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A review by reba_reads_books
Make Time: How to beat distraction, build energy and focus on what matters every day by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky
Switched to book format from audiobook because I wasn't retaining much without the ability to skim things and take longhand notes. If you're a productivity nerd, this is required reading.
This book's concept of the busy bandwagon stuck with me, hard. I have always been that person who answers, "Busy." to the question of, "How's life?", and instead of that state of being improving as I've gotten older, it's worsened by, like, a hell of a lot. If there's only one message I could choose to summarize from this book, it would be that we are not failures for removing ourselves from the hive of busy bees. We are not losing anything but stress when we ditch the mentality that productive = busy and, therefore, relaxed = lazy. In fact, it is by approaching our days (and, therefore, our lives) with intentionality, that we discover flow and peace.
I've also read Cal Newport's [b:Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World|25744928|Deep Work Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World|Cal Newport|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447957962l/25744928._SY75_.jpg|45502249], and [b:Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day|37880811|Make Time How to Focus on What Matters Every Day|Jake Knapp|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524067121l/37880811._SY75_.jpg|59586061] mirrors Deep Work's message of respecting the tools of the modern world while setting strict boundaries around your use of them. You should be in control of your devices, not the other way around, and there's a lot of practical advice in here as to how exactly to do that everyday.
I appreciated the simplicity of this book's methodology. Deciding one singular highlight for each day based on urgency (short-term goals), satisfaction (long-term goals), or joy (exactly what it sounds like; happiness is just as important as productivity [monumental concept in a productivity guide, I know]); committing to achieving laser mode (flow) in pursuit of that highlight; committing to energizing your body and mind rather than running it ragged on the busy bandwagon; and committing to reflecting on your journey, so as to forgive yourself for being imperfect and to use the scientific method to fine tune which tactics work best for your specific lifeworld.
I also appreciated the flexibility of this book's methodology. If your highlight to laser mode into a work project fails, you're not a failure if you switch your highlight to joyfully engaging in family time when you get home. In many ways, this book helped me see that it is possible to find peace without giving up modern society to become a monk. Self-love, self-actualization, and gratitude...in bite-sized daily doses.
Here are some tactics I'd like to try:
- Making specific goals and boundaries around social media so as not to use it like an infinity pool
- Removing any app from my phone that functions purely as an infinity pool
- "To become a morning person, start with light, coffee, and something to do."
- Buying an analog (stealing Austin Kleon's phrasing here) wristwatch, timer, and alarm clock
- Turning off email notifications to break the habit of "instant response insanity" and instead scheduling time to check my inboxes
- Reflecting on which news is important to me and what is the best way to go about being informed rather than distracted and distraught
- Looking into [b:The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business|12609433|The Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business|Charles Duhigg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545854312l/12609433._SY75_.jpg|17624817]'s Habit Loop concept for the most difficult life changes
- Committing to waking up at the same time, daily; to a short exercise and writing/gratitude prompt every morning; and to no caffeine past 2:30pm
- Appreciating nature in at least some small way, daily
- Eating dinner with loved ones without TV, at least a few times weekly
I'm not going to make all of these changes overnight and not all of these changes will stick, but if I pick one highlight for each day, then I have the capacity for growth and peace over time. That's all anyone can hope for.
This book's concept of the busy bandwagon stuck with me, hard. I have always been that person who answers, "Busy." to the question of, "How's life?", and instead of that state of being improving as I've gotten older, it's worsened by, like, a hell of a lot. If there's only one message I could choose to summarize from this book, it would be that we are not failures for removing ourselves from the hive of busy bees. We are not losing anything but stress when we ditch the mentality that productive = busy and, therefore, relaxed = lazy. In fact, it is by approaching our days (and, therefore, our lives) with intentionality, that we discover flow and peace.
I've also read Cal Newport's [b:Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World|25744928|Deep Work Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World|Cal Newport|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447957962l/25744928._SY75_.jpg|45502249], and [b:Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day|37880811|Make Time How to Focus on What Matters Every Day|Jake Knapp|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1524067121l/37880811._SY75_.jpg|59586061] mirrors Deep Work's message of respecting the tools of the modern world while setting strict boundaries around your use of them. You should be in control of your devices, not the other way around, and there's a lot of practical advice in here as to how exactly to do that everyday.
I appreciated the simplicity of this book's methodology. Deciding one singular highlight for each day based on urgency (short-term goals), satisfaction (long-term goals), or joy (exactly what it sounds like; happiness is just as important as productivity [monumental concept in a productivity guide, I know]); committing to achieving laser mode (flow) in pursuit of that highlight; committing to energizing your body and mind rather than running it ragged on the busy bandwagon; and committing to reflecting on your journey, so as to forgive yourself for being imperfect and to use the scientific method to fine tune which tactics work best for your specific lifeworld.
I also appreciated the flexibility of this book's methodology. If your highlight to laser mode into a work project fails, you're not a failure if you switch your highlight to joyfully engaging in family time when you get home. In many ways, this book helped me see that it is possible to find peace without giving up modern society to become a monk. Self-love, self-actualization, and gratitude...in bite-sized daily doses.
Here are some tactics I'd like to try:
- Making specific goals and boundaries around social media so as not to use it like an infinity pool
- Removing any app from my phone that functions purely as an infinity pool
- "To become a morning person, start with light, coffee, and something to do."
- Buying an analog (stealing Austin Kleon's phrasing here) wristwatch, timer, and alarm clock
- Turning off email notifications to break the habit of "instant response insanity" and instead scheduling time to check my inboxes
- Reflecting on which news is important to me and what is the best way to go about being informed rather than distracted and distraught
- Looking into [b:The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business|12609433|The Power of Habit Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business|Charles Duhigg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1545854312l/12609433._SY75_.jpg|17624817]'s Habit Loop concept for the most difficult life changes
- Committing to waking up at the same time, daily; to a short exercise and writing/gratitude prompt every morning; and to no caffeine past 2:30pm
- Appreciating nature in at least some small way, daily
- Eating dinner with loved ones without TV, at least a few times weekly
I'm not going to make all of these changes overnight and not all of these changes will stick, but if I pick one highlight for each day, then I have the capacity for growth and peace over time. That's all anyone can hope for.