Memoir Nation Laura Vanderkam on Making Time to Write (JanYourStory Prep)
Laura Vanderkam, a renowned author and time-management expert, shares her game-changing strategies for finding time to write amidst life's chaos. She emphasizes the power of viewing time in weeks rather than days, helping writers uncover hidden hours. Vanderkam advocates for utilizing 'time confetti'—those small pockets of time—to make consistent progress. She also discusses the importance of quantity over perfection in writing and offers practical tips on creating rituals and accountability systems to foster a productive writing practice.
31:50
Go On A Time Hunt
- Hunt your time by tracking it in short increments to find what you can give up.
- Consider sacrifices like social media, waking earlier, or power weekend sessions to free writing hours.
Toni Morrison's 15-Minute Habit
- Grant recounts Toni Morrison writing her first novel in 15 minutes a day while a single mother.
- He uses this to show how small daily chunks can produce a full book over time.
Emotions Drive Time Decisions
- Emotional drivers shape time choices as much as logic does.
- Grant admits he lets email provide quick reinforcement, displacing his creative time.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
Why time management matters for writing
03:22 • 2min
Brooke and Grant’s personal time habits
05:22 • 3min
Neglecting the right things to write
08:38 • 3min
Ad break
11:55 • 54sec
Laura Vanderkam introduction and credentials
12:49 • 43sec
Think in weeks: the 168-hour mindset
13:32 • 2min
How much time to make book progress
15:34 • 1min
Using pockets of time for creative work
16:52 • 3min
Quantity over perfection for improving craft
19:36 • 1min
How to overcome resistance and start
20:58 • 2min
Weekly planning and backup sessions
23:06 • 2min
Rituals and accountability to systematize writing
25:20 • 1min
Using time confetti productively
26:28 • 2min
Ad break
28:43 • 11sec
Hosts reflect: applying Laura’s math
28:54 • 2min
Outro
31:16 • 23sec
#94
• Mentioned in 164 episodes
4,000 Weeks
Time Management for Mortals
Oliver Burkeman
#9284
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
Laura Vanderkam
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.
#3110
• Mentioned in 14 episodes
Off the clock
Laura Vanderkam
#4374
• Mentioned in 10 episodes
I Know How She Does It
How Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time
Laura Vanderkam
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.
#13752
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Big Time
A Novel
Ben H. Winters
#15269
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Juliet's School of Possibilities
Laura Vanderkam
Juliet's School of Possibilities is a life-changing fable about Riley Jenkins, a hardworking consultant struggling with her career and personal life.
Through her journey at Juliet's School, Riley learns to prioritize and manage her time more effectively, offering readers a new perspective on balancing work and life.
The story encourages readers to reevaluate their priorities and pursue their highest possibilities.
#5097
• Mentioned in 9 episodes
Art & Fear
Observations On the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking
Ted Orland
David Bayles
Art & Fear delves into the way art gets made, the reasons it often doesn't get made, and the nature of the difficulties that cause many artists to give up.
The authors, David Bayles and Ted Orland, share insights and observations drawn from their personal experiences as artists.
The book addresses universal fears and self-doubt that artists face, emphasizing the importance of pushing through these fears to grow as artists and individuals.
It is not a typical self-help book but rather a candid look at the creative process, making it valuable for artists and anyone engaging in creative activities.
#1777
• Mentioned in 22 episodes
168 hours
You Have More Time Than You Think
Laura Vanderkam
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.
#2630
• Mentioned in 16 episodes
Tranquility by Tuesday
Laura Vanderkam
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.
#1531
• Mentioned in 25 episodes
The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison
Set in Lorain, Ohio, during the Great Depression, 'The Bluest Eye' tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an eleven-year-old African American girl who desperately wants blue eyes, believing they will make her more beautiful and accepted according to white cultural standards.
The novel explores themes of race, class, and beauty standards, highlighting the destructive impact of internalized racism and societal pressures on Pecola and her family.
Through a non-linear narrative and shifting perspectives, Morrison critiques the systemic racism and social stratification that contribute to Pecola's tragic downfall.
This month we’re doing a series to get our listeners in the mindset to write! Once you have a goal and a deadline (last week’s show), the next hurdle you will invariably face is time—lack thereof or mismanagement or both. Don’t worry, this week’s guest, Laura Vanderkam, has got your back. There are such practical tips and helpful reframes in this episode. If you’re not planning to write with us in January, maybe this will help you venture to give it a shot. You can write in the nooks and crannies. You can make the very best use of time confetti. You can do the things you say you want to do—if you change how you look at how much time you have and plan accordingly. You can, you can, you can.
Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management and productivity books, including the forthcoming Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance (May 5, 2026), along with Tranquility by Tuesday, Juliet’s School of Possibilities, Off the Clock, I Know How She Does It, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, and 168 Hours. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is the host of the podcast Before Breakfast and the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the podcast Best of Both Worlds. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and five children, and blogs at LauraVanderkam.com.
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