Hello Reader,
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Today, I’m thrilled to share the latest podcast episode featuring Tonianne DeMaria, where we discussed the concept of Personal Kanban. Tonianne was an outstanding guest, providing a wealth of practical advice on how to not just be more productive, but truly effective in both our work and personal lives.

Our conversation prompted me to reflect deeply on my own path. As a result, I’ve decided to take a two-week break from the podcast to refocus on my work, purpose, and aspirations—allowing myself some time to reset and gain clarity.

But don’t worry, I have some fascinating guests lined up for future episodes, and I’ll be introducing them in upcoming newsletters.

If Personal Kanban resonates with you after listening to Tonianne’s insights, you’ll find a special offer in the show notes: 30% off her course, which I’m currently taking myself. It’s a significant discount and well worth considering. To clarify, I’m not an affiliate—just genuinely enthusiastic about the benefits I’ve experienced so far.

Personal Kanban: Transforming Productivity in the Knowledge Economy

Over the years, I’ve tried many different time management techniques, read countless books, and even taken courses, only to realise they weren’t making me more productive. Methods like Getting Things Done (GTD), Time Blocking, the Pareto Analysis (80/20 Rule), and Eat That Frog overwhelmed me with endless to-do lists.

However, recent conversations on my podcast with Peter Compo (on The Emergent Approach to Strategy) and Tonianne DeMaria (on Personal Kanban) made me realise that I was scattered—full of ideas and interests, but struggling to get my big projects off the ground. Their approaches, particularly Personal Kanban, align much better with the cognitive demands of professional work.

The Limitation of Traditional Time Management

Traditional time management techniques from the early 20th-century industrial efficiency models, like those developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor, often fail to address the complexities of modern knowledge work. The methods emphasise repeatable, linear tasks and rigid processes, which don’t match dynamic nature of cognitively demanding work.

The pressure of maintaining an ever-growing to-do list led me to Personal Kanban, a visual system that has transformed how I approach my workload.

What is Personal Kanban?

At its core, Personal Kanban is built on two fundamental principles:

• visualization and
• limiting work-in-progress (WIP)

Unlike traditional to-do lists that often lead to mental clutter, Personal Kanban provides a visual, intuitive system that helps you focus on the most important tasks while managing cognitive load.

Rather than mindlessly checking off tasks, Personal Kanban allows you to see the bigger picture by moving tasks through three stages: Options, Doing, and Done.

This visual flow offers both clarity and satisfaction, as tasks are not just started but completed.

Tonianne DeMaria, co-author of Personal Kanban, emphasizes that

Visualizing Value Streams

Not all tasks are created equal. Some directly contribute to your goals, while others—though necessary—have less impact. Understanding value streams helps prioritise tasks that drive income or long-term business growth.

Using a Kanban board—whether physical with sticky notes or digital apps like Trello—you can visualise your efforts and focus on tasks that add value to your work and life. Completed client tasks are what get you paid, hence the value stream.

Balancing Deep Work and Administrative Tasks

A common struggle for professionals is balancing deep, creative work with routine administrative duties. Emails, appointments, and social media can easily encroach on time better spent on high-priority projects that require focus and creativity.

Tonianne explains,

Using Personal Kanban, helps delineate between different types of tasks, ensuring that essential but less demanding activities do not overshadow your critical work. Visualizing all tasks allows you to allocate appropriate time slots, preventing admin work from consuming your valuable cognitive energy.

Preventing Cognitive Overload

One of Personal Kanban’s greatest strengths is its ability to prevent cognitive overload. Having too many tasks on your plate can lead to stress and paralysis by analysis, where it becomes difficult to focus on what truly matters. Tonianne notes

By imposing limits on your work-in-progress, you can maintain focus and prioritize tasks more effectively, ensuring you complete one task before moving on to the next. This reduces stress, enhances productivity, and fosters a more manageable workflow.

From Busyness to Effectiveness

Many professionals confuse busyness with effectiveness. Personal Kanban helps shift your focus from simply staying busy to prioritizing tasks that truly advance your objectives. By concentrating on high-impact activities, you work smarter, not harder, making meaningful progress toward your long-term goals.

Practical Application of Personal Kanban

At its simplest, Personal Kanban involves moving tasks through three columns:

• Options (potential tasks),
• Doing, and
• Done

The key to this system’s effectiveness lies in limiting the number of tasks in the Doing column to prevent overwhelm. This helps keep you focused and prevents cognitive overload.

Moving tasks into the Done column not only tracks progress but also provides a psychological boost.

As Tonianne explained,

This positive reinforcement keeps motivation levels high and ensures sustained productivity.

Achieving Work-Life Balance

Personal Kanban promotes a holistic approach to time management that integrates both professional and personal responsibilities. By visualizing all your tasks, you can ensure a more balanced and fulfilling life, without compromising your well-being.

As Tonianne wisely puts it,

Additional Resources​
1. Personal Kanban: Mapping Work | Navigating Life by Jim Benson and Tonianne DeMaria Barry.
2. Explore digital Kanban tools like Trello or KanbanFlow for implementing your own boards.
3. Modus Institute offers a training course on Personal Kanban with a 30% discount through the show notes.
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You can listen to the podcast episode here https://www.wisepreneurs.au/personal-kanban-mapping-success-tonianne-demaria/​
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​Stay curious, stay healthy, and keep thriving

Nigel Rawlins
Wisepreneurs
​https://wisepreneurs.com.au/​

​Check out all the Wisepreneurs Podcasts​
​https://www.wisepreneurs.au/​​