Customer Reviews

Time Management From The Inside Out :The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule and Your Life

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't help but express my disapproval at how a review from 2000, which rated this book one star, is a spotlight review.

This reader failed to realize that this book wasn't written for people who are already organized or know the "common sense" things for organization. If organization was that "common sense," more people would be able to get their lives together instantaneously.

Morgenstern builds upon her previous best-seller hit, "Organizing from the Inside Out." For people who have read that book, I would agree that "Time Management" does not offer much else in addition to it. However, "Time Management" stands on its own on the reader from 2000 who gave it one star failed to recognize that this book stands on its own apart from her debut.

A few choice tips that I have found to have helped me:
- Estimate time for big projects: Most people underestimate the time it takes them to do things. It's better to overestimate or get as accurate a time frame as possible. If you overestimate, at least you'll have time to do other things; if you underestimate, you'll feel rushed and like you never have time for anything.

- The WADE formula: Readers of "Organizing from the Inside Out" know this formula well.
WRITE IT DOWN: Record your tasks in a planner or one area.
ADD IT UP: Estimate how long your projects will take.
DECIDE what you will do: delay, delegate, delete or diminish tasks.
EXECUTE YOUR PLAN: Put your plan into action.

- Doing things faster: Pages 69-75 offer great tips for getting things done faster to save YOU time:
- Order groceries online
- Hire someone to clean if you don't have time to do it yourself
- Pay bills online and do it once or twice a month
- Lay out clothes the night before
- Send virtual greeting cards
(While many of the above tips are common sense, many people are disorganized need a gentle reminder - or a swift kick in the you know where - to do many of the easy-to-overlook things.)

- Ten Questions to decide on whether to keep a document or paper

- Set aside daily time to process paperworl

- Compartmentalize your life into six main categories that focus on your "big picture goals" (main things you want to achieve in life). Now, break your life up into smaller pieces to work your way toward those goals.

If you found the sampling above helpful, I'd recommend that you purchase this book. "Do not stop, do not collect $200!" If the above was not (somewhat) helpful to you at all, you'd probably be best skipping this book - or you're already organized and don't need it.

I have to be honest and say that Time Management from the Inside Out is the first "time management" book I have read; therefore, I have nothing else to compare it to. However, during my first year in college, I was forced to take a time management course and I must say Time Management from the Inside Out was a far out better course than the one I took in college. Not only does Julie Morgenstern walks us step by step on how to schedule our time, but she helps us define our "Big-Picture Goals". Chapter 9: defining your goals and activities was my favorite chapter because she made us dream BIG and made me believe our goals were manageable. I also liked that she offered real life examples so people can relate to them and follow the solution that was given. This book is easy reading but it took me a while to finish because she makes us reflect on many issues such as the current behavior one carries in which prevents us to move forward. She offers several exercises that can help one pin point a problem. This was really helpful. I am a 21- year old transfer student about to continue my studies at UCLA and I cannot wait to put into practice the advice Julie Morgenstern offered.

In short, this book is different than all the other time management books and seminars I have encountered. Yes, she talks about balance and goal setting, and all the other topics that the others do, but this book is all about perspective.

The author makes time tangible and puts it into perspective. She makes you look at goal setting in a completely different way. In fact, she makes you look at your life in a different way.

I cannot recommend this book enough. This is the last time management book you will ever have to buy!!

There are still only 24 hours in the day, but Julie Morgenstern helps you to apply some of her oh-so-helpful principles of space management to TIME! Just like space, sometimes you need to cut out the clutter--and this book helped me do that (again). I read the first edition, and the second is even better.

Morgenstern has a somewhat unique take on time management, making the comparison of organizing your space to organizing your time. While this comparison is helpful in understanding the need to fit your activities into a container of time and to "toss" activities out of your schedule, at times the analogy seems stretched. Overall though, the tips for streamlining tasks and managing the various activities of life are helpful.

NOTE: This reviewer is the author of "Never Be Late Again, 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged."

