This episode features Michael, author of “Time Bandit,” who shares his profound insights on time management, habit formation, and living a more intentional life. Drawing from his diverse background as a farm boy, a 30-year veteran of the high-tech industry, and a cancer survivor, Michael offers practical strategies to navigate the demands of modern life and cultivate greater well-being.

🔑 Key Topics You'll Discover with Michael Cupps

① The Modern Urgency Trap: The conversation begins by acknowledging the increasing pace of life and constant connectivity, which often leads to nervous system stress and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
② Prioritization and the Eisenhower Matrix: Michael introduces the Eisenhower Matrix as a crucial tool for distinguishing between urgent and important tasks, helping individuals focus their energy on what truly matters.
③ The Power of Values: Understanding personal values is presented as a guiding force for decision-making, ensuring that actions align with what is genuinely important and not just reactive to external demands.
④ From Productivity to Well-being: The discussion shifts to valuing “inputs” like play, rest, and connection, rather than solely focusing on “outputs” or traditional productivity metrics. This includes recognizing the importance of activities that bring joy and creativity.
⑤ Habit Formation Strategies: The concept of building systems and integrating habits into one's identity (e.g., “I am a non-smoker” vs. “I don't want a cigarette”) is explored as a more sustainable approach than relying on willpower alone.
⑥ International Perspectives: Observations are shared on cultural differences in work-life balance, the pace of life, and approaches to food and health, highlighting lessons America can learn from other nations.

🔑 The Book: Time Bandit

📌 Michael's book, “Time Bandit,” and his work offer practical guidance for anyone looking to regain control of their time, cultivate meaningful habits, and live a more fulfilling life..

🔑 Key Takeaways with Michael Cupps

⇨ Embrace the Pause: Before reacting, take a moment to breathe and consider if your response aligns with your values.
⇨ Categorize Your Tasks: Use frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix (Urgent vs. Important) to determine what needs immediate action, scheduling, delegation, or elimination.
⇨ Define Your Values: Identify what truly matters to you and actively schedule time and actions that reflect these values.
⇨ Integrate Habits into Identity: Shift from trying not to do something to embracing an identity that naturally avoids it.
⇨ Build Systems, Not Just Motivation: Create routines and environments that support desired behaviors, reducing reliance on fluctuating motivation.
⇨ Prioritize Connection: Foster genuine relationships and community, both personally and professionally, as it enhances well-being and resilience.
⇨ Health is Wealth: Invest time and effort in physical activity, nutrition, and self-care, as health is fundamental to enjoying all other aspects of life.
⇨ Value All Inputs: Recognize that activities like play, rest, and connecting with loved ones are not unproductive but are crucial for overall well-being and long-term success.
⇨ Make Time for “Awesomeness”: In teams and personal life, create space for sharing positive personal moments, which builds stronger bonds and a more supportive environment.

About Michael Cupps

Michael Cupps is a seasoned tech leader, productivity expert, author, and business coach with more than three decades of experience in technology, sales, and operational leadership. He is the founder of Time Bandit — a best-selling book and productivity system designed to help professionals and teams prioritize what matters most, build lasting habits, and reclaim their time for balance and impact. Michael also hosts The Habit Architect podcast and leads the development of the Time Bandit mobile app, extending his framework into practical digital tools that guide habit building and priority management. Known for translating complex ideas into simple, actionable methods, he draws on lessons from his upbringing and his personal journey as a cancer survivor to empower others to unlock their potential and thrive in all areas of life

Michael Cupps Links
🌐 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcupps/
🌐 https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CHQWX9SN/about
🌐 https://www.timebandit.io/

Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD – Leading Functional Medicine Doctor

Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD, ABIHM, ABoIM, IFMCP is internationally recognized as one of the most respected leaders in functional and integrative medicine. She is dually board-certified in Family Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine, and the founder and medical director of Flatiron Functional Medicine in Louisville, Colorado.

Widely known as a pioneer in environmental toxicity, mold-related illness, autoimmune disease, and resilience medicine, Dr. Carnahan combines cutting-edge science with compassionate, root-cause care. Her clinical approach integrates precision genomics, epigenetics, microbiome research, peptide therapy, and lifestyle interventions to transform health outcomes for patients worldwide.

She is the author of the best-selling memoir Unexpected, which weaves her personal journey through cancer, Crohn’s disease, and mold-related illness with her professional expertise. Dr. Carnahan is also the executive producer of the award-winning documentary Doctor/Patient and the host of the popular podcast Resiliency Radio, which reaches over 500,000 global subscribers.

As an international keynote speaker, Dr. Carnahan has been featured at leading medical conferences including A4M, IFM, EPIC, and IPM Congress, and her work is frequently highlighted in major media outlets such as NBC, CBS, Fox News, Forbes, Parade, People, and MindBodyGreen.

With a reputation as both a scientist and a healer, Dr. Jill Carnahan is regarded as one of the top functional medicine doctors in the world, offering a unique blend of evidence-based research, innovation, and deeply personalized care.

The Podcast with Michael Cupps

The Video with Michael Cupps

• Time Management Importance: Use the Eisenhower matrix to prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance to reduce overwhelm.
• Boundary Setting Necessity: Establish personal time slots for self-care activities like exercise to combat device overload and stress.
• Identity in Habit Formation: Identity-based habits simplify choices and enhance well-being, promoting sustainable behavior over time.
• Team Productivity Strategies: Clearly communicate individual priorities and encourage team well-being check-ins to prevent burnout and enhance efficiency.
• Cultural Insights on Health: Emphasize the value of community connections and fresh food for healthier lifestyles and improved work-life balance.
• Resource Availability: Michael's book, Time Bandit, offers concise time management strategies; coaching resources found on LinkedIn and Timebandit.com.

Time Management and Prioritization Strategies

The discussion emphasized the importance of structuring time around what truly matters by distinguishing urgency from importance.

• Michael Cupps highlighted the use of the Eisenhower matrix to manage tasks by categorizing them into urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither (09:24).
  • This method helps reduce overwhelm by focusing daily effort on tasks that are both urgent and important.
  • He shared a story of coaching a team member with 36 daily tasks to narrow focus using this matrix, improving clarity and productivity.
  • Blocking time for personal focus, like 15 to 50-minute intervals, helps regain control over distractions like phone and email.
  • Delegating urgent but less important tasks through automation or AI was noted as a modern strategy to protect high-value time.
• The hosts agreed that in today’s 24/7 connected world, setting boundaries around device use is essential to prevent nervous system stress (06:18).
  • Michael advised establishing protected personal time slots for activities like exercise or meditation to maintain sanity and balance.
  • Taking brief pauses before reacting helps align responses with personal values, reducing reactive behavior and stress (12:55).
  • Values-based prioritization ensures actions reflect what truly matters, like family or health, rather than external demands.

Habit Formation and Identity Integration

Building lasting habits was positioned as key to productivity and life balance, with identity playing a central role.

• Michael explained that habits become effortless when embedded in daily systems, much like routine farm chores that require no extra thought (16:15).
  • He walks six miles daily as a built-in habit, showing how small routines don’t require willpower but become part of identity.
  • The goal is to shift from output-focused productivity to recognizing the value of inputs like rest, play, and creativity.
  • Play and non-productive activities foster joy and creativity, which are crucial for long-term well-being despite past guilt around them (15:10).
• Dr. Jill added that identity-based habits (e.g., “I am a non-smoker”) reduce decision fatigue and preserve willpower (18:30).
  • Abstaining fully from undesired behaviors frees mental energy compared to moderating, which requires constant willpower.
  • Michael noted motivation alone is insufficient for lasting change; systems and identity shifts are needed to sustain behavior over time (22:10).

Health and Lifestyle Lessons from Personal Transformation

Cancer was a pivotal event that reshaped perspectives on time, health, and patience.

• Michael identified patience, self-care, and time valuation as top lessons from his cancer experience (34:58).
  • Patience applies both to personal healing and managing others’ expectations during difficult times.
  • He stressed that health is the ultimate wealth, urging investment in physical activity and good nutrition to reduce disease risk.
  • Flexibility in activities, like trying different exercises until finding what fits, supports sustainable health habits.
• The hosts discussed the value of movement over structured exercise, encouraging all to engage in some form of daily activity that suits them (36:20).
  • They also reflected on cultural differences in lifestyle, praising European emphasis on fresh food and slower meal times as models for health and community (23:50).

Workplace Productivity and Team Dynamics

Improving team efficiency involves clarifying priorities and building supportive workflows.

• Michael recommended that teams explicitly communicate and post individual priorities so everyone can support each other’s goals (27:47).
  • Habit-forming certain tasks removes them from the to-do list and frees mental space for more complex work.
  • Leaders should encourage regular pauses for team check-ins on well-being, not just output, to reduce burnout and costly attrition (28:54).
• Handling interruptions, like phone calls in a medical office, requires dividing tasks so phone handlers aren’t overloaded with other duties (30:45).
  • Assigning interruptible tasks to certain roles allows primary work to flow uninterrupted when possible.
  • Setting realistic expectations for handling interruptions reduces pressure and frustration among staff.
• The hosts valued small social rituals, like a weekly “awesomeness report,” as powerful tools for building connection and harmony within teams (32:45).
  • Michael connected this to farm life memories of shared moments despite hard work, reinforcing the human need for genuine relationships at work (33:15).
  • Such connections improve workplace culture and indirectly boost productivity by fostering mutual support.

Cultural and Market Insights on Time and Health

International perspectives reveal different approaches to work-life balance and health.

• Michael noted that Americans keep phones on constantly, unlike some cultures that disconnect after work hours to protect personal time (24:00).
  • European practices of daily fresh food markets and longer meal times contribute to healthier lifestyles and stronger community ties.
  • Americans’ reliance on convenience and packaged foods sacrifices freshness and time spent connecting with food sources (25:10).
• He praised cultures that use vacation fully, contrasting with Americans who often leave vacation days unused, linking this to better health outcomes abroad (24:15).
  • The conversation highlighted the overlooked value of community and human connection as fundamental to health beyond technology’s reach (26:10).
  • They warned that AI and automation, while useful, cannot replace real human contact and connection.

Product and Resource Access

• Michael’s book, Time Bandit, is designed as a concise 90-minute read to provide practical, actionable time management tools (37:40).
  • The book’s brevity aligns with its message of saving time and focusing on what matters.
  • Michael’s coaching and app resources are primarily accessible via LinkedIn and his website, Timebandit.com, supporting ongoing learning.

Transcript

00:00
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Hey everybody. Welcome to Resiliency Radio, your go to podcast for the most cutting edge insights in personalized and integrative medicine. I'm your host, Dr. Jill and with each episode we dive into the heart of healing and personal transformation. Join me as I interview medical experts, renowned thought leaders, innovators of all types, hopefully bringing you tools and tricks and information to help you on your way for optimal performance and longevity and just overall great health. Health today's no different. You are going to love this interview with Michael Cupps, author of Time Bandit. I will introduce him in just a moment and I want you to stay tuned because you're going to love this episode. Before I go into the introduction, just want to remind you that you can get all curated products for your health@doctor Jill health.com Things like mass cell activation products and services. 

