping you with the tools to navigate this journey with confidence and resilience. Join me to talk more about these topics. Let's keep the motivation alive and continue to build the businesses we love by celebrating every small win along the way. — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

“I lack focus” “I just don’t know what to focus on” If you’re feeling like this around your business or even your life right now, then this episode is for you. In this episode, we delve into the power of small changes and how they can create a massive impact on your life and business. We'll explore the 80 20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, a concept that suggests 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. This principle is a game-changer for solopreneurs, helping you focus on what truly matters and maximize your productivity without burning out. Next, we'll discuss the concept of “easy habits” or “small caps.” These are small, manageable changes you can incorporate into your daily routine. They may seem insignificant at first, but over time, these habits can lead to profound changes in your life and business. I'll share a personal anecdote about a small habit that completely transformed the way I experience biking in the rainy Netherlands as a practical examples you can relate to (and potentially implement the next time you happen to go on a bike ride in the rain 😆). This video is a must-watch for introverted solopreneurs looking to make the most of their time, energy, and resources. Join me as we explore these powerful principles and discover how small changes can lead to big impacts to create a more productive, fulfilling, and successful entrepreneurial life. — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

When our son was younger we loved playing with Duplo together as a family. We’d dump a big pile of blocks on the floor and start stacking. We could spend hours building and playing like that. During one of our Duplo playtimes, I noticed something interesting: we each had a distinct way of playing with the Duplo blocks. It reminds me of Your Habit Style: your natural style to help you build habits for an easy and effective daily routine. In working with one to one coaching clients, I discovered three different habit styles: the Painter’s palette, the Builder’s mortar and the Chef’s cookbook. Insight into the habit styles explains why some people thrive on structure, while structure can completely stifle others. And why sudden changes in daily routine can stress some people, while others welcome the playful flexibility. Sometimes we'll see a lot online or get well-meaning advice that has been tailored to one habit style. If you're noticing that it doesn't work for you, you might just have a different habit style. If you want to know what your habit style is, book a free call with me and get a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style This is the last of the five minute letter series and next week we'll have our normal ten minute episode. If you want to see the other 5’ letters published on the podcast, click on the links below. I send a weekly letter to my email community with insights and inspiration for introverted solopreneurs who want to develop healthy habits and have the energy to work on their goals without those daily routines that feel forced or only last two weeks. You can sign up here if that sounds good: https://go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe OTHER 5 MINUTE LETTERS 💌 Are you a low energy person? https://open.spotify.com/episode/0f24V45ultND7CaETJrE3D?si=eaa1dbc9aad546b5 💌 For perfectionistic introverts who feel stuck right now. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wJF8HAGGkWV4FhUjVMhXS?si=ecca52cff6c941d4 💌 A short story about potatoes. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3fCPYDNKbNWgQQbP89rMC1?si=2b91f5bf9f284af8 💌 A short story about proposals and expectations. https://open.spotify.com/episode/12rIpgyzfHOT6MI5NBevNL?si=654a0f49579d41cb Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: https://calendly.com/thefrankermessage/reveal-my-habit-style ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Loads of my introverted friends are booklovers. It’s one of the activities that recharges a lot of introverts and helps them to feel inspired. There’s even a popular phrase out there that most billionaires read between 50 and 70 books a year. Maybe you’re a book lover but you can’t find the time to read lately? Or maybe you’ve never quite taken to reading books but you would like to read more, then keep listening. Either way, If you’re looking for a way to get (back) into reading but can’t find the time, then this might help. Here are 3 habits that helped me to read one book a week + a bonus reading tip if you’re struggling to get through a book. — Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

This is a reading of one of my weekly emails. Would you like to get weekly stories and insights into what introverts really to develop healthy habits without daily routines that feel forced? Sign up for the newsletter: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe What started with one moldy potato turned into long boney potato root fingers trying to claw their way out and it’s now become a full stench of potato in various states of decomposition. This didn’t happen over the span of a couple of days either. Nope. It easily took a couple of months to get here. Every day I thought: I’ll get to it later. I’m busy. Ugh, I’m exhausted… and I’d quickly close the cupboard door. At first, the reasons were certainly valid. I was busy that day. And I was exhausted the day after. But it quickly turned into active procrastination. Do you currently have a moldy potato in your life that’s threatening to grow into a potato cupboard of hell? You don't have to live your life in the stench...! — Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

