Focus on This
Self-Improvement
About
Start loving Mondays! Join Marissa & Joel each week for practical strategies, weekly rhythms, and honest insights to help you slow down, show up, and live intentionally. Based on the proven Full Focus methods used in the Full Focus Planner™, each episode offers habits, mindset shifts, and real support so you can quiet the noise, follow through, and build a life that feels good to live. Ready to focus on what really matters?
Episodes
- What to Do When Life Hits the Fan?
Everyone has a plan until life punches them in the face. In this episode, Joel and Hannah tackle what to do when chaos strikes—a family crisis, a health scare, an unexpected bill, a work emergency—and how to stay productive, grounded, and…
- The Question That Cuts Through Everything
In this episode, Joel and Hannah explore the question "What's most important right now?" to help overcome overwhelm and focus on meaningful work. They discuss managing demands, prioritizing tasks, and making this question a daily habit for…
- The Human Superpower That's Making Life Harder
This episode discusses the neuroscience of mind reading, focusing on mirror neurons and the tendency to assume others' thoughts. Joel and Hannah explain how these assumptions can be flawed, costly, and lead to miscommunication, offering st…
- Procrastination: The Dungeons & Dragons Edition
This episode of Focus on This uses a Dungeons & Dragons framework to categorize procrastination into four types: Lawful Good (strategic delay), Lawful Evil (harmful delay), Chaotic Good (last-minute work), and Chaotic Evil (avoidant delay)…
- Gremlins!
This episode of Focus on This is an announcement regarding upcoming episodes scheduled for April 6th and April 13th.
- Work Is Never Finished (So Stop Waiting for It to Be)
This episode of Focus on This discusses the difficulty of ending the workday, especially with remote work blurring boundaries. Joel and Marissa offer strategies like scheduling a shutdown ritual and creating a deliberate transition to sign…
- The Deeper Problem with Distractions
You know what distracts you. But do you know why? In this episode, Joel and Marissa dig into the real source of distraction—and it's not your phone, your boss, or the pile of laundry calling your name. Nearly half the time, we're interrupt…
- Want to Succeed? Stop Thinking About Your Goal
What if the fastest way to reach your goals is to stop fixating on the finish line? In this episode, Marissa and Joel explain why goal-obsession leads to discouragement, procrastination, and rigidity — and why progress actually accelerates…
- Spring Clean Your Life (for Your Sanity)
Spring is a natural reset—and not just for your junk drawer. In this episode, Marissa and Joel explore what it looks like to spring clean your life by removing what’s creating friction: too many goals, overly complicated routines, and nagg…
- Breaking Out of “Busy” (Planning 2.0 Pt. 2)
Do your weeks feel overstuffed—even when you’re trying to be intentional? In part two of this series, Marissa and Joel finish their conversation on Elizabeth Stanley’s Planning 2.0 (from Widen the Window ) and get extremely practical: they…
- Moving From Anxiety to Peace (Planning 2.0 Pt. 1)
How do we cope with an unpredictable world? Most of us overplan—rehearsing scenarios and bracing for every outcome—and then wonder why we feel anxious. In this episode, Marissa and Joel contrast Planning 1.0 (fear-driven contingency planni…
- Your Energy Audit: Why Your Days Feel Harder Than They Should
You can’t manufacture more time—but you can restore and expand your energy. In this episode, Marissa and Joel explore the “time-energy paradox” and why so many productivity strategies backfire by leaving you exhausted. They unpack three ma…
- Your Worst Productivity Habit (It Isn’t Your Phone)
Most people blame their phones for their lack of productivity, but the real culprit is sneakier: overestimation. In this episode, Marissa and Joel unpack why we consistently plan for best-case scenarios and then spiral when real life doesn…
- Work with Your Season, Not Against It
Would you plant flowers in December—or plan a ski trip in June? Probably not. But many of us do the equivalent with our goals: we try to force outcomes that don’t match our actual capacity, energy, or reality. In this episode, Marissa and…
- Your Essential Year-End Reset
2025 probably didn’t go according to plan—and that’s exactly why it’s worth paying attention to. In this episode, Marissa and Joel walk you through a simple reflection process for the last 11 months: naming what worked, facing what hurt, a…
- Do Less and Enjoy More During the Holidays
The holidays can feel like a sprint with a suitcase. Marissa and Joel show you how to lighten the load with four concrete moves: define non-negotiables, eliminate what doesn’t matter, delegate what doesn’t require you, and (yes) procrastin…
