Your Office is Killing Your Focus: 3 Nature Breaks to Reduce Burnout with Dr. John La Puma — Part 1
Time Billionaires: Mindset and Time Management for Work & LifeShow Notes
How can you reset your focus, reduce burnout, and improve productivity without changing your entire schedule? In part 1 of this conversation on the Time Billionaires podcast, Rebecca talks with Dr. John La Puma, a physician, professionally trained chef, two-time New York Times bestselling author, and TED speaker. He is a pioneer in culinary medicine and has taught at Harvard University, helping thousands use food, nature, and simple lifestyle changes to improve their health, focus, and overall well-being. In this episode, Rebecca and John break down how small micromoments outdoors and simple indoor environmental changes can restore focus, reduce overwhelm, and improve daily productivity. Something as simple as opening a window in can measurably improve creativity and focus. John explains why burnout is often driven by your environment, not personal failure, and how constant screen exposure contributes to what he calls “ulta-processed time.” He also shares how daylight, time in nature, and reducing screen overload can improve sleep, increase energy, and support long-term wellbeing. If you’ve been struggling with screen fatigue, lack of focus, or feeling overwhelmed during the day, this episode gives you clear, science-backed ways to improve your focus, productivity, and overall well-being starting today. What You’ll Learn:
How a 5-minute horizon reset can reduce eye strain and improve focus Why morning daylight improves energy, focus, and sleep quality How indoor air and CO₂ levels impact productivity and cognitive performance What “digital burnout” is and how to reduce screen-related overwhelm How 17 minutes in nature improves mood, focus, and overall well-being How evening light exposure affects melatonin and sleep quality
Timestamps:
Culinary Medicine and Focus: Why Environment Matters – 0:00 How to Reduce Eye Strain and Reset Focus – 1:45 Morning Routine for Better Energy and Productivity – 4:20 Digital Burnout and Screen Overload Explained – 7:00 How Nature Improves Focus and Wellbeing – 10:45
Connect with John LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlapuma/ For more insight on making the most out of the small moments in your day, follow Rebecca and the Time Billionaires Podcast on LinkedIn! And if you liked the show, subscribe to follow it.
More from Time Billionaires: Mindset and Time Management for Work & Life
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:
What if some of your productivity habits are actually wasting your time? In this episode of Time Billionaires, Rebecca Shaddix speaks with Fran Hauser, author of The Myth of the Nice Girl and the forthcoming book Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour. Fran is a former Fortune 500 executive, startup investor and advisor, and owner of Bedford Books. Fran explains how four common habits—people-pleasing, perfectionism, procrastination, and padding—can drain your time and lead to burnout. She also shares how a 20-minute mindset can improve focus, reduce overwhelm, and help you make meaningful progress. Not all procrastination is harmful. A short, intentional thinking break can support creative problem-solving and lead to better ideas. The greater time costs often come from overplanning, adding extra time to tasks, and waiting for perfect conditions. Rebecca and Fran also discuss how to take messy action, manage your inner critic, build confidence, and shorten meetings and work blocks. These practical time-management strategies can help you protect your energy and focus on the work that matters most. What You’ll Learn: