--- title: 'Focus Mode for the Defiant' date: 2025-01-21 excerpt: 'How free will fuels creativity, and how to stay on task with purpose.' tags: [tools, philosophy, founder] canonical: https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/focus-mode-for-the-defiant --- # Focus Mode for the Defiant ## The Big Idea When you carve out focused time for your work, you're making a statement. This week, let's harness that power and explore how to stay on task with purpose. ## Focus Mode for the Defiant Founders who actually *build* things are a special type. You are making a statement: you've found a problem worth solving, and you're using some of your limited time on this earth to solve it. Everyone's time is limited, and the act of building something is a display of your priorities -- so don't waste it on distractions. When you focus your time and energy on creating, you're asserting your free will in the most powerful way possible. This week, let's talk about how to stay on task and bring your boldest ideas to life. Let's talk about *focus mode.* ## Practical Tips for focusing A funny thing about my role at [Craftwork](https://craftwork.com) is that the more we grow, the *less* time I have to do "typical" work - my days lately are spent focused on strategy, hiring, scaling, and unblocking my teammates. This means I get precious little time to *write code* - which makes it all the more important that I make the most of the time I do have. I use a few strategies to carve out focus time, to eliminate distractions, and to make use of the limited time I have to be productive each day. - **Scheduling Focus Blocks:** I set aside 90-180 minute blocks each week for deep work. These uninterrupted periods are when I do my best thinking. - **Notification Detox:** I turn off non-essential notifications -- all the time, 24/7. This helps me stay in control of my time and attention. Rather than get sidetracked by an email coming in, I check email when it's productive for *me* to do so. - **Do Not Disturb Mode:** To further manage notifications, I flip on *Do not Disturb* on my laptop and my phone - this further cinches down notifications, and helps me stay focused. I usually do this with a set end time, so that I can focus on the task at hand. - **A literal, physical timer:** When working through tasks that are mentally taxing, I use a minimalist desk timer from [TIME TIMER](https://amzn.to/3PPRKBT) as a visual reminder to keep me on track. ## The Importance of Focus It is *extremely* easy to waste away your days with notifications, social media apps, and other distractions. Founders who *get things done* are the ones who have learned to focus. It is a skill, and it requires practice. Moving the needle every day is the difference between a *wantrepreneur* and a *founder*. Don't let distractions get in the way of your focus. ## Focused learning for existential awareness - What if maps were made to show the *time it takes* to travel between points? YouTuber [Vaclav Volhejn explores this idea](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC2VQ-oyDG0) with a fascinating visualization built in TypeScript. - Creator of Million.js, Aiden Bai has been producing an incredible series of videos about how browsers work - his recent entry on [how browsers "paint" HTML](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBkFjlPWpZ8) goes far deeper into browser rendering than I ever thought about. ## The Spinal Column 🩻 *Because staying informed is an excellent use of vertebrae.* *This is a new segment for Tiny Improvements. I thought it would be helpful to share \_one* link related to current events that I've found interesting, educational, or poignant. I'd love to hear what you think - hit reply and let me know.\_ On a recent episode of the podcast Opening Arguments, the hosts dive into a sobering truth: the US president is now above the law. We're in uncharted territory, facing a challenging four years ahead. Listen to it here: [We (Disrespectfully) Dissent](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5DD95dTspKjSOyKUPzZhpT?si=4544c33d9fe04f6a) Thanks for tuning in. Keep pushing boundaries - and give 'em hell! ## More from mikebifulco.com - [Lessons I Learned the Hard Way](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/lessons-i-learned-the-hard-way) - [My 2026 Developer Tech Stack](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/developer-product-engineer-tech-stack-2026) - [You Built It. They Didn’t Come.](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/product-is-a-signal) --- Written by Mike Bifulco. Originally published at https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter/focus-mode-for-the-defiant