For the money, these Audyssey Bluetooth computer speakers are the best sounding, best looking, speakers you can buy. The little brother to this pair of white, bluetooth speakers, is the Audyssey Lower East Side Media Speaker. However, the white, bluetooth model has the same speaker components but they include (obviously) Bluetooth connectivity (in addition to […] »

Two fun facts… Did you know Plan Your Year started on accident? This is my wife, Anna. We live in Kansas City, but we’re both from Colorado. Years ago — long before this selfie — we were in Colorado for the holidays, visiting family at Christmas-time. I don’t remember the exact details, but I believe […] »

One of my favorite days of the year is here: The new Plan Your Year workbook for 2025 just dropped! And, for the next few days, you can save 50% when you bundle it with our new-and-improved Clear Action Planner! 👉 Click here to check it out now and get the deal. Plan Your Year […] »

Yes, yes, yes. I know, I know. I can hear you saying to me: Shawn! It's only the beginning of November! And there is a LOT going on. You are correct. It is, in fact, the beginning of November. And this, dear reader, is EXACTLY why I am hosting this free, online workshop for you. […] »

There are only two ways to Plan Your Year: Pick a random resolution during that one week in December/January when there are a million articles about it. Purposefully plan what you actually want to do (while there is time now to think clearly). Which method do you think is more effective? That’s why I’ve established […] »

A final reminder before time runs out… I’m closing down enrollment for this special Productivity Power Hour sale. If you want to save yourself some time, while getting lifetime access to Productivity Power Hour then it’s now or never. The price goes up tomorrow. Here is the link if you want to get it. The […] »

This will be our 9th time taking a group of creative professionals through the Focus Course Live program, and there is always one particular roadblock. “I just don’t have time right now.” (Ironically, there’s also no stronger sign that you need Focus Course Live than feeling like you don’t have time… but more on that […] »

For the past week, I’ve been telling you there’s still time to hit your goals in 2024. Thursday, I’m going to show you how to actually do it. You’re invited to join me for a free, live workshop called Get Your Crap Together: How to Simplify, Create Space, and Get Your Life Back on Track. […] »

Falling out of the sky at 120 miles-per-hour is something that I always assumed would actually feel like falling. Turns out… it doesn’t actually feel like falling. A few years back a few friends and I did went skydiving — doing tandem jumps from 14,000 feet. Sitting there at the airplane hangar door, as it […] »

Welcome to the monthly Focus Digest! This is for creative professionals and entrepreneurs looking to create a more ideal schedule, get organized, and stay in control of the things that matter. If you are new to the digest… here’s what to look forward to every month: A short article on a single concept around focus […] »

Ulysses has become the central spot for where I store all my notes, research, and other tidbits of inspiration. It's also where I toss all my writing ideas, and it’s where I actually do all my writing. Here's what it looks like... »

Welcome to July! This monthly digest is for creative professionals and small business owners looking to create a more ideal schedule, get organized, and stay in control of the things that matter. If you are new to the digest… here’s what to look forward to at the start of each month: A short article on a […] »

Time’s almost up! We’re kicking off the Build Your Dream Week Summit tomorrow, which means today is your last chance to enroll before the first workshop. Go here to save your spot now » If your weekly schedule feels unsustainable or unsatisfying and you want to experience a BIG change in it… This is your […] »

It’s the most common question I’ve heard since opening enrollment for the Build Your Dream Week Summit… “Why will this be ANY different?” You’ve tried the apps. You’ve tried time blocking. You’ve tried a dozen different routines and systems for getting your calendar under control. And yet you still struggle to dedicate time throughout the […] »

Think about your calendar for this week right now. Do you automatically tense up a little at the mere mention of it? So many people are swimming in tasks they either… Don’t want to do Don’t need to do (AKA things that can be delegated) Only do because they’re on autopilot The bad news: there […] »

Let’s get right into it. Today, we’re officially opening enrollment for the Build Your Dream Week Summit! Click here to save your spot and get all the details now. <<< The Build Your Dream Week Summit is a live, online workshop where you will create a personalized system for spending more time in the areas […] »

Having a super-detailed email folder structure used to be a big thing. But over the years, it seems like it has calmed down a bit. Some of you may have been taught that you should keep all your messages in individual, organized, folders. Such as storing all correspondence from your accountant in a specific folder, […] »

Are you at the mercy of your calendar right now? Stuck in calendar chaos? If so, there are 3 ways to free yourself up and restore sanity to your day-to-day. Two of them get discussed often (for good reason). And one of them gets consistently underestimated (for not-so-good reasons). I’ve listed them below. See if […] »

When I say the word “inbox,” what comes to your mind? For most people, it’s email, right? Email is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of checking our inbox. But the truth is that we all have multiple inboxes. An inbox is just anything that collects incoming bits of information that […] »

Welcome to May! This monthly digest is for folks who want to create a more ideal schedule, get organized, and stay in control of the things that matter. If you are new to the digest… here’s what to look forward to around the beginning of every month: A short article on a single concept around […] »

Welcome to April! This monthly digest is for folks who want to create a more ideal schedule, get organized, and stay in control of the things that matter. If you are new to the digest…here’s what to look forward to the first week of every month: A short article on a single concept around focus Links […] »

Toward the end of last year, I started a new early morning habit of writing every day. I used a few “habit building” tricks I’ve learned over the years. And, as a result, I was able to go from a blank page to a strong outline and nearly 40,000 words written. All in about 6 […] »

Welcome to March! Our monthly Focus Digest is for folks who want to create a more ideal schedule, get organized, and stay in control of the things that matter. If you are new to the digest… here’s what to look forward to at the beginning of the month: A short article on a single concept around […] »

There are pretty much only two ways to plan your week: Show up on Monday and find out what happens. Purposefully plan what you actually want and need to do. Which do you think is more effective? Yeah. That’s why I decided to create The Perfect Week Plan, live-online workshop. This is a brand-new training […] »

One of the most important concepts to learn as you figure out your 2024 plans comes from David Allen: "You can do anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want." [Free Workshop this Monday] »

I recently heard a surprising admission from a very successful CEO. »

Focus Course Live is the online coaching experience where I personally help you bring focus, breathing room, and clarity to your full-time life. »

Tomorrow, we open registration for our flagship coaching program — Focus Course Live. »

