Deep Work Habits and Better Breaks with Jake Kennington of Actively Human

What if a two-minute doodle could help you reduce stress, improve focus, and overcome perfectionism—without adding another task to your to-do list? In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca speaks with Jono Hey, creator of Sketchplanations, author of Big Ideas Little Pictures, and a UC Berkeley PhD. Jono has spent years turning complex ideas from psychology, science, and business into simple visual explanations followed by thousands of readers. Together, they explore how doodling, drawing, and small creative experiments can sharpen focus, spark creativity, reduce anxiety, and help you make progress when perfectionism gets in the way. Jono explains why treating each sketch as a low-pressure experiment, rather than a finished product, makes it easier to learn, build confidence, and develop a sustainable creative habit. He also shares practical techniques for using mind maps to organize your thoughts, manage mental overload, and make better use of short breaks between meetings. If you've ever struggled with perfectionism, creative blocks, mental overload, or finding time for meaningful activities between back-to-back meetings, this conversation offers practical strategies you can put into action in just a few minutes. What You'll Learn

What if it just took six deep breaths to reset your focus and lower your stress? In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca speaks with Kevin Connelly, a former human trafficking interventionist, who now helps athletes, therapists, first responders, and addiction professionals reduce anxiety and improve performance using intentional breathing. He calls breathwork a high-performance skill, and overcame his own severe depression and insomnia in just ten days using breathwork. Together, they unpack how breathwork can be used for a competitive edge by people in demanding or high-stress jobs, why it’s a little-known high-performance focus skill, and how short breathing resets throughout your day impact your physiology for a stronger sense of control over your time, confidence, and wellbeing. Kevin explains that “coherent breathing,” which involves equal-length inhales and exhales through the nose, uses the same small-stress principle, known as hormesis, that elite athletes rely on to strengthen the body's stress response. If you've ever struggled with overwhelm, burnout, or trouble making decisions under pressure, this conversation offers practical breathing exercises and mindset shifts to help you regain control and boost productivity. What You'll Learn:

What if you could lower stress, sharpen focus, and reset your nervous system in less time than it takes to brew a cup of coffee?

In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca draws on her background in performance psychology and leadership development to share how a simple shift in assumption can transform both the challenges you face and the way you connect with others. Rebecca explores how our assumptions shape resilience and interpersonal connection, and why shifting to assume that solutions, and support, are already within reach reframes every problem. This isn't about blind optimism, she explains, but a practical mindset framework that lowers stress and opens the door to creativity. If you've ever struggled with chronic overwhelm, self-doubt before presentations, or draining conflict in relationships, this episode offers actionable strategies for instant clarity and calm. Rebecca also covers:

How can you create more space in your calendar, protect your energy, and stay productive without burning out? In Part 2 of Rebecca Shaddix’s conversation with Fran Hauser, they explore practical time-management strategies for setting boundaries, avoiding overscheduling, and planning work around your natural energy levels. Fran is the author of the bestselling book “The Myth of the Nice Girl" and the new book “Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour.” She is also a former Fortune 500 President, startup investor and advisor, and owner of Bedford Books. Fran explains how each day moves through three energy rhythms: peak performance, creativity, and restorative time. She shares how to match important tasks to each rhythm instead of forcing yourself to do demanding work when your energy is low. Rebecca and Fran also discuss why hour-by-hour default time blocking can create pressure and contribute to burnout. Fran explains how 10-minute buffers between meetings can reduce anxiety, improve focus, and give you time to reset. She also shares how a “to-don’t” list can help you stop people-pleasing and protect your priorities. If back-to-back meetings leave you drained, you struggle to say no, or your focus disappears in the afternoon, this episode offers a more sustainable way to plan your day. You will learn how to work with your chronotype, remove low-value commitments, and make more intentional choices about your time. What You’ll Learn: