7 Ways to Use Freedom to Do the Things That Matter Most

3 Mar 2017

Freedom was created by our CEO Fred Stutzman in order to help him avoid distractions and be more productive while writing his PhD. However, since releasing the new Freedom platform, our diverse and talented Freedom community has found many ways to use Freedom other than just to improve their productivity at work.

Instead of us coming up with ways to use Freedom, we figured we’d step aside and let our users share the many ways that they are using Freedom to live happier, healthier, more fulfilled lives.

PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK

Fiction Writer Deborah Willis on Becoming a Writer, Distractions, and Retraining Her Brain

14 Feb 2017

At Freedom we love our users – not just because they use our product but because they’re cool – cool people working on cool stuff. Academy Award-nominated screenwriters, best-selling authors, editors, designers, star TV actors & writers, academic researchers, and entrepreneurs – the Freedom community is packed with curious, creative, and efficient go-getters. We love to share their stories and advice, because how better to learn about productivity than from the productive?

This week’s Freedom spotlight goes to award-winning fiction writer Deborah Willis. Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, Willis’ stories have received various awards and have appeared in The Iowa Review, The Virginia Quarterly, Lucky Peach, and Zoetrope. Her first book, Vanishing and Other Stories, was called one of the best books of 2010 by NPR and praised by Alice Munro for its “range and depth…clarity and deftness.” Her latest collection of fiction, The Dark and Other Love Stories is set to release today, so be sure to check out her website at deborahwillis.ca to learn more!

How did you reach this point in your professional life? What led you to do what you do today?

J.T. Ellison: Productivity Advice, Work-life Balance, and A Million Books in Print

16 Jun 2016

MEET J.T. ELLISON (AGAIN!)

Known for her dark psychological thrillers, J.T. Ellison is the New York Times bestselling author of fifteen critically acclaimed novels, including WHAT LIES BEHIND, WHEN SHADOWS FALL, and ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS. She is also the coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series with #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter.

With over a million books in print, Ellison’s work has been published in twenty-five countries and thirteen languages. Her latest thriller, FIELD OF GRAVES, is set to release this June 14, and has already received rave reviews – (read the first chapter – here!)

With over 30 novels and short stories written and published, we figured we’d let her tell you how she finds the time and focus to make it all happen!

Did you miss Part 1 of the interview? Check it out here! Read more

NYT Best-Selling Author J.T. Ellison on Her Latest Thriller, Afternoon Productivity, and Favorite Tools

14 Jun 2016

Meet J.T. Ellison.

Known for her dark psychological thrillers, J.T. Ellison is the New York Times bestselling author of fifteen critically acclaimed novels, including WHAT LIES BEHIND, WHEN SHADOWS FALL, and ALL THE PRETTY GIRLS. She is also the coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series with #1 New York Times bestselling author Catherine Coulter.

With over a million books in print, Ellison’s work has been published in twenty-five countries and thirteen languages. Her latest thriller, FIELD OF GRAVES, is set to release this June 14, and has already received rave reviews – (read the first chapter – here!)

With over 30 novels and short stories written and published, we figured we’d let her tell you how she finds the time and focus to do it all!

Also make sure you stay tuned for Part 2 later this week! Read more

Freedom Talk: Habits, Tips, & Tools

8 Jun 2016

At Freedom we are lucky to have many of our users write about their experience. From tweets to published articles – the Freedom community is buzzing with productivity strategy, advice, and experiments for a more focused, fulfilled life.

Whether you need tips for working from home, an extra hour in your day, or help fighting your FOMO (fear of missing out), these articles have you covered. It’s not just about blocking sites and apps, it’s about making time for things that matter. These articles kept us inspired and learning and we hope they do the same for you! Read more

PhD-writing expert, Amber Jane Davis, on staying focused, motivated, and connected

11 Apr 2016

Women’s History month may be over, but we don’t think it’s ever a bad time to share the stories and advice of some of the brilliant women in our Freedom community who are using their freedom to shape the world every single day.

Meet Amber Jane Davis. Political scientist, PhD coach, and hardcore academic.

Learning from her own personal struggles of writing a PhD while recovering from Lyme disease, Davis was able to create the six-week HappyPhD Online Course, which coaches PhD students through all the typical pain points of writing a PhD. Her course focuses on creating sustainable working routines, improving focus, handling the emotional toll, and staying motivated.

If you’d like to learn more about Amber, her story, or her classes – click here. Read more

Part 2: Eloisa James on Combatting Distraction, Best Career Advice, and Her New Novel

6 Apr 2016

Women’s History Month may be over, but we don’t think it’s ever a bad time to spotlight some of the incredible women in our Freedom community.

One such woman, is Mary Bly, also known as best-selling romance writer Eloisa James. A graduate of Harvard, Oxford, and Yale, (and that’s just the start of her resume), she is a 21-time NY Times best-seller and tenured Shakespeare professor at Fordham University. A writer, professor, businesswomen, and mother of two, with phenomenal experience and credentials, we figured we’d let her explain just how she manages to find the time and focus to do it all.

With so much good stuff to say, we had to split her interview into two parts – the first of which you can read here! Read more

What a Graduate of Harvard, Oxford, and Yale Has to Say on Writing Romance, Struggles of a Woman, and Being A 21-Time NYT Best-seller

28 Mar 2016

In celebration and recognition of Women’s History Month, we wanted to spotlight some of the tremendously talented women within the Freedom community who are using their Freedom to shape the world each and every day.

One such woman, is Mary Bly, also known as best-selling romance writer Eloisa James. A graduate of Harvard, Oxford, and Yale, (and that’s just the start of her resume), she is a 21-time NY Times best-seller and tenured Shakespeare professor at Fordham University. A writer, professor, businesswomen, and mother of two, with phenomenal experience and credentials, we figured we’d let her explain just how she manages to find the time and focus to do it all.

With so much good stuff to say, we’ll be breaking Eloisa’s interview into parts 1 & 2. You can now read part 2 here! Read more

NY Times Best-selling Author Maile Meloy on Becoming A Writer, Her Productivity Process, and 2016

18 Mar 2016

Meet Maile Meloy – (pronounced MY-lee). She is a NY Times best-selling author of adult and children’s fiction fiction and another brilliantly talented member of the Freedom community. Her written works include The Apothecary trilogy for children, Liars and Saints and A Family Daughter, as well as story collections such as Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It, Her writing has earned her a multitude of awards and rave reviews such as Best Young American Novelist by Granta, The Paris Review’s Aga Khan Prize for Fiction, and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Story – just to name a few.

With all of that under her belt, we figured we would just step aside and let her give the advice on how to be most productive. Read more

Alexander T. George on the print industry, staying productive, and biggest career mistakes made

26 Feb 2016

At Freedom we love our users – not just because they use our product but because they’re cool – cool people working on cool stuff. Academy Award-nominated screenwriters, best-selling authors, editors, designers, star TV actors & writers, academic researchers and entrepreneurs – the Freedom community is packed with curious, creative, and efficient go-getters. We love to share their stories and advice. Because who better to learn about productivity than from the productive!

Here’s one such user. Meet Alexander T. George. He’s a Columbia Journalism School alum currently working as a tech + cars editor for Popular Mechanics magazine – a publication driven by innovation and curiosity. At work he craves novelty and adventure, and uses Freedom to block distractions from getting in the way. Before starting work at Popular Mechanics, George was also a contributor to other noted publications such as Wired, The WSJ, Dwell, and Outside. Here’s what he has to say about biggest career mistakes made, why he’s excited about the print industry, how he maintains his focus, and his productivity playlist. Read more