00:52
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
We have a whole MCAS bundle that's really been helpful for patients. One of our most recent blog articles on Eosinophilic esophagit went viral. There's been so much interest, so I think there's a lot of people out there suffering from difficulty swallowing and mast cell activation symptoms. And you can find all of that support@doctor Jill health.com one particular product actually two I want to mention if you do suffer from that, first of all read the article jillcarnian.com you can find the blog latest blog, Eosinophilic Esophagitis. It should be in the top three that were recently posted. And two products that would be very helpful for those kinds of patients would be one called gut calm@drj health.com it coats and soothes that esophagus and can give some relief. And the other is Histocyst, one of our very best selling antihistamine products with quercetin. 

01:42
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So check that out@drjillhealth.com speaking of patients and symptoms and difficult, mysterious illnesses. I don't know if you knew it or not, but our clinic, Flatiron Functional Medicine is accepting new patients. We have lots of room with our PA Fawn and nurse practitioner Hannah who I review all cases with. And if you'd like be seen at our clinic you can just give us a call at 303-993-7910 or go to Dr. Jill I'm sorry jillcarnian.com for more information. So we will link that up in the show notes if you're driving or you know, operating heavy machinery. So don't stop. Okay, so let me introduce our guest. Our guest is Michael Cops. He's a seasoned tech leader, productivity expert, author and business coach with more than three decades of experience in technology, sales and operational leaders. 

02:34
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
He is the founder of Time Bandit, a best selling book and productivity system designed to help professionals and teams prioritize what matters most. I really enjoyed my conversation with him just because it's such practical information for our life and for doing what we love and saving time for what's important and not just urgent. You're going to find out how to build lasting habits, reclaim your time and balance and make a bigger impact. I know you're going to enjoy this information from Michael, so stay tuned. Let's jump into the show. Well, hello Michael, it is so nice to meet you here and I have read your bio. I have not fully read your book yet, but I have it and I'm planning on and of course today we'll get the intro to your work. 

03:16
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
I was so excited to have you reach out because as we talk just before we get on the podcast, it is so critical for behavioral change and health habits and financial habits and relationships to really understand what motivates us. And, and you've written a book about some of these topics and we're going to dive into that today. So stay tuned. If you're watching. This is going to be a great episode. I know it's going to be filled with practical tips. But Michael, I always love to get to know my guest as far as your trajectory. So often we don't plan to be where we are today and somehow there's this like way that we got to where we are and there's usually a story behind it. 

03:50
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So do you want to tell us a little about how you got into this work and wrote the book Time Bandit? 

03:55
Michael Cupps
Sure, absolutely. I, well, to go back a little too far then I won't go into details. I grew up farm in West Texas. So I, I, you know, we had a self sustaining farm that we had to manage for ourselves because that's how we made a living. And so everything was about being on time, to be perfectly honest with you. And it wasn't necessarily about the time, but you had to be in certain places at the right time because of crops and because of animals you need to feed and things like that. 

04:21
Michael Cupps
So that if you think about that foundation when I kind of got up and decided to go to college because I was the first in my family to do so and my grandfather encouraged me to because he wanted to get out of the farming business anyway, I somehow landed in software and so I've been in the high tech space for 30 years now. As you know, that moves fast. There's a lot of ups and there's a lot of ups and downs and current turns and acquisitions and mergers. And so I just somehow navigated that, always enjoyed it. And I gravitated to building teams. So I was put in positions that I needed to assemble teams. 

04:54
Michael Cupps
And when you do that, it gives you an eye opening experience because you see how the individuals operate differently and you see some very good examples and you see some very bad examples and you try to somehow get that team moving in the same direction. And with that, I just started really being a study of habits, about priority management, about how to look at your day and figure out where you spend your time versus where you don't spend your time. And tried to coach that throughout the years. When I was 46, I was diagnosed with cancer, so that sent me for a loop. And so I fought that for a bit and fortunately made it on the other side of that. 

05:29
Michael Cupps
And that just gave me a different perspective that I should be giving back a bit more and teaching people what I learned along the way to help me manage chaos in a way that gets you through it, right, and persevere. And you're calling resiliency. 

05:43
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow, I love that because I also grew up on a farm in central Illinois, so we have that background and that midwestern ethic of like hard work and, you know, so I so understand where you're coming from. And there's some incredible habits that I learned on the farm that have served me lifelong. And there's a few of them I've had to unlearn, like pretending I'm tough when I need help or asking for help or, you know, those kinds of things. So I just love that background. And then we both have the commonality of having had, you know, gone through cancer and overcome that. And it really does change perspective as far as what really matters and what are we spending our time on. 

06:18
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And I think this year more than ever before, we're recording in early 2026 and this will be released in early this year as well. And let's speak to maybe we start there. As far as I feel like compared to when I was young, you know, the 70s and 80s in the farm, things have shifted and the pace of things and the urgency of things and the access to us at all hours of the day and night has created a nervous system stress that we've never had before, we've never seen. And so to me, I'D love your perspective on something that I feel personally, which is before you could go away from the office and go home and relax and not have anyone bothering you. Right. 

06:55
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And now 24, seven people have access to me and more than ever it's even text versus email, which is this. So I, I would love your perspective on how do we find that balance between appropriately responding and finding time slots and things for these things that are perceived as urgent or important and not letting it rule our nervous system. 

07:14
Michael Cupps
Right, exactly. And you don't ever want to feel like you are a slave to that whatever that is of the phone or email or whatever it is. And so many people don't know how to do that. And sometimes I coach people just to block, you know, just time block. Just this is a time that you cannot do anything and, and you have to focus on you, whatever that is. Maybe it's a workout, maybe it's a walk, meditation, whatever they want to do. So I really like to encourage that, especially for people that are just trying to get control, if it's really out of control and they're just trying to find some sanity. Start there, just 15 minute blocks here and there throughout the day, 30 minutes, an hour, whatever you can do, start doing that then. Then once you get a little more. 

