5 comments about How to Handle 1,000 Things at Once: A Fun Guide to Mastering Home & Personal Management.

1. maybe I didn't need this book...added to the clutter of my home



2. A fantastic resource, whether you work for corporate America or are the CEO of your own small business at home (also known as a stay-at-home parent). Easy to read and full of practical ideas about how to make the most of your time and get more accomplished. While Aslett comes across as somewhat of a workaholic, his methods of getting more done are useful for those of us with much less on our plate as well.
   
   
   
   One of the most useful techniques I found was "piggybacking": using the time between tasks to get other stuff done. For example, boiling pasta for your kids' lunch while you write a review for Amazon.com (as I'm doing now).
   
   
   
   I've read a few of Aslett's books, but this one is my favorite. Many time management books are very office-focused. This one is great for those of us who want to learn to manage our life and time beyond the structure of the traditional 9-to-5 workday.



3. I'M PUTTING THE CAR SEAT COVERS ON MY CAR SEATS. BIG DEAL? YES, BIG DEAL, THEY'VE BEEN IN MY CAR TRUNK FOR 9 YEARS!! I WAS WAITING FOR THEM TO DO THEMSELVES. THEY DIDN'T. I AM DOING IT AND IT IS DONE!!!!! ALMOST ALL OF DON ASLETT'S BOOK ARE EXCELLENT, BUT THIS ONE TOPS THE REST!



4. This, and his other book, "How to have a 48-hour day," are great books on time management. Both are very insightful and discuss many practical issues of time management that often are not covered, or not covered as clearly, in other time management books. I LOVE Don Aslett's writings!



5. "How to Handle 1,000 Things at Once" by Don Aslett is an enjoyable book full of practical strategies and suggestions for personal management skills. This book will help you handle yourself and your domestic responsibilities. Aslett writes that "the biggest management challenges in life are not in the boardroom, but the living room. Yes, at home, where we have to deal with and juggle family and friends, near and far, schoolwork, shopping, cleaning, home maintenance, car maintenance, yard care, finances, health, grooming, community and church activities, and service. Even pursuing our own and our children's favorite sports and hobbies, taking a hassle free vacation, and pet care - it's all management."
   
   Aslett contends that it is at home and in personal life where 90% of management is needed. In this book, he sets out to help the reader manage this real business, the business of home, self, family, and friends. And I believe that anyone who reads this book and implements some if not all of Aslett's strategies and suggestions will undoubtedly find they are handling more things at once, maybe even 1,000 or more.
   
   If you are familiar with Aslett's style, you will know that his is a blend of humor, cartoon illustrations, and direct no nonsense get to it advice for being productive. I personally have enjoyed every one of his books I've read, and think he is right on with most of his suggestions. I say most, because I still wear button down collars at times, and I remember in his book "How to Have a 48 Hour Day" also published as "Done" (great book by the way) he suggested not wearing button down collar shirts to save time. J
   
   Anyway, as I said, I have really enjoyed all of the books of his that I have read, and I plan on picking up a couple others this year to read too. And hopefully he will continue writing a lot more.
   
   This book has 12 chapters, each full of practical advice for getting more done and managing the home life:
   
   1. Meet the Manager - You!
   2. On Target - YOUR Target
   3. Tackling the "To-Do's"
   4. When? A Word to the Wise!
   5. Every Manager Needs a Crystal Ball
   6. Secrets of Master Managers
   7. Mastering Those "Home Matters"
   8. The Big Three: Junk, Help, & Money
   9. The Only Time Expert - You
   10. TOOLS - Bigger? Better? Or Bummers?
   11. Common Mistakes of Home Managers
   12. Staying Out of Problems
   
   The reality is we each have 24 hours a day. No more, no less. If you don't have the money to hire people to manage the daily necessities we all must have done, you will have more time for the productive and enjoyable things in life if you manage the daily tasks with more efficiency. (and even if you do have the money to hire people to do some of your daily chores, you will still be left with many personal and home things to manage) So, the best thing to achieve time to do the fun things or the special things you want to accomplish is to handle the 1,000 things that need to be done in the most practical and efficient way possible. Reading this book will give you a lot of doable strategies to help you with your home and personal management and the motivation to fuel your productivity into overdrive.
   
   "How to Handle 1,000 Things At Once" is humorous and informative, and the advice might just spill over into your work life and make you more productive and successful there too.
   
   Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
   Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series, and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer

5 comments about Asserting Yourself: A Practical Guide For Positive Change, Updated Edition.

