David & Mike consider the hidden costs of prioritizing the virtual world over the real world and discuss ways that we can fight for focus in an age of distraction.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Mike's Minimalist iPhone Home Screen Experiment

The Light Phone

Day One

Typefully

What I’m Doing Now | Derek Sivers

What I’m Doing Now | MacSparky

Mike's Newsletter

Sonnet Mechanical Keyboard | Mode Designs

Plotter USA

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Bookworm #209: Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Free Time by Jenny Blake

Business and life coach Amy Wicks joins us to talk about the Enneagram personality assessment and showing up as our true selves.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Guest Starring:

Amy Wicks

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

The FOCUSED Calendar

Amy's Book

Amy's Podcast

The Enneagram Institute

Kolbe A™ Index

Simply Wholehearted Enneagram Quiz

The Story of You by Ian Morgan Cron

The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron

Your Enneagram Coach

Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Good Work by Paul Millerd

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

The Snowball System by Mo Bunnell

Give to Grow by Mo Bunnell

Amy's Instagram

David & Mike revisit the topic of AI to consider what's changed in the last year and discuss how it can be helpful for those of us who strive to live a focused life.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

The 2025 FOCUSED Calendar | NeuYear.net

Focused #189: Focus & AI

Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray

Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Meet the Guys Dating A.I. Bots | Apple News

Spiral

Delphi

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Whisper Memos

Otter.ai

SaneBox

Grammarly

A System for Writing by Bob Doto

Focused #209: A System for Writing, with Bob Doto

RØDECaster Video | Video and Audio Production Console

Gridfinity

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Clarke Ching ("The Bottleneck Guy") joins us to talk about finding solutions and fixing systems, both personally and professionally.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Guest Starring:

Clarke Ching

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Clarke Ching | The Bottleneck Guy

LifeHQ | Practical PKM

Simple Marketing For Smart People by Billy Boras and Tiago Forte

The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition by Eliyahu Goldratt

Rolling Rocks Downhill by Clarke Ching

Kolbe.com | Home of the Kolbe A™ Index

Unique Ability | Find Your Purpose In Life And Define Your Best Self

Why Every Racoon Needs an Architect

The Bottleneck Detective Bootcamp (free email course)

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Hyperefficient by Mithu Storoni

Good Work by Paul Millerd

Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks

How to Manage Tasks in Obsidian | YouTube

Morgen Calendar and Task Manager

Motion

Clarke Ching | LinkedIn

CorkScrew Solutions: by Clarke Ching

The Bottleneck Rules by Clarke Ching

David & Mike discuss deliberate practice and the art of skill development — for both fun and profit.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Relay for St. Jude

LifeHQ | Practical PKM

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Peak by Anders Ericsson

Plotter USA

The Ugmonk Pen

Kuru Toga

Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks

Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves

Llama Life founder Marie Ng joins us to talk about the relative time-boxing, the importance of systems, and eating your productivity vegetables.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.

Guest Starring:

Marie Ng

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Relay for St. Jude

Two Years | 512 Pixels

Llama Life | Find Your Focus

TickTick

Todoist

Notion

Day One

Topo | The Not-Flat Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat

Analog™ by Ugmonk

Gather by Ugmonk

Focused #204: Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon

Plotter USA

Marie Ng 🦙 (@threehourcoffee) | Twitter

David & Mike consider the role of Margin, Ownership, and Boundaries in the pursuit of living a focused life.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
• Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Focus Like a Boss

Margin by Richard Swenson

Good Work with Barrett Brooks

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky

Focused #70: Digital Decluttering, with Shahid Kamal Ahmad

RØDECaster Duo

Totebook | Studio Neat

Plotter USA

The Ritual Effect by Michael Norton

Simple Marketing For Smart People by Billy Boras and Tiago Forte

David & Mike share the different ways they apply intentionality to their media consumption.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Hidden Genius by Polina Marinova Pompliano

Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal

Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Dune by Frank Herbert

Mike's Reading Workshop

Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Mike's Newsletter on The Creativity Flywheel

Focused #209: A System for Writing, with Bob Doto

A System for Writing by Bob Doto

Mike's Reading Workflow YouTube video

The Morality of Happiness by Julia Annas

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Mike's Bookworm podcast

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) | IMDb

Doc Martin | IMDb

Hypefury

Usagi Yojimbo

Blue Giant

Simple Marketing For Smart People by Billy Boras and Tiago Forte

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Writer Bob Doto joins us to discuss creative systems, connecting ideas, and why you really should care about zettlekasten.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Guest Starring:

Bob Doto

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

A System for Writing by Bob Doto

Bob Doto

How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Obsidian Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides

How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler

Linking Your Thinking with Nick Milo | YouTube

Zettelkasten Forum

Read Between the Lynes | Your Hometown Bookstore

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford

The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram

The Political Philosophy of Poststructuralist Anarchism by Todd May

Zettelkasten subreddit

David & Mike revisit the topic of moving the needle to discuss what's working and what's changed.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Focused #74: Moving the Needle

Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday

Good Work podcast with Barrett Brooks & Nathan Barry

Timing

How to Do Cal Newport Style Multi-Scale Planning in Obsidian | YouTube

Journaling in Obsidian Using Daily Questions | YouTube

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Simple Marketing For Smart People by Billy Boras and Tiago Forte

Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford

The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford

Mike's Reading Masterclass

The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

In this feedback episode, David & Mike revisit scheduling, journaling, delegation, and lots of listener thoughts on slow productivity.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
• Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

Focused #202: Slow Productivity

OmniFocus 4 Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides

Getaway House | Tiny Cabin Vacation Rentals

The Blanc Media 8-Week Work Cycle with Sabbaticals | The Focus Course

Day One Journal App | Your Journal For Life

Journaling Thread | MPU Talk

Mike's Journaling in Obsidian YouTube video

Rediscovering Ikigai: What We Got Wrong & How to Find Meaning in Life

Focused #203: The Little Lies You Tell Yourself, with Jason Snell

Mike's newsletter on Personal Retreats

Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Ethan Mollick | Substack

Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday