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Make Time

How to Focus on What Matters Every Day
Jun 02, 2019sandraperkins rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This entertaining, practical and easy-to-read book draws from several books I have read previously, including Cal Newport’s Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, Brain Rules by John Medina, The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The focus of this book is not how to get more done every day; it is how to arrange your day so you get the most important and meaningful thing done each day, whether that be a work project or a personal project. Because most of our time is spent by default, this book shows how to make what we do each day more intentional. We can set new defaults and make them stick. There are all sorts of useful tips and tactics, and the two authors discuss how they each used them, often in different ways. They point out that everyone will find a different collection of tactics to be useful. Here is the overall plan the authors recommend: Highlight: Start each day by choosing a focal point. This is the main thing you want to accomplish this day. It should be something you can do in 60-90 minutes of focused work. Criteria for selecting a Highlight are urgency, satisfaction, and joy. Laser: Beat distraction to make time for your Highlight. There are lots of tips about how to minimize distractions from technology in general and e-mail in particular. The authors both worked in big tech companies, so they understand what people are up against. Reflect: Adjust and improve your system every day. The authors recommend taking notes to track results so you can fine tune your system. Small shifts can lead to big results. Energize: Take care of your body to recharge your brain. The modern lifestyle is an anomaly and an accident. Act like a caveman to build energy! Meditation is a breather for your brain, and it is also exercise for your brain. One of my favorite quotes in the whole book is: “Some people say meditation only counts if you do it unassisted for long periods. Those people are jerks. If it works for you and you’re happy, you can keep doing short sessions of guided meditations forever.” There are TONS of specific tips that might resonate with you. This is a really useful, practical book, and it is fun to read. It is well worth the time it takes to read it.