Editorial Review

With first-chapter allusions to martial arts, "flow," "mind like water," and other concepts borrowed from the East (and usually mangled), you'd almost think this self-helper from David Allen should have been called

Reviews (236)

Lots of good ideas, but not the whole story
I've been trying to organize my life for over 20 years, and have read innumerable books on the subject. While each one has offered something to add to the puzzle, none of them has told the whole story.
Great book
This book totally helped me out.Great book.I use a plugin for Gmail on Firefox called GTD that integrates these concepts into my email and my productivity has gone through the roof.Awesome book.

This book has made me a lot of money
I got a very valuable piece of advice from this book:
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Health/Stress    4. Labor Productivity    5. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    6. Self-Help    7. Time Management    8. Business & Economics / Time Management   

Reviews (70)

Eat That Frog!
This book is great in helping one to find their motivation.Wonderful ideas, clearly written, easy to ready!I loved it!

To the point
Much of it you already know but sometimes you need some reminding. This book is easy to read, to the point and not inflated with boring repetition like others of it's kind.

Only Decent, Entire Information contained in last 3 Pages!
I was very excited from the creative title, but was overall disappointed with the end result. His advice is valid, but it is stretched out very thin in order to get enough pages for a book. In general he says write your goals down, start immediately, and to do the most important task first. I doubt his readers in particular really need to pay $14 to be reminded of this. Either way, if you want the advice he condenses it to a list of all 21 steps in the last 3 pages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Motivational    5. Time Management    6. Advice on careers & achieving success   

Reviews (19)

How to get the monkeys (work units) of others off your back
The monkey in this case is in reference to the phrase, "getting the monkey off your back." A monkey is a work unit that needs to be done, and the manager in question is someone who takes on the monkeys of his underlings. Instead of delegating the responsibility to people under him, he does the job. The consequence is that he is putting in a full day on Saturday while his underlings are out playing golf. Finally fed up with this situation, he decides to truly take charge and keep the monkeys where they belong.
How to delegate but not abdicate
Just as when parents allow a child to get a pet, then end up changing the hamster papers, walking the dog at midnight in a thunderstorm, and taking out the kitty litter; so do some managers spend all their time taking care of their employee's "monkeys". This book uses humor to teach managers the art of delegation, handing the monkeys back to their owners and giving them the responsibility of caring and feeding. But that is not all. Most managers will profit greatly by reading the techniques of monkey hand-off. This is especially true if you've ever been accused of micro-management. However some managers are great at the handing off the monkeys and then forget to followup on their condition. This book also talks about follow-up check-ups and insurance policies to make sure that monkeys are healthy. As employees become better and better monkey tenders, then less follow-up and insurance is needed. However a manager does need to continue periodic check-ups because he is ultimately responsible for the project.

Great Advise!
Great advise to new managers. I really could relate to the story. Both helpful and validating. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Delegation of authority    4. Executives    5. Management - General    6. Time Management    7. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (10)

Absolute LIFE-SAVER for the over-worked
My career had reached a point where I felt like I was running on an ever-increasing treadmill: the harder I ran, the more it would speed up. I was spending 16 hrs/day at the office, miserable, perpetually stressed...
May be a lifesaver!
Just what I needed in the nick of time. As with all useful popular psychology books, its efficacy is in the reader making an effort to follow through with a plan, and Morgenstern inspires me to do just that. I especially appreciated her quickstart program. Saving the procrastination-potential reading until I've got a handle on some of my clutter--in both time and space! Speaking of which, being as visual as I am, I especially appreciated her sketch/analogy representing the inside of a (my) closet as it aligns with the inside of a (my) calendar! They look the same. If I can organize my closet in space, I can organize my calendar in time!