- The Gratitude Advantage
As we head into Thanksgiving (in the United States), Joel and Marissa get practical about gratitude—the tiny habit that expands your perspective, steadies your pace, and strengthens relationships. From a coffee-cup thought experiment to a…
- Time Wasters Stealing Your Focus
Most stalled days aren’t about willpower—they’re about constant context-switching. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller break down the science of interruptions, how internal distractions amplify them, and practical ways to protec…
- How To Protect Your Priorities Before The Holidays Hit
Deadlines stack up. Daylight shrinks. Invitations multiply. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller show you how to defend what matters—at work and at home—so you can enjoy the season and finish the year well. You’ll get boundary sc…
- The Daily Big 3: Your Key to Sanity
Long lists create stress and scattered effort. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller show how the Daily Big 3 turns overwhelm into progress. You’ll learn a practical, repeatable way to choose three high-impact tasks each day—groun…
- The Double Win at Work and Home
Work–life balance is a baseline—flourishing is the goal. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller unpack the evolved Double Win: 6 life-giving practices that move you toward joy. You’ll learn why different generations get stuck in op…
- Winning Monday Starts on Sunday
Sunday scaries are real—but what if they don’t have to be? In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller show you exactly how to win every Monday by doing a Weekly Preview by Sundays. You’ll learn why “the scaries” happen, how to calm you…
- Fall Reset: How to Recalibrate for Q4
Q4 can feel like calendar compression—year-end deadlines, next-year planning, and nonstop personal commitments. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Joel Miller share a clear, compassionate plan to reset for fall. You’ll explore six Practice…
- Focus is Your Superpower
Focus on This is back with a brand-new season—and a brand-new co-host. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt welcomes Joel Miller, Chief Content Officer at Full Focus, to talk about why focus matters more than ever in 2025. Together, they unpack…
- Taking a Pause!
- 6 Questions to Level Up Your Next Quarter
The first quarter of 2025 is almost over. Are you where you thought you’d be? Whether you’re ahead of schedule or feeling behind, now’s the perfect time to reset. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire walk you through six essential…
- Need to Pivot Your Goals? Here’s How
We set goals—then life happens. So what do you do when you need to change course? In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire walk you through the four key elements you can revise when a goal isn’t working. Small changes can make a big d…
- Quitting: Why We Do It (And How to Stop)
We’ve all been there—excited to chase a big goal, only to quit when things get hard. Why do we do it? And, more importantly, what can we do about it? In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire take a vulnerable, insightful look at what…
- 4 Questions for Your Ritual Refresh
Struggling to stick to your daily rituals? You’re not alone. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire break down the four key rituals that set the tone for your day—and how to refresh them without overcomplicating things. Whether you…
- Spring Clean Your Life
We all know how to declutter a closet—but what about decluttering our to-do lists, calendars, opportunities, and even relationships? In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire share the power of the Not-To-Do List and how subtracting th…
- 10 Activities to Get Off Your Screens and Back to Real Life
We all love our devices—but let’s be real, they’re stealing more of our time and attention than we realize. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire share 10 simple, engaging activities that help you step away from your screen and rec…
- The Secret Sauce for Achieving Your 2025 Goals
Most people have already abandoned their 2025 goals—but that doesn’t have to be you. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire reveal the four key actions you need to take to guarantee your success this year. Whether you’ve fallen behi…
- Setting and Achieving #RelationshipGoals
Relationships are one of the most important areas of life—but they rarely get the same level of attention and intentionality as work or health. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire break down how to set and achieve meaningful rela…
- Building a Balanced Life: 9 Domains You Need
