Introducing Focusmate: A Guide for the Uninitiated

Get ready for the most effective productivity tool on the planet.

Imagine if you could pick a time tomorrow when you could guarantee you’d be totally focused and bang out the most important thing on your to do list. What would you work on?

Now imagine if you could do that every day.

What difference would that make to your life?

Huge, right?

Well, that’s what will happen once you start using Focusmate.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Any time you want to get productive, you book a 1-hour session on the dashboard and get automatically matched with another user. You’ll receive a calendar invitation with a link for a video hangout.
  2. Then at the appointed time you both log on, commit to a specific task and quietly get to work with the video hangout in the background.

Each step is explained in a bit more detail below.

Step 1: Schedule a session request (in 2 clicks)

Schedule a Focusmate at any time when you want to be productive. Each session is 50 minutes.

You’ll receive a calendar invitation with a unique video link as soon as we match you with a partner.

Note: We’re still a small community so you won’t always get a partner. We’re growing fast, but in the meantime please be patient — my goal is that you love using Focusmate.

Try it for yourself now. Click to visit the Dashboard.

Step 2: Join the session and tell your partner what you’re going to work on

OK so now you’ve joined the video hangout, and you and your partner are about to get started. What next?

All you need to do is tell your partner what you’re going to work on. I suggest choosing the most important thing on your to do list. Then, write it down in the chat window.

I also find it helpful to list a very achievable task – instead of “create that marketing presentation” maybe pick “finish 1 slide” or “create a 10-slide outline.”

Your partner will do the same, and then you’ll get to work while respecting the Community Code of Conduct.

If/when you finish your first task, declare a new one to your partner and write it in the chat window. Only one task at a time, until the session is over.

Here are some final tips for getting the most out of Focusmate

DO:

  • Turn your video ON (don’t be shy). No one likes to hang out with a blank screen, and seeing one another will heighten the accountability.
  • Refresh your browser screen if you or your partner mysteriously gets booted off the video hangout. This is normal and a refresh usually does the trick.

DON’T:

  • Chit-chat. While it’s OK to say hello (please be friendly!), you will not be collaborating with your partner — you will simply be “hanging out” while you each get your work done. In fact, for your own good (and that of your partner) please keep the chit-chat to a minimum — after all you’re there to get stuff done!

That’s it! Now, you’re ready to book a session.

READ NEXT: Focusmate Community Code of Conduct.

Best,
taylor-signature

Founder & CEO

P.S. Let me personally show you the ropes? Book a session on my calendar here.

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