07:53
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
We understand you're saying like black, okay, 50 minutes, I'll look at my phone, answer my text and then otherwise I won't look at it until the next day. Black. 

08:00
Michael Cupps
Right, right, exactly. Exactly. Or if you're a procrastinator, you know, there's a lot of ways to time, you know that 25 minutes on five minute break, stuff like that. But those techniques are kind of forcing behavior to get you in a rhythm. What really matters is when you can start prioritizing. You said two magical words, importance and urgency. Right. And so if you're, if you follow the Eisenhower matrix, I think it's great is you really can't, it really can help you see what it is. So if you look at your task and if you want a little story. 

08:29
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Back, you and I know what that is. But tell us the Eisenhower. I want your story. But also someone who doesn't know what you mean and what we mean by that. Let's actually what that means. 

08:39
Michael Cupps
Yeah. So the Eisenhower matrix is a quadrant four quadrant item. And you have urgency and you have importance. And the idea is, as you might guess, Dwight Eisenhower is the one that kind of memorialized this. I don't think he invented it, but he kind of memorialized it as a practice is when you look at an item that's on your to do list, is it important and is it urgent? And when it where it ranks on that scale, if it's important but not urgent, then you schedule it for later. If it's urgent and important you do those first. If it's not important and not urgent then you throw those away. And if it's urgent but not important, you delegate that if you can. So, and now more than ever we have ways of delegating with automations and AI and stuff like that. 

09:21
Michael Cupps
So, so that's the four quadrant system. And, and the focus is to focus your time today if you do first the important things and the urgent things. And so if you can categorize your list that way. And the story behind that is I was part of a software company based there in Dallas and we got acquired by a UK based company and so they asked me to do a global role in marketing. So I was flying back and forth to the UK all the time. So I had a lot of time on my hands. But I also inherited a team that was global, some there in the UK, some in the US, some in Australia, Italy, etc. And so I had to kind of manage time differently because of the kid here in the coffee shop that's having a lot of fun. 

10:00
Michael Cupps
But so I had to manage time. But there was one employee in particular that I got to meet with her in London all the time because that's where she lived and she would come in with a sheet of paper that had 36 items on it every day and I'd say what do you do with that list of 36 items? And, and she'd say well, I cross the ones off that I get done, I usually add to it and I rewrite the list every day. And I said that's got to be excruciating. Like how can you end the day knowing that you had 28, 9 or 29 opportunities that you didn't get to even address. So can't we just narrow this down and focus on the ones that are really important? 

10:33
Michael Cupps
And it was just, it just dawned on me there with her, working with her is that people are overwhelmed and they don't know how to get control over it. Right. And so if you. And I taught her to apply the Eisenhower matrix for that and it gave her some sense of, you know, identity because she knew what she had to work on today. Right. Doesn't mean you're avoid of disruptions, people can still disrupt you, but after that disruption you go back to important urgent things and get started on those. So it gave her clarity and that's what inspired me to write the book. I wrote it on two or three flights back and forth to Dallas, so from London. So that's how that story got there. 

11:06
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow. And it's so needed because more than ever that urgent takes the precedent over what's important and then we lose our lives. These things where other people's demands on our time are the things that are driving our behavior and it may not be what we really want or desire as far as our values and the things that we really. Again, I love the fact that you went through cancer and I did and that when someone goes through that, anyone out there listening? With a life threatening illness, I don't want to be exclusive about the cancer. But there is something that changes on your ability to see life as life is short. We're all headed towards death. I mean that's kind of inevitable, right? Death, taxes. 

11:43
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And so in between, in that little time that we have, we're not going to wish that we would have, you know, texted someone we don't even know back because they text us because we felt guilty. Xyz Right. So. 

11:55
Michael Cupps
Right. 

11:55
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
I remember my little story is I was literally junior in high school and I was always about like how to be productive. I was in leadership in that. And I of course read the 7 Habits of a highly Effective person and that's one of them. And I never forget that matrix because I started writing out back in high school, like, oh, I don't have to respond to this urgent if it's not important. And I think that point. So I mean it's been around for decades now, but it's. So it just can't be enough. Emphasis on. And especially now with cell phones and the access to us 24 7, we really have to be deliberate. So how does someone go from this responding to deliberately intentional. How do we shift from that? I think a lot of people are stuck in the response. 

12:36
Michael Cupps
Right, exactly. Exactly. I think, I think there's two elements that I would recommend. One is a pause. Right. And when we don't take a pause when we need to any probably not often enough. There's. There's always incidents that strike our emotions and we react. Right. And it also sometimes you talked about you're now on somebody else's agenda because you're responding to them. So if you can just figure out a way to take a pause, whether it's three deep breaths to before you react. Because what you may come to realize is that. And you said another word that I really like is values. And so if that response isn't tied to what your values are, then you switch gears. And one of the exercises I love to take through is a hierarchy of values kind of exercise. 

13:18
Michael Cupps
And the reason I do that is to tie that. What is important is really what's on your value list, right? And so if you go through this process, you say, okay, whenever you ask somebody what's your values? They'll say, oh, family, health and wealth or something like that. Very, very concise list. But when you ask them about that, what does that mean? What does, what does that mean? What does health mean? And you get them to go a little layer deeper and then apply an action to it. So I like to turn the values into. This is the way that I'm going to instantiate that value, right? So family is part of my value. Then I want to live. 

13:49
Michael Cupps
I want to give myself opportunities to be with my family to express that value, which isn't schedule more time at the office or schedule more time with buddies or whatever it may be, it's really making time for that. And the same thing with health, particularly with health. And then of course, your other objectives that you want to, if you want to become a painter or you want whatever it is, you put that in your value structure and then you pause to make sure that whatever it is that you are working on now reflects one of those values. 