This will be a live-online workshop hosted by yours truly. During the workshop, I will take you through the entirety of the Plan Your Year workbook. We’ve done this four years in a row now, and it is so much fun. (See for yourself in the P.S.) »

This is the most affordable way to access every resource we have for living a more focused, productive life. »

Design your ideal week and accomplish your goals with the new, interactive digital planner. Based on a proven system for clarity, margin, and focus. »

Our free How to Plan Your Year workshop kicks off tomorrow at 2pm Eastern! »

The annual How to Plan Your Year workshop is next week. Here's the link to RSVP for free. »

Have you ever looked up the dictionary definition of “overwhelm”? It’s pretty intense, actually. bury or drown beneath a huge mass defeat completely give too much of a thing to someone If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then perhaps you feel as though you’ve been given too much. In fact, you’ve been given so much that you’re […] »

We’re officially in what I like to call “nervous laughter” season. Why? Because nervous laughter is the typical response when I ask people how the rest of the year is looking for them. We know the end of the year is getting close… But we also know there is a TON of work that remains […] »

It’s no secret that Notion is one of my favorite tools for managing ideas and notes. It’s also no secret that figuring out your own ideal Notion setup is… kind of a lot. You can spend so much time working ON your Notion workflows, that you end up never creating and working IN Notion. It’s […] »

We’re adding a brand-new Notion workshop to the Ideas-to-Action Focus Booster (get access inside the Focus Club membership)! It's going to help you turn Notion into your own personal idea incubator so you can accelerate your creative work. »

Announcement time! Today, we are opening the doors for enrollment in our all-new Focus Booster: Ideas-to-Action. Ideas-to-Action is a series of LIVE online workshops happening inside our membership community. You will double your creative output with a simple system for organizing — and acting on — your ideas. If you’re brimming with ideas but struggle […] »

In just a few hours… In today’s free workshop, you’re going to discover the key workflows for doing your best creative work — from writing, to fleshing out your ideas, and beyond. It’s called The Focused Writer: Improve Your Workflows, and it kicks off at 2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific / 6pm GMT. 👉 Click […] »

When you sit down to write (or do any other creative work), what typically happens first for you? Do you… Get going immediately, setting yourself up for a productive session? or… You procrastinate... Check your phone. Maybe dive back into research mode because you tell yourself you’re not “ready” yet. On Tuesday, I’m going to […] »

A few tips and tricks for improving the way you use the default email app on your iPhone and iPad. »

Have you ever sat down to do some writing and you’re just staring at the blank page? You’re stuck trying to come up with the idea, or you're ready to do the work and you’re just lost. It’s the worst. »

As someone who basically writes for a living, I find it very important to have undistracted time to actually do the work — the writing. This may seem obvious, but just because the time itself is set aside in my schedule or during my day, that doesn’t always mean that it’s going to be productive time. Being able to focus for an extended period of time without any distractions is actually becoming a very rare skill. This means that if it’s something you can figure out how to do, it actually can be to your competitive advantage. »

Have you ever looked up the dictionary definition of “overwhelm”? It’s actually pretty intense: bury or drown beneath a huge mass defeat completely give too much of a thing to someone If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then perhaps you feel as though you have been given too much. In fact, you’ve been given so much that […] »

Whenever I launch the Mail app on my Mac, I’m presented with a completely blank inbox. This is not because of an Inbox Zero strategy. Rather, I can search for any specific emails I may be wanting to get to, or write a new email completely undistracted by whatever is in my inbox. »

In just a few hours, I’m going live to show you a bulletproof approach for becoming more consistent with your most important habits and routines… …even if you’re battling a crazy schedule and more distractions than you can count. :) Join me live, TODAY… at 3pm Eastern / Noon Pacific / 7pm GMT for the […] »

Been more than 12 years now of running a thriving profitable business. 📶 🎉 It has not always been easy. And I rarely had the answers for what was next. But here we are. And I am having the most fun (and getting the most sleep) so far! There is one simple mantra has kept me […] »

Continuing in our series on focus and productivity, here we will dive in to see what’s holding you back from being efficient and intentional with your time, and the obstacles you face when trying to do focused, deep work. »

Clarity about what matters also gives clarity about what does not. Clarity is vital if you want to do deep work on a regular basis over the long run. »

I get asked this question all the time, and I have a somewhat bizarre answer. When people first hear it, they give me a weird look. But as I explain it, everything clicks. »

If your system is overly complex, you’re more likely to spend time tweaking it (or avoiding it) than…ya know…actually doing the work. »

As a chronic maximizer, here are a few reminders that I need from time to time. You don’t have to take action on every idea. There’s no need to push every project to the max; ship when things are useful. You can make a decision without knowing every last detail and option; action will bring […] »

How would you describe your average day? Is it busy and overwhelming? If so, here's why. »

Join us for a free, live class on restoring Margin and how to get back your time (and your life) starting now. »

You need input, advice, and inspiration in order to make decisions, come up with new ideas, and take action. »

Join me (Shawn) to find out how you can free yourself from overwhelm and restore margin to your week. »

The clock is ticking! Focus Academy enrollment closes tonight — which means you only have a few hours left to join our special January class before time runs out. The next time we open enrollment, two things will be true: The year will be more than halfway over. Our next class won’t be until later […] »

Raise your hand if your current schedule looks something like this: Adam shared this in the private Focus Academy Slack community during a previous Focus Academy class. (Reminder: enrollment for our January class closes in 5 days!) Keep in mind, that was just his work schedule. Imagine how it would look when factoring in family […] »

There are only four elements of a busted productivity system, and I want to show you how to avoid them altogether and stay on track with your tasks, your time, and your habits. If you want to accomplish anything (from the small things in your day, to the big things of life and career), then […] »

Today is December 30, which means two things: #1. You only have until midnight tonight to get The Personal Retreat Workshop + My Proven Productivity Templates Pack as a free bonus when you join Focus Academy. Focus Academy will give you the perfect plan for recharging and staying fresh throughout the year so you can […] »

Setting goals (especially the right goals) is a critical ingredient for unlocking more focus in your life. »

A blank canvas might make for a nice Hallmark card, but in my experience it’s actually one of the worst ways you can look at the new year. »

