This is my Bookring Copy #1

For a review of this excellent book, please see my PC Copy

Bookrings are UK only at the moment.

Please PM if you would like to be added to the list.

BookGroupMan
KenseyRiver, Uncle Tom Cobley and all
AnglersRest
QuantumAyla
Twynnie
MrsDanvers

UPDATE: Bookring closed and book released into the wild.

Hi Pakasanelly, so you didn't do it tomorrow (yesterday) so I have the book today!

I will read while i'm away in Scotland :) Thanks

...this is a fine book. Implementing improved time management systems is now my Current Initiative (only Pakasanelly will understand this so far ;) I'll write a fuller review later.

I'm hoping to pass this copy on to someone else at Saturday's Ipswich meet-up, if not MrsDanvers, then possibly jump ahead to someone else if that's OK?

Thanks very much!

ps. I used a work with a Mark Forster at GRE in town, but he had a beard and probably didn't 'do it tommorrow' :)

My real review:

The great thing about this book is that is easy to understand, is sensible, and - I suggest - can be applied immediately to benefit the vast majority of people, not just office or ‘information’ workers. For example, anyone with too much to do, lack of focus, pressure to take on more ‘things’ in their lives, and easily distracted procrastinators with not enough time! But, as MF points out, how much time would one need...it would be just as easy to fill (over-fill) 36, 48 hours, more(?) in a day without the underlying system changes and increased effectiveness that this enables.

There are also more subtle lessons as to our level of commitment, the way our brain copes with demands, and the psychology of stress & procrastination.

But, as I have found out in the last couple of days, improvements to time management systems and underlying behaviours, although deceptively simple – a few examples included below – are *not* easy to stick to. I will persevere :)

Mark Forster keeps the whole book fairly light and readable in small chunks and doesn’t patronise his audience or drift into the spiritual/metaphysical (or worse still gung-ho Americanism) as is the case with a lot of self-help books. OK, so there are some gimmicks and trite statements (‘do it tomorrow’ for example – qualified below), but it is realistic and very useful – well to this left-brainiac at least ;)

Herewith some tricks & tips that I’ve learnt;

- If you can’t do a typical day’s incoming work in a day you’re in trouble (compare the analogy with spending within a budget, the scarce resource in this case being one's time & energy)

- Don’t be afraid to declare a ‘backlog’ of work (debt management?)

- Prioritising can be an excuse for being reactive to so-called emergency tasks and leaving ‘less important’ tasks until never

- Be disciplined and ordered (have systems and stick to them)

- Being on top of work *is* a desirable end in itself as it frees one up for more creative endevours and better work-life balance. There’s no merit in being too busy, stressed or disorganised

- Closed Lists are much better than open-ended ‘to do’ lists...better to have a smaller contained ‘will do’ checklist

- Little-and-often is better than the alternative, i.e. ‘I haven’t got the time to do that now, I’ll do it manana’. The declaration ‘do it tomorrow’ is short-hand for a set of incredibly powerful tools & techniques for managing time and work

(I paraphrase of course – so read the book!)

RELEASE NOTES:

Passed on to KenseyRiver at today's Ipswich meet-up (out of order but this has been agreed ;)

I am about half way through this book. So far, it is packed with useful, usable ideas.

OK, I finished this book relatively quickly and faithfully passed it on to Mr KenseyRiver, who took the title too seriously. However, finally it is free to move on. Should I bring it to the next meetup?

Received when I arrived home from attending a management course! Looks a fascinating read. Should be moving again soon!

A fascinating read, with some useful concepts for time management and clearing those backlogs!
I have PMed QuantumAyla for an address, so should be moving within a day or two.

I now have an address, so in the post Wednesday 18th April.

This arrived yesterday. Thanks! :-)

I've got a ring book to read before this then I'll start it. Hopefully shouldn't take me too long.

Thanks for passing this on. :-)

So sorry to have had this so long. Guess it's not done much for my time management.

Have posted this off today. Sorry again and thanks for making me part of the ring.:-)

This finally arrived today, I guess it got caught up in the postal strike...
I'll read it as soon as possible, but as I haven't learned it's tricks yet, I can't promise that will be as soon as I'd like!

This book is very useful, I'm starting to try and implement some of the systems mentioned already. Mostly at home so far, as I am far more in need of organisation here than at work! Everything in the book is very simple and easy to understand, it's hard to understand why I didn't realise some of this stuff earlier. I'd definitely recommend this to all the procrastinators out there...

I have contacted the next in line and hopefully it should be on its way soon...

Well, I definitely need this at the moment. I hope I'll find time to read it and put it into practice. Thanks for sharing Pakasanelly.

An interesting system and lots of good ideas. One day I may even be able to try them out.

Sorry this has hung around here but the last few months (since about October'08) have been more than a little difficult.

To be passed back to Pakasanelly at a BC meeting.

Sorry, rather a late journal... this book is back with me now. I shall take it to the next Ipswich meeting on 18th April to see if Bathippo or Semiotic Ghost are interested.

Sale ends at 4pm!