Productivity systems for a more deliberate life.
The gist
Focused treats productivity as a human problem, not just an app problem. David Sparks, Mike Schmitz, and guests talk through week planning, task management, values, tools, and the recurring struggle to do meaningful work.
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About Focused
Focused is a productivity show built around attention, intention, and the systems people use when life keeps getting complicated. David Sparks and Mike Schmitz frame productivity as more than cranking widgets, and the episodes support that claim. The show talks about tools, but it does not stop at tools. Obsidian, NotePlan, text files, task systems, robot assistants, and connectors all appear as practical instruments rather than magic answers. One recent conversation with David Roth uses corporate law and high-stakes detail tracking to examine why reliable task management still matters after professional experience. Another episode turns the idea of a robot assistant into a conversation about donkey work: the tedious, repeatable labor that can be delegated only after a person has decided what actually matters. That distinction gives the show its backbone. Focused is interested in systems that serve a life, not systems that become the life. Week planning receives the same treatment, moving between tactical calendars, strategic priorities, and a broader multiscale planning habit. Guests broaden the lens. Joe Casabona brings solopreneur systems and the pressure to take time off without worry. Ernie Svensson connects focus to lawyers, technology, online community, and ongoing guidance. Chris Bailey brings values, intention stacks, and the difficulty of connecting daily action to deeper motivation. The show also makes room for reflection, joy, gratitude, midlife questions, and the language of heroic journeys without losing its practical center. Its pace is conversational and familiar, with recurring callbacks, sponsor breaks, and an extended Deep Focus version for subscribers. Listeners who enjoy PKM culture, productivity talk, and thoughtful planning methods will find plenty to work with. So will people who are less interested in perfect apps than in recovering agency over their week. Focused is best for builders, independent workers, lawyers, creators, managers, and reflective tool users who want their productivity systems to answer to their priorities.
Made for: Focused is for reflective productivity listeners who care about planning, task systems, PKM tools, and meaningful work. It especially suits creators, solopreneurs, lawyers, and tool-minded professionals who want structure without empty hustle.
What sets it apart: The show pairs detailed software and workflow talk with sustained questions about values, roles, attention, and purpose. Its strength is the way a task-management segment can become a grounded conversation about what deserves focus in the first place.
In their own words
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk through their successes and failures along the way. Hosted by David Sparks and Mike Schmitz.
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz connect practical productivity systems to reflection, values, meaningful work, and a more sustainable relationship with attention.
Focused keeps returning to a useful question: which commitments deserve attention before a system is built around them? David Sparks and Mike Schmitz approach productivity through reflective conversation, testing tools and routines against values, life roles, meaningful work,…
Why you'd press play
This is where your task system gets audited against your life roles, then handed some donkey work.
Press play if you want
- your productivity advice tested against what you actually value, not how many boxes you can tick
- David Sparks and Mike Schmitz comparing digital systems with index cards, notebooks, and honest second thoughts
Talks about
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Episodes
- 1
A Focus on Creativity
·1h 4m - 2
Donkey Work
·1h 15m - 3
The Little Lies You Tell Yourself, with Jason Snell
·1h 24m - 4
Slow Productivity
·1h 16m - 5
What to Do When Things Don't Go Your Way, with Haemin Sunim
·1h 11m - 6
Favorite Productivity Hacks
·1h 3m - 7
Repotting & Retirement, with Jim Eager
·1h 30m - 8
Revisiting Journaling
·1h 34m - 9
Not Throwing Away My Shot, with Joe Casabona
·1h 16m - 10
Planning Your Week
·1h 9m - 11
What if This Were Easy? with Ernie Svenson
·59m - 12
Seriously, A Heroic Journey
·58m - 13
Getting Intentional, with Chris Bailey
·1h 10m - 14
A Cleansing Palette of Joy
·1h 21m - 15
You're Holding It Wrong
·1h 13m - 16
The Single Source of Truth is On the Fridge, with Thom Gibson
·1h 21m - 17
The Case for Analog
·1h 10m - 18
Less But Better, with Austin L. Church
·1h 14m - 19
Q4 Planning
·1h 26m - 20
How to Focus Like a Roman Emperor, with Donald J. Robertson
·1h 34m - 21
Knitting Our Parachutes
·1h 31m - 22
Everything is Figureoutable, with Max Roberts
·1h 24m - 23
Focus Traps
·1h 12m - 24
Practical Wisdom for Mindful Living, with John Chandler
·1h 11m - 25
Intentional Friction
·59m - 26
I Wanna Be Me When I Grow Up, with Kara Monroe
·50m - 27
Useful Not True, with Derek Sivers
·1h 17m - 28
Overwhelm, AI, and Life's Balancing Acts
·1h 8m - 29
Workflow Check-In
·1h 3m - 30
Time Surfing, with Paul Loomans
·1h 12m - 31
Quarterly Planning
·1h 3m - 32
The Importance of Review
·1h 7m - 33
Tiny Experiments, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
·1h 10m - 34
Chasing Valuable Rabbits, with Chenell Basilio
·1h 17m - 35
Solving the Actual Problem, with Ian Byrd
·1h 1m - 36
The 2025 Productivity Field Guide
·59m - 37
Finding Focus in the Midst of Chaos, with David Roth
·1h 5m - 38
2024 Retrospective
·1h 4m - 39
A Focused Smorgasbord
·1h 20m - 40
Turning Down the Volume, with Stephen Hackett
·1h 25m - 41
The Anxious Generation
·1h 19m - 42
Wholehearted Transformation, with Amy Wicks
·1h 9m - 43
The Sparky Language Model
·1h 24m - 44
Solving Gnarly Problems, with Clarke Ching
·1h 20m - 45
Developing Skills
·1h 8m - 46
Living the Llama Life, with Marie Ng
·1h 23m - 47
The Focus MOB
·1h 28m - 48
Media Strategies for a Focused Life
·1h 22m - 49
A System for Writing, with Bob Doto
·1h 26m - 50
Moving the Needle Revisited
·1h 4m - 51
What Would Sparky Say?