14:15
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So I really love that. And again, what you've done in time ban is make some of these things very simple for someone to take actionable steps. And next I want to talk about like, how have you found habits to stick and those kinds of things, like what might help someone. But one thing that just comes to mind is for years and years again growing up on the farm, productivity was all of my, one of my priorities, right? I want to be productive and efficient and all those things. And in the last decade, and especially the last couple of years, I have found that just playing with no motive or objective, you know, whether it's going for a walk or coloring or doing something creative. 

14:51
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And before that would have been there was almost like a guilt trip of doing something that wasn't producing results because that was a value, but what I did. And again, I think this is a piece that might be valuable for those listening because many of my listeners are high functioning physicians and executives and all Kinds of things out there that you do and that productivity feels like we're accomplishing something. Whereas for me, again, I'll just speak personally, the play feels like it's a waste of time. So how do you take someone whose values. And again, now I'm like, no, I value play because it brings joy and creativity into my life. But it had to be a big shift in how I thought because before I would feel guilty every time I would do something that wasn't productive. 

15:31
Michael Cupps
Yes, yes, I think productivity is an interesting word because we have put a, a belief system around it which means you output more and not necessarily you create more or you become something more. And I think it's important that we realize that it's not just about the outputs all the time. Sometimes it's really about the inputs. Taking time to read, taking time to breathe deeply, taking time to meditate, taking time to be with a grandson or a granddaughter, whatever, that is an input more for us than it is an output for them. Even though hopefully it is an output for them. And I just don't think people get that, how to put a value on that. Right. Because we are measured by everything else we do. 

16:08
Michael Cupps
And it's interesting because when I was diagnosed with cancer, I was doing quite well and I was one of those people that people knew was always working, right. And I was always producing. And it was, you know, because it was in sales, so there was always the next quarter. So I was very much always thinking about that and I was forced to stop pretty dramatically, you know, like pulling the handbrake and your car is stopping. And it becomes interesting because I didn't feel productive. So I didn't know really what to do. And it just made you look introspective. But if I go back all the way to the farms, what I started understanding was that yes, were busy and were productive, but it was systemic. Right. So I had to get up at 5:30 and move the irrigation system. 

16:47
Michael Cupps
And then when I came back from the irrigation system, maybe I fed animal or whatever. And it was, there was a system in place that these things happened and were able to be very productive. Even though weren't checking off things on our list, we just knew that this is how we did it. So if we can apply that in our lives today, maybe we're not moving an irrigation system, but the first thing we do in the morning is get that cup of water or whatever it is, we create this system that allows us to follow and we're wildly productive, but we have more time because we did it in a, in an easy fashion. We're not. It doesn't require us to think about doing certain things. And I think we can do that with a lot of our lives. Right? 

17:20
Michael Cupps
We can, we can create habits that don't become work, they become things that we do because that's who we are. That gives us more time down the road. 

17:29
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Hey guys, just a reminder. If you haven't yet got a copy of Unexpected Finding Resilience through Functional Medicine, Science and Faith, you can find this on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, wherever books are sold. And if you happen to want a personally signed copy by me, you can get a copy from our store@doctor Jill health.com Again, Dr. Jill health.com if you want to give it as a gift to someone you love or if you've read it already and want to pass it on, you can also get a signed copy to someone that you really care about. You just need to put that note in the checkout and I will be sure and personally sign that book to you or whoever you request. Okay, let's get back to our show. 

18:05
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow, I really love that because as you know so well, and I've learned too, a habit sticks most when it's part of our identity. For example, and I've said this before on the show, and again, you know this, you're like an expert in this area. But say, I just say, oh, I don't want a cigarette or I don't want a piece of that gluten full bread or something. But you're deciding in that real moment, you're taking mental energy to make a decision. Whereas for me, I'm a non smoker, I am gluten free. Like those are identity points. So when someone puts bread in front of me or a cigarette, which I don't get offered cigarettes very often, but if those things were to happen, there's no decision making power that I'm losing which can willpower over day, you know. 

18:42
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So talk a little bit about because I think that's important like how when we incorporate. So when you describe the farm life, it's just this routine that you're doing and you're not wasting the willpower energy of should I do this or this? Where does that come into play? Because I think that's important. 

18:56
Michael Cupps
Yeah, I think it's how we structure things and I think, you know, like it or not, our, in the US the population is obese. Right? It's, it's Horrible, because the inflammation built up. And. And by the way, I was too, when, before I decided to change that. And cancer was a part of that. Right. So the. The thing that think about is I'm not going to work out or I'm not going for a walk. For me, I walk about six miles a day. I don't do it all at once, but I know I get up and walk my dog, and that's the most. Best habit of the day because he wants to go walk and we go walk. And then now I've started walking further than he can because he's getting old. So I drop him off and go a little further. 

19:31
Michael Cupps
And it's just part of my day. It's built in. No matter what I do, even if I travel, I go for a walk. And when I get to a new city, I go look and say, where can I walk? And then I do that. Right. Sometimes it's not very exciting. You're walking in circles around a parking lot. But still, there's something about that is part of my day that I don't think about. I just do it in the mornings, and that's what I do. And I think we can look at opportunities like that. 

19:53
Michael Cupps
And I don't know how you feel about GLP1 drugs, but one of the things, I gave a session with a provider of that to their patients or members, I'm not sure what you call them, and were talking about this, and what they do is they give the human the ability to not think about not eating that food. Right. It takes the appetite away. Yeah. Makes the food noise away. And then they get to think about what they are, not what they're not. Right. So they don't. They don't necessarily have the hunger to go get that bad food or whatever it is. They can actually change behavior and the routines in a different way. Right. So again, it's not for everybody. But I think it's an interesting example of that I think another one that happens is with alcohol. 

