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15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs
What if a few new habits could dramatically increase your productivity, and even 5x or 10x it in key areas? What if you could get an an hour a day to read, exercise, or to spend with your family. New York Times bestselling author , Kevin Kruse, presents the remarkable findings of his study of ultra-productive people. Based on survey research and interviews with billionaires, Olympic athletes, straight-A students, and over 200 entrepreneurs—-including Mark Cuban, Kevin Harrington, James Altucher, John Lee Dumas, Pat Flynn, Grant Cardone, and Lewis Howes—-Kruse answers the what are the secrets to extreme productivity? In this book, you'll Buy this book NOW to increase your productivity and stop feeling so overworked and overwhelmed! Pick up your copy today by clicking the BUY NOW button at the top of this page!
204 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2015
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June 23, 2020
This is my favorite book about productivity. Even though some of the productivity strategies are well known, Kevin Kruse explained the importance of them in a way that you really want to apply then to your life. My three best takeaways are:
* Don’t let your future self sabotage you
* Be who you want to become in the future
* Productivity is about energy and focus, not time. Manage your energy.
From this book, I extracted 19 great habits/strategies and also wrote a book summary. Here it is: https://www.mentorist.app/books/15-se...
* Don’t let your future self sabotage you
* Be who you want to become in the future
* Productivity is about energy and focus, not time. Manage your energy.
From this book, I extracted 19 great habits/strategies and also wrote a book summary. Here it is: https://www.mentorist.app/books/15-se...
January 8, 2016
This book gives 15 tips everyone should know if they want to manage their time effectively and efficiently. I wouldn't call these tips as secrets because all of the suggested tips are available on the internet via countless blog posts, videos, articles, etc etc. Few key takeaways for me are:
- Time management is not about managing time anymore. It's about one's values, priorities and habits.
- Use calendar to manage time rather than to-do list.
- Always carry a notebook to capture ideas and thoughts. What you don't capture, you forget.
- Morning rituals are very important and great way to kickstart your day.
- Focus on one thing.
- To ease on prioritisation, use Pareto's 80/20 rule.
- Remember to do the tasks "good enough" rather than "excellent".
And there are plenty more. This book contains lot of anecdotes and interview responses. You don't need to spend too much time reading the book because you can easily skim through the book to get what you get.
So would I recommend this book? Yes I would. But, with a side note, use this book as a reference. You don't have to read it from cover to cover.
- Time management is not about managing time anymore. It's about one's values, priorities and habits.
- Use calendar to manage time rather than to-do list.
- Always carry a notebook to capture ideas and thoughts. What you don't capture, you forget.
- Morning rituals are very important and great way to kickstart your day.
- Focus on one thing.
- To ease on prioritisation, use Pareto's 80/20 rule.
- Remember to do the tasks "good enough" rather than "excellent".
And there are plenty more. This book contains lot of anecdotes and interview responses. You don't need to spend too much time reading the book because you can easily skim through the book to get what you get.
So would I recommend this book? Yes I would. But, with a side note, use this book as a reference. You don't have to read it from cover to cover.
June 28, 2017
3.ish stars.
Okay, so here's the review.
The first part of the book is wonderful. I really enjoyed reading Kruse's tips for successful time management, despite the fact that they feel largely pointed at business executives. The specifically stated groups-to-help are execs, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home-parents, students, and freelancers. Unfortunately for me, educators were not on that list. Meaning that not EVERYTHING applied. I'm not allowed to say "no" to meetings, or do certain tasks at certain parts of the day. I don't get to make my own schedule, either.
BUT. I kind of figured that I wouldn't be able to apply everything, anyway. And there are several mind-blowingly simple things that I can do to lower my stress level and start being more productive. In fact, I've already started doing 3 of the items discussed in the book.
So, the first half of the book gets about 4ish stars.
THAT SECOND HALF, THOUGH.
It's pretty much the extended version of all the quotes he used in the book, plus more, ad nauseum. I feel like this conversation happened with the editor/publisher.
Ed: Kevin. This book is marvelous! Sure to be a bestseller. The tips are clear, concise, and cutting edge.
Kevin Kruse: Thank you.
Ed: BUT. It's too short.
KKruse: Well, the point is time management. I didn't want to waste the reader's time by making--
Ed: Too short. Readers want their money's worth! We have to add something.
KKruse: In the interest of practicing what I preach: NO.
Ed: Then it won't get published. Surely there's SOMETHING we can add...hey, what are all these references?
KKruse: The responses from the productive people I emailed.
Ed: PERFECT! We'll add the full quotes in 3 sections at the end of the book. Readers will love it!
KKruse: WHatevs, don't waste any more of my time, please and thank you.
----
Reader: *skips the chapter with the 200something entrepreneur quotes since the essence of each was already in the first 15 chapters*
So that's why it's 3.ish stars.
Okay, so here's the review.
The first part of the book is wonderful. I really enjoyed reading Kruse's tips for successful time management, despite the fact that they feel largely pointed at business executives. The specifically stated groups-to-help are execs, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home-parents, students, and freelancers. Unfortunately for me, educators were not on that list. Meaning that not EVERYTHING applied. I'm not allowed to say "no" to meetings, or do certain tasks at certain parts of the day. I don't get to make my own schedule, either.
BUT. I kind of figured that I wouldn't be able to apply everything, anyway. And there are several mind-blowingly simple things that I can do to lower my stress level and start being more productive. In fact, I've already started doing 3 of the items discussed in the book.
So, the first half of the book gets about 4ish stars.
THAT SECOND HALF, THOUGH.
It's pretty much the extended version of all the quotes he used in the book, plus more, ad nauseum. I feel like this conversation happened with the editor/publisher.
Ed: Kevin. This book is marvelous! Sure to be a bestseller. The tips are clear, concise, and cutting edge.
