David & Mike revisit the topic of task management to talk about Mike's Obsidian task management experiment and their (very different) use of checklists. 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. Shopify: Grow your business with Shopify. Start your 14-day free trial today. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Getting Things Done by David Allen Building My Bullet-Journal-Based Hybrid Productivity System | The Sweet Setup Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Analog | Ugmonk Linking Your Thinking Obsidian Tasks plugin Obsidian Dataview plugin Obsidian Calendar plugin Obsidian Kanban plugin reMarkable Rocketbook The Light Phone The Social Dilemma LEGO MOC Patriot Puzzle Box by ThePuzzler | Rebrickable

Author Annie Murphy Paul joins us to talk about playing with ideas, working in groups, and other ways to extend the mind. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Ahrefs: Improve your website’s SEO performance and get more traffic from search. Free for website owners. Guest Starring: Annie Murphy Paul Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul Annie Murphy Paul's website

David & Mike consider how the environment affects our ability to focus and share the very different ways they set up their workspaces. 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. Shopify: Grow your business with Shopify. Start your 14-day free trial today. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Virtual Tour | Salk Institute for Biological Studies The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul | Amazon Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull | Amazon Drew Coffman's Messy Desk Thread | Twitter Widgetsmith Mike's Studio Tour MacSparky's Studio Tour MKBHD's Studio Tour | YouTube CordaRoy's Beanbag Chair

Patrick Rhone joins us to talk about analog productivity, knolling, mise en place, and staying focused while wearing many hats. 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. Ahrefs: Improve your website’s SEO performance and get more traffic from search. Free for website owners. Guest Starring: Patrick Rhone Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Enough by Patrick Rhone Whoa to Wow Mental Health Minnesota Circus Juventas Brené Brown Lore Frictionless Tools - Capture Cards and Planning Pad | The Pen Addict Analog | Ugmonk The Dash/Plus System Hobonichi Techo Planner | JetPens What is Mise en Place? | Real Simple Knolling Work Clean by Dan Charnas | Amazon @patrickrhone | Twitter @patrickrhone | Instagram Rhoneisms | by Patrick Rhone Patrick Rhone | Website

David and Mike share some thoughts about what they’re up to in the new year and the personal changes they’re making to their routines. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Shopify: Grow your business with Shopify. Start your 14-day free trial today. Ahrefs: Improve your website’s SEO performance and get more traffic from search. Free for website owners. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. MacSparky Labs Focused #141: You Never Arrive Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg | Amazon BJ Fogg at TEDxFremont | YouTube Las Vegas Elvis Weddings Personal Retreat Handbook The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington | Amazon Year-End Reflection Prompts | MacSparky The Best Book(s) I Read This Year | Mike's Newsletter The Great Mental Models Volume 1 by Shane Parrish & Rhiannon Beaubien | Amazon Personal Socrates by Marc Champagne | Amazon The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday | Amazon Cortex #123: 2022 Yearly Themes The Theme System The Theme System Journal Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman | Amazon The Focused Calendar | NeuYear.net Personal Retreat Video and Planning PDF | MacSparky Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug | Amazon YETI Rambler 20oz Tumbler, Stainless Steel | Amazon

Sparky finally put his money where his mouth is and he's doing just one thing now. In this episode, Mike has questions and David has answers. 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. Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Why I'm No Longer Practicing Law - MacSparky Mac Power Users #621: Sparky Freedom - MacSparky Year-End Reflection Prompts - MacSparky Moving the Needle - MacSparky 20 Years A Lawyer - MacSparky Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday Focused #134: Finding Space with Sean McCabe - Relay FM CordaRoy's Convertible Bean Bags Sparky's Time Timer

David & Mike discuss the arrival fallacy and the importance of finding joy in the journey. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code FOCUSED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase. Setapp: More than 200 powerful apps for your Mac. Try it free for a week. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Micronauts | Wikipedia The Practice by Seth Godin | Amazon Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman | Amazon The Power of Positive Thinking by Normal Vincent Peale | Amazon Soundtracks by Jon Acuff | Amazon Focused #135: Don't Eat the Frog, with Jesse J. Anderson reMarkable

Engineering professor Cory Hixson joins the Focused crew this week about staying on target, not letting your kids eat take your brain, and why you are not a computer. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post. Setapp: More than 200 powerful apps for your Mac. Try it free for a week. The Intrazone, by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast about SharePoint, OneDrive and related tech within Microsoft 365. Guest Starring: Cory Hixson Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. Talking To The Internet Business Model Canvas - Wikipedia Stillness is the Key - Ryan Holiday Make Yourself Write Project Proposals — anchored thought Scrum (software development) - Wikipedia

David & Mike consider the source of negative self-talk, the power of positive thinking, and taming the rebellious brain. This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. Timing: The automatic time tracking app for macOS. Use this link to save 10% on your purchase. Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams | Amazon Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday | Amazon The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul | Amazon How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie | Amazon Soundtracks by Jon Acuff | Amazon Focused #73: Productivity and Art with Bob Reynolds

Mike and David return to the subject of hyper-scheduling after they've both been at it a few years. What works? What doesn't? And how did Mike's experiment go where he stopped blocking time? This episode of Focused is sponsored by: Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. 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. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Hosts Mike Schmitz David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano Deep Focus: Extended episodes with bonus deep dive content. David's Focused Webinar MacSparky Hyper-Scheduling Posts Focused #71: Hyper-Scheduling Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day Focused #78: Changing Defaults with John Zeratsky - Relay FM GoodNotes | Best Note-Taking App for iPad Building My Bullet-Journal-Based Hybrid Productivity System – The Sweet Setup Focused #107: The Bullet Journal Method, with Ryder Carroll - Relay FM Flexibits | Fantastical | The calendar and tasks app you won't be able to live without. Analog – Ugmonk Clairefontaine Triomphe Notepads & Envelopes | JetPens Amazon.com : Clairefontaine "Triomphe" Stationery Tablet, Blank, A4 (8.25" x 11.75") : Writing Paper : Office Products Amazon.com : Rhodia Webnotebook, A5, Dot - Orange : Drawing Pads And Books : Office Products Sorted³ – Hyper-schedule your entire day in one place Amazon.com: Procrastinate on Purpose: 5 Permissions to Multiply Your Time eBook : Vaden, Rory: Kindle Store Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave: Holiday, Ryan: 9780593191675: Amazon.com: Books