Are you building a life that feels balanced and fulfilling—or just busy? In this episode, Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire explore the nine life domains that influence your success, happiness, and well-being. You’ll learn how to assess where y…
- 3 Questions to Power Ongoing Growth
Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire finish out the month with a simple, transformative strategy: reflecting on your week to drive growth. They break down three simple questions to help you learn from your experiences, identify what’s working (and…
- Our Best Strategy for Living Less Stressed
Marissa Hyatt and Ken Freire are back in action for the new year! In this episode, they share their go-to strategy for reducing stress and achieving your goals with ease: the Daily Big 3. Learn how this simple yet effective system keeps yo…
- 3 Actions to Build Goal Momentum Today
The first few weeks of the year are critical for building momentum toward your goals—but how do you make progress that lasts? In this solo episode, host Ken Freire shares three simple actions to help you start strong and stay on track in 2…
- How to Avoid 4 Common Goal Setting Mistakes
The new year is here, and so is the opportunity to achieve your biggest goals. But too often, common mistakes hold us back. In this solo episode, host Ken Freire breaks down four goal-setting pitfalls and shares practical strategies to ove…
- A Visualization for Dreaming Bigger
Visualization can feel a bit “out there,” but it’s a secret weapon used by top athletes like Michael Phelps and LeBron James to focus on their future goals. In this episode, Marissa Hyatt leads a guided visualization exercise designed to h…
- Time to Triage Your Calendar
The holiday season is here, and with it comes packed schedules and mounting demands. In this solo episode, host Marissa Hyatt shares her four-step framework for performing a calendar triage that clears your schedule, reduces stress, and ma…
- 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the New Year
In this episode of Focus on This , Marissa and Ken dive into 10 thought-provoking questions to help you reflect on the past year and prepare for an intentional and successful 2025. From identifying what made you feel most like yourself to…
- End the Year Strong (And Set Yourself Up for Success in 2025)
In this episode, Marissa and Ken discuss four powerful actions to help you finish the year strong and set the stage for a successful 2025. They’ll help you narrow your focus, turn experience into a plan, power the energy you need—and use i…
- What to Do When You Miss a Goal
In this episode, Marissa and Ken dive into the universal experience of missing a goal, showing why even the most driven people face setbacks. They share strategies for navigating the emotions that come with falling short and explain how to…
- 4 Reasons People Quit Their Goals
In this episode, Marissa and Ken reveal the four most common reasons people abandon their goals and share strategies to overcome each one. They discuss practical ways to reignite motivation, stay realistic, beat overwhelm, and find the sup…
- 4 Fears Undermining Your Success
In this Halloween-themed episode, Marissa and Ken explore the four fears that might be quietly undermining your success. They discuss why fear is normal (and designed to keep us safe), but also how it can lead to inaction if left uncheck…
- 3 Changes to Embrace This Autumn
In this episode, Marissa and Ken explore the three key changes you need to embrace this autumn to end the year on a high note. To manage the end-of-year chaos, they explore how to move from burnout to balance, embrace "good enough" over pe…
- Powering Your Goal Achievement with AI
Everybody’s talking about it—and in this episode, Ken and Marissa join the AI conversation, exploring how you can leverage AI to power your goal success. From idea generation to staying on track with your goals, AI can be your secret weapo…
- 4 Boundaries to Protect Your Priorities (and Improve Results)
Boundaries might seem confining, but they are an indispensable tool for maximizing our contribution and stewarding our energy. After a brief hiatus, Ken is back, and in this episode, the duo discuss four essential boundaries that can help…
- 3 Tips for Building Habits That Stick
In this episode, Marissa Hyatt explores one of her favorite topics—habits! If you've struggled to make new habits stick, this episode is for you. Marissa walks through three actionable strategies to help you create habits that last. Whethe…
- Do Less and Achieve More in Q4
Are you feeling overwhelmed with your to-do list heading into Q4 Marissa is solo today as she discusses strategies for achieving productivity and success and counters the common belief that increased effort is necessary for success. In thi…