For as long as productivity nerds have roamed the earth, we’re argued about goals. What makes a good one? What makes a bad one? Are they even worth setting at all? But no time of the year sparks debate over these questions quite like the handful of weeks leading up to January. From now until […] »

If you want to make any type of progress in 2023, you need these two things: GOALS … that match with your values and vision SYSTEMS … that keep you moving forward I designed the Focus Course Digital Planner to give you the daily, weekly, and monthly systems you need. But those systems will struggle […] »

Join me tomorrow live at 2pm Eastern to show you a simple approach for planning your year — even if you hate planning or think goals are dumb. What: Live webinar, How to Plan Your Year When: Tomorrow — Thursday, Nov 17 @ 2pm Eastern Where: Online webinar broadcast (private link sent to folks who […] »

Before you tell me to calm down… Before you say it’s WAY too early to think about January… Hear me out. Because the truth, dear reader, is that there are only two ways to go about planning your upcoming year: Pick a random New Year’s resolution during that one week in December/January when there are […] »

In addition to giving you a distraction-free writing interface to help you get your words out onto the page, Ulysses also gives you several tools that will help you keep your writing organized. »

For the days when I have nothing interesting to write down, or when I just don’t feel like writing in Day One, I’ve got two easy ways to “phone it in” so to speak. »

In a recent edition of my weekly 2x2 newsletter, I shared a link to a cheeky article on the Guardian about 100 Ways to Improve Your Life Without Trying. »

Ever feel like the notes and ideas you capture are going in one ear and out the other? If so, you’re not alone. Over the past year we have been getting a slew of emails from readers regarding better note taking, writing, and idea management (and the apps that put idea management on steroids). One […] »

Today (Monday, Nov 29) is the last chance to get access to the entire Sweet Setup course library at our Black Friday promotion. Course Library by the numbers: 9 In-Depth Courses (See full list here) 175+ Lessons (Screencast walkthroughs, workflow training, and advanced coaching) 50+ Bonus Interviews, Setup Examples, and Articles 23 PDF Templates for […] »

In 2020, when quarantine hit, I bought myself a row machine. And when I do my workouts, I like to learn new things by watching videos. »

Right now you can get the entire TSS course library, bundled together, with a generous discount. »

For Black Friday at The Sweet Setup, we are bundling together our entire course library and offering it at a massive discount. »

Quick heads up: Today — Tuesday, 10 November — at 2pm CST I am hosting our November TSS webinar. I’ll be talking about how to plan your year. If you want to tune in live (or get the automatic replay link) then RSVP here. Hope to see you there! RSVP NOW »

A goal setting webinar to help you find the sweet spot of how you're spending your time and making sure that aligns with your values. Plus a bunch of stuff on goals and systems and showing up every day. »

I love asking myself, and others, this question: As you begin looking toward the next year, have you considered what you are NOT going to do? »

Free, live workshop with Shawn Blanc to cover planning, goal setting, and focus (even if you hate planning and think goals are dumb). »

An app for finding out about new albums from artists you actually want to follow. »

Don't be like me and spend years of your life doing productivity-whack-a-mole while you try to get this stuff figured out. I have condensed and cultivated everything I know about focus, time management, productivity, and work-life balance into this new, 4-week cohort: Focus Course Academy. »

David Sparks is the well-known co-host of both Mac Power Users and the Focused podcasts. He also writes a lot about workflows and productivity for folks who use Apple products. As a long-time friend and alumni member of The Focus Course, and was also recently one of our pilot members for the new Focus Academy. »

Our first impressions after 24 hours using the new photo sharing app, Glass. »

Come watch the live stream as Shawn migrates from Ulysses to Obsidian. »

We can imagine you may be on the fence about Obsidian and about the new course. There are a LOT of apps out there fore note taking, researching, writing, etc. Will this course be helpful to you? Is Obsidian the right app for you? »

We don't think you should be held back from the benefits of an app like this simply because you're not sure how to set it up or use it. Here is a full list of all the modules and lessons inside the new Obsidian course. »

The all-new master-course for Obsidian users (new and old alike). Finally organize your notes and ideas to make creative output easy. »

Notion can be a pain in the butt. It can also be the greatest thing ever. Here is how we are using Notion to build and ship our upcoming Obsidian course. »

Ever feel like the notes and ideas you capture are going in one ear and out the other? If so, you’re not alone. Recently we have been getting a slew of emails from readers recently regarding better note taking, writing, and idea management (and the apps that put idea management on steroids). One person shared […] »

Last call to register for this month's live TSS workshop about productivity apps and workflows, hosted by Shawn Blanc. »

When I sit down at my desk in the morning, it’s time to write. I’ve had this writing habit for more than a decade. It has certainly taken various forms, locations, and devices over the years. (Last year, when quarantine life kicked in, I began a 6am iPad writing habit.) Sometimes I’m in my office, […] »

You know that feeling when you're not sure if the apps you are using are the best ones for you? Join us for our next, monthly TSS workshop to go deep into the weeds of productivity apps and workflows. »

In our productivity flywheel, the fourth stage is to celebrate your progress. But sometimes this feels counterintuitive or inconvenient. Because when we want to be super duper productive, we often think that speed and efficiency are what matter most. Thus we get stuck in a loop of doing, doing, doing... without ever pausing to celebrate. »

To be candid, you can’t actually manage your time. You can only spend it. How then would you spend an extra 25 hours in your week? That’s basically an extra 3.5 hours added on to each day. Or one whole extra day each week! Seem impossible? Let’s break down an average week to see where […] »

Remove the mess and stress from organizing your schedule, and get back hours of your life each week. In our brand new course we'll help you win the game of time management. »

Join yours truly today for a live productivity workshop that will be all about how to better manage your tasks and your time! Because YOLO. Live-Online Productivity Workshop: March 18 @ 2pm EST with Shawn Blanc WHEN: Today! Thursday, 18 March at 2pm EDT WHERE: Live-online via Zoom (you’ll get the link once you’ve registered) […] »

In this article, I’m going to share two very important things for how to use your calendar: why your task list should be on your calendar, and how to get it there by using time blocking »

The Productivity workshop will show you how to improve your entire approach to task and time management. We will walk you through what we call the 4-Part Productivity Flywheel. There will be a combination of live training, Q&A discussion, and hands-on workflow templates. »

