Note: this is a non-paid endorsement. I love this planner and I think you might like it too. That’s why I’m writing about it.
I’ve just discovered the Full Focus Planner and I love it. Designed by Michael Hyatt, the Full Focus Planner is a great tool to help you stay focused and productive while achieving your goals. Here’s why it works.
It’s Analog, Not Digital
According to Hyatt, research shows the value of so-called analog activities – essentially anything that does not involve a digital medium. Analog tasks like reading books, drawing, and handwriting are essential to help the brain concentrate while producing better memory and higher levels of focus. This rings true for me. I love sitting in a quiet place, figuring out my day, writing notes, lists, and ideas with ink and paper.
Granted, Hyatt suggests using a hybrid approach to planning, which involves the Full Focus Planner in addition to iCal or Google calendar and apps like Nozbe.
Goals Are Highly Prioritized
One of the key features of the planner is the priority it places on creating and setting goals for the day, week, weekend, quarter, and year. For the week and day, you decide on your “big 3,” these are the things that must be done this week or day. These tasks are often derived from the goals and objectives spelled out in your monthly and quarterly tasks.
It makes sense to me. For the longest time, I floated through my day without aim, just handling tasks before they became emergencies. Meanwhile, I was ignoring my own professional and personal goals. There’s nothing wrong with having goals but they only become reality when you create a plan to reach them. According to Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “a goal without a plan is only a wish.” So True.
Training Videos Included
One of the things I have appreciated is the additional video tutorials that Hyatt makes available for purchasers of the planner. There are 12 videos in all and they cover everything from best practices to creating daily rituals for morning and night. So much of what is included in the tutorial seems obvious but organized so that what seems obvious is now effective. It’s more than a Moleskine journal or notebook–it’s a system.
It’s High Quality
This planner looks amazing. It’s just the right size, with a beautifully bound cover, thick ivory-colored pages, and two smart book-mark ribbons that complement the package. It’s thicker than a traditional Moleskine but much smaller than a Franklin Planner or some type of binder-based planner that can be purchased at Office Depot or Target.
If there is a drawback to the system it’s that it only covers 3 months. That being said, a planner system like this would have to be about the size of an encyclopedia in order to last a whole year. It’s a little pricey, $37 each, but well worth it.
For those of you that are reading, I recommend you check it out.