Back to Work artwork

Back to Work

1,146 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 2K ratings

Back to Work is an award winning talk show with Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin discussing productivity, communication, work, barriers, constraints, tools, and more.

Technology productivity communication work barriers constraints creativity dan benjamin merlin mann
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Episodes

Episode 587: I'm a Map

August 16, 2022 22:30 - 1 hour - 63.4 MB

We've got a man on the boat.

Episode 586: We Have Met the Audience, and He Is Us

August 09, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

DISCUSSED: A very moist man's lawyer learns how Dropbox works; Merlin introduces "The Bump"; Dan has a cool new calendar technology; and Merlin speed-rounds some odds and sods.

Episode 585: The Wahlberg Uncertainty Principle

August 02, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 52.5 MB

Frankly, it was a bit of a fever dream, but your hosts discuss sportsball, collective singular nouns, Coleridge's trap street, LEGO, and a handful of Merlin's recent wins. Lego https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/nko9p8p_.jpg

Episode 584: Groomsman Gifts for the Funeral

July 29, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 66 MB

Merlin has thoughts on survival, aging, and whether to bother trying to understand whatever NFTs are. Next up, the triumphant return of "Cool Thing I Learned This Week" brings updates on iOS dictation and a very Merlin video about organization. Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on. —Nick Fury, The Avengers (2012) (https://gist.github.com/merlinmann/b64360ee2192b33b7a41eaa423cc4b86)

Episode 583: The Dentist Picks the Chair

July 15, 2022 19:30 - 1 hour - 73 MB

Your hosts discuss dramaturgy, package managers, and monospaced fonts. Ladies?

Episode 582: Dadsplaining

June 28, 2022 20:30 - 1 hour - 72.9 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan misses going to the movies; cool ways to save your bacon in Git; and Merlin is excited about a (new to him) app for personal tracking and quantization.

Episode 581: A Frog That No One Saw

June 21, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 90.6 MB

DISCUSSED: Merlin runs the table this week with: unseasonable heat; the joy of realizing when someone obviously loved (and probably had to fight for) the thing that they made; and finally, an extended meditation on a phone charger and the decisions that seek to bridge past and future.

Episode 580: Not All Avenues

June 14, 2022 22:00 - 1 hour - 75.3 MB

A classic odds n' sods episode. Merlin needs help with a journaling via voice solution; your hosts look at password enhancements in the Apple betas; praise for Apple's SF fonts and SF symbols; a trippy video about paper sizes (and the universe); and, oh, those whacky Mormon sects.

Episode 579: Memento Morey Amsterdam

June 07, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 70 MB

Dan & Merlin are live from the show floor, sharing their thoughts on the WWDC 2022 keynote address.

Episode 578: Raft of Anchors

May 31, 2022 20:00 - 59 minutes - 55.8 MB

On memory, security, and sleeping injuries.

Episode 577: Transylvanian Meditation

May 24, 2022 22:15 - 1 hour - 75.2 MB

Considering the value of finding something new to suck at. Runner-Up Titles Stop Trying to Meditate and Just Breathe I’m That Guy in My Own Head The Confidence of the New Idiot

Episode 576: People Who Don’t Want to Talk to a Lamp

May 17, 2022 21:15 - 1 hour - 86.7 MB

It's a very special "Oops! All Automation Check-ins" episode. But, of course—as always—there's also a philosophical component.

Episode 575: You're Being Scared Wrong

May 10, 2022 20:15 - 1 hour - 62.4 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan's new tenants flip him the bird, and Merlin has strong feelings about email. Runner-up titles: Glass Surfing I Don't Believe in a Lizard Binary A Game Stop and a Bathroom A Mother Son Relationship That Is Weird The Allergies of Childhood Medium-Sized Important Breakthrough The Cultural Installation of Fear

Episode 574: Tired and Fourteen

May 03, 2022 21:30 - 1 hour - 68.2 MB

Your hosts are finally back in action with vital updates on #productivity and #creativity. Also, ginger ale and egg substitutes.

Episode 573: Shovels, Not Teaspoons

April 13, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 69.4 MB

DISCUSSED: Updates on new Plex functionality; praise for Severance; plus some updates on Merlin's new setup—and pursuing the life that you'd like to have. Runner-Up Titles: Shoulders Come in Pairs Meaty and Sad Sucked Up Into My Body Cavity Really Hurts Your Roller Skating Muscle It's a Nice Box I Saved Some Nice Boxes

Episode 572: My Open Source Thomas Edison Film

April 05, 2022 21:30 - 1 hour - 74.9 MB

DISCUSSED: Big news from Plex; Merlin has an expansive new computer project; and Dan continues to make his way at a new gig using his trusty calendar.

Episode 571: Open Faced Sandwich of Reality

March 29, 2022 21:45 - 1 hour - 63.9 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan is doing new things that require a new approach to his calendar. Merlin proposes some appropriate Calendar Kyber Crystals.

Episode 570: Toilet Experiments

March 21, 2022 19:30 - 1 hour - 82.4 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan is back from reporting on the show floor; recommendations for some Back to Work-adjacent podcast episodes; incidental thoughts and advice on presentations as performance; everybody wants a better email app; and Dan shares his thoughts on The Batman; Runner-Up Titles Two Bags of Dongles Just a Butt in a Chair Dirty Little Secret About Daddy A Face in the Brady Bunch Grid The Washington Fulfillment Society

Episode 569: An Incurious Outsider

March 08, 2022 20:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan and Merlin talk about Apple's latest event and consider what the future looks like from Cupertino.

Episode 568: Assistant to the Regional Danager

March 04, 2022 20:00 - 58 minutes - 53.1 MB

Links: uBlacklist for Safari on the App Store — "Blocks sites you specify from appearing in search engine results" uBlacklist for Safari | Search Engine filter for Safari Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses? - Freakonomics — "When these firms select people to be managers based on their current job performance, they are actively making themselves worse off. In other words: the Peter Principle is as real as Laurence Peter said it was. And, I’m editorializing here, it would also seem t...

Episode 567: Sit on Me

February 22, 2022 21:15 - 1 hour - 71.1 MB

DISCUSSED: the Russians are coming; Dan has thoughts on Marvel TV shows, and Merlin has thoughts on Hawkeye specifically; Merlin bravely and boldly recommends watching a film that's often considered the greatest ever made; in Follow-Up, Dan has an update on Taskpaper as well as wanting advice on how to fire Photoshop; Merlin seems weirdly excited about his new pencil; yet more praise is heaped on Rogue Amoeba; and, finally, in an unexpected twist, both your hosts realize they did the same thi...

Episode 566: Vice-President of Doing It Wrong

February 15, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 87.7 MB

DISCUSSED: your hosts can't complain (but, sometimes, they still do); a provisional craving for secular pre-cana; what are your canonical family holidays?; Dan has to sign something; a quick clarification on eels; Dan has some camera struggles, but Merlin offers advice that's costly and not actually all that useful; as Merlin re-approaches his World of Text, he is obviously getting even more gaybones for VS Code; and, finally, Merlin begins sketching his new project about energy, fuel, and co...

Episode 565: The Injustice of Youth

February 08, 2022 21:00 - 1 hour - 64.9 MB

DISCUSSED: boiling ATX water and the long-term return of the Bang-Bang Machine; thought-provoking insight on youth, hustle, and work-life balance from Slate Political Gabfest; and Dan tries his hand at TaskPaper. Makebelieve Help, Old Butchers, and Figuring Out Who You Are (For Now)

Episode 564: The Elephants of Style

February 01, 2022 20:15 - 1 hour - 82.7 MB

DISCUSSED: 🐇🐇; Dan shares follow-up on surviving his Covid week; a listener emails the show with a fascinating offer; your hosts discuss childhood mail; in Breaking News, the actor, M. Emmet Walsh is still alive; it's fun to say "Jackery"; praise for Maira Kalman; some initial thoughts on Apple's Universal Control; and finally, advice on the wisdom of running betas. Emmet Walsh https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/3/316b04e9-2b1f-4ccb-98f1-28fe023874a8/VvOWGzkx.jpg Runner-Up...

Episode 563: Bang-Bang Machine

January 25, 2022 20:30 - 1 hour - 93.4 MB

An epic journey that begins with Dan's viral week and ends with a misunderstanding about the first Chicago album.

Episode 562: No More Attempts on My Father’s GitHub

January 11, 2022 20:00 - 1 hour - 80.7 MB

DISCUSSED: Memories of Super Dave; KEYnote by LockPickingLawyer; Dan gets conspiracy theory-curious; the tapestry of entertainment by cults; Dan helps Merlin understand Git; and Merlin gets a new hub. Links for this episode: LockPickingLawyer - YouTube Keynote - LockPickingLawyer - YouTube The Super Bob Einstein Movie (HBO) "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Palestinian Chicken (TV Episode 2011) - Reference View - IMDb Superdave Osborne on Letterman, 1990 - YouTube Super Dave - King Of The Road -...

Episode 561: Flip the Telescope Around

January 05, 2022 15:45 - 1 hour - 91.2 MB

Taskapalooza begins. Rock me, Joseph Alberto Santiago. Links for this episode: Kiss - "Love Gun" - YouTube Why 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Is a Better Disinfectant Than 99% Isopropyl Alcohol - Mun Global Calm Calendar TaskPaper – Plain text to-do lists for Mac Pixies - "Wave of Mutilation" - YouTube Dan does not like the guitar bends on this song. Pixies - "Gigantic" (Live, 1988) - YouTube Meat Puppets - "Up on the Sun" - YouTube Wings - "Listen to What the Man Said" - YouTube

561: Flip the Telescope Around

January 05, 2022 15:45 - 1 hour - 91.2 MB

Taskapalooza begins. Rock me, Joseph Alberto Santiago.

Episode 560: The Cat of Amontillado

December 28, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 85.3 MB

Wrapping up the year with thoughts on unearned Covid optimism, defining "normal," Roomba training, Microsoft Visual Studio, plus a new (and decidedly more positive) reframing for New Year's resolutions. Links for this episode: @thesunnypodcast | Linktree The Always Sunny Podcast on Apple Podcasts The Gang Goes Jihad — The Always Sunny Podcast — Overcast This Is How Michael Caine Speaks - The Trip - BBC Two - YouTube Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon in The Trip - James Bond & Liam Neeson - You...

560: The Cat of Amontillado

December 28, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 85.3 MB

Wrapping up the year with thoughts on unearned Covid optimism, defining "normal," Roomba training, Microsoft Visual Studio, plus a new (and decidedly more positive) reframing for New Year's resolutions.

Episode 559: Grade on the Curve of Time

December 22, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MB

Talking Spider-Man and phones for kids. Links for this episode: Magneto | Marvel Database | Fandom Dimensions | Into the Spider-Verse Wiki | Fandom Griffin Explains Electro's Origins in Amazing Spider-Man 2 | Blank Check with Griffin and David - YouTube Merlin's Wisdom Project (Draft)

559: Grade on the Curve of Time

December 22, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 81.7 MB

Talking Spider-Man and phones for kids.

Episode 558: Pseudism

December 14, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MB

Merlin's Best of 2021™ kicks off with the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week." Links for this episode: The Talk Show #331 – “John Was the Problem,” with Merlin Mann Merlin Mann returns to the show to discuss two brief topics (with a few asides): my dream of opening a steakhouse, and Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary Get Back. Overcast - ‘John Was the Problem’, With Merlin Mann — The Talk Show With John Gruber — Overcast Watch The Beatles: Get Back | Disney+ ttscoff/KeyBinding...

558: Pseudism

December 14, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MB

Merlin's Best of 2021™ kicks off with the return of "Cool Things I Learned This Week."

Episode 557: Food Court of Pain

December 07, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 81.5 MB

A classic odds and sods episode covering: Rush lyrics; personal pronoun tips; Fitness+ meditation; more melees with various voice assistant ecosystems; a big shout-out to the iconic Listener Rachel A.; and Merlin's newfound love of Keyboard Maestro. Links for this episode: The Wisdom Project (Draft) Keyboard Maestro 10.0.2: Work Faster with Macros for macOS David Smith extends his Apple Watch battery – Six Colors Wearing an Apple Watch in Glencoe - David Smith, Independent iOS Developer...

557: Food Court of Pain

December 07, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 81.5 MB

A classic odds and sods episode covering: Rush lyrics; personal pronoun tips; Fitness+ meditation; more melees with various voice assistant ecosystems; a big shout-out to the iconic Listener Rachel A.; and Merlin's newfound love of Keyboard Maestro.

Episode 556: The Only Way Out Is Claws

December 03, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MB

The Boys are back, and they're not sure how big this thing gets. Links for this episode: Amazon.com: Celery Man : Alexa Skills Good morning, Paul. What will your first sequence of the day be? Alexa, load up Celery Man!

556: The Only Way Out Is Claws

December 03, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 73.7 MB

The Boys are back, and they're not sure how big this thing gets.

555: The Accretion of Non-Essential Things

November 16, 2021 23:15 - 1 hour - 87.4 MB

DISCUSSED: Dad stuff; flying too close to the smart home sun; appreciating the magic of Wes Anderson; the virtues of UPS battery backup; and, finally, Merlin starts tentatively sketching a unified field theory for rethinking how we think about and use space.

Episode 555: The Accretion of Non-Essential Things

November 16, 2021 23:15 - 1 hour - 87.4 MB

DISCUSSED: Dad stuff; flying too close to the smart home sun; appreciating the magic of Wes Anderson; the virtues of UPS battery backup; and, finally, Merlin starts tentatively sketching a unified field theory for rethinking how we think about and use space. Links for this episode: Drew on Twitter: "@hotdogsladies I had the same problems with Google Docs rich copy/paste. Turned out to be TrackerZapper. Might be worth toggling that to see if that fixes it." / Twitter Why Do Wes Anderson Mo...

554: Not the Water's Problem

November 09, 2021 19:45 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

DISCUSSED: please stop changing the clocks; our kids are not us; the people of England have spoiled or corrupted several very good words; The Ellis Island Bit; surnames mean things; getting pelted with rocks and garbage; a Michael Penn playlist for 1 to 3.5 of you jackals; some Mad Max talk; it's always two things with Kevin Kelly; and, finally, some Marvel talk.

Episode 554: Not the Water's Problem

November 09, 2021 19:45 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

DISCUSSED: please stop changing the clocks; our kids are not us; the people of England have spoiled or corrupted several very good words; The Ellis Island Bit; surnames mean things; getting pelted with rocks and garbage; a Michael Penn playlist for 1 to 3.5 of you jackals; some Mad Max talk; it's always two things with Kevin Kelly; and, finally, some Marvel talk. Links for this episode: Spotify – "In a Nutshell" - A Gentle Introduction to Michael Penn Getting started with one the great, un...

553: Bioavailable Chambers of Flexibility

November 02, 2021 19:15 - 1 hour - 44.9 MB

This is what happens when Merlin stays up til 2 a.m. watching a movie and then has to record a podcast at 9 a.m. Because, your day is a continuum.

Episode 553: Bioavailable Chambers of Flexibility

November 02, 2021 19:15 - 1 hour - 44.9 MB

This is what happens when Merlin stays up til 2 a.m. watching a movie and then has to record a podcast at 9 a.m. Because, your day is a continuum. Links for this episode: YANSS 218 – How anxiety hides in our unhealthy habits, why you can’t think your way out of it, and science says you should do instead – You Are Not So Smart Dr. Brewer teaches us map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfuln...

552: Youth is the Anomaly

October 27, 2021 01:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MB

Dan has all the waiters singing at him, and Merlin tries to buy the non-existent SIMS 4 for the Mac. Main topic is considering how best to set up a device that provides structure and motivation without all that beeping, beeping, beeping.

Episode 552: Youth is the Anomaly

October 27, 2021 01:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MB

Dan has all the waiters singing at him, and Merlin tries to buy the non-existent SIMS 4 for the Mac. Main topic is considering how best to set up a device that provides structure and motivation without all that beeping, beeping, beeping. Links for this episode: On the Internet, We’re Always Famous | The New Yorker What happens when the experience of celebrity becomes universal? Jane Jacobs Versus The Kardashians - by Steven Johnson - Adjacent Possible Is talking to strangers on the Inter...

Episode 551: Life Is for Using

October 19, 2021 19:30 - 1 hour - 59.3 MB

DISCUSSED: Your hosts talk about music, Apple Watch, and getting out of your kid's way. Also: life and MacBooks Pro. Links for this episode: Michael Penn - Try - YouTube Michael Penn – Try Lyrics | Genius Lyrics I would choose to accuse you Strike the fire Issue a decree Ask you why Watch you take the fifth as I Give you the third degree Michael Penn: Try (Video 1997) - Reference View - IMDb Music video for Michael Penn's 'Try', shot by Paul Thomas Anderson and other cast...

551: Life Is for Using

October 19, 2021 19:30 - 1 hour - 59.3 MB

DISCUSSED: Your hosts talk about music, Apple Watch, and getting out of your kid's way. Also: life and MacBooks Pro.

Episode 550: Ampersands and Raisins

October 12, 2021 19:30 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan and his son are up to Daniel Craig in their Bond journey, and this leads to an exploration of how our feelings about movies and their characters can change over time; considering the media you're scared to rewatch since it's probably not as good as you remember; your hosts dive further into browser extensions and why they're so critical to filtering your world. The Leftovers Neil Breen License to Clown Links for this episode: StopTheMadness StopTheMadness Test Tweaks fo...

550: Ampersands and Raisins

October 12, 2021 19:30 - 1 hour - 68.9 MB

DISCUSSED: Dan and his son are up to Daniel Craig in their Bond journey, and this leads to an exploration of how our feelings about movies and their characters can change over time; considering the media you're scared to rewatch since it's probably not as good as you remember; your hosts dive further into browser extensions and why they're so critical to filtering your world. The Leftovers Neil Breen License to Clown

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