Kevin Kruse: Thank you.
Ed: BUT. It's too short.
KKruse: Well, the point is time management. I didn't want to waste the reader's time by making--
Ed: Too short. Readers want their money's worth! We have to add something.
KKruse: In the interest of practicing what I preach: NO.
Ed: Then it won't get published. Surely there's SOMETHING we can add...hey, what are all these references?
KKruse: The responses from the productive people I emailed.
Ed: PERFECT! We'll add the full quotes in 3 sections at the end of the book. Readers will love it!
KKruse: WHatevs, don't waste any more of my time, please and thank you.
----
Reader: *skips the chapter with the 200something entrepreneur quotes since the essence of each was already in the first 15 chapters*
So that's why it's 3.ish stars.
July 9, 2016
(3.5 stars: not that well written and a bit promotional, but the advice about the calendar is worth gold!)
What is the book about?
The book is about effective time management. It draws on the authority of people seen to be effective in their lives.
What problem was the author trying to solve?
How to have a happier and more stress-free life and how to achieve more at work, in business and in school.
What are the main arguments? Do I agree?
He does not make major arguments, he simply states what works for him and others. Of course he gives some reasons for his tips, which I largely agree with.
What did I learn?
I learned better time management tools, most importantly I now use and love his calendar method. I feel more focused.
Which three facts, ideas or principles do I want to remember the most?
* work from your calendar, not a to-do list (and schedule rest/me time!)
* every yes is a no to something else
* delegate before you think you are ready
Which of my beliefs were challenged?
I was using a to-do list and didn't think there was a better method. His suggestion to drop it and put every task on the calendar saved me a lot of headache, so now I agree with him.
The author (or his interviewees) suggested things I don't particularly agree with or don't think is helpful (in the long run):
* fake it until you make it
* reward and punishment
* don't listen to music while studying
I think the first two can be counterproductive. I want to be authentic and have my motivation come from a positive place. I don't agree.
The third was suggested by a straight-A-student. I can see her point and it might be helpful for some, for me I think it helps me concentrate. I am unsure and might try without.
How did my life change by reading this book?
I have now implemented more than half of this suggestions. Especially working from the calendar (and identifying and doing the Most Important Task early) help me a lot.
I have put up the quote "If something is not a 'hell, YEAH!', then it's a 'no!'" by James Altucher in my room and it remains me to concentrate on what I am passionate about.
What are three action items I learned that I need to implement as soon as possible?
* put every important task on my calendar
* tweak and improve my morning routine (it now includes reading)
* try to remove distractions
What else did I like about the book?
I loved that he started off with memento mori and to be conscious of one's own pulse and breathing. It touched me and made me think.
Reading what other people said about time management reinforced some of the author's ideas as many people suggested the same.
Which other books were mentioned or recommended?
* High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove
* The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
* The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
* Write Better Faster by Monica Leonelle
What were the most memorable quotes?
* "You can never lose time and get it back again."
* "If something is not a "hell, YEAH!", then it's a "no!"" -James Altucher
* "You need to start paying other people to do stuff for you even before you feel you are ready."
* "First, be ruthless about your calendar—stick to it, hell or high water but create space for unstructured time as well." -Arjun Arora
* "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." -Cyril Parkinson
* "Plan the work then work the plan." -Saying
* "I leave perfection for others. Anyone that tells you to get it right the first time isn't doing enough. Speed is the new big! [...] I leave perfection to the perfectionist; I, instead have elected to produce." -Grand Cardone
* "Most try to fight the Truth of Time every day." -Dave Crenshaw
* "I'm too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet." -Unknown
* "One always has time enough, if one will apply it well." -Goethe
* "Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness." -Jean De La Bruyere
* "To do two things at once is to do neither." -Publilius Syrus
* "Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it." -M. Scott Peck
Short Overview
15 Secrets
1. Time is your most valuable and scarcest resource.
2. Identify your Most Important Task (MIT) and work on it each day before doing anything else.
3. Work from your calendar, not a to-do list.
4. Procrastination can be overcome when you figure out how to beat your future self, who cannot be trusted to do the right thing.
5. Accept the fact that there will always be more to do and more that can be done.
6. Always carry a notebook.
7. Email is a great way for other people to put their priorities into your life; control your inbox.
8. Schedule and attend meetings as a last resort, when all other forms of communication won't work.
9. Say no to everything that doesn't support your immediate goals.
10. Eighty percent of outcomes are generated by twenty percent of activities.
11. Focus your time only on things that utilize your unique strength and passions.
12. Batch your work with recurring themes for different days of the week.
13. If a task can be completed in less than five minutes, do it immediately (if not, calendar or delegate it!).
14. Invest the first 60 minutes of each day in rituals that strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.
15. Productivity is about energy and focus, not time.
Procrastination Busters
1. Time Travel
2. Pain & Pleasure
3. Accountability Partner
4. Reward and Punishment
5. Act As If
6. Settle For Good Enough
The E-3C System
* Energy
* enough sleep
* energizing food
* consistent exercise
* morning rituals
* regular breaks
* Capture
* capture thoughts and ideas
* Calendar
* schedule on calendar instead of to-do-list!
* Concentrate
* do only one thing
* turn off ALL notifications
What is the book about?
The book is about effective time management. It draws on the authority of people seen to be effective in their lives.
What problem was the author trying to solve?
How to have a happier and more stress-free life and how to achieve more at work, in business and in school.
What are the main arguments? Do I agree?
He does not make major arguments, he simply states what works for him and others. Of course he gives some reasons for his tips, which I largely agree with.
What did I learn?
I learned better time management tools, most importantly I now use and love his calendar method. I feel more focused.
Which three facts, ideas or principles do I want to remember the most?
* work from your calendar, not a to-do list (and schedule rest/me time!)
* every yes is a no to something else
* delegate before you think you are ready
Which of my beliefs were challenged?
I was using a to-do list and didn't think there was a better method. His suggestion to drop it and put every task on the calendar saved me a lot of headache, so now I agree with him.
The author (or his interviewees) suggested things I don't particularly agree with or don't think is helpful (in the long run):
* fake it until you make it
* reward and punishment
* don't listen to music while studying
I think the first two can be counterproductive. I want to be authentic and have my motivation come from a positive place. I don't agree.
The third was suggested by a straight-A-student. I can see her point and it might be helpful for some, for me I think it helps me concentrate. I am unsure and might try without.
How did my life change by reading this book?
I have now implemented more than half of this suggestions. Especially working from the calendar (and identifying and doing the Most Important Task early) help me a lot.
I have put up the quote "If something is not a 'hell, YEAH!', then it's a 'no!'" by James Altucher in my room and it remains me to concentrate on what I am passionate about.
What are three action items I learned that I need to implement as soon as possible?
* put every important task on my calendar
* tweak and improve my morning routine (it now includes reading)
* try to remove distractions
What else did I like about the book?
I loved that he started off with memento mori and to be conscious of one's own pulse and breathing. It touched me and made me think.
Reading what other people said about time management reinforced some of the author's ideas as many people suggested the same.
Which other books were mentioned or recommended?
* High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove
* The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
* The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
* Write Better Faster by Monica Leonelle
What were the most memorable quotes?
* "You can never lose time and get it back again."
* "If something is not a "hell, YEAH!", then it's a "no!"" -James Altucher
* "You need to start paying other people to do stuff for you even before you feel you are ready."
* "First, be ruthless about your calendar—stick to it, hell or high water but create space for unstructured time as well." -Arjun Arora
* "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." -Cyril Parkinson
* "Plan the work then work the plan." -Saying
* "I leave perfection for others. Anyone that tells you to get it right the first time isn't doing enough. Speed is the new big! [...] I leave perfection to the perfectionist; I, instead have elected to produce." -Grand Cardone
* "Most try to fight the Truth of Time every day." -Dave Crenshaw
* "I'm too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet." -Unknown
* "One always has time enough, if one will apply it well." -Goethe
* "Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness." -Jean De La Bruyere
* "To do two things at once is to do neither." -Publilius Syrus
* "Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it." -M. Scott Peck
Short Overview
15 Secrets
1. Time is your most valuable and scarcest resource.
2. Identify your Most Important Task (MIT) and work on it each day before doing anything else.
3. Work from your calendar, not a to-do list.
4. Procrastination can be overcome when you figure out how to beat your future self, who cannot be trusted to do the right thing.
5. Accept the fact that there will always be more to do and more that can be done.
6. Always carry a notebook.
7. Email is a great way for other people to put their priorities into your life; control your inbox.
8. Schedule and attend meetings as a last resort, when all other forms of communication won't work.
9. Say no to everything that doesn't support your immediate goals.
10. Eighty percent of outcomes are generated by twenty percent of activities.
11. Focus your time only on things that utilize your unique strength and passions.
12. Batch your work with recurring themes for different days of the week.
13. If a task can be completed in less than five minutes, do it immediately (if not, calendar or delegate it!).
14. Invest the first 60 minutes of each day in rituals that strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.
15. Productivity is about energy and focus, not time.
Procrastination Busters
1. Time Travel
2. Pain & Pleasure
3. Accountability Partner
4. Reward and Punishment
5. Act As If
6. Settle For Good Enough
The E-3C System
* Energy
* enough sleep
* energizing food
* consistent exercise
* morning rituals
* regular breaks
* Capture
* capture thoughts and ideas
* Calendar
* schedule on calendar instead of to-do-list!
* Concentrate
* do only one thing
* turn off ALL notifications
January 3, 2017
15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management
Kevin Kruse has written one of the best books I’ve ever read on scaling up Time Management. In this book ‘15 Secrets Successful people Know about Time Management’, Author Kruse starts off with introducing the idea of ‘1440,’ and the importance of keeping an eye on our 1440 minutes of the day.
As Kevin states: “We can never get time back again. Unlike money, it is irreplaceable. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.”
This is why this book is a necessity for everyone, because we all have time management issues. By learning how successful people use their time [15 secrets], we can model what works for them and instead of easting our time and invariable our lives, we can gain a greater stake in our most valuable resource.
Now, about this book…
The first secret #1: Time is your most valuable and scarcest resource.
By acknowledging this, we can start to count down the minutes from the moment we wake up. Every minute counts when you are spending time every hour of the day.
Secret #2: Identify Your Most Important Task and then work on it first thing before anything else.
It’s about focusing on your priority tasks, your MITs. As Kevin states, this is a key task-based action plan for defining what is the most important thing, and then getting into it first thing in the morning.
Secret #3: Work from your computer and not a To-Do-List -- Schedule your important tasks using time blocks. You should schedule important items as early in the day as possible.
Secret #4: Procrastination can be beaten when you figure out how to beat your future self.
This chapter delivers great content. Why do we procrastinate? We are fixated on doing things in the future that never get done. By focusing on our present self, we can make choices in the present moment that impacts our future. As Kevin points out, procrastination isn’t about laziness. It is about underestimating the power of the present moment emotions vs. the future emotions.
Secret #5: Accept the fact there will always be more work to do and more that can be done.
So the concept in this chapter is simple. Leave work at 5pm every day. You can work harder but there is always more to do and there will always be something that needs doing.
Secret #6: Always Carry a Notebook.
This chapter talks about the importance of writing down everything in a notebook. This concept isn’t anything knew but, writing ideas down solidifies them in the mind. It makes them more real. Thomas Edison, George Lucas and John Rockefeller all had notebooks where they kept everything.
Secret #7: Email is a great way for other people to put their priorities into your life.
The 321 system is amazing. This chapter is critical in saving time and giving you back a large part of the day that is otherwise wasted. How much time do we spend on email [reading, writing and sending] a day? How about 2.5 hours. That is a lot of time. By getting your email inbox to zero, you can stop wasting time going through email that is redundant.
Secret #8: Schedule and attend meetings as a last resort.
Who doesn’t love [hate] meetings? This chapter gets down to truth about how so much of our time is wasted on useless meeting time and just filling in the day with meetings because that is what we are supposed to do in companies. Here we get good strategies on eliminating the unnecessary meetings, or at the very least, shortening them.
Secret #9: This is all about knowing [and learning] to say NO to most of the things that occupy your time. If it doesn’t support your goals, say NO and move on. I love this concept.
Secret #10: The Powerful Pareto principal. For anyone who is into Time Management this is a principle that cannot be ignored. The author does a great job of showing us how to apply the 80/20 rule to our lifestyle and business. This chapter has other great takeaways such as:
• Develop your skills to be exceptional in a few areas
• Do the most important things exceptionally well
• You can work less, stress less and enjoy more happiness by figuring out the 20% of things that are most important to you.
Secret #11: the 3 Harvard Questions that Save 8 Hours a Week: In this chapter you can outsource the work you don’t have to do and save time by delegating what you can.
Secret #12: Why Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey Themes His days. This is a great idea…theme your days to target a specific area of your business. The author provides great examples from John Lee Dumas and Dan Sullivan.
Secret #13: Don’t Touch [Until You’re Ready]. When sorting out email or papers, the golden rule is, touch it once. If it needs to be touched more than that you are wasting time. Either take action on it, file it or throw it away.
Secret #14 is waking up early and getting a kick-start in your day by drinking water, doing exercise or reciting incantations. Kevin uses several key examples from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tim Ferris, Anthony Robbins and John Lee Dumos. This is definitely my favourite technique in the book. Waking up early and taking action gives you the best use of your time and clears your mind for the rest of the day.
The last time management principle, that isn’t really about time management at all, is boosting your energy so you feel better and you can accomplish more in the same amount of time. The book wraps up nicely with 20 additional time saving techniques and strategies.
Getting Down To the Nitty-Gritty on this book:
There are a lot of great time saving concepts in this book. Kevin Kruse does a great job at delivering the content in a simple approach that you can put these strategies into practice right away. I especially love his approach to the “1440” method that reminds us we have only 1440 minutes a day.
You could read this book in less time than that and start to save time while feeling great about the extra energy and motivation. Well-written and an excellent resource for getting more out of your day and your life, check it out and stop wasting time…and your life.
One last thing is, this book comes with a set of fantastic resources for readers to download with convenient links at the end of each chapter as reminders. I love the FREE resources provided.
Kevin Kruse has written one of the best books I’ve ever read on scaling up Time Management. In this book ‘15 Secrets Successful people Know about Time Management’, Author Kruse starts off with introducing the idea of ‘1440,’ and the importance of keeping an eye on our 1440 minutes of the day.
As Kevin states: “We can never get time back again. Unlike money, it is irreplaceable. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.”
This is why this book is a necessity for everyone, because we all have time management issues. By learning how successful people use their time [15 secrets], we can model what works for them and instead of easting our time and invariable our lives, we can gain a greater stake in our most valuable resource.
Now, about this book…
The first secret #1: Time is your most valuable and scarcest resource.
By acknowledging this, we can start to count down the minutes from the moment we wake up. Every minute counts when you are spending time every hour of the day.
Secret #2: Identify Your Most Important Task and then work on it first thing before anything else.
It’s about focusing on your priority tasks, your MITs. As Kevin states, this is a key task-based action plan for defining what is the most important thing, and then getting into it first thing in the morning.
Secret #3: Work from your computer and not a To-Do-List -- Schedule your important tasks using time blocks. You should schedule important items as early in the day as possible.
Secret #4: Procrastination can be beaten when you figure out how to beat your future self.
This chapter delivers great content. Why do we procrastinate? We are fixated on doing things in the future that never get done. By focusing on our present self, we can make choices in the present moment that impacts our future. As Kevin points out, procrastination isn’t about laziness. It is about underestimating the power of the present moment emotions vs. the future emotions.
Secret #5: Accept the fact there will always be more work to do and more that can be done.
So the concept in this chapter is simple. Leave work at 5pm every day. You can work harder but there is always more to do and there will always be something that needs doing.
Secret #6: Always Carry a Notebook.
This chapter talks about the importance of writing down everything in a notebook. This concept isn’t anything knew but, writing ideas down solidifies them in the mind. It makes them more real. Thomas Edison, George Lucas and John Rockefeller all had notebooks where they kept everything.
Secret #7: Email is a great way for other people to put their priorities into your life.
The 321 system is amazing. This chapter is critical in saving time and giving you back a large part of the day that is otherwise wasted. How much time do we spend on email [reading, writing and sending] a day? How about 2.5 hours. That is a lot of time. By getting your email inbox to zero, you can stop wasting time going through email that is redundant.
Secret #8: Schedule and attend meetings as a last resort.
Who doesn’t love [hate] meetings? This chapter gets down to truth about how so much of our time is wasted on useless meeting time and just filling in the day with meetings because that is what we are supposed to do in companies. Here we get good strategies on eliminating the unnecessary meetings, or at the very least, shortening them.
Secret #9: This is all about knowing [and learning] to say NO to most of the things that occupy your time. If it doesn’t support your goals, say NO and move on. I love this concept.