20:35
Michael Cupps
And I'm so thrilled these days to see alcohol consumption going down, especially in young people, because my culture growing up, and maybe yours, it was me too, at the bar kind of thing. And especially in business, it was like that. And so when I decided to quit a few years ago, about three years ago, it was. It was interesting because I did what you just talked about. It was hard. People would say, come to a happy hour. And I was like, I don't really want to. But when I decided that I wasn't a drinker Yes. I just, I'm not a drinker. I was fine to go to the happy hour and say hello to everybody. I'd have a nice tea, they'd have whatever they had, and then I moved on. Right. 

21:09
Michael Cupps
But, but there was an interesting thing when you can flip that switch to say, I'm not a smoker, I'm not a drinker, you know, then it makes everything easier. The energy that it takes to make that decision is just, it's magical, I think, because it just frees you up to do other things. 

21:23
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow. I love that. And I always loved. Gretchen Rubin wrote about this and one of her categories was abstainers versus Moderators. You and I are describing abstainers, which are those who just have a black and white rule so that you don't ever have to think about the decision. 

21:35
Michael Cupps
Yeah. 

21:36
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And, and we know that willpower literally is like a muscle and by the end of the day it's more weak. So that's why, like at 10 o' clock at night, if you, the ice cream craving, it's much harder to abstain than it is at seven in the morning. And everyone can relate to that. So I really, it's interesting because as a physician, I'm always checking in with my patients to find out if they're abstainers or moderators, because the moderators, I'll meet them there, but I will tell them, if you're an 80, 20 person, it's going to be harder because every time you have that, you know, thing that you want to avoid alcohol or smoking or gluten, you're going to use that willpower and you can use it up by the end of the day. So. 

22:11
Michael Cupps
Yeah, and I'm wondering how that works with. Because a lot of times if somebody's overweight or they want to stop drinking or smoking, you know, traditionally, you know, my grandfather, maybe yours, would say, well, just stop, you know, and so they associate it with motivation. And I think that's, that's a tough thing because motivation is a waning emotion and you can't sustain motivation all day. So you need to build a system that allows you not to have to worry about it or think about it. Right. And I mean, there's a place for motivation, don't get me wrong. But it's, it just feels like if we tell people, just be more motivated and you'll lose weight. I don't, I don't know if that's really doing justice to the challenge they're faced with. 

22:46
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Gosh I try to move on a little afternoon. I have that clarity. So one thing I was just thinking about with you, when you were in business, you were traveling London and quite different and just communicating with people all over the world. I find when I go to Europe, there is a different vibe around these kinds of things. And I would love your perspective on different nations and different places and maybe where you saw different cultures having a different perception of time and maybe more time to eat or more time. Because I think the Americans, they get a lot of things right, but there's things that we can learn from other cultures. Any thoughts on that? 

23:24
Michael Cupps
Yeah, yeah, I think that's a great observation. And by the way, my better half, Catherine is French. So what I didn't tell you, when cancer arrived, I was also in the middle of a divorce, so it was a pretty dark time. But, but now Catherine and I've been together for 11 years and she's French, So she's taught me a few things about this topic as well. But, but generally, one of the things that first struck me when I started going international is Americans have their phone on all the time. So it, while dinner, you know, nine o' clock at night, whatever. Well, a lot of cultures just turn it off when it's 5 o', clock, 4:30, whatever it is, it's off. Right? It's. And we'll talk to you tomorrow. If it's about business, we, for whatever reason, Americans don't have that. 

24:04
Michael Cupps
And I think sometimes there's good, sometimes there's bad to that. Same thing with taking breaks and vacations. How many Americans leave the year with vacation days they didn't use? And in other countries they really don't. And there's a reason they're healthier because they give themselves choices that allow them to take care of themselves. Now, food is a whole other topic that I'm sure you know a lot more than I do. But, you know, just the, when you, when I go to France with Catherine, you know, we go to the market every day and we eat fresh food every day. Right. In America, you're encouraged to buy all the packaged stuff and go to Costco and get a box of it that'll last for seven months. And they can't be good if it's lasting for seven months. Right. 

24:44
Michael Cupps
There's something in there that preserves that may not be good for your body. And I think internationally people see that and they just, they, that's the way they Operate. And I think that should be commended. I mean, fresh food taking time away. I think those are the two big observations I would say from your question. 

25:01
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow, that's great. And I do, because I've been to France and some of the countries and it's so interesting because it is always so fresh. I, I tend to sometimes have food reactions and I know some of my patients do. And in Europe, I don't just because it's so clean. And it's interesting too, because the time, the factor there is a lot of them literally take the morning, like you said, with your wife, and they go to the market. Whereas here we'd be like, oh, I don't have time, so I'm gonna to hire someone, have it sent by Instacart, or do something where actually it makes it more convenient. But by we rob the, you know, the freshness and the time. 

25:31
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And sometimes the time just like talking to the vendors and connecting with the community or the farmers that, you know, growing up on a farm in our community and we take that away and instead have a very efficient practice, but it's really losing some values. 

25:45
Michael Cupps
Yeah, I think community is something I don't, I'm not an expert at it, but I can tell you I feel more whole when I am part of a community of whatever it may be. And not meaning that you go to the happy hour with your work people. I mean, that's certainly a community. But what I'm talking about is like you said, the people you meet at a store that you go to frequently, or whatever it may be, that is something, I think that is a picture of health that we haven't. Maybe there is research on it, but I haven't read it. But I think community is overlooked as being a very powerful, needed thing these days. 

26:18
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Oh, I could not agree more. And I think especially in the age of AI, as we're getting more and more on our computers and using these artificial intelligence. Nothing wrong with that. But I think more than ever, the thing that will outlast all of that is the need for connection and community. And we're not going to get that from a computer. 

26:34
Michael Cupps
Right, right. Even though, even though it's disguised as being a very friendly friend when you type into it. Right? 