On Friday I shared with you my simple framework for keeping things on track. Lifestyle habits Daily Routine Process for focus Thanks to my habits, routines, and process I was able to survive an extremely difficult 8-weeks where we thought my wife might have Stage IV cancer. And, more than that, these things make up […] »

Sometimes in life you get to choose which area of life you'd like to focus on. And other times, life chooses for you. »

Find out our simple, 3-part structure for combining habits, routines, and templates to your advantage. We'll show you how the pieces fit together and how they can save you time and allow you the breathing room you need in order to give more attention to the most important areas of your life in this season. »

Right now you can get ALL of our courses, bundled together, for only $197. The total value of the bundle is $536, which makes this is a discount of 63%. BUY NOW $536  $197 This Complete Training Bundle is your chance to get instant access to every one of our training courses, for the price of […] »

There are some folks who say you ought to know your goals inside and out or else you’ll never accomplish them. Others advise against setting goals at all because you might not even accomplish them. Well....? Which is the right approach? Let's take a closer look. »

Get clear on what you value and where you're going. Use systems to help you stay on track. Optimize and refine. »

The hard truth about focus and overcoming the fear of missing out. What are you actively choose to do, or more importantly, NOT do? »

It feels like 2020 deposited a cloud of fog inside my brain. For one, there is all the crud and trauma that we have all had to deal with in 2020 so far, we’re not even through November yet. And, like many of you, I’ve had my fair share of additional challenges to work through […] »

Ulysses is one of the best writing and notes apps out there. And it keeps getting better and better. Watch the replay of our mini-masterclass webinar. »

When it comes building a daily writing habit — or any sort of endeavor for that matter — one of the biggest challenges is to keep showing up every day. »

At our next TSS webinar come to discover examples for better organization, faster idea capture, and even how to use Ulysses for improving your productivity. RSVP to get your link. »

For the past few weeks I have been experimenting with a Productivity Dashboard inside of Ulysses. Here's a look at what is good, and what's not good, about this setup. »

Widgets and custom app icons... »

Over 50 video lessons, all on demand, and all ready to go for you. »

All the details about the Calm Inbox course launch. »

The last thing you want when it comes to your email is what we call “Dual Focus”. Dual Focus is a waste of your time. Dual Focus is frustrating and annoying. For example: Dual Focus is when you are trying to have a Zoom meeting and your toddler busts into the room. Dual Focus is […] »

We've created a nifty quiz to help you determine which email app is best for you. »

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with email (and Twitter, too, for that matter). I love how they’ve allowed me to connect with folks, build friendships, and make things over the years, but I hate how email (and Twitter) can be such a draw for my attention and a distraction during my day. »

We recently switched from Basecamp to Notion for managing our content calendar. After two weeks, here are some of our initial thoughts and experiences. »

For the next three days, we’re offering two different packs for sale: An Ideas Pack and a Focus Pack. Each pack includes two courses for the price of one. »

Earlier this week we moved all of the planning and collaboration of our editorial calendar over to Notion. Here's why. »

This is part two from our Focused Writer webinar we hosted for The Sweet Setup community a while back. If you missed part one you'll want to go back and watch that first as the principles in this video build upon those laid out in the first part. »

Over the summer, there were a few days when my Apple Watch didn't charge, and it ruined my 2-year streak of perfect activity. »

We recently hosted a Focused Writer webinar for our Sweet Setup community. It was an hour-long call and it was jam-packed golden nuggets of writing wisdom. So much so, we decided to split up the replay into a couple different segments and share them here on the TSS blog for everyone who wasn’t able to […] »

If you’d like to get the updated version of Learn Ulysses then this is your last chance to get it at the best price. If you snag it now then you can still get access at the discounted launch price of just $79. But after today (Monday, July 20) the price will be going up […] »

When I am writing an article for my website or newsletter list, I try to focus on just that: writing. But the problem is that as I am writing, I am also thinking about what links, photos, or screenshots I want to add to the article. And there is usually at least a specific section that I know needs more writing or more research before it’s ready to go. »

The big update to our writing course, Learn Ulysses, is now live. »

We’ll be giving ideas for how you can wrangle the clutter and messiness of your unorganized ideas, notes, and articles, and we'll also be sharing some tips for how you can be more focused and productive during your writing time. »

This coming Wednesday, July 15, we are hosting our next TSS Webinar. This one is all about being a more productive and focused writer. The are a handful of common challenges that face just about anyone who does any sort of writing or note taking. But the good news is that they are surprisingly easy […] »

In this video I show you the five most valuable features of Ulysses that really help improve my usage of this app every day. »

We’ve begun work on an update to Learn Ulysses. This is one of our most popular courses, and it’s definitely my favorite here on TSS. I personally use Ulysses for so much, and I spend hours a day with it. So it’s a topic that I can very easily get nerdy about. »

Several months ago, I took all the apps on my Home screen and moved them over by one so that my first Home screen was blank. Now I’m trying something similar but different. I’ve placed just a few apps on the first Home screen, none of which have inboxes or infinity pools. »

The updates of iPadOS 14 feel like updates done by people who actually use their iPad, for people who use their iPad. There are a lot of thoughtful and exciting new features and refinements which not only improve the iPad experience right now, but continue to set the stage for future innovation as well. »

Here is the video recording of our initial WWDC 2020 Keynote reactions. Thanks for everyone who attended live. During this webcast we discussed our overall thoughts and impressions from the Keynote. (In our opinion, one of the most enjoyable and well-presented Apple keynotes of the past decade.) In our reactions webinar, Josh, Rose, Mike, and […] »

Next week is WWDC 2020, and it’s fixing to be a doozy. Will Apple be announcing new iMacs? What updates will there be to iPadOS now that it’s been a full year? What one more thing might there be? Apple’s main keynote presentation will be broadcast live at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern. And, about […] »

I’ve been a “habit nerd” for nearly 20 years. Routines have helped tremendously with my desire to keep areas of my life on track over the years. A few examples include things such as creating every day, a weekly date-night with my wife, an automatic saving and investing, consistent workouts. These certainly ebb and flow […] »

This coming Thursday, May 21 we are hosting our next TSS Webinar. This week is all about Productive Habits. And we’ll be sharing three ways that small routines can save you time and help create success in every area of your life. There will also be time for Live Q&A to talk about any questions […] »

For the past month I have been waking up at 6am to spend the first hour of my day writing without distraction. »

