Book Review: Make Time by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky
Life today is really busy. We are constantly faced with distractions and various things that are fighting for our attention. So when it comes to prioritising, “It’s not about finding time, it’s about making time.” Whether it be getting all the things on your to-do list done or finding work-life balance, we could all use a little help with time management — ‘Make Time’ is full of great advice to help you make time for the important things.
What attracted you to this book?
I stumbled upon this book while I was doing the Design Sprint Udacity Nanodegree. The Design Sprint is a framework designed by a chap who goes by the name of Jake Knapp, which allows teams to quickly prototype & test solutions to problems in just 5 days. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Design Sprint and began following Jake Knapp on various channels. It was on one of these channels that I learnt about Make Time. The tagline How to focus on what matters every day immediately caught my attention, as I have a keen interest in time management and productivity. So naturally, I bought the book!
What is the basic storyline?
This is a practical, opinion-based book on how to better manage your time. The authors Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, give us insights into how they manage their time and impart some practical exercises and wisdom to their readers based on their experience. Being in the product design game, a lot of the insights come from their experiences in this industry while conducting Design Sprints, and is therefore even more relevant to people in our field.
What were some highlights?
Coincidentally, one of the key takeaways from the book is the concept of making time every day with four simple steps, the first of which is called a “Highlight”, followed by “Laser”, “Reflect” and “Energise”. The concept of a “Highlight” is that you choose a single activity to prioritise and protect in your calendar. Once you have chosen a Highlight, you enter “Laser” mode in which you remove all distractions — they give some practical examples like scheduling time for replying to emails and logging out of social media. The “Energise” step is a recurring step that entails ensuring that your mind and body is constantly kept in tip-top shape for maximum productivity, including getting enough sleep, exercise and healthy eating. The final step, “Reflect”, allows you to reflect on the day and the time-management tactic employed during the day — you can also decide which tactic you want to drop and some new ones which you’d like to try out.
The process may seem overly simple, but as you read through the book you realise that it’s the simple things that you stick to and make habitual that really make the greatest impact.
Some of the other highlights include some simple tips and tricks, including my favourites — disabling all notifications on my smartphone and disabling my social media accounts.
What insights have you gained?
I have always seen time management as an increasingly important and equally difficult task while navigating my young adult years. I have tried many different tactics and have never really stuck to one. Make Time has provided me with a simple, easy to follow framework along with some really helpful tips and tricks to better manage my time. Their simple, cut-the-bullshit approach is really refreshing. The way in which they deliver their story and process is relatable, and their use of illustrations and funny anecdotes along the way provide a really awesome and highly recommended read.
Who do you think should read this book?
I would recommend this book to anyone, really. Time management is an important aspect of all our lives, no matter what industry or field you are in. Whether you think you have time management under control or are looking for a new framework to test out — Make Time will provide you with a fresh new perspective, and at the very least some practical takeaways to try in your everyday life.
We hope you enjoyed reading this review. We’re currently reading Grit, by Angela Duckworth. Look out for the review at the end of the month!