Secret #10: The Powerful Pareto principal. For anyone who is into Time Management this is a principle that cannot be ignored. The author does a great job of showing us how to apply the 80/20 rule to our lifestyle and business. This chapter has other great takeaways such as:
• Develop your skills to be exceptional in a few areas
• Do the most important things exceptionally well
• You can work less, stress less and enjoy more happiness by figuring out the 20% of things that are most important to you.
Secret #11: the 3 Harvard Questions that Save 8 Hours a Week: In this chapter you can outsource the work you don’t have to do and save time by delegating what you can.
Secret #12: Why Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey Themes His days. This is a great idea…theme your days to target a specific area of your business. The author provides great examples from John Lee Dumas and Dan Sullivan.
Secret #13: Don’t Touch [Until You’re Ready]. When sorting out email or papers, the golden rule is, touch it once. If it needs to be touched more than that you are wasting time. Either take action on it, file it or throw it away.
Secret #14 is waking up early and getting a kick-start in your day by drinking water, doing exercise or reciting incantations. Kevin uses several key examples from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tim Ferris, Anthony Robbins and John Lee Dumos. This is definitely my favourite technique in the book. Waking up early and taking action gives you the best use of your time and clears your mind for the rest of the day.
The last time management principle, that isn’t really about time management at all, is boosting your energy so you feel better and you can accomplish more in the same amount of time. The book wraps up nicely with 20 additional time saving techniques and strategies.
Getting Down To the Nitty-Gritty on this book:
There are a lot of great time saving concepts in this book. Kevin Kruse does a great job at delivering the content in a simple approach that you can put these strategies into practice right away. I especially love his approach to the “1440” method that reminds us we have only 1440 minutes a day.
You could read this book in less time than that and start to save time while feeling great about the extra energy and motivation. Well-written and an excellent resource for getting more out of your day and your life, check it out and stop wasting time…and your life.
One last thing is, this book comes with a set of fantastic resources for readers to download with convenient links at the end of each chapter as reminders. I love the FREE resources provided.
December 20, 2015
The most important thing to remember about this book is that it is an edited collection of blog posts. And about 50% of the book (by page count) is collected quotes from successful people - some of which are referred to in the blog posts. I would guess that less than 25% of this book is actually written by Mr Kruse given this repetition of the quotes.
And why these people? Because they are successful in their chosen field and they responded to an invitation from the author to contribute some thoughts. It is unclear how extensive the interactions were with the author.
So very much an opinion piece based on how the author manages his priorities to use his available time, backed up by quotes that agree with him.
I found this book relatively superficial. Was it worth reading? Not really. I studied speed reading a long time ago and about the only piece of advice I remember was the fastest way to read something was to have a look at the structure of the item and then decide not to read it.
I should have taken that advice with this book.
And why these people? Because they are successful in their chosen field and they responded to an invitation from the author to contribute some thoughts. It is unclear how extensive the interactions were with the author.
So very much an opinion piece based on how the author manages his priorities to use his available time, backed up by quotes that agree with him.
I found this book relatively superficial. Was it worth reading? Not really. I studied speed reading a long time ago and about the only piece of advice I remember was the fastest way to read something was to have a look at the structure of the item and then decide not to read it.
I should have taken that advice with this book.
July 5, 2017
This book is a must for all students, educators,business owners and leaders. The author presents the keys and fundamentals to a productive way of organizing your life. The content provided is very adaptable, engaging, and motivating. We all have 1440 minutes, how will you use them. Find out how to unlock your inner powers.
February 3, 2016
I wish I had read this book decades ago. Oh, the time I would have saved by not spinning my wheels on ineffective scheduling. Time is our most valuable resource and yet we often fail to manage it so that we can directly reach our goals. Logical, practical, insightful, and brilliant are the time management methods used by billionaires and top-performers in every industry. They are revealed here for all to apply. Thank you, Kevin Kruse, for this revelation. I am changing my habits and reducing stress through these tips and techniques.
May 14, 2020
Honestly , this is a book I bought when I was working full time in a large organization a few years ago. It would have been helpful then but being semi-retiring it doesn’t appear as valuable. Well, time mgmt is valuable at any stage of life but the stuff about meetings, managing your phone calls, email, etc doesn’t apply to me now.
In summary the book is a re-telling of most of the good time mgmt thoughts you may have already heard. I took off a star for that fact.
In summary the book is a re-telling of most of the good time mgmt thoughts you may have already heard. I took off a star for that fact.
September 30, 2017
This is a solid research based book on time management (energy management actually). Traditional time management does not work. A lot of people get stressed and burnt out because they rush to everything at the end of deadline. Traditional time management not only drain our energy but also make us anxious about everything we do. In this book, Kevin Kruse demystifies the myth of time management. He discusses 15 productivity habits of billionaires, Olympic athletes, straight-A students and entrepreneurs.
One does not have to follow all the 15 secrets outlined in this book. I personally follow the Calendar technique (I have added an additional image of calendar tackling my day to day work), MIT (Most Important Task), Procrastination cure and Time Block techniques. To do list does not work.
I came across a fascinating chapter : The Procrastination Cure. Procrastination is not about laziness. Procrastination is the habit of putting off important, less pleasurable tasks by doing easier, more pleasurable tasks. Things like Facebook, messenger, Twitter, Instagram, food, email, and TV are excellent way to procrastinate. We don't procrastinate because we are lazy. We procrastinate because:
1. We lack enough motivation, and / or
2. We underestimate the power of present emotions versus future emotions when we set our goals or make our task list.
I have already experienced increase in productivity in day to day work. Energy is everything. Do not do time management. Instead, focus on energy management.
I highly recommend this book.
One does not have to follow all the 15 secrets outlined in this book. I personally follow the Calendar technique (I have added an additional image of calendar tackling my day to day work), MIT (Most Important Task), Procrastination cure and Time Block techniques. To do list does not work.
