168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think

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Use bits of time for bits of joy. Plan on how to use your time when you are idle or when the unexpected happens. The best part of the book was Vanderkam's argument that we will be more successful and happy if we focus on our 'core competencies' and outsource the rest of our lives. She does a fantastic job of explaining how certain things in our lives can and should only be done by us and encourages people to hire others to do the things that most of us do, but that aren't part of our core competency skill set (ie: housework, laundry, making huge dinners every night, etc.). The core concept behind this time management strategy is that all of us have the same amount of time in a week—168 hours—but it’s what we do with this time that makes all the difference. probably my favorite part of this book was where vanderkam contrasts the reports of how people think they spend their time versus how they actually spend it. i used to have a friend who claimed that, between her actual outside-the-house job & a small side business that she ran to help make ends meet, she worked an average of 80 hours a week. & yet, she didn't come close to keeping traditional 9-5 hours (more like 11-3), & she spent enormous chunks of time sitting on her porch smoking weed & watching TV. i kind of wanted to buy a copy of this book & leave it on her doorstep. i'm sure she felt as stressed out as someone who really did work 80 hours a week, but that was probably a function of guilt over having such terrible time management skills. Commit enough time, energy, and resources to make them meaningful. When you commit to something, you get used to the rewards and it will become apart of your life

You can make your experiment with 168 hours even more interesting by really tuning in to your emotions as you go about your day. And, if you can build in activities that make you feel calm, or that allow you to rest, if mentally, you’ll feel better for it. Keep your to-do list super short While 168 hours takes a slightly more condensed approach to time management than Gates' Law (see the quote above), the point is the same. You can get more done than you think if you understand how you are utilizing your time now, and make the necessary changes.Also, a lot of the studies in her book showcase women who "have it all." The woman who runs a multi-million dollar business, is raising 5 kids and hikes every week was one of the people she used as an example of someone who uses her 168 hours very wisely. The whole concept of being a woman who can 'have it all' is actually incredibly destructive and creates an enormous amount of psychological stress. Using time better IS essential to a happy and productive life. But trying to convince women that they should be able to do everything isn't healthy. Despite the imperfections of this book, I have re-read (or re-listened to it multiple times) so clearly it hits a chord with me.

In Vanderkam’s words, “… we spend massive amounts of time on things… that give a slight amount of pleasure or feeling of accomplishment, but do little for our careers, our families, or our personal lives… consequently, we feel overworked and underrated, and tend to believe stories that confirm this view.” What a waste of several of my precious 168 hours! Like many people, I struggle with motivation and focus so I'm always looking for wisdom or advice on topics like time management, productivity. This has to be one of the worst how-to/self-help books I've ever read. Don't spend time cooking in the kitchen. You can still have a home cooked meal by opening a can of lobster bisque or microwaving a frozen burrito. (My kids thought this one was particularly hilarious.) While you certainly can’t make more time, you can make more intentional decisions about how you spend that time. “Getting the most out of your 168 hours is a process of evaluating where you are and where you want to be.” Says Vanderkam. This is what happens when you treat your 168 hours as a blank slate. This is what happens when you fill them up only with things that deserve to be there. You build a life where you really can have it all.

This author had a few good ideas, but I was very disappointed in most of it. This book is hardly worth it unless you already earn six figures, as her biggest advice was to outsource all the things you don't want to waste your time with such as laundry, cooking and cleaning. I can see where this might make sense to her as she has very small children, but what is she teaching them? Nothing! She talks about spending all her free "kid time" playing, how about doing the chores together? This will not only save her money, but she will be spending time with her boys AND teaching them something valuable and worthwhile to their future. Even a 2 year old can help do chores. As a busy mom of 4 who home schools and works at night after they are in bed, her advice offered me nothing towards time management. Her insistence that everyone has enough time to do anything they want if they manage their time better may grate some people wrong, and her emphatic crusade against time spent watching television became a bit lecture-y at times. However, I respond well to blunt facts and her point that “everything you choose to do is a choice” forced me to consider how exactly I’m using each of the minutes in my 168 hours. I could go on and on. She also shared that she ran a lot during both of her pregnancies and could fit into her pre-pregnancy jeans just a couple weeks after having her babies. So helpful. If you can't tell, this book got under my skin a bit. Most people don't have money to spend on a personal chef, and I think it's really shallow to think that the only way to live a successful, happy life is to have an amazing career that gets you lots of money. I kept having to put the book down because I was just too miffed to continue; the only reason I finished it was because it was for my book club. this inspired a conversation between me & my partner. i asked him what he would do with an extra 15 minutes a day & he said, "tidy the house." we decided that we would each spend 15 minutes a day tidying up. as a result, our house is almost always pristine, like something from a magazine. it was eye-opening to realize how little time it really takes to do something that seems so insufferable but ought to get done anyway.

In Bill Gates' words, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” One way to make time with your spouse is to schedule a spouse conference of 30 minutes before bedtime. At that point, you can discuss different aspects of your life. Good gravy, this lady is out of touch with reality. I went into this thinking it would be good for me. I, like many people that I know, am often over scheduled, scraping together free time, and could use some spare minutes here and there. This book was not helpful. At all. The idea of the book is that you have 168 hours in a week, so surely you have time to do the things that you want. That sounds reasonable, but here are some of the ideas she presented to help free up some time: hours is a time management strategy designed by Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think.Choose a small number of activities that bring you the most happiness. Make sure that one of the activities involves breaking a sweat given that your health is non-negotiable Have a story that will take your career to the next level. The best personal stories not only reach earlier events but also include the present. The New Home Economics This is not just a time management book like the name implies. This really is a book about people living their dream lives and dream jobs and accomplishing their goals, and fundamental to all of that is first taking control of your time.”