Very Helpful, Very Real
This is a great book.It is an easy read, (even fun), and unlike all of the other organization books I've read, I feel like Ms. Morgenstern has actually been in the workplace.Her ideas are practical and realistic.I came away with real strategies that really work. I highly recommend it for anyone who feels they are missing the "organization gene".
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Office Automation And Management    6. Office Management    7. Time Management    8. Business & Economics / General   

Editorial Review

What are the most important things in your life? Do they get as much care, emphasis, and time as you'd like to give them? Far from the traditional "be-more-efficient" time-management book with shortcut techniques, Read more

Reviews (59)

A Worthwhile Read even for time management junkies
The Stephen R. Covey engine has kicked out numerous books on self-help, and they consult 200 out of the top 500 Fortune companies. After all of those books and years, they have heard enough stories and waded through enough crisis situations to get a good handle on what works and does not work in all of those environments.
Excellent thesis camouflaged by flowery writing
The author of "First Things First," Stephen Covey, Roger Merrill, and Rebecca Merrill, are all involved with the Franklin Covey Company--a company most known for training individuals and institutions in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."The purpose of "First Things First" is to provide an expanded, fuller treatment of some aspects of the Seven Habits.These aspects include the concepts of "Sharpening the Saw" (making time to renew and develop your mental, social, physical, and spiritual health), Quadrant II (things that are important yet not urgent), Personal Mission Statements, What Matters Most (making sure you spend your time in the most important activities and relationships), Roles and Goals, Synergy and Inter-dependence, and Leadership Styles.
Integrity in the Moment of Choice

Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Conduct of life    3. Entrepreneurship    4. Personal Growth - General    5. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    6. Self-Help    7. Time Management    8. Business & Economics / Leadership    9. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Reviews (20)

Very helpfull book
This book is very helpfull and adress a sense of time management and action that we need to accomplish in order to do successfull things in business and in life

Worth the time
A sophisticated and brief set of fifty-two disciplinary observations and requirements for better control and less confusion.A good book - but not as thorough and enlightening as I had hoped for -but then, I hoped for a lot.

Not as good as his other book
I was disappointed with this book because it isn't significantly different from the author's book, Getting Things Done. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Development - General    4. Executive Management    5. General    6. Motivational & Inspirational    7. Personal Growth - Success    8. Self-Help    9. Self-management (Psychology)    10. Time Management    11. Business & Economics / Time Management   

Reviews (4)

A Complete Waste of Money
This is not a book, it's a booklet of 33 pages!The tips are simplistic and obvious and can be gotten out of numerous other time management books that are better.I was completely disappointed and would have sent the book back to Amazon, but it's not worth paying the shipping to do so.I would not recommend this book to anyone.

175 Ways To Get More Done In Less Time
Good book.Rcommended by a friend who hit the motherload in the first few pages.Sold me easily.A must read for anyone who multitasks (techies, managers, moms, etc.;-)) and needs to be able to handle it all all day long.Worth it's weight in gold.

A must
Great book. Effective ,concise, no diagrams,no definitions just some cool advices. Not all tips will fit your needs but many will. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics / Time Management    2. Business/Economics    3. Business    4. Business & Economics    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Time management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics / Time Management    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - General    4. Self-Help / Time Management    5. Business & Economics    6. Handbooks, manuals, etc    7. Management    8. Organization    9. Organizing    10. Paperwork (Office practice)    11. Productivity    12. Self-Help    13. Time Management   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Software - General    4. Business/Economics    5. Time Management    6. Business & Economics / Time Management   

Reviews (5)

Tried and true time management for salespeople
Countless tasks compete for a salesperson's time every day. Salespeople who fall into these "time traps" sacrifice the hours they need to invest in their ultimate purpose: selling. Sales and work-life balance expert Todd Duncan identifies the eight most common time traps that snare salespeople (and other businesspeople, also), including the "identity trap," the "organization trap," the "control trap" and the "party trap." He explains how to dodge these traps and streamline your workday so that you devote most of your time to selling. He offers strategies for selling more in less time, such as nurturing relationships with high-value customers to generate repeat business and referrals. Duncan also suggests ideas about how to use all your new free time, offering guidelines for balancing your life outside of work. There is a Christian flavor to his advice, but it is subtle and shouldn't deter those who are not spiritually oriented. This isn't a magic formula for increasing sales or buying time; in fact, much of the information is not new. But we recommend it as a nicely packaged approach to maximizing the value of your time as a salesperson, not only in your workday, but also in your life.