1. Using the techniques of this book, I no longer am. I haven't
   been for five years. And my family has not been homeless or
   hungry for five years. We live in a beautiful apartment with
   a pool and cable TV (one channel showing the front gate so that
   homeless people won't bother US). HA! According to Joseph Wolpe
   (pronounced WOOL-PEE), the father of Behavior Therapy, the point
   of these books is to inhibit fear around people through Affection
   or Anger just as relaxation is used to inhibit fear of bugs,
   heights, or crowds in systematic desensitization (psychotherapy
   through reciprocal inhibition). This particular text is the
   favorite of the greatest researcher on depression of this or the last century (Dr. Martin Seligman, author of "Learned Optimism").
   While homeless, I would use it in a free-floating style of going
   nuts and then de-fusing my rage through positive action. This positive action. In this book. Strangely, while writing this review, I got a call from a bill collector. I am still hot.
   I broke up her manipulative skills by just saying, "Go to the next step. I have no money right now. Cut off the big toe on
   my right foot. Or whatever your next step is. Just do it. I
   have no money right now. Goodbye." Voice was kept at a firm
   range without any rage. I have been slipping back into the people-pleasing modality style. Don't do it. But the book
   and save your life, your money, your sanity. Thank You.



2. in many ways it's interchangeable with alot of other books on the topic of assertiveness out there. It's worth reading, certainly, I just wouldn't pay full price for it. The DESC model, and the quiz at the beginning to help the reader determine how assertive s/he currently is are great. The material on self esteem and stress were boring to me; I'd seen it before with other sources. Chapters 4 and 5 were the best; they got into the exercises/activities and the DESC model. The remaining chapters weren't as strong. The book started to drag at that point. That said, I do like that the author gave the reader alot of opportunity for practice; the exercises themselves are good. I just wish that there'd been more actual content and information. She could've done a supplemental workbook to include all the extra exercises.



3. This is a very good book. Unlike other books in this category which dish out a lot of advice, this book gives practical step-by-step instructions that can be easily implemented in real life. The authors have used some innovative techniques from the fields of acting and theatre into assertiveness training. Reading and rereading this book often will definitely help everybody to improve their own lives as well as the lives of people whom they interact with.



4. I'm practising being assertive.

   If you feel I've been successful, show it by voting "Yes" in the box below this review.

   If not, then kindly keep your opinion to yourself.




5. 'Asserting Yourself: A Practical Guide for Positive Change' is the ideal gift for anyone who lacks confidence. I read the book and greatly enjoyed it, but as I have charisma, potency and a well-developed sense of 'self', it was not immediately applicable to my situation. So I called David Caruso and told him he should buy it. A month later he sent me this email:

   'Schwarz, thanks for tipping me off. What a book! I only wish it had been around when I was in senior high. Being a slow learner, every day was toture. I was bullied, laughed at, locked in the toilet, glued to my chair, buried in the longjump pit and even mooned. And it was always by the same teacher. But since reading Sharon Anthony Bower's wonderful words, I can now assert myself. For instance, last week I went back to the bookshop and asked for a new copy because the one I'd been sold was stained. The woman behind the counter inspected the stains, looked at me and said, "Hey, I remember you from high school. The dumb kid who couldn't even read alphabet soup. Everyone! Look who it is... 'Cabbage' Caruso." Laughing hysterically as she superglued the book to the top of my head, she then said, "Get out of here, you pathetic little creep!" Recalling Sharon Bower's advice about 'controlling your time', I replied, "Okay, I'm going now." Schwarz, you have no idea how good I feel about myself. I'll see you at the Golden Globe Awards. They've put me behind the giant pillar in the back row, but that's fine. At least I'm INSIDE the theater this year. Regards, David.'

   'Asserting Yourself: A Practical Guide for Positive Change' will give those 'jellyback muscles' a real workout.

5 comments about I Love Me: Avoiding & Overcoming Depression.

1. There are an unusually large number of recommendations for this book on other Amazon pages for legitimate books on depression, not to mention an inordinant amount of (anonymous) 5-star reviews here. I suspect there's one person (the author?) manipulating things a bit.

   "I Love Me" is a self-published book of Born-Again Christian philosophy by Las Vegas entrepreneur Dietmar Scherf. He is not licensed in any way to dispense psychological counseling. His basic theory is that if you simply accept the "One God" (his words), your depression will miraculously dissolve. According to the 'wisdom' of Scherf, alcoholism isn't a disease, just a bad habit of bad people who don't want to stop; Homosexuality is "curable"; Women should not be equal with their husbands, but an obedient helpmate (and should only blame themselves for unhappiness, harrassment and rape if they choose a more independent path); and, of course, all other religious beliefs are wrong.

   I don't deny Mr. Scherf's right to self-publish his thoughts on anything. But it's wrong to market those thoughts under the guise of clinical psychology.




2. Depression, of course, is a serious and debilitating condition. Publishing and distributing this book under the guise of a depression self-help book is irresponsible and cynical.