26:39
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Yeah, exactly. 

26:40
Michael Cupps
That's a great idea. Let me tell you. My know, that's what it does and it makes you feel like you're actually talking to someone, but you got to step away from that some. 

26:47
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Yeah, yeah. You have to have the real connection and a real hug And a real, you know, walk. 

26:51
Michael Cupps
That's right. 

26:52
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Or whatever. I think you host the Habit Architect podcast and I do. And you work with teams, which you mentioned. Let's shift just a little to more of the work environment. I'll just. For example, I mean, we have an office with a med in medical practice, so I have multiple staff members that are on the phone and doing emails. If you were to come in and not necessarily know my. Our workflow, but just say, here are some, like, top three tips that teams can be more efficient while also having a better workday, what would be some of the big things that you've seen work well for upper offices, for teams, for workspace environments, to create these kinds of transitions and habits? 

27:29
Michael Cupps
Yeah, the first is priorities. I think it's important in a business setting to understand what everybody's priorities are. And we don't typically. Right. So if you go into a business, there may be somebody in accounting or HR or whatever that is doing something, and it's important to them to get it done, but other people become distractions. So understanding the team's priorities and then verbally or posting them available to everybody, know that maybe your priority is seeing one more patient a day than you typically have or one less. And so if everybody else on the team knows that, then they can help you meet your priorities and vice versa. Right. So I think first is just understanding each other's priorities as they sit in the workplace. The second thing we do, I do is try to look for ways to habitize certain things. 

28:18
Michael Cupps
So if somebody's filling their day with something that can be, you know, a habit in a different way, then I'd like to do that because it takes it out of the to do list. 

28:27
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Yeah. 

28:28
Michael Cupps
Is really what I want people to start thinking about what's not on my to do list, but it's still part of my routine and get done. And then the third thing I would say is it's really about taking time. I mean, I just think that we work so hard and we work hard together that, you know, whether it's a moment in a day, a moment a week, a moment, a month, I think teams need to just relax and say, how are things going? Right. How are you doing? Not just how did we meet that quota or did we get that project done, but how are we doing? And because the worst thing that happens is you work people out and then you have attrition. 

29:02
Michael Cupps
And attrition has a massive cost in a number of ways, not only financially, but what it does to a team et Cetera. So I think team leaders in particular need to think about that time and that pause that we would take personally to let your team do that pause as well. 

29:16
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Wow, those are really good. One thing I want to just make sure that we're clear because that was so good, was you mentioned the habit. I don't know the exact term you said for it, but it reminded me of like your walk with a dog where you would come in as an employee and maybe you just first always go to do this or check this, and there's no thought. Is that what you're talking about? Like you just create this? 

29:34
Michael Cupps
Absolutely. 

29:35
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Right? 

29:36
Michael Cupps
Yeah, absolutely. And this is where, you know, AI and different automations can help, but you can use your system to do that. So if there's certain things that have to be done at the first thing every morning, if you're a retailer, make sure that those are done without interruption, that somebody can come in, they know that they start, 1, 2, 3, done. And now they can get on to the chaos and interruptions of the day. 

29:56
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Okay, so two other things with this is so great because I think even if it's my specific office examples, it'll relate to a lot of people. So one thing that we have in our office is a ton of interruptions. Right. The phones are on all day long. People are calling in. 

30:06
Michael Cupps
Yes. 

30:07
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And so say my front office member might be checking out a patient and then get interrupted with a phone call. And most of my staff is really good at the task, but they don't do great with interruptions like all of us. Right. Like say we. Okay, so say we're having the phone and someone has to answer the phone. Right. Is there any thoughts about that? Like, would it better to not answer the phone and take a mess and let it go to recording and then check that later and finish the task. Or is it better to kind of like in that situation, what kind of might you have? 

30:37
Michael Cupps
Well, certainly if you can distribute the work to not do those interruptions would be good. But you also may very well want to take your patient's call because they're what we're here for. Right, Patients. So I think if you can divide the workup and tasks that are manageable, so the person that's covering the phones right now shouldn't be doing billing work or checking insurance, you know, and just try to make sure that they're protected to some degree. Now if there's not enough volume, you can find work that they can do that is okay. To interrupt. Right. And so, you know, one big industry that's faced with this is banking. So if you think about your local bank, when you walk in, they want to attend to you. 

31:14
Michael Cupps
But what happens when there's no patient or not patients banking customers in, what do they do with all that time? And it's interesting, I did a study with a couple of them that says, how can we give them work that can be interrupted? So that when a patient, when I keep saying patient but client walks in, that they tend to them and when they go, they can just pick up on the work. So it was different. It was finding the right type of work for that environment to be successful. And worst thing is, don't put too many expectations on somebody that may be interrupted because, you know, no one likes to feel like they're not doing their job. So if they have to get that thing done and answer the phones, that pressure is just going to mount. So. Exactly. 

31:51
Michael Cupps
So you just want to make sure that you divide the work as best you can and the things that can sit and then ones that can't, you know, get a priority. 

32:00
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
This is great because my next meeting, I'm going to be asking my staff, how is this going? How does it feel for you? We, we often check in, but this is good. And as your last point was kind of really saying it's so neat because we have a Monday morning meeting. And of course that could be all productivity and checkpoints and everything. We start our meeting with, we call it awesomeness report. And it's like, what happened over the weekend that was really awesome and like a win or just personal. And it's like I went to my daughter's dance recital or so what's really neat is I could think of that in my old mindset is, oh, we're not being productive, right? 15 minutes. We're just talking about social. 

32:31
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
But what I found is it is one of the most powerful parts of our week because we, like, connect. Like, oh my gosh, I didn't know you started tap dancing lessons. And, you know, so these really fun things and we're like, oh my gosh, it just, it's really beautiful to me because then we create this more family environment where we really, genuinely care about each other's lives and we know a little bit about what's going on. And again, for me, based on my background, farm girl productivity, I could be like, oh my gosh, we're wasting time. But the truth is it's Valuable. 

33:01
Michael Cupps
Yes. Well, think about back to your farm if you would like to, Jill, and say there are times you probably remember where you were able to see the sunset or the sunrise even though you were working. Right. And those times for me are the most dear. When I was with my dad and my grandfather in the field and we're sitting there talking about something because we worked really hard and got that job done and maybe this one needs to start. But there were still those moments that we shared that are really dear to me. And I think the same can happen in workplace now. Maybe not as grand as a brilliant sunset or something, but it's interesting to me in a small practice like yours, maybe that's easier to do. 

33:35
Michael Cupps
I, I would really encourage even big companies because I think big companies have a way of taking the human out of it. Right. And they do it because they have productivity experts and they have, you know, all these things they have to do. But if you can get just a little bit of that human, like you said, 15 minutes a week. What a, what a treat, right? If you know what your co workers grandson is, you know, doing a piano recital. Right. That's awesome. So. 

33:58
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Oh, I love that. And it really validates again because sometimes it could be thought of as a waste of time, but we have these great relationships and that to me, like the harmony in the workplace is what makes me free to do what I do better. So it actually helps us all in a huge way. And like we have each other's back too. So it comes from like that is built. So in our last few minutes, obviously with your cancer and there was big transformation like there always is in our lives. But I'd love to know what would you say were your biggest like when that hit you, that diagnosis? I remember that well. It's like it's a shock, like, okay, what happened? And now we're both on the other side of it. 

34:33
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
But clearly it had an effect on your life and different things. What would you say were the top three things that cancer taught you? 

34:42
Michael Cupps
Yeah, patience would be the number one. Right. You have to have patience not only for yourself and the process you have to go through there, but also for other people. Right. There were, there were people that felt like all this pressure about who's going to show up when you were going in for chemo and stuff like that. And I just, I didn't appreciate it at the time, but it just felt more like we're scheduling conflict and I should have just been patient. Whoever wants to be There. Be there, you know, kind of thing. But it was, it taught you a way through that I wouldn't have done in the past, because in business, you just take care of the problem, right? So patience, I think, was number one. Number two is we only have one body. We can't abuse it. We can't. 

35:26
Michael Cupps
You know, you just got to take care of yourself. Because I can't say you can avoid all the disease, but you can certainly minimize the chances of it if you take care of yourself. The third. That's a good question. I'd have to think about that. But I think it's really time. Just what do you want to do with your time? So if you're doing something that is not fulfilling or is aggravating, however small, stop doing it. Right. So, you know what? For me, I. I had to find. I didn't want to go to the gym and work out a certain way. I had to find stuff that works for me. So I picked up, you know, for a while. I did boxing. I loved it. And then I kind of got bored with that and I go on to something else. 

36:03
Michael Cupps
I, I don't have this predisposed thing about how I'm going to spend my time to do something. I, I'm really open to try new things and let it, let it play out. And if I don't like it, I'll move on to the next. Right. I don't know if that helps. 

36:15
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
That's perfect. That's really, really good. I love it. And I love the patience because it is like a continual learning of this, like letting people be who they are. And, and that's a patience thing. And then the physical. Oh, I know what I was gonna say. The health is a new wealth, right? So you can have all the money in the world and as people. And I'm dealing with some of those aging populations where they're realizing, you know what, I have millions of dollars in the bank, but if I don't have my health, there is no amount of money that's going to change that. So I really love that because I think it's so important to put our investment into physical activity and good food and all those things that make us into a healthy being. 

36:54
Michael Cupps
And that longevity thing, I know that's part of your practice is longevity. And I don't know if it's because I have a lot more gray hair than I used to have, but I think about it all the time. And, you know, one simple thing everybody can do is movement. I just move, you know, so I really try to practice that, you know, meditation, movement and that. I think if those are there, then you're, you're in the right path anyway. 

37:15
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
Gosh, I couldn't agree more. And I love that you say movement versus like go to the gym because like you said, it doesn't have to be. That's not going to be everybody, but we can all move in some way. 

37:22
Michael Cupps
Yeah. 

37:24
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So if people. This has been such a great conversation. I knew I'd enjoy it even more than I thought I would. And you have the book Time Ban it. You have a podcast. Where can people find you or get more information or get your book? 

37:35
Michael Cupps
Yep, yep. So the book is on Amazon. It actually made bestseller for. It's a small read. I did that on purpose. So you were talking about reading it. It's a 90 minute read or less and I did that because it's about saving time. It's on Amazon. You can find it there under Time Bandit. You'll. You might get a lot of the movie. There was an old movie called Time Bandits that pops up first. You can go to the book. As far as me, I'm primarily on LinkedIn. You can find me by my name and do connect with me. Timebandit is my website. You can learn more about Time Bennett, the app, the mobile app we have and some of my coaching and things like that and just LinkedIn is probably the best place to find me. 

38:12
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
So perfect. We'll be sure if you're watching or driving or anything, wherever you're at, we'll be sure and include those links. But Michael, it was really nice to get to know you better. Thanks for your work in the world and appreciate you coming on the show. Hey guys, wasn't that a great episode with Michael Cupps, the author of Time Bandit. I really love when our guest must have those personal journeys and stories that flavor the work they've done in the world. And clearly he's been in the work and also transformed by his experience with cancer. And I hope you enjoyed that show. If you like this, please hit like subscribe if you're on YouTube. Share this with friends or family that might benefit from Time strategies to optimize our life and our happiness. 

38:53
Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD
And just know that we have a new episode coming out every. Every Wednesday. You can find us here and we look forward to seeing you next week for another episode of Resiliency Radio.