Very Good
Time management books and seminars can easily be a little vague and "fluffy".Duncan's book - particularly the first half - is filled with sensible, hands-on techniques and inspiration to regain control of your time and consequently your sales accounts.
It's not about time management, it's about task management
One sentence summary: Build an effective and efficient team, don't waste time on nonproductive tasks and do what you enjoy doing.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Sales & Selling - General    5. Sales & Selling - Management    6. Sales management    7. Time Management    8. Business & Economics / Time Management    9. Business & Management   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (24)

Read this book, get your life back.
I was tired of working 60 hrs/wk and NOT getting caught up. I manage 14 locations with around 500 users. I was 2 years behind on some projects. This book was a tremendous help.

Time Management for Techies who get Interrupted Frequently
How many times do you get interrupted from your "main" task in a day?"Time Management for Techies who get Interrupted Frequently" could have been the title of this book.While the real title of this book is "Time Management for System Administrators," it is really useful for any techie who faces interruptions.And that's most of us!
"TIME AFTER TIME!!"
Are you an IT worker? If you are, then this book is for you! Author Thomas Limoncelli, has done an outstanding job of writing a practical book for IT people who are early in their career, but also for industry veterans who will find these time management techniques to be equally useful.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Computer Network Management    5. Computer networks    6. Computers - General Information    7. General    8. Management    9. Management Information Systems    10. Time Management    11. Business & Economics / Time Management    12. Computer Communications & Networking    13. Computers / Networking / General    14. Computers/Management Information Systems   

Reviews (19)

Excellent Resource on Tablet PC
I really like the author's approach, since he actually gives both relevant technical information and provides the practical business practice.
Tablet PC book not for learning the Tablet
This book is not for someone learning to really use the Tablet PC.It is about his system of organization and how to use the Tablet PC as a key device in organizing your life, as the title indicates.I was disappointed in the book overall as I was looking for a book that would educate the physicians I support in better use of the Tablet itself.

Good Reminder for Professionals
As I read the book it reminded me of all the things I should be doing to keep my work organized.The tablet PC is a great tool which I encorporated into my daily routine prior to reading.This book gave me helpful hints on how to do things effectively and efficently on my tablet.The book is written using the beta and initial version of the tablet PC tools.If you purchase you must download the updates of Chapters 3 & 4.This update gives a better understanding of the current tools of the tablet PC.It is worth the money in time saved. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business    2. Business & Economics    3. Business & Economics / Time Management    4. Computer Books: General    5. Computer programs    6. Computers    7. Computers - General Information    8. Computers / Personal Computers & Microcomputers / IBM-Compatible    9. General    10. Hardware - Handheld Computing    11. Hardware - Personal Computers - General    12. Hardware - Personal Computers - PCs    13. Pen-based computers    14. Personal Computers & Microcomputers - IBM Compatible    15. Scheduling    16. Time Management    17. Computers / General   

Features

• Audiobook
• Unabridged

Reviews (6)

Focus: Achieving Your Highest Priorities
Good content, helps to have a background in the Franklin Covey system.

Extremely Helpful!
This audio series has been extremely helpful to me in getting a better understanding of Covey's principles regarding time management and prioritization.After reading his book "First Things First," I felt I needed an additional resource to grasp fully the principles he was presenting.This audio series accomplished that very situation.
Great Overview of Franklin Covey Principles
During my initial first few minutes of listening I realized that Stephen Covey wasn't the main speaker on this tape (he narrates some sections). Suddenly I thought maybe the quality would be mediocre. That this would be some cranked out product just to make a buck. I was wrong. I listened to all 3 CD's (the 4th is a computer demo) and enjoyed the presentation highly. Read more

Subjects:  1. Abridged Audio - Business/Professional    2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape    3. Audiobooks    4. General    5. Personal Growth - Success    6. Self-Help    7. Self-management (Psychology)    8. Time Management    9. Unabridged Audio - Business/Professional    10. Self-Help / General   

Reviews (11)

Road Map to Excellence
This book is an amazingly thorough, dense, content-packed work that should be on every business person's bookshelf. It is a tremendous resource for business consultants and coaches as well as the business owner.Dave Lakhani offers an effective system to implement not just change, but mastery in your business and personal life.
one of the best written books with an amazing approach that drives clients forward
My compliments! Your book is one of the best written books with an amazing approach that drives clients forward. I am a success coach for CEOs and Executives, and I started to use some of your suggestions. The results are incredible!

