#258: Achieve More While Doing Less with Michael Hyatt

As entrepreneurs, we’re driven by our passion and ideas. There is never a lack of projects and things that need to get done. Even worse, we often jump from one task to the next as we try to get caught up with our endless list. Does it seem like you never have enough time in the day to get the important stuff done? Are you frantically trying to whittle down that endless list? We all get caught up in this cycle. That’s why I’m so excited to have Michael Hyatt back on the show. Michael says: “It's almost impossible to accomplish anything significant when you're racing through an endless litany of tasks and emergencies. And yet, this is how many of us spend our days, our weeks, months, years, sometimes our entire lives.” Michael operated like this for years when he was an overworked and stressed executive at Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael, now on the other side of this unsustainable and unhealthy work pattern, has cracked the code on a system of productivity and focus that is designed to help you avoid burnout in your business. Michael was tired of working harder and accomplishing less. It’s FOCUS that drives our businesses and our personal lives. In this episode, Michael shares the principles from his new book Free to Focus: A Total Productivity System to Achieve More by Doing Less, so we can accomplish what matters. The Free to Focus System: [07:34] Productivity is really about freedom. Freedom is a BIG reason people get into business. The book covers four freedoms: The freedom to focus. We need sustained focus and concentration. The freedom to be present. This is the freedom to be 100% present with whoever you are with. The freedom to be spontaneous, and the freedom to do nothing. [12:12] There are also three phases to Freedom to Focus. They are Stop, Cut, and Act. The first three chapters focus on Stop. First, you need to formulate a vision of a more productive future. Then evaluate the work you are doing using the freedom compass. And always rejuvenate and take time for self-care. Formulate, evaluate, and rejuvenate. [14:22] Using the Freedom Compass: True North is where passion and proficiency come together. South is the drudgery zone. Things your not passionate about or proficient in. East is the disinterest zone. Things you are good at but not passionate about. West is the distraction zone. Things you enjoy doing but aren’t good at. [18:11] Things on your freedom compass that you love and are good at are in your desire zone. This is where you should focus the bulk of your energy. Eliminate, automate, or delegate everything that's not in the desire zone. [30:41] Michael plays mythbuster to the objections that entrepreneurs have about delegation. Hiring a VA enables you to repurpose time for more valuable activities. [35:46] Act also has three steps. They are consolidate, designate, and activate. To consolidate avoid context switching and batch activities. [38:53] Designate is designing your year by identifying three goals for your quarter, week, and each day. Imagine how powerful your days would be if you accomplish three important things on a daily basis. [43:00] Activate is about managing the interruptions. Check in before going into a deep work session, so you won't be interrupted. Turn off notifications. Let technology serve you. Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. Click here to subscribe in iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, I’d be really grateful if you left me a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in an read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!