Taylor Jacobson joins us to talk about groundedness, vulnerability, and accountability on his journey to founding Focusmate. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Novo : Powerfully simple business banking. Sign up for free. Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: Taylor Jacobson Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive con...
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 136
Jesse Anderson joins us to talk about self-awareness and the struggles with being productive while battling ADHD. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Novo : Powerfully simple business banking. Sign up for free. Privacy : Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. Guest Starring: Jesse Anderson Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Don't Eat ...
Sep 28, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 135
Sean McCabe comes back to report in on what happened when his year-long sabbatical smacked into a pandemic and how he keeps his focus while winding up a new business. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Guest Starring: Sean McCabe Lin...
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 134
David & Mike do an audit of their productivity workflows and share what's working (and what isn't). This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Gabi : Get a better insurance. It’s totally free to check and there’s no obligation. Click this link to get started. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. David's Apple Mail webinar Relay FM for St. Jude 2021 Screen...
Aug 31, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 133
Is willpower enough to plow through? In this episode, Mike and David look into that question. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano ...
Aug 17, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 132
We're all a lot less objective than we give ourselves credit for. David & Mike attempt to figure out why by considering limiting beliefs, learning loops, and the slippery slope of self-sealing logic. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Discourse : Modern forum software for your community. Get 50% off your first 2 months. Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independen...
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 131
At what point does your quest for productivity and efficiency become toxic? It's a good question and an easy trap. Mike and David have a few ideas. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Literati : A bestselling book subscription service that offers curated book clubs for all readers. Start your trial today. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Host...
Jul 20, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 130
Gmail ninja Colleen Wainwright joins us to talk about delegating work to others, the evolution of the attention economy, and working out of email without going crazy. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. HPE Tech Talk : HPE news, tech Insights and world-class innovations. Listen now. Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcaste...
Jul 06, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 129
Mike and David tackle one of the most difficult subjects of focus, Communication. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: TextExpander, from Smile : Communicate Smarter. Get 20% off. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Literati : A bestselling book subscription service that offers curated book clubs for all readers. Start your free trial. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano Deep Focus: Extend...
Jun 22, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 128
Ken Case joins us to talk about how the Omni Group focuses their work teams, the lessons they've learned from forced changes due to COVID, and the benefits of planning for disruption. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressV...
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 127
Mike and David get into note-taking (and note-making), listener feedback, and the pesky problem of productivity vs. grinding. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: TextExpander, from Smile : Communicate Smarter. Get 20% off. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Gabi : Get a better insurance. It’s totally free to check and there’s no obligation. Click this link to get started. * Cross Promo: Parallel : A tech podcast with accessibility sprinkles. Listen now. Links and Show ...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 126
Rosemary Orchard joins us to talk about juggling projects, automation, kanban boards, and keeping the jobby job. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Guest Starring: Rosemary Orchard Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes wit...
May 11, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 125
In this episode, Mike and David talk about PKM planets and how they read, process, and learn from books and other media. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Memberful : Best-in-class membership software for independent creators, publishers, educators, podcasters, and more. Get started now, no credit card required. PDFpen, from Smile : Powerful PDF editing on your Mac. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks T...
Apr 27, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 124
David & Mike talk about the different ways they track their time, what tools they use, and share the focus & productivity benefits they glean from the process. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Spox : The best story wins. Get 25% off when you mention this show. Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Links and Show Notes: ...
Apr 13, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 123
Nick Milo from Linking Your Thinking joins this week to consider the role of focus in idea development and knowledge management. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Spox : The best story wins. Get 25% off when you mention this show. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Guest Starring: Nick Milo Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Me...
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 122
Jeff Sheldon from Ugmonk joins us to talk about his Analog productivity system, connecting dots, intentional constraints, and being a geek for the details. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: TextExpander, from Smile : Work smarter, not harder. Get 20% off your first year. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Microsoft Lists : A Microsoft 365 app that helps you track information and organize work. Guest Starring: Jeff Sheldon Links and Show Notes: Focused listeners can s...
