In 2016, Michael Hyatt released Free to Focus. It was a premium training course on personal productivity, and it carried a premium price tag. I was familiar with Michael’s work—this wasn’t the first course I’d taken from Michael—so I signed up as soon as enrollment was open.
It was worth every cent.
I already had a bunch of good habits in place. I got a lot done, but I wasn’t finding a lot of fulfillment in what I was doing. It was like the more I accomplished, the less time I had for family, friends and fun. Free to Focus was transformational. It helped me take a step back, get my bearings, and fundamentally change how I plan.
The bad news is that the course is no longer offered. The good news is that Michael has put everything into this book.
The Free to Focus method is broken into three phases:
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First, stop and think. Yes, the first step to getting more done is to stop completely. This gives you time to ask yourself why. We do so many things out of habit, guilt, and fear, it’s no wonder that we stumble around, too busy with what’s important only to someone else—or, worse, to no one at all—to have enough time for the things that are important to us.
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Second, you’re going to look at everything you do and figure out how to eliminate, automate, or delegate everything you can. Get it off of your plate.
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Now that you’ve torn everything down, it’s time to start building. Take control of your schedule, identify the tasks that will have the biggest impact, and jealously guard your attention.
If you’re looking for a quick fix to get more done, you can start with the last third of the book. This is where you’ll find the most traditional “time management” concepts, like how to plan your week and your day.
But if you only read the last third, you’re going to miss the point. The point of productivity isn’t to work longer hours or achieve a level of success that drives you to work when you should be playing. The point is to be fully present—to be able to focus. When you’re at work, work. When you’re with family, be present and focused on them. The most important people in your life deserve your very best, and that’s what Free to Focus will help you give them.