This week my friend Matt Ragland and I are hosting a webinar to talk about building a journaling habit. As I shared about in my story this morning, this is something that I have personally doubled down on over the past 60 days of life under quarantine, and it has helped me tremendously to deal […] »

Instead of going to Hawaii, we are staying home. My wife and I recently cancelled our 15-year anniversary trip to Hawaii. We’d been planning and saving for this trip since our 10-year anniversary. Alas, with the current state of the planet, we knew we’d have to cancel it, but we were putting it off. I […] »

If you are someone who is interested in photography… This week we are hosting a photography webinar to talk about shooting, editing, and workflows. Basically, it’s the in-house TSS photography team sharing some ways that you can improve your photography using the gear you already have. Marius Masalar will be giving some practical tips for […] »

We recently hosted a live webinar for the TSS community. In it, we covered some productivity misconceptions as well as a handful of quick-wins and workflow ideas that you can use right now. Here is the full video replay. »

We are excited to announce a brand-new timeblocking course, created just for the TSS community. Discover a simple and effective way to manage your tasks and your time. »

This season of life is getting nuts. It seems that by now, there should have been plenty of time for everyone to “figure out” working from home and homeschooling and never leaving your house… But has anyone really figured it out yet? I mean, come on. It’s bonkers. The truth is, you’re not exactly working […] »

Yesterday, my 3-year-old took an entire roll of blue ribbon and cut it up into about 10,000 tiny little strips and while walking all around the house. (At least it wasn’t the toilet paper.) Needless to say, for the past few weeks, I’ve been using even Day One more than I usually do. As far […] »

Last fall I committed to give a webinar presentation. And that presentation was yesterday (Tuesday, Feb 11). And, believe it or not, I didn’t actually put the presentation together until yesterday morning — just a few hours before it was due. But! It was not my fault… On Monday of this week, I was finally […] »

Today, we are finally opening the doors on our brand-new course for idea development. The course — Mastering Mind Maps — is all about how to manage and develop your ideas. And it is fantastic. Get Instant Access Based Your Feedback and Input Many of you may remember last year when we asked about the […] »

With the New Year at our door, I asked James to share his advice about how to start and build better habits. »

When it comes to getting your work done, there are few things more frustrating than having too much to do, and not enough time to do it. But… When you are clear and you have the time you need… it is liberating. That’s a huge part of my own “system” for managing tasks and time. […] »

The 2020 Focus Course Digital Planner is an interactive, digital planner meant to be used on a daily basis. And it is available now! Get Your Planner » The system in the planner is based on the proven ideas from our sister site’s flagship productivity course, The Focus Course. All you need to do is […] »

Just a friendly reminder that our Complete Training Bundle is about to go away. If you are wanting to get instant access to every single one of our courses, and take advantage of our Black Friday / Cyber Monday bundle, then this is your last chance. The promotional discount ends today: Monday, December 2 at […] »

Are you thinking of evaluating your task management system for the New Year? Here are a few quick tips for staying productive and focused. »

Right now you can get ALL of our courses, bundled together, for only $99. The total value of the bundle is $270, which makde this is a discount of 63%. BUY NOW $270  $99 This Complete Training Bundle is your chance to get instant access to every one of our training courses, for the price of […] »

Next week, for Black Friday, The Sweet Setup is putting together a massive deal. Later I’ll share a bit more of the “why”. But for now I’m just going to share the “what”. (We’ve never done a Black Friday deal before, so I wanted to give you a heads up.) In short, we are bundling […] »

Update: Thanks to everyone who joined us live. It was a blast. We had around 400 folks join us live for the call. We went through quite a bit of tips and tricks and also answered a whole bunch of questions around GoodNotes, iOS Shortcuts, productivity workflows, and more. During the webinar I got this […] »

Right now, in your pocket (or perhaps in your hand), you have access to the best-kept secret on your iOS device: An app called Shortcuts. The iOS Shortcuts app originally began as a third-party app, Workflow. Then, Apple bought it and re-released it in 2018 as Shortcuts — headlining it as a significant part of […] »

When it comes to juggling all the things in life, it can be a challenge. And so, who better to learn from than David Sparks? David — a.k.a. “MacSparky” — has a lot of spinning plates. David is a solo attorney, a prolific podcaster, a blogger, an author, a screencast tutorial maker, a dad, and […] »

As you may know, earlier this week we released our brand-new course that is all about GoodNotes. And the launch-week discount is ending later tonight, btw. The response to the new course has been amazing. A huge thanks to all of our readers who signed up for the course. I’ve been hearing from folks who […] »

Our brand-new course for GoodNotes is here. Featuring screencast tutorials as well as custom productivity templates. »

Just a quick heads-up that this coming Tuesday, August 27, we’ll be launching our brand-new course for GoodNotes.
 This course has everything you need to take your iPad usage to the next level. From screencasts for GoodNotes to our own library of templates. »

Over on our sister site, we’ve been hard at work building a new training: The Margin Course. »

There are only a few hours left to save 20% on our updated course, Day One in Depth. »

We just updated our Day One in Depth course to cover all the latest features of Day One for your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. We’ve also included a bunch of additional articles that are full of ideas, tips, workflows, and tutorials for how best to use Day One to suit your own needs. »

Over the past few weeks I’ve been experimenting with using GoodNotes on my iPad as a replacement for my physical notebook. »

The iPad is no longer seen as just a bigger piece of glass. Apple is making a commitment to bring consistent, device-specific updates to the iPad. »

As I type this, I’m en route to WWDC 2019. Here’s a look at the bag I’m bringing and the gear inside. »

Keyboard Maestro is one of the most powerful and awesome apps available for the Mac. One thing you can use Keyboard Maestro for is to apply global keyboard shortcuts that can then be used to trigger just about any sort of macro, action, or script that you want. For example, I have a hotkey set […] »

Today you can get our all-new video course, Learn Ulysses, and take your notes, ideas, and writing from scattered to structured. »

Are all the details about our brand-new Learn Ulysses course. »

A detailed look at how Shawn Blanc captures ideas and links and what the process looks like for moving those from the starting line of an idea to the finished product of a published article. »

These days I do just about everything from the iPad. iOS and the iPad have helped me to slow down, simplify, and focus more on the task at hand — especially when that task is writing. »

