Simplify Your Work Life (Hardcover)

by Elaine St. James (Author) "If you're thinking of cutting back on the amount of time you work, you're not alone..." (more)
Key Phrases: simplify your work life, typical millionaires, inner smile, Being More Efficient, Being More Effective, Handle Later (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Now that Elaine St. James has helped readers simplify their homes, closets, and holidays, she shares her expert advice on simplifying the workplace. St. James points out that most of the conveniences Americans rely upon to make work easier--such as fax machines, e-mail, and cell phones--really make it "easier to do more work" at any time of day or night. As a result, the 40-hour workweek is a distant memory. "American workers could learn a lot from the European workplace," she writes. "In most European countries, the 32 hour work week is mandated by law."

How is it possible to be like the Europeans and still get the job done? This is where St. James gets specific. At first she asks readers to set firmer boundaries between work and home. She makes seemingly radical suggestions, such as "stop working weekends," "add one day to your vacation" (to allow for transition time), and "eliminate your commute." She also offers on-the-job advice, such as "be selective in giving out your e-mail [address]" (to eliminate distracting messages) and "double your estimate" ("face it, things always take twice as long to complete as you think"). Ultimately, she suggests ways to be more efficient spenders in order to have more flexibility (which results in saner and more meaningful work). This Queen of Simplification may seem simplistic to her detractors, but her advice-packed books really do get results. --Gail Hudson

From Booklist
St. James is the author of five best-selling books, including Simplify Your Life (1994) and Inner Simplicity (1995). She divides her latest book into seven sections: cutting back on the amount of time you work, learning to seize time, being more productive, being more effective with people, being more efficient with your money, changing the way you work, and changing the way you think about work. Within these sections are 89 recommendations, which include using modern phone technology, getting off junk mail lists, minimizing the paper glut, getting organized, using the Internet consciously, and eliminating distractions. Other of her suggestions sound good, but probably would be impossible for the average worker; these include cutting back to a 30-hour week, no working on weekends, no commuting to work, taking a nap, and finding a worker-friendly environment, to name a few. But there is plenty of sound advice here--for overworked people who have time to read a 300-page book. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1 edition (January 17, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786866837
• ISBN-13: 978-0786866830
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #960,078 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Ideas for Carving Some Time for Your Life from Work, January 3, 2001

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

A recent survey reported that the average working woman in America puts in an 85 hour week between her job and home chores. Many career-obsessed men also spend that amount of time on work, commuting, and travel combined. While I have read many books on how to be more successful at work, this is the first one I have read that works on your effectiveness while reducing your hours and stress. I found it relaxing to even contemplate the subject.

The author speaks from her own experience, having gone from being an active head of her own real estate investing activities for 15 years to successful, best-selling author of five previous books. In the process, she cut her work week down to 30 hours . . . and eventually quadrupled her income in the process.

She reports that recent Yankelovich surveys show that 80 percent of people approve of those who put their families ahead of work, half of the people have taken jobs that allow them to get more time away from work, and one-fifth changed jobs for lower-paying employment in exchange for more free time.

There is no doubt in my mind that if you follow through on even 10 percent of what she suggests you will spend less time working, feel better, and be a lot more fun to be around.

The book is organized into seven sections, comprised of 85 individual concepts. The seven sections are:

(1) Cutting back on the amount of time you work

(2) Learning to seize blocks of time in ways that allow you to have more time to get things done

(3) Being more productive when you are working

(4) Being more productive in your relationships with people while working

(5) Being more effective with the money you earn and save

(6) Changing the way you work to provide more flexibility

(7) Changing the way you think about work.

Like many books filled with lots of lists, the materials are complete enough for anyone in somes cases (like stop working weekends), while much less than what you need in other cases (making better decisions, starting a business, and improving your money management).

In the latter cases, I suggest that you also read books about personal decision making (such as "Smart Choices") and improving your finances (like "The Finance Doctor") that have a bit more meat on them. You can obviously go on to more advanced material as your interest and expertise grow.