3. I agree with Mr Scherf's philosophy on overcoming depression--the main principle in his book has been used for centuries and needs to be heard. I also commend his encouragement for people to come to terms with who they are, let go of the past, and truly love themselves. Mr. Scherf is honest enough to let the reader know that he has never used medication nor sought professional counseling. In fact, he does not encourage either one--he is especially critical of medication in the treatment of depression. That is why I rated this book only three stars. If Mr. Scherf had tried medication at some point in his life, I would have had more respect for his opinion in light of his own experience. I personally don't believe anyone can place the ways and means God moves in individual lives into a "box"--there are those who are treated successfully for depression through medication and wise counseling. This is one area where it would have helped Mr. Scherf to be a little more sensitive.



4. This is not a "guide" by any stretch of the imagination. It is simply the author's opinion on a number of subjects. It will go right into the recycle bin (not to the used book store!).



5. ZERO STARS FROM ME
   First off I don't write many reviews because I generally agree with the reviews already on line. But I suffer from clinical depression and am always reading new books as part of my theraphy. The title of this book sounds promising but it fails to deliver and is a waste of time to read. Scherf is badly in need of a decent editor to edit his ramblings. He loves to use "etc." in sentences, in fact using this on almost every page. His solution for all human problems seems to be go to the Bible and read the word of God. Well this isn't going to be the solution for many people trying to work on depression or understanding this terrible condition. Usually I figure I can get at least one good thing out of a book. Unfortunately this book the only good thing I got was if I ever self publish a book, get a good editor, "etc." (ha ha).

3 comments about I May Not Be Totally Perfect, but Parts of Me Are Excellent (Brilliant Thoughts Series No 1).

1. Ashleigh Brilliant has great insights into life and our moral being.



2. This book is very humorous. It brings to mind many of the bits of life I have lived. The best part is that it is not isolated issues. In addition, the sketches add a great deal to the total humor. I just happened to come across it in the library. Such a treat. Thank you for brightening my days.



3. I have had very depressed and/or bitter patients who break out laughing in the reception room after 3-5 minutes of reading this book. I mean tears coming out in a cathartic relief.
   My own "Ashleigh Brilliant" is:
   "I like you so much I miss you even when I'm with you".
   Dr. Barry Manvel

No comments about It's About Time!: 10 Smart Strategies to Avoid Time Traps and Invest Yourself Where It Matters.

No comments about Raising Your Self-Esteem (CD).

No comments about Los 7 pasos para el exito en la vida: Cómo lograr tus metas y alcanzar tus sueños (Vintage Espanol).

5 comments about The Intimate Enemy: Winning the War Within Yourself.

1. This book is tremendous, it is filled with such practical insight. There are many books out their on the self-help shelves, but this work is not in the same category. Unlike all those other books which only seem to keep you running around like a dog chasing it's tail, this book not only tells you, but shows you how you can be free of any fear or limitation. In fact The Intimate Enemy shows you the only thing that has been holding you back has no more substance than a shadow. Sound unbelievable? IT IS! Don't believe me, test REALITY AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF. I also recomend The Lost Secrets of Prayer (by Guy Finley). I have met Guy Finley in person and I can honestly say he is as Genuine as his books. Enjoy! Cousin Vinnie NY



2. The Intimate Enemy is a self-help book and more. For those who have been searching for real help in understanding themselves and their lives, this book is what you've been looking for. Written in an easy to understand, step-be-step fashion, you will learn how to detach yourself from what has been preventing you from realizing your potential as a human being. I have read all of Finley's books and have been working with his concepts and exercises for several years. There is no question that applying the principles found in this book can change one's life for the better!



3. After studying the principles Guy, Ellen and others have shown me for a few years, there is a joy that wells up inside me on a regular basis. The Truth shall set you free, and this particular effort by these two individuals left me with new insights that struck chords deep within me that recognized them as the Truth each time I turned the page. They explain why our outer and inner worlds are filled with so much proverbial darkness and outlines ways individuals can help to move them toward the Light mostly within themselves.



4. It is very hard to focus on the now but when I have accomplished it strange things have happened. Once I saw a blue meteor go across the sky and another time I noticed a tiny bird perched on a tree limb staring at me it was a perfectly gorgeous little bird ordinarily I neverr would have seen it.



5. Self-development expert Guy Finley and psychologist Ellen Dickstein teamed up to write The Intimate Enemy: Winning the War Within Yourself. Their book is intended for people who are tired of struggling and wish to "sign a peace treaty with life."

   Finley and Dickstein explain that "we each have, and operate from, a false nature that is a jumble of our memories, conditioning, and some tempermental qualities." That false self responds to everything that happens to us, and its response is usually negative or defensive. We then find "ourselves caught up in the same kinds of situations again and again, and nothing ever seems to be resolved in a new way."