I came across a fascinating chapter : The Procrastination Cure. Procrastination is not about laziness. Procrastination is the habit of putting off important, less pleasurable tasks by doing easier, more pleasurable tasks. Things like Facebook, messenger, Twitter, Instagram, food, email, and TV are excellent way to procrastinate. We don't procrastinate because we are lazy. We procrastinate because:
1. We lack enough motivation, and / or
2. We underestimate the power of present emotions versus future emotions when we set our goals or make our task list.
I have already experienced increase in productivity in day to day work. Energy is everything. Do not do time management. Instead, focus on energy management.
I highly recommend this book.
November 4, 2021
As with most books of this type, I find that there are some excellent words of wisdom that are contained within the pages, however very little guidance is given on how to implement their suggestions.
For example, it is certainly within Elon Musk's gift to state that he is no longer going to be doing meetings after 12:00, however most reading this will not have that level of authority.
An easy read and can be finished within a day - especially if you skip over some of the waffle.
For example, it is certainly within Elon Musk's gift to state that he is no longer going to be doing meetings after 12:00, however most reading this will not have that level of authority.
An easy read and can be finished within a day - especially if you skip over some of the waffle.
December 29, 2015
A complete 180!
This book has changed the way I think and approach life. I look at emails, phone calls, to do lists, and my calendar in a much different and more productive manner. Bravo!
This book has changed the way I think and approach life. I look at emails, phone calls, to do lists, and my calendar in a much different and more productive manner. Bravo!
January 15, 2016
Excellent and inspiring!
Great ideas centered around bring more productive. Inspiring quotes and ideas from highly successful people with different backgrounds. Many references to other good books, concepts, and websites.
Great ideas centered around bring more productive. Inspiring quotes and ideas from highly successful people with different backgrounds. Many references to other good books, concepts, and websites.
July 9, 2017
Very actionable tips and recommendations for becoming better at managing your time, and more importantly, managing your mental energy.
October 21, 2018
very practical advice
book is filled with bullet pointed advices, direct quotes from very successful people. i will try out the blue calendar asap :)
book is filled with bullet pointed advices, direct quotes from very successful people. i will try out the blue calendar asap :)
August 1, 2021
This is the best book I've read for becoming successful in everything you do.
And the most important thing I learned is to "Say No To Everything That Doesn’t Support Your Immediate Goals"
It's worth to get back to this book from time to time in order to remember appreciating the time you have.
The author has taken the input from 7 billionaires, 13 Olympic athletes, 29 straight A students, and 239 successful entrepreneurs and distilled down their lessons learned regarding time management. The book is a quick and easy read. More than that, the “secrets” that they reveal are easy to implement, and highly effective.
The 15 secrets are:
- Time is Your Most Valuable And Scarcest Resource
- Identify Your Most Important Task (MIT) and Work On It Each Day Before Doing Anything Else
- Work From Your Calendar, Not a To Do List
- Procrastination Can Be Overcome When You Figure Out How to Beat Your Future Self, Who Cannot - - Be Trusted To Do The Right Thing
- Accept the Fact That There Will ALWAYS Be More To Do and More That Can Be Done
- Always Carry a Notebook
- Email Is A Great Way For Other People to Put Their Priorities In Your Life; Control Your Inbox
- Schedule And Attend Meetings As A Last Resort, When All Other Forms of Communication Won’t Work
- Say No To Everything That Doesn’t Support Your Immediate Goals
- Eighty Percent Of Outcomes Are Generated By Twenty Percent Of Activities
- Focus Your Time Only On Things That Utilize Your Unique Strengths And Passions
- Batch Your Work With Recurring Themes For Different Days Of The Week
- If A Task Can Be Completed In Less Than Five Minutes, Do It Immediately
- Invest The First 60 Minutes Of Each Day In Rituals That Strengthen Your Mind, Body, And Spirit
- Productivity Is About Energy And Focus, Not Time
And the most important thing I learned is to "Say No To Everything That Doesn’t Support Your Immediate Goals"
It's worth to get back to this book from time to time in order to remember appreciating the time you have.
The author has taken the input from 7 billionaires, 13 Olympic athletes, 29 straight A students, and 239 successful entrepreneurs and distilled down their lessons learned regarding time management. The book is a quick and easy read. More than that, the “secrets” that they reveal are easy to implement, and highly effective.
The 15 secrets are:
- Time is Your Most Valuable And Scarcest Resource
- Identify Your Most Important Task (MIT) and Work On It Each Day Before Doing Anything Else
- Work From Your Calendar, Not a To Do List
- Procrastination Can Be Overcome When You Figure Out How to Beat Your Future Self, Who Cannot - - Be Trusted To Do The Right Thing
- Accept the Fact That There Will ALWAYS Be More To Do and More That Can Be Done
- Always Carry a Notebook
- Email Is A Great Way For Other People to Put Their Priorities In Your Life; Control Your Inbox
- Schedule And Attend Meetings As A Last Resort, When All Other Forms of Communication Won’t Work
- Say No To Everything That Doesn’t Support Your Immediate Goals
- Eighty Percent Of Outcomes Are Generated By Twenty Percent Of Activities
- Focus Your Time Only On Things That Utilize Your Unique Strengths And Passions
- Batch Your Work With Recurring Themes For Different Days Of The Week
- If A Task Can Be Completed In Less Than Five Minutes, Do It Immediately
- Invest The First 60 Minutes Of Each Day In Rituals That Strengthen Your Mind, Body, And Spirit
- Productivity Is About Energy And Focus, Not Time
October 21, 2021
3.5 stars
Some of this is quite interesting but I have marked it down because a lot of it is not new, eg Pareto analysis, touch things once, etc and much of it is more like an anthology of other (successful) people’s thoughts and methodologies rather than original theories.