There are a handful of various tactics and systems I use on a regular basis to ensure that the important areas of my life are getting the time and attention I want to give them, and I'll be sharing them with you. »

If you're looking to do more writing as we begin 2019, I’d like to humbly suggest that you check out Ulysses. To help you get off to a great start, here are seven links to the best articles, tips, tricks, resources, and other how-tos that we have put together. »

I’ve gone all in with Apple Photos. And I’m going to tell you why... »

Shawn Blanc provides initial thoughts and feedback on the new 12.9" iPad Pro as it relates to his personal workflows for writing and photo editing, and he also answers some questions from readers about the switch to the new iPad Pro. »

Just a friendly reminder that today is the last day to get our brand-new Mobile Photography course at its special launch pricing. »

This iPhone photography tutorial by Erin Brooks shows how to use adjustable background blur (a.k.a. bokeh) on iPhone. This video is another sneak peek video from our brand-new course on Mobile Photography. In this tutorial, Erin is uses an app called Focos along with Lightroom Mobile. Focos has long provided the same adjustable background blur […] »

Our most ambitious training course yet. Mobile Photography teaches you everything you need to know to transform your photos from average to awesome! »

Our brand-new course is out, just in time for the new iPhones and iOS 12. Here are all the details and a full list of the table of contents. »

This iOS Photo Management tutorial is just one of the lessons from our upcoming course on mobile photography. »

After 3.5 years of using an Apple Watch every day, the new Apple Watch Series 4 is, without a doubt, the best Apple Watch yet. »

A screen and a camera. That’s the gist of an iPhone. On the front, you’ve got a screen. And on the back you’ve got a camera lens or two. And today, at Apple’s “Gather Round” event, they announced the new iPhones Xs which, of course, have better screens and better cameras than before. Yes, this […] »

There are quite a bit of exciting things happening over the next week, and in this post we want to try and communicate everything with you. »

Here is an outline of the process I use to get images onto my iPad, how I edit them, and why there are a lot of best practices that I’m intentionally bypassing. »

Special launch pricing for our 1Password course is ending tonight. »

The doors to our new course on 1Password are open. There are 14 video tutorials to help you discover all the amazing ways this app can save you time, energy, and keep your data safe. And, as with all our courses, you also get complete transcripts, downloadable HD files, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Get […] »

This Tuesday, August 14, our new course on 1Password will launch. Here are all the details. »

1Password is an essential, must-have app. Here’s a quick look at what all I store in 1Password and why it’s so helpful. »

Yesterday, Apple announced that it would be discontinuing its affiliate program for apps. Here's how it impacts The Sweet Setup: In short, it doesn't. »

Over on our sister site, we have been hard at work on a huge update to our popular class on time management. And the time has come… The new class is available now. There is a complete table of contents below, but some of the main themes addressed within the class include: How to get […] »

Each of the 3 new hallmark features — Screen Time, Notifications, Do Not Disturb — have multiple things you can do with them. Let’s go through each one to see what is going to be possible, and why it’s so awesome. »

We just opened up registration for our brand-new course, Day One in Depth. »

Big day tomorrow… Our brand-new course, Day One In Depth will be available. This new course is the most detailed and extensive guide to Day One there is. As I’ve said before, this app is one I’ve been using since it came out in 2011 and it has become one of the single most important […] »

As any long-time reader of this site will know, I am a huge fan of the app, Day One. A few years ago we had written a pretty great guide to Day One, and right now we’re wrapping up some HUGE updates to that guide. (More on that in a bit.) As part of our […] »

When we launched this website in the fall of 2013, we had just a handful of app reviews written: weather, calculator, calendar, and a few others. Of those first reviews, there was one in particular that I wanted to write myself: the pick for best journaling app. The pick was — and still is, of […] »

Discover how to take full advantage of the best task-management app our there, stay more focused, and be more productive every day. »

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb 13, our new productivity course, All the Things will be launching. Here are all the details. »

An effective way to ensure that any time you hit your hotkey to bring up the Quick Entry pane, you are guaranteed to get it even if Things is not running. (Also works with OmniFocus and Todoist.) »

There is a sort of inefficiency that comes with using both digital and analog tools for managing your tasks and your day. And that inefficiency is a feature, not a bug. »

Our brand new course, All the Things, launches on February 13, 2018. »

Today, the folks at Cultured Code released an update to Things that allows you to send emails to your Inbox. »

If there is one thing I have learned about focus and time management over the years, it is that how we spend our time and energy is an ever moving target. »

In partnership with our sister site, we just opened up registration for The Focus Course, our flagship training on productivity and time management. »

Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9:00 am EST, the Focus Course will be available. Here are all the details about the course, pricing, and more. »

When you’re over toward the left on the “un-focused” side of things, you don't feel in control — it's stressful. You don't feel like there is any breathing room. And you're so frequently responding to the urgent issues of others, that you lack any clear plan forward. »

Continuing in our partnership with our sister site, The Focus Course, here is the third and final video in a short series we've been doing on the topic of focus and productivity. »

As we continue this 3-part series, it's in this video that I reveal the “framework”I use to stay focused, organized, and on track with all the various areas of my life. It's what I call the 5 Components of a Focused Life. »

In partnership with our sister site, The Focus Course, we are kicking off a short video series on the topic of focus and productivity. »

In 2009, I went on an unexpected digital detox. My wife and I had booked a cabin for a week and when we arrived, I discovered there was no wifi or cell service… »

This year I have been experimenting with a completely different work schedule. And it has given me roughly 10x more time off than I used to take while simultaneously getting more accomplished at work. »

We have a brand-new tool that is our first collaboration between our two sister sites: The Focus Course and The Sweet Setup. It's called The Focus Quiz, and it's a personal productivity assessment. »

Let's discuss five of the most common pitfalls that will limit your results and cause immense friction and roadblocks to your workflows and systems. »

We hosted our first, live workshop for Sweet Setup readers. There were several hundred who joined us for live the workshop, and it was a blast! »

We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who has supported our work and helped to spread the word about Learn Ulysses. Here are some answers to a few common questions we’ve been getting over the past few days… »

Our brand-new course, Learn Ulysses, is now available. It sells for just $29. But right now to celebrate the launch week, you can get it for $23. Find Out More… Or click here to buy it now. Here’s what a few folks are saying: “This is so good! There is tons of useful information in […] »