·1h 16m - 52
Rapt
·1h 23m - 53
Tasks & Calendars
·1h 12m - 54
Feel Good Productivity
·1h 26m - 55
I'd Like to Take a Mulligan
·1h 4m - 56
The Problem with Mise en Place, with Justin Khanna
·1h 17m - 57
Flow State
·1h 9m - 58
Multi-Scale Planning
·1h 26m - 59
Overdosing on Gratitude, with Karl Staib
·1h 18m - 60
Focus & AI
·1h 34m - 61
Q4 Planning & The PKM Stack
·1h 23m - 62
Drop Zones & Launch Pads, with Jesse J. Anderson
·1h 22m - 63
The Burden of Opportunity, with Shawn Blanc
·1h 20m - 64
How to Be Miserable
·1h 24m - 65
Solving Problems, with Jay Clouse
·1h 8m - 66
Practicing Focus
·1h 21m - 67
Building Focused Flywheels, with Nathan Barry
·1h 16m - 68
Walking Your Own Path, with Justin Moore
·1h 27m - 69
A Focused Hodgepodge
·1h 18m - 70
Ideal Weeks
·1h 12m - 71
Mike's Big Adventure
·1h 16m - 72
The Care and Feeding of Technology, with Mike Rohde
·1h 29m - 73
Doing Less
·1h 18m - 74
The To-Don't List
·1h 12m - 75
Deep Work, with Cal Newport
·1h 12m - 76
Life Has Lifed You, with Mark Metzger
·1h 15m - 77
Journaling & Focus
·1h 24m - 78
Communication & Focus
·1h 27m - 79
Holistic Productivity, with Tim Stringer
·1h 26m - 80
How to Calm Your Mind, with Chris Bailey
·1h 24m - 81
2023 Focus Resolutions
·1h 4m - 82
2022 Year in Review
·1h 1m - 83
The Social Dilemma
·1h 12m - 84
On the River, with Chris Upchurch
·1h 19m - 85
Mind Mapping
·1h 11m - 86
The Laws of Creativity, with Joey Cofone
·1h 2m - 87
Perfectionism
·1h 4m - 88
Stolen Focus, with Jean MacDonald
·1h 22m - 89
Balancing Calendars and Tasks
·1h 18m - 90
The Art of Note-Taking
·1h 7m - 91
Humans First, with Rob Krecak
·1h 24m - 92
Non-Traditional Measures of Productivity, with Mike Vardy
·1h 29m - 93
The State of GTD
·1h 28m - 94
12 Favorite Problems
·1h 19m - 95
Building a Second Brain, with Tiago Forte
·1h 4m - 96
Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon
Jeff Sheldon discusses his journey from designer to entrepreneur, focusing on analog productivity tools and balancing analog and digital methods.
·1h 22m - 97
Journaling & Intention, with Joe Moyer
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz introduce guest Joe Moyer, discussing gardening and the origins of his newsletter 24 Letters.
·1h 20m - 98
The Productivity Field Guide
Mike Schmitz and David Sparks discuss the Productivity Field Guide and announce the upcoming Obsidian University cohort with a new PKM stack focus and included life theme cohort.
·1h 10m - 99
Fashionable & Functional, with Patrick Rhone
Mike Schmitz and David Sparks chat with Patrick Rhone about fashion and style, focusing on how small wardrobe upgrades can boost confidence and productivity.
·1h 23m - 100
Focus & The Reading Life, with Maryanne Wolf
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz interview cognitive scientist Maryanne Wolf about the reading brain and focus in a digital world.
·1h 19m - 101
Finding Focus in the Midst of Chaos, with David Roth
Hidden gemFocused brings Mike Schmitz, David Sparks, and corporate lawyer David Roth together around one problem: how to keep "speed plus accuracy" in a job where a comma can move millions of dollars.
Apr 7, 2026·1h 5m·4 clips - 102
Donkey Work
Hidden gemFocus centers on David Sparks's Robot Assistant Field Guide and Mike Schmitz's reaction to the idea that AI should handle donkey work instead of replacing human judgment.
Mar 24, 2026·1h 15m·5 clips - 103
Not Throwing Away My Shot, with Joe Casabona
Joe Casabona discusses how becoming a parent shifted his focus to building reliable systems for solopreneurs to take worry-free time off.
Mar 10, 2026·1h 16m - 104
Planning Your Week
David Sparks and Michael Schmitz discuss the importance of week planning within a multiscale productivity framework.
Feb 24, 2026·1h 9m - 105
What if This Were Easy? with Ernie Svenson
Mike Schmitz and David Sparks interview Ernie Svenson about his business Law Firm Autopilot and his approach to helping lawyers with technology and focus.
Feb 10, 2026·59m - 106
Seriously, A Heroic Journey
David Sparks and Mike Schmitz discuss the 2026 Productivity Field Guide, reframing personal development as a heroic journey drawn from Joseph Campbell's 12-step framework and Greek philosophical concepts like arete and eudaimonia.
Jan 27, 2026·58m·3 clips - 107
Getting Intentional, with Chris Bailey
Focused hosts David Sparks and Mike Schmitz interview Chris Bailey about his fourth book Intentional: How to Finish What You Start, which frames intentionality as a multi-level architecture from daily intentions up through values.
Jan 13, 2026·1h 10m·4 clips - 108
A Cleansing Palette of Joy
In this year-end reflection episode of the Focused Podcast, David Sparks and Mike Schmitz review what went well and what was unexpected in 2025.
Dec 30, 2025·1h 21m·5 clips - 109
Fashionable & Functional, with Patrick Rhone
Writer, tech consultant, and self-described 'Master Generalist' Patrick Rhone returns to the Focused podcast to talk with hosts David Sparks and Mike Schmitz about the varied projects that make up his working life, including restoring old homes (one bought for $7,200), volunteering as a rigger for St.
Dec 16, 2025·1h 23m·5 clips - 110
You're Holding It Wrong
Dec 2, 2025·1h 13m - 111
The Single Source of Truth is On the Fridge, with Thom Gibson
Nov 19, 2025·1h 21m - 112
The Case for Analog
Nov 4, 2025·1h 10m - 113
Less But Better, with Austin L. Church
Oct 21, 2025·1h 14m - 114
Q4 Planning
Oct 7, 2025·1h 26m - 115
How to Focus Like a Roman Emperor, with Donald J. Robertson
Sep 23, 2025·1h 34m - 116
Knitting Our Parachutes
Sep 10, 2025·1h 31m - 117
Everything is Figureoutable, with Max Roberts
Aug 26, 2025·1h 24m - 118
Focus Traps
Aug 12, 2025·1h 12m - 119
Practical Wisdom for Mindful Living, with John Chandler
Jul 29, 2025·1h 11m - 120
Intentional Friction
Jul 16, 2025·59m - 121
I Wanna Be Me When I Grow Up, with Kara Monroe
Jul 1, 2025·50m - 122
Useful Not True, with Derek Sivers
Jun 17, 2025·1h 17m - 123
Overwhelm, AI, and Life's Balancing Acts
Jun 3, 2025·1h 8m - 124
Journaling & Intention, with Joe Moyer
May 20, 2025·1h 20m - 125
Workflow Check-In
May 6, 2025·1h 3m - 126
Time Surfing, with Paul Loomans
Apr 22, 2025·1h 12m - 127
Quarterly Planning
Apr 8, 2025·1h 3m - 128
The Importance of Review
Mar 25, 2025·1h 7m - 129
Tiny Experiments, with Anne-Laure Le Cunff
Mar 12, 2025·1h 10m - 130
Chasing Valuable Rabbits, with Chenell Basilio
Feb 26, 2025·1h 17m - 131
Solving the Actual Problem, with Ian Byrd
Feb 11, 2025·1h 1m - 132
The 2025 Productivity Field Guide
Jan 28, 2025·59m - 133
A Focus on Creativity
Jan 14, 2025·1h 4m - 134
2024 Retrospective
Dec 31, 2024·1h 4m - 135
A Focused Smorgasbord
Dec 17, 2024·1h 20m - 136
Turning Down the Volume, with Stephen Hackett
Dec 3, 2024·1h 25m - 137
The Anxious Generation
Nov 19, 2024·1h 19m - 138
Wholehearted Transformation, with Amy Wicks
Nov 5, 2024·1h 9m - 139
The Sparky Language Model
Oct 22, 2024·1h 24m - 140
Solving Gnarly Problems, with Clarke Ching
Oct 8, 2024·1h 20m - 141
Developing Skills
Sep 24, 2024·1h 8m - 142
Living the Llama Life, with Marie Ng
Sep 10, 2024·1h 23m - 143
The Focus MOB
Aug 27, 2024·1h 28m - 144
Media Strategies for a Focused Life
Aug 13, 2024·1h 22m - 145
A System for Writing, with Bob Doto
Jul 30, 2024·1h 26m - 146
Moving the Needle Revisited
Jul 16, 2024·1h 4m - 147
What Would Sparky Say?
Jul 2, 2024·1h 16m - 148
Rapt
Jun 18, 2024·1h 23m - 149
Tasks & Calendars
Jun 4, 2024·1h 12m - 150
Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon
May 21, 2024·1h 22m