Customer Reviews

How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Valorie Burton has done an outstanding job of providing pratical tips to get us back on track to what matters most while showing each of us that God wants what's best for us so that we can fullfill our purpose and his. Although many of us may know this information it is provided in such a way that its not all about us. The fact of the matter is that God cares about every aspect of our lives including if we are overbooked and disconnected. I think this is the perfect book to move you forward without making you feel bad, honestly it will make you laugh, cry and feel free well before the end of the book.

How Did I Get So Busy: The 28-Day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclain Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most by Valorie Burton

A time-management book with a spiritual twist. Many of the ideas presented here are in every other time-management book or seminar. However, this author discusses more of the spiritual/emotional side of being "busy."

She recommends slowing down, making a daily heart-to-heart connection, developing a self-care plan, creating daily rituals, being led by the spirit, etc. There are definite new age ideas at play here.

Even if you find one or two things that help in the battle to be less busy, or ways to find more time for yourself, it's worth a read.

I got this book from the library with high hopes but I am disappointed in it. There are many instances I felt the author was just bragging about herself, in the guise of "sharing". By that, I mean she makes opportunities to "share" her own story, but somehow even her so-called problems seem contrived to promote herself. For example, in one part of the book, she was relating that she thinks her own tendency to be busy all the time started in childhood, when her mother put her in kindergarten at the age of four. She then goes on to say she was trying to prove to the world she is "smart" by getting her masters degree at age 21. Well, that does prove she is smart, and surely she knows it, but by the time she is done with telling the story, I was annoyed by the obvious self-promotion. In another segment, she relates of how she and her husband took a leap and bought a home that "nourishes" them physically, emotionally and spiritually. She then gushes about how lovely it is to walk in the streets near her home, how happy she is they took the leap and bought it. Well, that's great, but in these economic times, that sure does seem like bragging.

I got the feeling the author led something of a life of priviledge, and cannot relate to why many of us are busy. She never mentions having children and as a busy mom, I can say a large part of why I am overly busy is the care of my children. Like many moms, I was looking for advice on things like how to slow down without shortchanging the kids, but kids were never really addressed in this book. That is a glaring omission, because kids (or the care of adult parents, or both) add tremendously to one's busyness and most women are in some sort of caregiving role for a large part of their lives. It is very easy to make the adjustments listed in the book if you are a woman with few caregiving obligations, but if you have those issues, then many of the suggestions here will be difficult, if not impossible to put into practice.

The author lacks insight into the reasons why people are so busy, the very real obligations some of us face, and cannot simply reduce by self examination. Some of her points are good, but there appears to be a lack of understanding of the serious responsibilites many of us face.It is very easy to say "slow down" and "take time" but when one is faced with the care of parents and children, or working two jobs to save a home from foreclosure, such advice seems worse than trite.

I was not looking for this type of a book when I bought it but when I saw the title and read the note from the author of "Dear reader, I trust that our paths have crossed for a reason" I knew that I was meant to read it.

I first read this book about a year ago and have since read it three more times. I recently started using it as a discussion book for our church adult education program that I am leading due to being inspired by this book's message.

I am not going to say that this book will give you free time that you won't know what to do with but it will help you to prioritize you busy schedule so that you have more times for the foundation of fullfilment, that being your focus on "Faith, Family and Friends"

Although I feel that it is a faith-based book, I did not find it preachy and merely made you focus on what is really important in your life and spending quaility time where it is important.

I bought this book on a busy week while at an airport. I immediately "took" to many of the ideas presented in this book. They are presented in a helpful, non-judgmental way, and address the importance of balancing one's work/school and personal life. Also, many of the ideas presented helped me to "normalize" that what I am and am not doing well is similiar to the challenges of others, such as not always getting to all those items on a to do list. The author, regarding to do lists, presents a different way of approaching these lists anyway. I guess there are some so-called new age ideas here, but I think it just has more to do with recognizing the value of remembering to have a spiritual life as well. My only suggestion for a better book would be to allow more room for writing out the brief exercises in the book itself. The author suggests a journal. I found room in the book for writing, but a little more room would have been helpful.

Our church's women's group has just started to dive into "How Did I Get So Busy?" and we are loving it. The introduction of the book has already impacted us in such a way that I am definitely restructing areas in my life to cause me to become more intentional and purposeful in my daily activities!!! Whatever you do - don't stop reading because every day will bring about gradual to astounding results, only if you choose to be deligent in wanting to create a more calm and stress-free lifestyle. If you've been desiring a change or need a change: READ the book!!!!

Work, Kids, Girl Scouts, Church Activities, Marriage, Social Networking, email & the Internet, Phone calls, Television shows and Reading Books...with so much vying for your time - how do you accomplish it all? We are missing out on what really matters - cultivating relationships with those we love.

Burton encourages us to start with a reality check to determine exactly how busy you are. Then she asks that you take the next 28 days to get your life together. Some helpful tips are:

Schedule fun time

Cut back on internet/email/text messages/twitter

Eat right & exercise

Boost your personal hygiene

Reconnect with God

Celebrate your small successes

Create deliberate routines

Respect the pace of others

Enjoy the journey

Burton use real life case studies and personal experiences to explain that real change comes from God. The daily challenges, journal entries, thought provoking questions and one-minute meditations provide the information needed to free your schedule and give you time to smell the coffee. Remember that your life is a journey not a destination. You can take control, say no and have heart to heart connections with those that you love without rushing through every day.

How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most

I loved this book. It was easy to read and easy to apply. I went thru the 28 days and have noticed significant changes in my life already.

The voice Valorie uses in writting is not intimidating or undermining. Reading it reminded me of alot of the advice my best friend gives me only with an unbiased perspective. It also offers productive ways to put it into practice that I never thought of before. It helps cut down on the scare factor of stating an overwhelming schedule and life rehaul and breaks it down into digestable tasks and attainable goals.

I've already recommended (required) my family read it so we're all on the same page and it has greatly helped with the harmony in our house.

I initially picked up Valorie Burton's How Did I Get So Busy? with the expectation of finding a great time management solution, but I ended up receiving so much more. If you, like me, need insights that go beyond "quick fix" tactics, and are seeking powerful solutions to help you get and keep a handle on life's numerous demands, do yourself a big favor and get this book.

It's about so much more than managing your time; it's about getting your life back. Best of all, this fun, easy-to-read, and highly effective book is like getting 28 full days of one-one-one coaching in a single resource. I highly recommended it.

If you think you're too busy, raise your hand. I think most of us have that problem. Valorie Burton admits it's not always easy for her either. Most of the time it's like we're on a treadmill and we can't get off. The problem is we all have responsibilities we can't just walk away from. But in this book Valorie Burton has some very practical advice on how to take control of our lives, how to make clear choices, how to slow down. She shows the reader when to manage and when to delegate, and most important of all, when to let go. One thing she pointed out made me stop and think. Jesus was never in a rush. He always had time to stop and help someone, time to talk, time to teach, but he also made time to rest. Time to steal away and talk to God. A clear example for us all. After all, even God rested on the seventh day.

Chockful of advice and plain practical help. Recommended