Balancing Health and Productivity: An Interview with Jeff Sanders

Jeff Sanders calls himself a „productivity junkie“. He’s the founder of  "The Rockin’ Productivity Academy" and hosts the super successful podcast „5 AM Miracle“, which has exceeded 9 million downloads. Besides that, he’s also a keynote speaker and has written two books on productivity. For Jeff, health plays an important role in his life as well: Not only is he vegan, but he also runs marathons and gives tips on healthy habits. Today we have the chance to chat with him.

Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview today. We’re curious to find out more about you and your work life. Let’s start with some easy questions. Would you fill in the blanks for us, please:

If I wasn’t working as a productivity coach, I would probably have become?

A film director. I have a degree in Theatre and originally had planned to go to film school. However, in my early twenties, I realized I wasn’t a diehard filmmaker, so I paused to look into other career paths. I still have a love for creativity, filmmaking, and directing, so I may one day take another step in that direction.

The best thing about my job is the?

Freedom of creative expression. I am very fortunate to be able to do what I want most of the time. I can create books, podcasts, websites, courses, or any other pursuits at any time. The freedom to express what I’m feeling is very fulfilling, and I wish more people had those opportunities in their work as well.

For me, it is super important to balance …. and …

Health and money-making pursuits. I am very good at focusing, which also means I’m very bad at doing two things at once. I tend to focus on my health OR my business, but rarely can I do both simultaneously. I end up going back-and-forth between business projects and personal health goals in order to achieve both over a longer time frame.

The person I would like to change jobs with for one day is...

Drew Carey as the host of The Price is Right. One of my goals growing up was to be on television, either as a broadcast journalist or the host of a game show. I think it would be a lot of fun to host a game show, and I grew up watching a lot of The Price is Right, so that’s a great fit!

An important characteristic a good coach should have?

Empathy. Coaches thrive when they can put themselves in the shoes of their clients. If you can’t see the world through someone else’s experience, it’s very challenging to help anyone grow from where they are to where they want to be. 

Thank you so much for those answers, Jeff! Now let’s get some insights on your work: You’re a successful productivity coach. What led you to become a coach in the first place?

Someone asked me to coach them. I was blogging for a few years about personal growth, healthy habits, and productivity when a CEO asked me to help him organize his chaotic calendar. That was the spark to begin coaching other people to focus and execute on their most important goals.

This spark was the beginning of a great career: Your podcast „5 AM Miracle“ is so successful! It has more than 9 million downloads and was nominated for 6 awards. Why is that? What do you think makes the difference?

Consistent, high-quality content driven by an energetic and helpful host. That’s one way to say that I committed early on to producing a professional podcast once a week that would highlight my strengths in order to reach as many people as possible. We all gravitate towards content first but then stick around because we like the person behind the mic. My goal has always been to be likable and helpful, which has served me well.

You also put a big focus on being healthy. Is there a connection between being healthy and being productive?

Absolutely. Health and energy are the driving forces behind getting anything done. If you’re sick, it’s very difficult to be productive, creative, or positive. Having a solid foundation of great sleep, healthy food, consistent exercise, and low stress allows you to focus and thrive when it’s time to get to work.

What’s the easiest health habit advice that you often give and everyone can follow?

Go to bed early. Sleep is the foundation for your day, no matter what you eat or how often you exercise, if you’re not sleeping well everything else is harder. Going to bed early is simple and very effective to ensure you’re getting more and better sleep every night.

You’re also the founder of „The Rockin’ Productivity Academy“. What is this academy all about?

The Rockin’ Productivity Academy is my video-based course that breaks down most of the same content you can find in my podcast and books. The main difference is that I offer exclusive video interviews with high-achievers and more accessible video-based content for people who prefer that medium. I also include custom coaching for all of my members, so they can get real feedback directly from me on their current goals.

I saw that you’re an author as well! You wrote two books „The 5 AM Miracle“ and „The Free-Time Formula“. What are they about and who should read which one?

The 5 AM Miracle is my first published book, and it breaks down my productivity framework for organizing your day and your most important projects. This book is great for anyone who wants to get more done.

The Free-Time Formula is a book for overworked and stressed-out people who desperately need to slow down, find margin, and rest more often. This book is great for high-achievers who need to find balance in the midst of an ambitious lifestyle.

Last question, Jeff: Some weeks ago you featured Mailbutler in your „5 AM Miracle“ podcast. How do you think Mailbutler can help people boost their productivity?

Mailbutler is a great email companion. I spend an extraordinary amount of time every day with email, so any tools that can make the process more efficient is a big win for me. The ability to add notes and tasks directly in the email program is very helpful and I’ve never seen another program that offers those features in such an integrated way.

Thanks so much for the interview Jeff, this was very inspiring! All the best for the future!