The 25 Best Time Management Tools & Techniques: How to Get More Done Without Driving Yourself Crazy (Paperback)

by Pamela Dodd (Author), Doug Sundheim (Author) "IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO CARRY EVERYTHING around in your head..." (more)
Key Phrases: personal planning system, time management experts, time management books, Plan Backward, Manage Stress, Hold Better Meetings (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Clear, focused, full of action-oriented suggestions. This is THE new management reference guide!! -- Andrea Nierenberg, author of Nonstop Networking, New York, NY

Doug and Pam clearly spell out the foundations of success and take people exactly where they need to go. -- Michael J. Brathwaite, Executive Director, Business Network International for New York City, NY

This book is contemporary, practical, and well researched. A priceless guide to smarter, better business and living. -- Alastair Rylatt, author of Winning the Knowledge Game, Sydney, Australia

Product Description
A no-fluff, easy-to-read compilation of the best advice from the top 20 time management books. Recommendations cover five areas: Focus, Plan, Organize, Take Action, and Learn. Short chapters cover the A to Z of time management from finding out what time means to you to prioritizing, overcoming procrastination, and managing stress and well being. You can read the book from start to finish or zero in on specific areas for improvement. The book includes a useful annotated bibliography and bonus sections on recommended books on being successful and how to buy books for much less.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Peak Performance Press, Inc.; 1 edition (December 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097695060X
• ISBN-13: 978-0976950608
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,125 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall a Well Written Book and Worth a Read, July 18, 2006

By	Roger Ellerton "Author of 'Live Your Dreams L... (Ottawa, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

No matter how well you manage time, this book will make you better at managing time and return your investment many times over.

You get the benefit of the top twenty books on time management in one easy to read book. The authors took an interesting approach to writing this book. They started by reading the Amazon.com customer reviews for over 40 time management books. Then they bought and read the top 20 of these books. The key points from these books were then summarized as 25 clearly described tools and techniques and grouped into five areas of focus:

* Determine what is really important to you.
* Manage your plans to get results.
* Organize your living and work spaces.
* Manage your actions.
* Implement continuous improvement.

Each of these five areas has a brief description of what is to be covered. Within each area the relevant tools and techniques are concisely described so that you can put what you have learned into action immediately.

The simplicity of this book is a distinct benefit - the book is easy to read and the techniques are succinctly presented - preventing the reader from getting lost in the details and hence never addressing their time management issues. Anyone looking to get a handle on time management issues has immediate access to proven concepts and tools for changing what they are doing now.

For those wishing more information on a particular tool or technique, the authors reference specific books or provide directions where this additional information can be found. Generally this works well. However, I was disappointed on one occasion. In the section on creating a vision, I would have liked to see examples of vision statements rather than being referred to another book. For me this was an unnecessary interruption of my thought processes.

Two useful appendices are available with additional information: The Best Time Management Books - Annotated and Other Recommended Books. A third appendix, How to Buy Books for (Much) Less, could have been left out as the information was not related to the topic of the book and did not add much value.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book That Can Change The Way You Look At Life..., October 18, 2006

A Kid's Review

When I first picked up this "Time Management" book, I thought it would be just that - a simple time management book. HOWEVER, it turned out to be a book about changing your life and the way you look at it!
The reason is because Pam outline the EXACT steps necessary to take control, manage, (and have fun!) in every part of your life. From getting clear on exactly what your PURPOSE and VALUES are in life, to managing external factors like your schedule and activities.
But, in my opinion, the best part of this book were the chapters on getting clear about who you are. Not metaphorically or any 'woo-woo' type stuff like that. But really pragmatically and in a step-by-step fashion. I never thought having a vision, defining your values, and setting goals could be so logical and easy to understand. Yes, there is definitely an emotional factor to it (as Pam explains in the book), but she goes further in explaining the exact step by step method of setting goals, a vision, and plan for your life that is importan to you! That you feel great about!
If there's a huge takeaway from this book, it's the ordered steps Pam gives you on managing YOU and your TIME. Putting a value on your time.
Take the money away - you can get that back. Take the time away - and it's gone forever. This book is an essential read on how to make the most of your TIME...and thus your life!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have foundation for anyone in business, February 25, 2006

By	Aunt Laya Saul "Laya Saul, author of the best... (http://www.auntlaya.com) - See all my reviews

"The 25 Best Time Management Tools & Techniques" brings its readers the value of a workshop that might cost hundreds of dollars.

Authors Dodd and Sundheim take the best of the best ideas in one, easy to access volume organizing the material into five sections:
Focus
Plan
Organize
Take action
Learn

Read this book with paper and pencil in hand so you can do the work and get on track. Easy to follow direction guides you to the basic steps of getting clear about how you want to spend your time.

The instruction in this book is rich with resources and life experiences. You don't have to reinvent the wheel or read a stack of books to get what you need. If you're going to read one book, this is a top choice. If you want more, the resources in the appendix make it easy to put your hands on what's next. There's even a section about "how to buy books for (much) less."

The advice given in this book is geared for business and covers a lot of ground from planning and communicating, to keeping your desk clean (and why that's important). It's a great book for anyone wanting to move up in the business world, building a home based business (including network marketing!), or starting in a new work environment. I recommend this book HIGHLY as a gift for college grads that are embarking on a journey into the work place.