Our new course launches in 24 hours. Here are all the details of what’s in the course and how much it costs. »

This short Ulysses workflow video shows how I have my Ulysses set up and how I use it on a day-to-day basis. »

Learn Ulysses launches in a week. Here are some fun and nerdy details about the work we’re doing behind the scenes to get things ready for you… »

Recently, quite a few folks have asked me how Ulysses and Day One compare and if one could replace the other. I think it will be easiest to answer this question by explaining how and why I use each of these apps. »

Earlier today, the team at Ulysses announced that their writing app is moving to a subscription pricing model. Here are all the details. »

The more you use Ulysses, the better it gets. Here are my seven favorite Ulysses superpowers. »

There are two ways to overcome writer’s procrastination, and one of them is knowing what to write next. Jeff Goins writing system helps with that. »

Since I frequently highlight passages in Instapaper, I wanted a way to automatically add those highlights directly into a folder within Ulysses for easier searching, tagging, and referencing. Good news… this is extremely easy to set up. »

Ease of input and powerful search are two important factors in a good notes / research app. While many apps excel at one or the other, few excel at both. »

An online summit featuring candid and powerful video conversations with some of the world's best creative entrepreneurs. »

Things like diligence, focus, priorities, saying no, time management, and the like are important. But why? This quote by Benjamin Franklin pretty much sums it up for me: “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.” Focus, priorities, time management, etc… These are important because they’re […] »

Bushel is a cloud-based management solution for the Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod devices in your workplace. »

Bushel is a cloud-based management solution for the Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod devices in your workplace. »

Two Dollar Tuesday presents Mac App Store apps every week for just $1.99 each—at discounts up to 95%. Today is our Best Apps of 2015 promo, featuring our the most popular apps we’ve promoted in 2015. »

The new Uuni 2 is a Wood-Fired Oven for pizza and beyond. Save $20 off your Uuni 2 with the code "thesweetsetup". »

​Magic Number — The most intuitive calculator. Exclusively for Mac. »

In an incredibly elegant and simple manner, timeshel helps create a monthly rhythm of printing photos — reconnecting us to the special experience of seeing our lives unfold in tangible form. »

With Day One, you can keep a consistent back up of your Day One database automatically. »

GMYLE’s marble pattern cases are built to protect your devices against the bangs and dings of everyday life in a chic manner. »

With Day One, there are many ways to view and filter your timeline of entries. We're going to show you how they all work, as well as how you can also mix and match for advanced filtering of your timeline view. »

There are many advantages to using a digital journal. Not only can it easily store photos, location data, timestamps, and more. It's also always with you (on your iPhone), your information is backed up and secure, and you can quickly search past entries. »

Make the most out of your journaling with our comprehensive guide. *Day One In Depth* is the most detailed and extensive guide to Day One available today. Featuring in-depth reviews that cover every function and feature found within Day One, our handbook goes line by line showing you how to make the most of this award-winning journaling app. »

Because I’ve put so much time and so many words into my Day One over the years, I wanted to share a bit of how and why I use it… »

Memopal allows you to have all the files you need on all your computers, always up to date on each computer. »

Word Vault is a beautiful dictionary for iPhone with personalized vocabulary reviews. »

An unordered list of the most noteworthy updates to our favorite apps »

If you deal with lots of tasks, files, notes, projects and clients, then you need to try Pagico. Pagico is elegant, powerful, easy-to-use and cross-platform. Try for free, and save 20% by the end of September. »

curbi gives parents peace of mind; providing the best solution so the entire family can enjoy the online world as much as the real world. »

The Smart SYSTM iPhone 6 case is the first in a series of premium solutions that keeps your device and content safe -- offering real protection through good design »

Dispatch is our pick for the best iPhone email app for power users, and today it received a nice update. Primarily, the app is now universal and works on the iPad. »

Mail Act-On lets you file any message in any mailbox quickly using the keyboard (and without any advance setup or tedious memorization). »

MailTags 4 is a powerful organizational tool for Apple Mail. »

Food. Fire. Uuni. »

Food. Fire. Uuni. »

Download entire playlists and channels from YouTube, with advanced subtitles downloads, and options for saving in HD or 4K quality. »

Let others know you're 'In The Zone' with a custom, wireless, LED 'Busy' sign from Wired In. Whether you work at home with kids, in an open office, or any team environment, Wired In protects important moments of focus from distraction. »

Tap Forms is a personal database app that comes ready to use with over 30 built-in forms. »

Outline and write everything with OmniOutliner for iOS, now available for iPhone. As a free update! »

HipChat combines every communication method you’d ever need—IM, group chat, screen sharing, file sharing, link sharing, video and voice calling—into a single solution. »

Easily show your friends who’s the Champ with the tournament management app you always wanted. For free! »

The fun, free way to play Apple news and rumors. »

The best way to promote your product, service, or company directly to our readership and site visitors is through a sponsorship of the site. »

Hand-crafted, opinionated Macintosh software for writers and thinkers, at great prices, direct from the designers, for just a few days longer. »

Take your business wherever it takes you. Nextiva Drive is a complete cloud storage and sync service designed just for business. »

curbi gives parents peace of mind; providing the best solution so the entire family can enjoy the online world as much as the real world. »

Here is a running list of our personal favorite apps on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The are the apps we, The Sweet Setup staff, use day in and day out for work and play. »

A simple and efficient text editing app for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Write something great today. »

About 40 awesome apps are on sale for an App Santa promotion. We've picked out a handful of the apps that recommend year-round, regardless of price. »

On sale this week. Unleash your inner organization freak with these ebooks, and maximize your Dropbox potential. Dropbox is not just a folder -- it’s a tool to simplify your work and personal life. »

iBank delivers the most complete suite of money management apps for Mac and iOS. It offers all the power and all the tools you’d expect from desktop financial software -- including bill pay, bank downloads, budgets, reports, investment support and more. »

Thanksgiving is here. We hope that for you this week will bring time with family, a lot of cooking, and (hopefully) some time to rest and relax. »

TOM BIHN has been designing and making backpacks and travel bags since 1972 -- it’s what they know. »

Just one long year ago today we launched The Sweet Setup. Our aim was to be the place you go when you (or your friends) want the best app for a certain category. That is still our aim. »