Perhaps I missed the point
I bought the book at the suggestion of Harv Eker, whom I respect. However, I found this book to be dogmatic and lacking the inspiration that I expected. I found that many of the chapters were dry, brief, and did not connect with me. I had the sensation of having someone who had heard "this is how to be productive with your time" from someone else and was passing on the cliff notes. Instead of this book, I would recommend Brian Tracy's Goals! - which gave me much more inspiration and practical exercises. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Business/Economics    5. Executive ability    6. Management - General    7. Motivation    8. Motivational    9. Organizational change    10. Personal Growth - Success    11. Success in business    12. Time Management    13. Advice on careers & achieving success    14. Business & Economics / Motivational    15. Popular psychology   

Reviews (20)

Great for the chronically disorganized!
I've read a lot of books on clutter and disorganization over the years. This book not only stands on its own, it also helps put the others in a usable context.This may not be for the person who is a logical thinker and whose house has just gotten a little out of control, but it's a must for those who have been trying to get organized for years.

This book is brilliant!
I'm a professional organizer and deal with many clients who are chronically disorganized. This book has transformed many of my ideas about how to help them overcome their clutter, hoarding, and disorganization problems. Kolberg is so imaginative and creative in her approach, and her inventive ways of dealing with clients' various ways of thinking is truly superb. I recommend this book to anyone who has a problem with disorganization or who deals with those who do. A+!

Chronic bad book
I've read a few books on organization and they have all helped "a little".This was the first book I read that I felt I wasted money on.It had nothing new to say and the systems were designed for people who don't think in a logical way. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics / Time Management    2. General    3. Psychology    4. Self-Help    5. Home economics    6. How-To    7. Orderliness    8. Organizing    9. Self-Help / General    10. Time management   

Editorial Review

Since it was first published, Read more

Reviews (18)

Targeted for working people, not much for the rest of us
This time management book is very workplace-oriented. Almost every page or so has something to do with meetings, paperwork, calendars, delegation, business communication, time logs, etc. Not really applicable for a stay-at-home parent such as myself. Most, if not all, of the given examples are set in the workplace. Even the charts and figures and worksheets are applicable only to working or business situations.
Well worth the time
Wonderful and practical advice.I am putting the practices in this book to use on a daily basis and am achieving more than I previously was. The only problem I have is that my fellow workers are trying to pawn off their workload on me since I am getting my stuff done more quickly and efficiently than I was previously. Super book...easy to read...will read again in a year. Highly recommend!

Practical advice to identifying and correcting time-wasters
This is a thoughtful time management book, that gets to the point, effectively.Personal discipline is the key to stress-free success. Set a plan, log what you actually do with your time, andthen identify the time-wasters for mitigation.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - General    4. Business/Economics    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Management    7. Management - General    8. Time Management   

Reviews (78)

Excellent and flexible system
After trying FlyLady twice, I realized that it would never work for me.Instead of having more time, I felt like I was always supposed to be doing a little here and a little there, but was never done.Being nagged by email only made it worse.And the final straw was the fact that FlyLady's "inspirational" messages were increasingly just annoyances -- either a reminder to purchase some product of hers, or a lot of Christian-oriented jargon.What I took from this system was:work in small segments, plan a day for each task, jump in wherever you are, and do a little, even if you don't finish the job.Since most of this was taken from the SHE sisters, I decided to investigate the SHE system.I found this system works better for me.Being able to move a card into the "done" section and seeing the pile of tasks that were left worked much better as a reminder for me than emails, which I often didn't get to read until well after they were due.And when the cards are gone, I'm done!As the daughter of a cleaning-impaired mother, I also appreciate the SHE system's instructions on what to clean and how often to clean it.The SHE sisters are not at all preachy, just "regular folks" trying to get their acts together and sharing a bit about themselves.It works for me.