Julie Morgenstern has created an easy-to-read book describing a complete program of organizing your life. I like the book's set-up because it is also easy to read in segments, even out of order.

I LOOOOVE this book. It so explains the psychology behind tardiness, mismanagement of time, etc. It definitely gives a great step-by-step guide on how to manage time. It also takes into consideration people's personalities and individual lifestyles. For instance, people who are afraid that a rigid "time map" might hinder their creativity and spontaneity...it gives us various methods to deal with the realities of our lives and accept our weaknesses (rather than continually pretending that they don't exist and continually failing!) and find ways around those weakness, and use our strengths to our advantage. The book shows how to reach our goals by using our time to our advantage. It can transform the person whose time is chaotic and imprisoned and turn them into the person whose life is orderly and free!

The only disadvantage to this book (very minor) is that the author starts repeating herself 2/3 of the way into the book. As I was typing notes throughout my reading, I started realizing that I was typing the same things over and over.

"The difference between good and bad time managers pivots on the asking of this critical question: How long will it take?" (page 41 @2004 Henry Holt & Company)

Morgenstern offers much good advice but time management might boil down to just that one tool. Knowing how long our tasks take puts us in a better position to organize our time. I know that I often pack in too many to-do's into one day and hope that things that normally take an hour will magically take 15 minutes. If I am realistic about the amount of time needed I can be deliberate and intentional about what I decide to spend my time on. The author asserts, possibly we are stressed out not only due to innumerable tasks, but also to our avoidance of confronting the reality of time and our human limitations, because by doing so we will inevitably need to purge some projects and activities.

Heavy stuff. But it isn't all enforced self-illumination. There are many more good takeaways and I will list a few that I found helpful.

1.) Designate a favorite wedding/shower/graduation gift and stockpile that gift along with some boxes and wrapping paper.

2.) Hang a master grocery list from fridge and check off products as needed.

3.) Review your tasks every two months and see if they continue to further your long-term goals.

4.) If you have young children, you may be forced to schedule tasks into no more than 1-2 hour segments.

5.) Create a "Sudden Opportunity" list of tasks you might do during random free moments. Divide the tasks into 5, 30 and 60 minute categories.

The thrust of the book is very comprehensible until she gets to the "Attack" chapters where I found her use of the S.P.A.C.E. acronym to be a contrivance forced upon her by the necessities of branding from her previous organization books. Some of what she had to say might have been clearer had she dropped the old acronym and instead used a fresh metaphor to describe the method used to manage time.

Often throughout the work she talks about being a single mother of one child. The portions discussing delegation, addressed primarily to women, display a quiet dismissal of one of the reasons women often don't delegate in the home: the job doesn't always get done correctly, or even near the acceptable mark. Morgenstern implies this to be unnecessary perfectionism and I don't think that to be an entirely fair assessment. Often men and children see a housekeeping chore as something to be rushed through as quickly as possible and the results are often slipshod. Sometimes this is a manipulation to get out of doing the task in the future, or there is an unawareness that many tasks in the home require the same rigor you might give at school or your job. Some women are indeed perfectionist, but there can be other reasons a woman is reluctant to delegate at home. That might be another book.

Overall I found Morgenstern's writing to be accessible as she connected our emotional responses about time to actually managing it in a concrete manner. A worthwhile read for the modern-day multi-tasker.

Throw out the time management books and replace it with this one. Ms. Morgenstern is easy to read and her book is a great reference to have on hand. My husband does everything on the computer and I am a paper freak, Julie addresses both types and explains which one will be better for you. The time map is awesome once you implement it. I can't say enough about this book, but I know I need no other and they have all moved out of my house!

I just got this book because my business coaching clients often have issues with running a business, often by themselves, and finding enought time to have a life. Julie offers great, easy to implement strategies that help the really busy person get control. I love that she looks at the hidden reasons behind our time management difficulties and styles. I keep recommending it and will continue!