There are a few interesting take aways that I might consider implementing, such as identifying a daily MIT (most important task) and pulse working. I might also consider setting my alarm half an hour earlier to incorporate additional exercise time and eating breakfast.
However, there are a number of contradictions that I always find irritating. For instance, we are encouraged to get up earlier to exercise, be mindful and eat properly but we are also told that the first 2 hours of our waking day are the most productive, so we should make them count. At the end we have a brief mention of the importance of sleep. Many other books and studies suggest that sleep may be even more important than food in relation to productivity yet we can’t both wake early and get more sleep if we want a life in between.
I’m also unconvinced by time being more important than anything; the great levelling commodity. Yes it is clearly important but his approach to the relative importance of people vs business seems quite 20th century to me. We have hopefully learned something of the importance of people and balance over the pandemic - family-time isn’t just a calendar item in mho.
Some of this is quite interesting but I have marked it down because a lot of it is not new, eg Pareto analysis, touch things once, etc and much of it is more like an anthology of other (successful) people’s thoughts and methodologies rather than original theories.
There are a few interesting take aways that I might consider implementing, such as identifying a daily MIT (most important task) and pulse working. I might also consider setting my alarm half an hour earlier to incorporate additional exercise time and eating breakfast.
However, there are a number of contradictions that I always find irritating. For instance, we are encouraged to get up earlier to exercise, be mindful and eat properly but we are also told that the first 2 hours of our waking day are the most productive, so we should make them count. At the end we have a brief mention of the importance of sleep. Many other books and studies suggest that sleep may be even more important than food in relation to productivity yet we can’t both wake early and get more sleep if we want a life in between.
I’m also unconvinced by time being more important than anything; the great levelling commodity. Yes it is clearly important but his approach to the relative importance of people vs business seems quite 20th century to me. We have hopefully learned something of the importance of people and balance over the pandemic - family-time isn’t just a calendar item in mho.
January 30, 2022
This is one of the best time management books I have read. A lot of the techniques and tips are common sense, but I enjoyed the way the author organized the ideas for easy reference and shared advice from well-known success giants such as Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, Tony Robbins, and Mark Cuban. I definitely plan to create my own "personal operating system" so I can incorporate some of these tips to make the most of my daily 1440 minutes!
I was particularly impacted by the discussion urging readers to realize that saying no frees you up to say yes to things with higher importance or priority; that touching things once when you are ready to take immediate action saves you time; that the 80/20 rule can help you focus on your most important and impactful tasks; and that delegating/dumping/re-designing are key strategies for preserving your energy and time. There are many more time management "secrets" shared in this book and they are all worth reading if you procrastinate or waste time in any way. If you've heard these principles before, it will reinforce what you already know and perhaps motivate you to actually adopt and practice the principle.
In all, this is a short book packed with lots of good time-saving nuggets. I made notes while reading that I'm sure I will review again.
I was particularly impacted by the discussion urging readers to realize that saying no frees you up to say yes to things with higher importance or priority; that touching things once when you are ready to take immediate action saves you time; that the 80/20 rule can help you focus on your most important and impactful tasks; and that delegating/dumping/re-designing are key strategies for preserving your energy and time. There are many more time management "secrets" shared in this book and they are all worth reading if you procrastinate or waste time in any way. If you've heard these principles before, it will reinforce what you already know and perhaps motivate you to actually adopt and practice the principle.
In all, this is a short book packed with lots of good time-saving nuggets. I made notes while reading that I'm sure I will review again.
November 2, 2020
This book is fine beginner book if you've never read other productivity books, but there's a subgenre here among business books that I've decided I really don't like. It's where some business person riffs off the top of their head some business advice, borrows some quotes from other business books and memoirs that fit their topic, and contacts a bunch of similar people and asks them to give them a quote they can stick in the book. This tactic doesn't add anything to the genre, but on the other hand, if you just want a quick refresher or a book to get you started on the topic, it serves a purpose. So if you want a kick in the pants with comments like "every yes is a no to something else," then you might find value here.
A book that covers similar territory that I highly recommend is: "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones." And Cal Newport's "Deep Questions" podcast is also great on time management.
A book that covers similar territory that I highly recommend is: "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones." And Cal Newport's "Deep Questions" podcast is also great on time management.
December 20, 2020
I have first read a short version of this book that somebody added together - only containing 15 main points made in this book and a few short sentences to explain each. This gave me a broader overview of the book, and only then I read the full-version.
I am a time and productivity management freak in some sense, so this was really interesting for me. It is very nice and clear that Mr. Kruse writes out the patterns that emerge from each of the group of people he interviewed.
I feel I am doing half of the things the author advice me to do already, and I will definitely start doing at least two new things that will keep me better organized.
Definitely worth reading.
I am a time and productivity management freak in some sense, so this was really interesting for me. It is very nice and clear that Mr. Kruse writes out the patterns that emerge from each of the group of people he interviewed.
I feel I am doing half of the things the author advice me to do already, and I will definitely start doing at least two new things that will keep me better organized.
Definitely worth reading.
April 21, 2022
Full of very good ideas. I do think some of his suggestions are on the extreme side however, his book is more a menu of suggestions and key success ideas to go through, pick and choose the ones that would be most effective in your particular situation or lifestyle. As a Broker/REALTOR some of the ideas simply won't work for me and some could be life changing. I'm always looking for way to improve my ability to get more done and bring more value to the table for my agents and our clients. I will definitely be using some of the ones presented here.
December 30, 2023
biggest takeaway: “you can’t get more time, only more energy.” in other words, productivity (aka getting more done with less stress) is about energy management and being able to maximize our energy, bc we all have the same number of hours in a day!!
