In Tranquility by Tuesday, Laura Vanderkam offers a time management strategy based on a study of over 150 people. The book provides nine tried-and-true rules to help readers create a resilient schedule, prioritize their time, and live a more fulfilling life. It emphasizes the importance of strategic time management, setting realistic goals, and creating habits that promote joy and fulfillment. The book is designed to be practical and accessible, encouraging readers to implement changes gradually and celebrate their progress along the way.
In '168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think,' Laura Vanderkam challenges the common narrative that people are starved for time. After interviewing dozens of successful and happy individuals, she found that they allocate their time differently, prioritizing important activities over lesser ones. The book provides strategies for optimizing time use, such as logging your time, focusing on core competencies, outsourcing non-essential tasks, and making the most of downtime. Vanderkam argues that with careful planning and discipline, it is possible to sleep eight hours a night, exercise regularly, pursue hobbies, and maintain quality time for work, family, and other important aspects of life.
In 'The Corner Office,' Adam Bryant compiles insights from interviews with more than seventy CEOs, including Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Carol Bartz (Yahoo), Jeffrey Katzenberg (DreamWorks), and Alan Mulally (Ford). The book reveals the keys to success in the business world, including the five essential personality traits valued by high-performing executives. It demystifies the art of leadership and provides different perspectives on how to be a more effective leader and employee.
This book by Laura Vanderkam provides insights into the morning routines of highly successful people, highlighting how they use the early hours to advance their health, careers, and personal lives. Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research, Vanderkam argues that mornings are crucial for accomplishing important but non-urgent tasks that require internal motivation. She outlines a five-step process to help readers design and implement their own effective morning routines, including tracking time, picturing the perfect morning, thinking through logistics, building habits, and adjusting as necessary. The book emphasizes the importance of willpower and how it is more abundant in the morning, making it an ideal time for strategic work, nurturing relationships, and personal development[1][3][4].
In 'I Know How She Does It', Laura Vanderkam analyzes the time management strategies of highly successful women who earn at least $100,000 a year and have children under 18. The book is divided into three main sections: Work, Home, and Self. It provides insights and practical tips on how these women use their 168 hours each week to advance their careers, enjoy family activities, and pursue their passions. Vanderkam's research challenges conventional notions of time management, suggesting that by making conscious choices and using time productively, women can achieve a fulfilling balance between work and personal life.
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So many of us suffer over the issue of time management.
Our guest today approaches the topic from research and personal experience and dives into how we can think more strategically about our time and aspire to build resilient schedules, rather than perfect ones.
Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books. Her latest is Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company. Laura’s TED Talk on “How to Gain Control of Your Free Time” has been viewed more than 12 million times, and she also hosts the podcast Before Breakfast. Her previous books include Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done, I Know How She Does It: How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.
In this episode we talk about:
- Why time is the great leveler
- Why time management strategies aren’t only for people lucky enough to set their own schedules
- Why Laura’s number one rule in her book is to “give yourself a bedtime”
- Why she is a big believer that that weekends and evenings do not have to be work free zones
- How to use exercise as a reset button during your day
- Why creating a habit doesn’t have to mean doing it everyday
- The time management rule that Laura gets the biggest pushback on
- And the rule Laura says all the other rules are jealous of
Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/laura-vanderkam-606
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