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Sometimes life feels like one big, never-ending to-do list. And as much as you try, you realize you’ll never get EVERYTHING done.
My guest today, John Zeratsky, shares how to create focus around the things that matter most, so you can take control of your time and your life.
John and I discuss how to identify tasks and goals that are worth focusing on, how to eliminate distractions, how to create energy to tackle your goals, and much more.
Each day, you should have one thing you prioritize and protect on your calendar….”
John Zeratsky
John Zeratsky was a designer in the tech industry who became obsessed with the idea of redesigning time. He is the bestselling author of Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days and Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day.
John’s writing has been published by The Wall Street Journal, TIME, Harvard Business Review, Wired, Fast Company, and many other publications. John has appeared on stage more than 100 times, including at Harvard University, IDEO, and the Code Conference.
For nearly 15 years, John was a designer for technology companies. At Google Ventures, he helped develop the design sprint process and worked with close to 200 startups, including Uber, Slack, Flatiron Health, Pocket, Foundation Medicine, One Medical Group, and Nest. Previously, John was a designer at YouTube and Google, and an early employee at FeedBurner, which Google acquired in 2007.
Episode Highlights
- The importance of “redesigning time”
- Why being more “productive” and cramming more into every hour is rarely the answer
- Each day you should have one thing you prioritize and protect
- Why forgetting about your goals and focusing on the present can actually help you achieve more
- “Quit while you’re going good”
- Replacing the to do list with a “might do” list
- Shifting the focus on habits and mindsets
- How to minimize distractions and create the right environment for focus
- The importance of recognizing norms and defaults and challenging them
- Why you can’t ignore the connection between mind and body
- By reflecting on your system, you can continually improve
Resources Mentioned
- Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day
- Mindset, by Carol Dweck
