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A review by ovenbird_reads
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
3.0
There are some great tips in this book about how to get the most out of your time. The time log exercise has been particularly eye opening. Vanderkam takes a no-nonsense approach to time management and has no tolerance for people who claim not to have the time to accomplish their goals. She outlines a detailed plan for getting the most out of your professional and personal time--TV is out, exercise must be in.
I have a few issues with her book. The first is that she believes a high powered career that makes a giant difference to the betterment of the world is a requirement for all people in order to be happy. She states that any time spent at work that doesn't advance you towards a career goal is just wasted time. I'm not sure who she expects to pick up her garbage if everyone is supposed to be moving towards a position as CEO of a company that cures a new disease every day. She also doesn't see parenthood as a real career, and doesn't seem to condone stay-at-home parenting. She puts forth stats that show that stay-at-home parents barely spend more time with their kids than everyone else and so throws that out the window as a valid option. There is also a lot about outsourcing things like laundry, grocery shopping, and cleaning your house. Apparently if you want to be successful, happy, and use your time well you shouldn't be stooping to do any actual chores around your house. I'm not sure what she thinks of the people that you're hiring to do all these things.
If you can overlook the elitist aspects of this book though there are some good, concrete ideas for getting more out of your time. Ordering your groceries online, for example, can save time (commuting and wandering the aisles), money (on gas and impulse buys), and possibly the planet (fewer carbon emissions and if you join a CSA you can get local produce easily without treking to a farmer's market). She also points out ways to maximize small blocks of available free time. Overall I recommend reading this book, though you have to take her vaguely judgemental tone with a grain of salt.
I have a few issues with her book. The first is that she believes a high powered career that makes a giant difference to the betterment of the world is a requirement for all people in order to be happy. She states that any time spent at work that doesn't advance you towards a career goal is just wasted time. I'm not sure who she expects to pick up her garbage if everyone is supposed to be moving towards a position as CEO of a company that cures a new disease every day. She also doesn't see parenthood as a real career, and doesn't seem to condone stay-at-home parenting. She puts forth stats that show that stay-at-home parents barely spend more time with their kids than everyone else and so throws that out the window as a valid option. There is also a lot about outsourcing things like laundry, grocery shopping, and cleaning your house. Apparently if you want to be successful, happy, and use your time well you shouldn't be stooping to do any actual chores around your house. I'm not sure what she thinks of the people that you're hiring to do all these things.
If you can overlook the elitist aspects of this book though there are some good, concrete ideas for getting more out of your time. Ordering your groceries online, for example, can save time (commuting and wandering the aisles), money (on gas and impulse buys), and possibly the planet (fewer carbon emissions and if you join a CSA you can get local produce easily without treking to a farmer's market). She also points out ways to maximize small blocks of available free time. Overall I recommend reading this book, though you have to take her vaguely judgemental tone with a grain of salt.