Even better than FlyLady!
This book changed my life.
GREAT!!!
I have struggled with my house for years.Finally, I am getting it straigten out and feel comfortable having guests again. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Cleaning & Caretaking - Household Hints    3. General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. Home economics    6. House & Home    7. Housewives    8. Self-Help    9. Time Management    10. House & Home / Cleaning & Caretaking    11. Self-Help & Practical Interests   

Reviews (30)

An Incredibly Insightful Book
I found that virtually EVERY paragraph in this book has something of tremendous value to say to those who seek realistic escape from the frantic, artificial, and so often mindless "fast-forward video" pace of modern life - whether it be a thought-provoking observation, a relevant quote, an incisive suggestion or a mind-expanding analysis of a particular topic - the author's words realistically speak to, and gently correct, the life-destroying freneticness so many of us habitually fall into.
Everyone should read this!!!
Picked this up at the airport and it hooked me right from the first page. I could not stop reading it. It rocks!!! The author pulls our go-faster culture apart with anecdotes, statistics and some really funny one-liners. I was seeing myself in the bad examples of roadrunner behavior, like eating standing up or trying to do too many things at once. The author does not preach, he just takes you on an invesitagation round the world where there can only be one conclusion: that slowing things down a little would be good for all of us. When I got home I bought copies for all my friends, especially the fastest ones. Everyone should read this book, before its too late. What are you waiting for?!?

Inspiring, but I can't read it SLOWLY.....
This is definitely an inspring topic in the 21st centry as everyone (especially those living in the city) talks about having pressure and feeling nervous with the idea of time. The author has pointed out many interesting figures and information of how living in a high speed standard affect our quality of living. He recommends different kinds of method to let human pursue their live without fuss and trouble, which indeed, very inspiring and useful. However, he seems to give too much facts or examples on one particular idea, which made me unable to focus SLOWLY and enjoy reading his book, thus I have to skip or skim quickly throughout some topics.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Ethics (Specific Aspects)    4. Leisure    5. Philosophy    6. Sociology    7. Time Management    8. Social Science / Popular Culture   

Reviews (49)

One of the best books on time management...
There are lots of reviewers who have done a very thorough job of reviewing this book and its essential approach.What I want to add is my own personal experience using these principles.In short, they work and this brief text can really make a difference in how you manage your time and your life.
Time-management basics.
Alan Lakein's book on time management is one of the fundamentals in this field. Even though I would recommend you to also read at least one other book on time management, this book is as good as it gets. Some of the ideas that are presented here may seem a little extreme, but of course they are only ideas of how to improve the way you manage your time. The fundamental lesson is this: time is a limited resource and we can either waste it, or we can use it in a sensible manner and then enjoy the fact that we have free time on hand. In that logic, the author is presenting time in the same way in which your financial advisor would talk to you about money. It is a limited resource and in order to enjoy as much as possible of it, you need to invest it carefully.
Lakein deserves a medal
I have read, and re-read, Lakein's book more than a dozen times over the last twenty years. Great common sense book from a man with a Harvard MBA. Simple, down to earth approach A simple book that can be read in a single day; but take it slow and digest it word for word. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Careers - General    3. Motivational & Inspirational    4. Self-Help    5. Success    6. Time Management    7. United States    8. Self-Help & Practical Interests    9. Self-Help / Motivational   

Reviews (21)

Life changing
Amazon tells me I bought this in October 2004. Paradoxically, it doesn't seem like I've been using McGhee's system that long and at the same time it seems like I've been using it for years and years. It's very natural, simple, and easy to do. I have a windows mobile device and this system is perfect for it.
two is not a crowd
This helpful book cannot be adequately summarized except by comparison and contrast with David Allen's Getting Things Done. This is so for two reasons. First, McGhee claims in her acknowledgements to have co-developed the system that Allen has gone on to disseminate with extraordinary results. Second, the family resemblance between the two authors' work is obvious and suggests shared genetics, even down to the marginal quotations that are meant to inspire but which I found irksomely clich?.