Free to Focus: Book Overview & Takeaways (Michael Hyatt)

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What’s Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt about? Do you struggle to be more productive, despite society telling you to achieve as much as possible? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt explains his definition of productivity, which emphasizes what you get done rather than how much you get done. He introduces the Productivity Matrix, a crucial tool for determining how you could spend your time more effectively. Read below for a brief Free to Focus book overview.

What Does Being Productive Mean? Michael Hyatt’s Definition

A man showing what being productive means by cleaning his home

What does being productive mean? What are the benefits of changing how you think about productivity? People generally think of productivity as getting a lot of things done, but Michael Hyatt disagrees. In his book Free to Focus, he defines productivity as getting the right things done.  Let’s look at Hyatt’s definition of productivity and how it can help you finish tasks in a meaningful way.

Freedom Compass: Its Purpose + How to Create & Use One

A man wearing a backpack looking at a freedom compass on a wall

What’s Michael Hyatt’s Freedom Compass? How can you determine which to-do tasks are more valuable than others? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt offers a tool called the Freedom Compass. Similar to the famous Eisenhower Priority Matrix, the Freedom Compass helps you evaluate the value of the things you do. Keep reading to learn how the Freedom Compass can change your life.

Productivity Matrix Template: An Easy Guide to Prioritizing Tasks

A woman looking at a wall of sticky notes to create a productivity matrix template

Do you want to create a Productivity Matrix, but don’t know where to start? What types of tasks require you to work harder? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt offers a Productivity Matrix that helps you evaluate tasks based on two criteria: interest and skill. Organizing your tasks this way will help you determine how much work is needed to accomplish each task. If you want to create your own Productivity Matrix, keep reading for an easy guide.

How to Stop Being Unproductive: Get Rid of Empty Activities

A man watching TV who needs to learn to stop being unproductive

Do you spend too much time doing activities that don’t benefit you? How can you choose your commitments more wisely? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt introduces a few strategies to increase your productivity. The first is to eliminate as many unproductive tasks as possible from your life.  Let’s discuss how to stop being unproductive, from removing meaningless activities to turning down requests. 

How to Set Priorities in Life: Decide What Meets Your Needs

A whiteboard with the word "PRIORITIES" on it to show how to set priorities in life

Are you having trouble determining what’s a priority? How do you decide if your commitments meet your needs? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt reminds you that you can only do one thing at a time and can’t accomplish everything. So, whenever you commit to doing something, you’re also opting not to do other things. Continue reading to learn how to set priorities in life that will benefit you.

How to Say No to People Without Hurting Their Feelings

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Are you a people pleaser who has to say “yes” to everything? When is the right time to say “no” to someone? It’s important to carefully choose your commitments. To help you do so, Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt offers some advice on how to effectively (but politely) turn people down.  Check out how to say no to people in the nicest way possible, without giving in to people-pleasing habits.

How to Delegate Tasks Effectively: Share the Responsibility

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What are the benefits of learning how to delegate tasks effectively? What are the different types of delegation? Getting rid of unproductive tasks can free up your time and energy for meaningful work. However, it’s most likely impossible to eliminate every activity outside of your Productivity Zone, which is why Michael Hyatt recommends another strategy in Free to Focus: letting other people handle tasks for you. Keep reading if you want to start delegating tasks to other people so you can take the pressure off yourself.

How to Automate Tasks: 3 Areas of Your Life to Make Easier

A man looking a wall of work and wondering how to automate tasks

Do you know how to automate tasks? Do you want to make your workflow easier to reduce stress? Unfortunately, in many cases, simple tasks that you need to do regularly take up a great deal of time that you’d prefer to spend on more meaningful work. In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt says that automation offers a powerful solution to this problem.  Let’s review three areas where automation can significantly reduce your mental load and boost your productivity.

Self-Automation: Completing Routines Without Wasting Energy

A man standing in front of a sunny window doing a routine out of self-automation

Do you have daily tasks that are taking up too much time in your day? How can you automate your everyday tasks? In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt suggests self-automation to spend less time on simple tasks. This strategy focuses on creating consistent habits and routines in your daily life. Check out how to self-automate routines so you don’t have to put meaningful time or energy into them.