One of the biggest struggles when you’re a solopreneur is prioritizing a healthy lifestyle. You’re wearing all the hats in your company and you’re covering all the angles of the business. If you’re working from home too like I do: home tasks and work tasks can bleed over in each other and it can get chaotic in terms of what actually gets done. How do you prioritize a healthy lifestyle when you’re wearing all the hats and working all the angles? Of course there isn’t one answer to this because there are a lot of moving parts to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But here’s one thing that I’ve found can be very helpful, especially for introverted solopreneurs: using a personal energy metric to assign priority to tasks. I’m going to explain to you exactly what a personal energy metric is, why it’s important for introverted solopreneurs to have a personal energy metric, and I’ll give you the exact formula that I use to calculate mine. Creating an objective metric for energy and treating it like a business metric, can help you to create sustainable healthy habits so that you can have a thriving business AND a healthy lifestyle. What’s your take on this? Do you track metrics in your business and have you ever used something like a personal energy metric? Is it something that sounds interesting enough for you to try or you you think that it wouldn’t work for you to have a more healthy lifestyle? — Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

My new website is live! .. and there are at least 10 things I still want to change 😩 Perfectionism kept me from launching a blog site for years. Any perfectionists in the room? ✋ Lots of introverts get stuck because of perfectionism. Their work feels “not good enough” and they keep micro-editing to get to 100%. It’s important to realize that introverts have a different process when it comes to making decisions and taking action. “Just do it” - although well meaning advice - can cause more anxiety than real progress for a lot of introverts. In this next episode of the 5 min productive introvert letter series, I share a letter that I wrote to my mailing list about shedding those perfectionistic tendencies and feeling confident about your next step. Check out my new website: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/ — Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Hi there, it’s Mariella. We have a few new people in our growing community and I wanted to (re)introduce myself to you 🤗 Instead of a regular introduction, I’m going to answer 7 questions that I get asked all the time, especially when people meet me for the first time. I’ve been asked these at parties, at social g2gr, there’s one that I was asked during an interview on another podcast and at the end I’ve included one that a close friend asked me recently. If you’re new to this community, I hope that you’ll get to know me a little bit better today and if you’ve been with us for a while already, maybe there’s something in here that you didn’t know about me yet! Here are my answers to the 7 questions I get asked the most: 1. Where are you from? 2. When did you move to Europe? 3. When did you find out that you were introverted? 4. Do you regret leaving science after 10 years? 5. What has helped you to find yourself as an introvert? 6. Where do you find clients? 7. Do you think you’ve found your purpose? — ▶️ Related episode about if I miss being a molecular biologist: https://link.chtbl.com/miss-being-biologist — ▶️ Follow for new episodes each week! — Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a FREE call to reveal Your Habit Style and walk away with a 1-page pdf about your personal habit building process: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall — ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog — ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/ — 🎵 Andrés Rodríguez

Every romantic movie I’d ever seen: uber romantic wedding proposals where the man drops on one knee and declares his undying love. My own wedding proposal on the other hand, was far less romantic (I don’t remember the movie proposals featuring empty take out boxes and shrugging shoulders…) It’s not strange that I was a bit confused by my own wedding proposal. Afterall, most of what I’d learned about love and marriage came from movies. The biggest decisions in life are oddly cloaked in obscurity, because we rarely talk about what it’s really like to make big decisions. But they don’t have to be! In this 5 min episode, I share a letter that I wrote to my mailing list about proposals and expectations and that, after 14 years together and married for 6, I’ve learned that the uber romantic declarations of love often happen in the little mundane moments in life. Free Resources — ▶️ Join Productive Introvert Letters for weekly insights from a certified habit coach for introverted solopreneurs: go.thefrankermessage.com/subscribe — ▶️ Book a free call to reveal Your Habit Style: go.thefrankermessage.com/freecall ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/

The reason why people say that time is your most valuable asset is because it’s the only non-renewable resource that we have. Time however is something that we can never get back and never can get more of. It makes total sense why so many of us are looking to improve our time management skills. The idea is that if you manage your time better, you get more out of the time that you have, you achieve more and you can live a more fulfilling live - whatever that looks like to you. As a habit coach, I get a lot of questions about time management: How do I make time to exercise when I already have a really busy schedule? How do I find a daily routine that works for me when my kids are keeping me up at all hours of the night? How do I make time to work on my own business when I’m still working a 9-5? Recently though I’ve been asking myself if time management really is the thing to focus on. Is time really our most valuable asset? Let’s talk about it. I’ll share my viewpoint as a certified habit coach for introverts and introvert myself and why I don’t believe that time is our most valuable asset anymore. It’s attention. Free Resources — ▶️ Book a free call to reveal Your Habit Style: https://forms.gle/q3MX6HAnAw5Mgg41A ▶️ Blog and client stories: https://www.thefrankermessage.com/blog ▶️ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellafranker/