If you’ve ever found yourself procrastinating until the night before a big presentation, frantically cramming slides together, and then white-knuckling your way through the delivery…you’re not alone.

The truth is, most of us were taught (or fell into) a broken workflow for preparing talks. We procrastinate, panic, recycle old decks, and overload our audiences with information. No wonder presenting feels stressful — and no wonder audiences struggle to stay engaged.

But here’s the good news: great communication isn’t about innate talent. It’s about having the right workflow.

In this week’s episode of 20 Minutes with Bronwyn, I share the first three steps of a system I’ve honed over 20 years coaching leaders at NVIDIA, Zoom, LinkedIn, Cisco, Stanford, Pixar, and more. I’ve also used this exact approach to help more than 140 people give TED, TEDx, and TEDGlobal talks that change the way audiences see the world.

• Why procrastination + panic is its own (terrible) workflow

• How today’s shrinking attention spans demand a new way of preparing

• Step 1: The Logistics Check — the baseline questions that save you from nasty surprises. And here’s a PDF of that checklist handy and printable.

• Step 2: Audience Empathy — the mindset shift that changes everything about how your message lands.

• Step 3: The Sandbox — a game-changing way to collect ideas, inspiration, and data so your subconscious can work with you instead of against you.

This is the foundation for upgrading how you show up as a communicator. Whether you’re presenting to your team, pitching an idea, or stepping onto a big stage, these simple shifts will make the process less stressful — and your talks infinitely more powerful.

Need a quick breakdown of the episode? Here ya go …

00:00 Introduction to 20 Minutes with Bronwyn

01:23 Debunking the Myth of Innate Talent in Communication

03:20 The Old Workflow: Why It Fails

04:41 Introducing the my 24k Workflow

05:23 Step One: The Logistics Check

12:05 Step Two: Audience Empathy

17:23 Step Three: Creating a Sandbox

21:05 Conclusion and Next Steps

And stay tuned — in Part 2, I’ll show you how to move from a pile of ideas to a structured, compelling presentation that actually lands.

Shine on. We need your light! Bronwyn

Friends, I’m thrilled to share that the podcast is back for Season 6 — and we’re kicking things off with a powerhouse conversation that I cannot wait for you to hear.

This season is about sharpening our communication edge, nourishing our creativity, and finding new ways to thrive in a world that seems busier (and noisier) than ever. And who better to launch with than Natalie Nixon?

My guest today is Natalie Nixon, PhD — creativity strategist, president of Figure 8 Thinking, and one of the most generous, provocative thinkers I know. Natalie has spent her career helping leaders and organizations unlock creativity as a strategic advantage. She’s the author of The Creativity Leap and her brand-new book Move. Think. Rest.:Redefining Productivity & Our Relationship with Time, which reframes how we think about productivity, burnout, and flourishing.

In our conversation, we dive into:

• Why “real rest” is a radical act — and why most of us have never actually witnessed it.

• How daydreaming and procrastination aren’t signs of laziness but tools for sharper thinking.

• What Taylorism (the stopwatch-on-the-factory-floor era) has to do with our guilt around taking breaks.

• The Motor Framework — Natalie’s elegant approach to work rooted in move, think, rest.

• The difference between Chronos time (clock time) and Kairos time (time outside of time — the magic moments).

• Why intuition is not woo-woo, but actually grounded in neuroscience and the vagus nerve.

• Practical rituals to bring creativity back into your workflow: from Bill Gates’ “think weeks” to gamifying daydreaming.

• How rethinking meetings can transform culture (Zapier’s no-meeting week, question-storming, the law of two feet).

• The power of collective effervescence — how joy with others fuels our best work.

Want links to resources mentioned in the show? Head on over to my Substack!

Shine on, my friend. We need your light!

Today I am talking with the sensational Shira Gill about her gorgeous new book, Lifestyled: Your Guide to a More Organized and Intentional Life.

Shira Gill is a globally recognized home organizing expert and bestselling author with a minimalist philosophy. She has inspired thousands of people to clear clutter from their homes and lives, and developed a process and toolkit that anyone can employ, regardless of budget, space, or lifestyle. In addition to LifeStyled, Shira is the author of Minimalista and Organized Living, and has been featured in 100+ print and media outlets including Good Morning America, Architectural Digest, Vogue, Real Simple, and The New York Times.

For her latest book, Shira interviewed some of the most intentional, organized people on the planet and found there were three KEY themes running through each of their lives. Fascinated, and inspired by what she had learned, she began to apply these same themes in her own life, and watched the subsequent transformation.

Lifestyled gives us access to these themes, along with the systems and habits that will unlock a more intentional life.

Here’s how to find Shira:

Links:

www.shiragill.com

@shiragill

Newsletter + Community

Books:

Organized Living

Minimalista

LifeStyled

This conversation with Shira was so clarifying, I’ve decided to wind down Season 5 in order to regroup and recharge on the podcast front. I will pick it up again in early 2025.

So grateful for your time and your presence.

Shine on, my friend. We need your light!B