April 13, 2024
Really enjoyed reading first part - it wasn’t “secrets” of productivity per se, but it’s a good awareness check of your daily routine and what can be improved.
However the book could have ended there.
Second part was quite unnecessary and repetitive and ruined overall impression of this book.
However the book could have ended there.
Second part was quite unnecessary and repetitive and ruined overall impression of this book.
January 29, 2020
Good book for the first 15 Secrets, but got very repetitive and a bit boring at the end with so many quotes from way too many professionals, sport celebrities, students, etc. Could have stopped at the first 15 and let people apply each secret to their own area since that was done at the end of each chapter.
December 13, 2021
Good enough. Not inspiring but the applicable life-benefitting material is there.
November 6, 2021
Audiobook
Combination of books
Combination of books
June 20, 2022
Practical and helpful advice for time management.
January 12, 2023
This book about time management is amusingly short and to the point. I listened to the audio version which breezed through all 15 secrets. A lot of these tips were already a part of my daily practices, learned from other self help books or though common sense. I don't think anything in this book particularly stood out to me as revolutionary, but perhaps if your the type of person whom really struggling with managing their time this book can save you.
August 2, 2023
Some good tips particularly around using your calendar to track your time and important tasks.
March 3, 2017
I am very happy that i read this book. It gave me lot of insights about time management. Kevin kruse talks about importance of time and one can utilize it get more outcomes. I procrastinate lot. After reading this book i getting guilty feeling when i am wasting time or procrastinate some thing. I ll try to summarize the take from this book.
1. Time is most important thing. If we loose we can’t get it back. So we have to spend it usefully. Ever minute is important.
2. We must focus on one thing at a time and finish it. Multitasking will not help us.
3. Using todo we not help us always. We can use calendar for scheduling everything. Thing which we are writing in todo list, we will give up after some time.
4. We must not procrastinate. Whenever we procrastinate something we adding more task in our task list. Eventually we have to feel the pain in future. We must beat our future-self. We must be better than yesterday.
5. We must finish our daily task at the end of the day. I believe this will not come soon. Deliberate practice on a particular field make them strong and smart then they achieve this.
6. Using notebook is good. When we get an idea we can note it down in notebook. We may forget in busy life. Richard bradson virgin groups of company founder used have his personal notebook with him always.
7. Don’t waste our time in email. Unsubscribe from unwanted mails like promotions, fashion and more. Mails and mobile notification will distract our attention and then we will end up in wasting time. We can use mail labeling based on priority.
8. Avoid unwanted meeting. We can conduct standup meeting instead of traditional meeting.
9. Say no to almost everything. Don’t waste you time for others goal. Try to achieve your goal, try to finish your task.
10. 80% of outcomes comes from only 20% of our activities. Our 80% values and results are coming from our 20% work done.
11. We must not use the word I. For example, Instead of asking how can i do this work?. we can ask how can this work get done?. we must not use I. While we were working in team it good practice to say we instead of using the word “I”.
12. We must prioritize our work like scheduling everyday meeting at 4.00pm with team. But it should be only 15mins standup meeting. Gym at morning 7am and so for everything. We must work on MIT(most important task).
13. Successful people touch a thing or task only once and they will finish. They will find simple and small task and they will finish it soon.
14. To master a skill or improve we must practice consistently. we must practice every morning.
15. Keep ourself healthy is very important of all. By increasing our energy we can increase our attention, decision making, focus and productivity. We must not skip our meals. Eat healthy and having physical activity leads to good health life which gives you more energy to learn and thrive. “Successful people view food as fuel,sleep as recovery and work as fun.”.
Overall i loved this book. I recommend this book to everyone.
1. Time is most important thing. If we loose we can’t get it back. So we have to spend it usefully. Ever minute is important.
2. We must focus on one thing at a time and finish it. Multitasking will not help us.
3. Using todo we not help us always. We can use calendar for scheduling everything. Thing which we are writing in todo list, we will give up after some time.
4. We must not procrastinate. Whenever we procrastinate something we adding more task in our task list. Eventually we have to feel the pain in future. We must beat our future-self. We must be better than yesterday.
5. We must finish our daily task at the end of the day. I believe this will not come soon. Deliberate practice on a particular field make them strong and smart then they achieve this.
6. Using notebook is good. When we get an idea we can note it down in notebook. We may forget in busy life. Richard bradson virgin groups of company founder used have his personal notebook with him always.
7. Don’t waste our time in email. Unsubscribe from unwanted mails like promotions, fashion and more. Mails and mobile notification will distract our attention and then we will end up in wasting time. We can use mail labeling based on priority.
8. Avoid unwanted meeting. We can conduct standup meeting instead of traditional meeting.
9. Say no to almost everything. Don’t waste you time for others goal. Try to achieve your goal, try to finish your task.
10. 80% of outcomes comes from only 20% of our activities. Our 80% values and results are coming from our 20% work done.
11. We must not use the word I. For example, Instead of asking how can i do this work?. we can ask how can this work get done?. we must not use I. While we were working in team it good practice to say we instead of using the word “I”.
12. We must prioritize our work like scheduling everyday meeting at 4.00pm with team. But it should be only 15mins standup meeting. Gym at morning 7am and so for everything. We must work on MIT(most important task).
13. Successful people touch a thing or task only once and they will finish. They will find simple and small task and they will finish it soon.
14. To master a skill or improve we must practice consistently. we must practice every morning.
15. Keep ourself healthy is very important of all. By increasing our energy we can increase our attention, decision making, focus and productivity. We must not skip our meals. Eat healthy and having physical activity leads to good health life which gives you more energy to learn and thrive. “Successful people view food as fuel,sleep as recovery and work as fun.”.
Overall i loved this book. I recommend this book to everyone.
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