Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less
Renee Daggett • February 5, 2020
If you are a business owner, your mind is always running. There’s always a new idea to consider or a problem to solve. We have 168 hours per week but it never feels like enough. Yet we press on while our family, friends, sleep, and exercise get pushed to the bottom of the list. My summary on Michael Hyatt's book "Free to Focus" will explain 9 ways to WIN at work.
Michael Hyatt starts his book off by saying, “I think I’m having a heart attack!“ He was overwhelmed and stressed, realizing something must change. Long hours of work were depriving his health, relationships, and personal pursuits. And his pace was not sustainable. He came to realize that he must focus on the right
things.
In his book, Free to Focus, Michael shares nine ways to win at work.
Step 1: STOP
1. Formulate
what you want out of productivity. In order to be successful we must be productive. But we need time off for rest, family, leisure, and health. We need time when we are not thinking about work at all. We need the freedom to be spontaneous or the freedom to do nothing. Amazing things happen when you start focusing on what you do best and eliminate or delegate the rest. Ask yourself how many hours you want to work, including nights and weekends. Have a clear picture on what you want your life to look like.
| 2. Evaluate
your task, activities, and opportunities based on two criteria… passion
and proficiency.
What do you love to do? What type of work energizes you?
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| That is what you need to focus on and ditch everything else. This is the key to achieving more by doing less. Our biggest obstacle to become productive is our mindset. Be mindful of your self talk, which can limit your potential and prevent you from accomplishing big things. This is called limiting beliefs.
3. Rejuvenate
to reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. There are countless studies that prove that the more you work beyond a 50-hour work week, the less productive you become. Energy is a renewable resource and must be replenished. It can be accomplished through sleeping, eating, moving, connecting, playing, reflecting, and unplugging.
Amazing things happen when we stop.
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Step 2: CUT
4. Eliminate
anything that stands in your way. If you want to please people, you will find yourself saying yes to everyone. Why do we do that?
Perhaps it is avoiding conflict, not wanting to disappoint people, fear of missing out on opportunities, or lack of courage. If you are saying yes to one thing you are also saying no to something else.
Say no to new requests.
| Michelangelo chipped away at marble because something better was underneath. |
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| Steve Jobs says that innovation means to “say no to 1000 things.” Prune away dead weight and then you can thrive and reach your potential. |
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| critical tasks with a little investment of time. Create routines that can put your life on auto pilot. Have a morning ritual, a beginning and ending work day ritual, as well as an evening wind-down ritual. Create templates and checklists. Use email signature templates to communicate efficiently and effectively. Document processes and consider doing so in video format. Filter emails to a block of time when you are ready to skim them. It will take effort but you can experience time saving benefits.
6. Delegate
to others in order to free up your time. Decide what to delegate and select the best person. Communicate the workflow and the outcome you need. Provide the necessary resources and give them space to operate. Check in, but don’t micromanage.
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Step 3: ACT
7. Consolidate
your activities by grouping similar tasks together in a batch. Organize your day, making sure you have uninterrupted time to do your best work. |
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| Front stage…
this is what you get paid to do.
Backstage…
this is the preparation, the meetings, and the learning.
Off stage…
this is when you are not working.
Plan your ideal week so that you can live with purpose. It is a target and you will not be able to hit the bull’s-eye every time. Use it as your guide to become more focused and effective.
8. Designate
tasks in your week to keep visibility on your major task and review your progress as you go. Define the three most important things you need to accomplish in the upcoming week to reach your goals. Plan to accomplish three things each day. List the goals, projects, and events you want to accomplish. Also plan your rejuvenation.
| 9. Activate
focus to minimize disruptions. We have so many ways of communication, and while it can be good, it can also break our concentration. Emails, phone calls, instant messaging, text messages...these notifications shift our focus. Listening to the right music may be beneficial. Decluttering your workspace frees your mind. A simple “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door can eliminate interruptions.
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Free to Focus has taught me that it’s not about doing more things—it’s about doing more of the right
things. Whether you want to implement a system to increase productivity, achieve a better work/life balance, or increase efficiency, Free to Focus will guide you in ways to attain your goals.
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