In a few sections, you are encouraged to use "body-mind" techniques based on meridians (accupuncture points). These I will leave it up to you to assess. I have no experience here to draw on. I would suggest that you add meditation to the list of what is encouraged here.

I also think that those who would just like less stress will find this book helpful, even if you don't want to cut down your work week. A good complementary book for women is "Outsmarting Female Fatigue."

For those sections that were complete enough on their own that no further reading is needed, I was impressed by how many included sample dialogues that you can use to help you negotiate changes in your workplace. Most people will benefit from that kind of help. We often say "yes" because we don't know how to say "no" gracefully. In many other sections, you are referred to excellent resource materials like "Common Sense on Mutual Funds" by John Bogle. Where I knew the referred to sources, there are superb in each case.

Now, let me tell you about my experience with cutting my work week. I was very good at it, and soon found myself with lots of time for "getting a life." I did this for several years, but eventually found it dissatisfying. I became reengaged in new "work" activities that have me working longer hours again, but I'm really enjoying it more this time. As you can see from my book reviews, I also engage actively in my hobbies as well. So a reduced work week is probably a way-station rather than an end destination unless you are very close to retirement. That point isn't addressed here.

I was pleased that the book talks about starting up your own business and investing. I think that "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "Cash Flow Quadrant" would be good complements to this book for many people.

I suggest that you follow up on the author's advice and discuss your reactions to this book with your family, coworkers, friends, and neighbors. They will probably help you develop more confidence, better ways to implement the advice, and encourage you to go forward. In fact, if you can do this with a "buddy" who wants to reduce her or his work week as well, that would be the best. The book has several suggestions for how to do this.

Have much more health, happiness, peace, and prosperity . . . wherever and however you choose to spend your time!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must own in this modern work age, May 31, 2001

By	MotherLodeBeth "MotherLodeBeth" (Sierras of California) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Just shy of three hundred pages and the compact size of 7X7 inches I was amazed at how much useful information this small book gave me. The book is laid out the way I like a book...Seven acts of a play. The FIRST act deals with CUTTING BACK ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU WORK and this is about 11 issues to look at, from Cutting back on hours, stop working week ends, leave work at work and dont bring it home, eliminating the commute and simply taking the time to think.

SECOND act deals with LEARNING TO SEIZE TIME and deals with issues like getting a jump on tomorrow, learning how to schedule better, using the phones and technology to your advantage. And something we all need to know in this Internet age, handle e-mail wisely. Her ideas on how to cut back on email will save you at least two hours of stress a day.

THREE deals with BEING MORE PRODUCTIVE and deals with eliminating distractions, bringing your full attention to work, Take your lunch break, laugh more, take a nap and get a life.

FOUR deals with BEING MORE EFFECTIVE WITH PEOPLE and covers issues like Speaking up, figuring out why you say yes, and how to work more effectively with those you are with.

FIVE deals with BEING MORE EFFICIENT WITH YOUR MONEY and covers living within your means, understanding what you make and what your taxes are. Knowing how much house we can afford and how to avoid debt, and simply learning how to handle money.

SIX CHANGING THE WAY YOU WORK and is about finding a work friendly environment, creating our own options, starting your own business and finding a Coach.

SEVEN is called CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT WORK and she deals with Understanding how you got where you are, rethinking your belief system, imagining and seeking the ideal work life and following ones heart and head. And finally if not now then when?

I keep picking the book up and reading new parts and re-reading chapters and seeing things I missed the other times. I think this is a book every workaholic needs.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A real disappointment!, February 3, 2001

By A Customer

Ms. St. James has shed her husband and taken up with an "Ecstatic Women's Circle" ... and it shows! It's not that this book has no good advice - but it's also larded with tons of "new age mumbo-jumbo" ("Thump Your Thymus," #39). Also, there's a lot of repetition from her other books. My advice: Her "Simplify Your Life" is a classic. Skip this and get that!