Focused

David's home workspace gets invaded by teenagers, Jason reprises his old commute and learns to appreciate the ability to work from anyplace, and a listener reminds us of a classic technique: making promises that your future self has to keep. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership iPad Air 2 Review: Why the iPad Became My Main Computer – MacStories Working on the iPad: One Year Later, Still My Favorite Computer – MacStories (14) Seinfeld - Night Guy, Morning Guy, Day Guy - YouTube

You might not realize it, but creative professionals in the entertainment industry are also free agents. In this episode we talk to writer/actor/director David Wain of "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The State" about his life as a free agent, from hitting MTV right out of college to the lean times that followed. Turns out that juggling a busy schedule, learning to say no, and not being able to plan vacations far in advance are all features of his line of work. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Guest Starring: David Wain Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership DAVIDWAIN.COM David Wain (@davidwain) • Instagram photos and videos David Wain - IMDb

David attended a conference and was asked for advice (or was it permission?) from many potential free agents. When he got home, his professional life was in disarray. What are the lessons to take from that? Jason ponders putting more effort into video. David continues down the path of hyperscheduling. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership

David and Jason go through the Free Agents Mailbag with observations about the legend of the man who outsourced his own job, taking a hobby to the next level, and the menace of Imposter Syndrome. Then we welcome our guest, Shawn Blanc, creator of The Sweet Setup and shawnblanc.net, to discuss building an independent business with collaborators, solid project planning, and sensible work hours. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Casper: The Internet’s favourite mattress. Get $50 off select mattresses with the code ‘FREEAGENTS’. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Guest Starring: Shawn Blanc Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Shawn Blanc Time Ownership: A free email course from Shawn Blanc and The Focus Course Discover the best apps and workflows for your iPhone, Mac, and iPad — The Sweet Setup All The Things — A Calm Video Course on Productivity and Task Management Outsourced: Employee Sends Own Job To China; Surfs Web : The Two-Way : NPR

David has a big birthday and joins Jason in discovering the value of embracing a lull; David's wife gets a new job, leading to changes in working at home; and Team Sparky expands as David gets some help with his business. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership

Psychiatrist, writer and musician Kourosh Dini joins us to discuss his long journey to being an independent worker, mixing his various jobs, dealing with the stress of being on your own, and much more. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Guest Starring: Kourosh Dini Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Kourosh Dini MD – Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis Using OmniFocus | Productivity & Workflow Mastery Kourosh Dini | Mind, Music, and Productivity Kourosh Dini (@kouroshdini) | Twitter

David tries to not work too hard on his European vacation, while Jason tries to do the same in his own house; David's experiments with hyper-scheduling and the Twelve Week Year; Jason performs some drastic office remodeling. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Upgrade #170: The Rat King of Cables - Relay FM High Scores Arcade Deep Work by Cal Newport The 12-Week Year by Moran and Lennington Bullet Journal - The Analog System for the Digital Age

David and Jason talk to artist and writer Thom Zahler, an independent creator for 15 years in indie comics (Love and Capes, Warning Label), licensed comics (My Little Pony), and animated television (Spider Man: Web Warriors, Knights of the Zodiac), about his journey from art school student to freelancer to full-on free agent, and how his business has grown and changed over the years. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Guest Starring: Thom Zahler Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Thom Zahler Art Studios Warning Label Love and Capes

We wrap up the year with a discussion of navigating holidays and vacations, David's thoughts about getting projects to completion in the new year, Jason's update to his Not-To-Do List, setting the bar high for taking on new clients, end-of-year appreciation gifts for clients, and holiday seasonality. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership Amazon.com: The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months eBook: Brian P. Moran, Michael Lennington: Kindle Store Shawn Blanc Photos: A Take Control Crash Course | Take Control Books

John Voorhees of MacStories is a brand-new free agent, a lawyer who left his job in Chicago to set out on his own as a writer and app developer. He tells us how he decided to leave the legal profession and go full time as an independent worker. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Freshbooks: Online invoicing made easy. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FREEAGENTS at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Guest Starring: John Voorhees Links and Show Notes: Support Focused with a Relay FM Membership John Voorhees (@johnvoorhees) | Twitter My App Story – MacStories John Voorhees' website