Yosemite is a conference for Apple designers, developers, and enthusiasts. It will be held next Spring, in the heart of Yosemite National Park. »

For fun, here's a behind the scenes rundown of everything found in the Hero Image used in our article for our favorite productivity app suite. »

With Igloo’s responsive design, your intranet can be fully optimized for almost any device you’re using. Almost everything you can do on your desktop, you can do on your tablet or phone. It will even work on your new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Boom. »

If you’re an agency owner you already know how hard it can be to manage your team and clients. Dashable has integrated the project management tools you use every day so your team doesn’t have to remember to fill out timesheets and instead they can focus on the work that really matters. »

With Igloo’s responsive design, your intranet can be fully optimized for almost any device you’re using. Almost everything you can do on your desktop, you can do on your tablet or phone. It will even work on your new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Boom. »

Many great app updates are shipping this week. We are collecting a list of the most notable updates and the best new apps for iOS 8. »

Rdio was updated with new features and a new free version that make it significantly better service for both paying and non-paying subscribers alike. »

Uuni 2: wood-fired perfection to your kitchen or garden this fall. »

The universal genius for photo editing, batch conversion, metadata editing, image browsing and much more »

No one wants a brick wallet weighing down their back. Here are some easy tips from Bellroy to slim down. »

Improve the productivity of your small business with the app that organizes everything in one place. »

Backblaze is unlimited, unthrottled, uncomplicated, and just $5/month. Try it free now! »

Lost Photos securely scans your email account for every photo you’ve ever sent or received, so you can save it back to your computer or share it on your favorite social network. »

JetPens is a web store that offers unique, high-quality writing instruments and office toys. Spend $25 and get a free Signo 0.38 fine-tip gel ink pen (Shawn's favorite pen). »

Minimal Reader is a lightweight and minimal RSS feed reading web service that you'll want to use everyday. »

Igloo, the intranet you'll actually like, is about to get better. »

Uuni 2: wood-fired perfection to your garden this summer. »

Lost Photos securely scans your email account for every photo you’ve ever sent or received, so you can save it back to your computer or share it on your favorite social network. »

Interested in promoting your awesome product, service, or company directly to our readership and site visitors? Great! We've recently changed our prices and options for advertising and sponsorships. »

Become a Making Light member and each month you'll get everything you need to Make Light. Carefully selected fragrances chosen to help you craft your own focused hours each day. »

If you'd like to promote your product, service, or company to our audience, now is a great time. »

Back up all your data with Backblaze online backup. It’s unlimited, unthrottled, uncomplicated, and unexpensive. »

Intensify by Macphun (named 2013 Best Mac App Store app by Apple) helps you reveal the hidden beauty of every pixel. »

Today, there's a significant update to Day One, our favorite journaling and logging app. The update is a new feature called Publish, and it lets you selectively share your Day One entries to the Web. »

Built with easy-to-use apps like shared calendars, Twitter-like microblogs, file sharing, and more. Everything you need is built-in, and everything is social. »

Create and send great looking email campaigns with Direct Mail, an easy-to-use, fully-featured email marketing app for OS X. »

Mac minis make great servers for all sorts of things, and Macminicolo has been hosting Mac minis in a very high end data center for over 9 years. »

The Glif is a smartphone accessory with two primary functions: mounting your phone onto a tripod, and propping your phone up at various angles. »

Doxie Go is the portable, rechargeable paper scanner that scans anywhere with no computer required, then syncs directly to your Mac. »

Back up all your data with Backblaze online backup. It’s unlimited, unthrottled, uncomplicated, and unexpensive. »

A new app review, an interview, and more. »

Doxie Go is the portable, rechargeable paper scanner that scans anywhere with no computer required, then syncs directly to your Mac. »

The Glif is a smartphone accessory with two primary functions: mounting your phone onto a tripod, and propping your phone up at various angles. The design is simple, yet out of this simple design emerges countless uses. »

Mac minis make great servers for all sorts of things. Macminicolo has been hosting Mac minis in a very high end data center for over 9 years. »

Back up all your data with Backblaze online backup. It’s unlimited, unthrottled, uncomplicated, and unexpensive. »

Doxie Go is the portable, rechargeable paper scanner that scans anywhere with no computer required, then syncs directly to your Mac. »

A list of our favorite games, the best iPad app for managing PDFs, a Sweet Setup interview with Matthew Panzarino, and more... »

There's an App Santa promotion running, and several of our favorite iOS developers have put their apps on sale for the holidays. Here are a few apps we heartily recommend, even when they're not on sale. »

Back up all your data with Backblaze online backup. It’s unlimited, unthrottled, uncomplicated, and unexpensive. »

Here are a few updates, deals, and new apps worth talking about. Including a sale on Day One, a new podcast client, and more. »

Mac minis make great servers for all sorts of things. Macminicolo has been hosting Mac minis in a very high end data center for over 9 years. »

Chris Gonzales lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and son. He's known for his site, Unretrofied, and is a daily contributor to Tools & Toys, a sister site to The Sweet Setup. »

To make OmniFocus more efficient, you can clean out completed items from your main database and move them to a separate "archive" database. »

The Glif is a smartphone accessory with two primary functions: mounting your phone onto a tripod, and propping your phone up at various angles. »

Matt Gemmell is a consultant user experience designer and software engineer, mostly for iOS apps. He's also a speaker and writer. »

Casey Liss is one-third of the Accidental Tech Podcast, with his friends Marco Arment and John Siracusa. During the day, he's a developer and corporate stooge, working at a small consultancy in Richmond, Virginia. Here's a look at his iPhone Home screen and his essential apps. »

Welcome! We're here because we enjoy spending an inordinate amount of time and energy to research, test, and find the very best apps. »

Ben spends his days listening to people complain, so he likes to complain on his weblog. He's also one of our contributing authors here at The Sweet Setup. »

My favorite place for the OS X Dock is on the right-side of the screen and pinned to the bottom. »

Rick Stawarz is an ex-Apple Genius who now runs an Apple tech company called Macinstructor, he's a pastor, and host of the Apple-centric Podcast, Farmer's Market. »

Pinboard is a great bookmarking service because it lives on the web, and so many of the apps and services I use every day can send bookmarks to my Pinboard. »

Here are a few apps that add significant functionality to your Mac that we believe every Mac user would benefit from. »