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 121
Jake Kahana from Caveday joins to talk about his journey and how Cavedays can help you get your focus mojo back. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Guest Starring: Jake Kahana Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David S...
Mar 02, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 120
Author Chris Bailey joins us to talk about the productivity benefits of meditation, conquering resistance, and the path of least regret. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. PDFpen, from Smile : The all-purpose PDF editor for Mac, iPad & iPhone. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Guest Starring: Chris Bailey Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes ...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 119
Tasks are great but sometimes the wrong tool. Mike and David make the case that habits are underrated and can help you where projects can not. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The ...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 118
Goals are great, but they aren't enough. In this episode, David & Mike talk about how roles & goals work together and how the hats that you decide to wear are the real foundation of a solid personal productivity system. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. TextExpander, from Smile : Recall your best words. Instantly, repeatedly. Get 20% off your first year. Indeed : Get a free ...
Jan 19, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 117
Mike and David take on the new year in their own focused ways as they talk through a workflow for change. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing : The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Indeed : Get a free $75 credit to boost your job post. Links and Show Notes: Mike and David take on the new year in their own focused ways as they talk through a wo...
Jan 05, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 116
Ernie Svenson joins us to talk about how focus inspired his career change from lawyer to small firm consultant, the importance of getting help, and the value of journaling. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Woven : The calendar with the most powerful scheduling tools. Try it free for 21 days. Guest Starring: Ernie Svenson Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive con...
Dec 22, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 115
Inputs! We all have too many of them and not enough of us have a plan for them. In this episode, Mike and David talk about those pesky inputs and how to deal with them. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Woven : The calendar with the most powerful scheduling tools. Try it free for 21 days. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. The FOCUSED C...
Dec 08, 2020•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 114
Brittany Smith is a cognitive scientist and very focused. She's also diagnosed with ADHD and she has a lot of wisdom to share in this week's episode. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Woven : The calendar with the most powerful scheduling tools. Try it free for 21 days. Guest Starring: Brittany Smith Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. The FOCUSED Cale...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 113
David & Mike consider the relationship of productivity & creativity and how it shapes the work that they do. They dive into their personal knowledge management stacks and the tools they currently use, share some tips for tagging, and discuss where to draw the lines between tools for managing tasks and ideas. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Woven : The calendar with the mos...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 112
Erik Fisher joins us to talk about internal and external distractions, setting up your environment for focused work, dealing with unexpected changes, and building self-awareness. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Teamistry : The stories of unsung teams who pioneered new ways of working to achieve the unexpected. Listen now. Blinkist : Read 3000+ books in 15 minutes or fewer. Start your 7-day free trial. Guest Starring: Erik Fisher Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Memb...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 111
Michael Hyatt joins in to talk about staying focused, drift, scaling back on social media. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Ahrefs : SEO Tools & Resources To Grow Your Search Traffic. Get a 7-day trial for just $7. Guest Starring: Michael Hyatt Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with...
Oct 14, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 110
David & Mike revisit the topic of email and discuss their current workflows. They share how and when they process email, what they use to do it, and the strategies they use to break free from their inboxes long enough to do some actual work. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Ahrefs : SEO Tools & Resources To Grow Your Search Traffic. Get a 7-day trial for just $7. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Relay FM for St. Jude 2020 Calm Inbox course | The Sw...
Sep 29, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 109
Educator, speaker, and online course creator Ian Byrd joins Mike and David to talk about quarterly retreats, technology, and focus. David makes a commitment. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: ExpressVPN : High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free. Blinkist : Read 3000+ books in 15 minutes or fewer. Start your 7-day free trial. Guest Starring: Ian Byrd Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Byrdseed.TV is open for new membershi...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 108
Bullet Journal Method founder Ryder Carroll joins us to talk about taking time offline, asking the right questions, and finding the the balance between style and substance in getting the right things done. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace : Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: Ryder Carroll Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership How to declutter your mind -- keep a journal | Ryd...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 107