   They call the false self an intimate enemy and say that we are our own worst enemies when it comes to finding true happiness.

   Their book devoted to learning how to recognize the intimate enemy and "discover how to rise above our own present psychology."

   Our false selves blame events outside ourselves for our unhappiness or see neutral events as threats, with the result that we are contantly battling to control external circumstances. Only when we become aware of the "True Self" within do we learn we are a part of a world of truth and light where all battles are non-existent.

   The authors use short stories and examples to show how people misunderstand the world around them. They explain how to become aware of the fallacies the false self continually attempts to foist off as truth, and how to determine what is real and what is deceit. They say that "understanding that we are a multiplicity of selves is critical to recognizing, and ultimately defeating, the intimate enemy."

   They emphasize self-study as the primary way of overcoming the false self. Self-study involves rousing ourselves from "psychic slumber" and becoming aware of our thoughts and internal actions. They offer specific tips for achieving greater self-awareness.

   The Intimate Enemy is for anyone who wants more from life than a daily battle against unseen enemies.

No comments about Self Esteem Workbook for Teens.

5 comments about Feel Good Naked: 10 No-Diet Secrets to a Fabulous Body.

1. I love this book. Laure writes with honesty and frank discussion about "body hate," a distressing emotion that we've all encountered at some time during our lives.

   Laure used to be fat, but she overcame her problems with eating and is now a respected fitness and life-style expert. Her recommendations are simple and easy to follow. Drink lots of water. Treat yourself. Sit up straight. Exercise for 10 minutes a day. In all, there are 10 steps in her program. Nothing is grueling or so difficult that a regular woman (or man!) couldn't handle it.

   I'm planning on buying this book for my sister and my mom.

   Give it a try for 8 weeks, and I promise you'll feel better about your body.




2. Feel Great Naked is an excellent book for women who are unhappy with their bodies and looking to making healthy lifestyle changes. Author Laure Redmond--who appears naked on the book's cover--describes a simple, 10-step program which allows women to slowly introduce healthy changes into their lives. Redmond's easy 10 steps are as follows:
   
   1. Don't Deprive Yourself. Treat Yourself Once Week.
   2. Drink Water, Drink Water, Drink Water!
   3. Watch 10 Minutes of Exercise a Day Change Your Face and Your Life.
   4. Schedule Fitness Appointments in Writing Each Week.
   5. Don't Stop Eating. Stop Eating in Front of the TV.
   6. Pick an Idol and Let That Person Motivate You.
   7. Breathe Consciously for 5 Minutes Every Day.
   8. Take 30 Minutes of Private Time Each Day.
   9. Write Yourself a Love Letter Once a Month.
   10. Stand Up Straight and Tall.
   
   As you can see, none of the above ideas are revolutionary, but Redmond presents them in the form of a uniquely easy-to-follow, comprehensive plan. Furthermore, each step features an inspirational story based on one of Redmond's clients, and she shares motivating insights into her own struggles with weight/body image as well. Finally, as the title suggests, Redmond emphasizes the importance of being comfortable with yourself naked, which she works into her prescribed suggestions.
   
   My one (minor) issue with this book is that I think the title is slightly misleading. I already follow most of the guidelines which Redmond recommends, and I was hoping for more specific information on enhancing self-esteem/body comfort--while this information IS included in the book, it's not the main focus. Overall, however, I think this book is a great resource, and I would definitely recommend it to any woman looking for a straightforward guide to making small but vital changes in her life.



3. There isn't really much in this book that I haven't heard before but it was nice to be reminded and have a little inspirational story to emphasize each point.
   
   There are also a number of conclusions that I had come to myself but it was nice to hear a "pro" agree.
   
   Basically, you need to get to know yourself (your physical self and mental self) and come to terms with who you are. You can make changes but they take effort and you need to set realistic, life-long goals.
   
   I originally checked this out from the library and almost didn't get past the intro because of all of her name dropping of all the celebrities with whom she's worked. I'm glad I persevered because I did enjoy the rest of the book for the reasons above and it reminds me that I need to take care of myself, reminds me of 10 ways I can do that, and is always there when I need a reminder.



4. lots of fun tips... builds self-esteem while reading... cant tell if effects are lasting. hopefully they are.



5. When I got this book, it wasn't a tv show with a cute gay guy! The fact is no book, no matter how great is going to be able to help you change your mental body image. That takes more then a book, but the book is a starting place. Body hatred is so rampant these days because we are constantly comparing ourselves to the air brushes of the world. If you are working on loving yourself from the inside out, give this book a read. If you are looking for a miracle cure that will fix how you feel when you look in the mirror, this isn't going to help.