5 comments about 30 Days to a Simpler Life.

1. This book did not change my life, but it contained clear cut ways of simplifying. If you are already a hard core simplifier then this book is probably mostly a review. It is best for beginners or for those of us that need to be reminded that less is more. I got a lot out of it and I think you will too.



2. Of the hundreds of this type book I have read (and almost 100 I still own) this is my favorite, the most marked, the most dog-eared. It looks like the old friend that it is.



3. The book has some fairly interesting tips, but I am glad I purchased it at a garage sale.
   Shortly after starting it, I googled both Cris and Connie. Unfortunately, this skewed the
   way I viewed the book, as I kept taking everything Cris said/wrote with a huge grain of salt.
   Connie's advice was really helpful and cheerful. Sorry, Cris seems bitter and a bit of a hag.
   Therefore, the point of this lousy review is to warn anyone else to just READ the book, and
   don't do what I did, and become predisposed to disliking one of the authors. It definitely
   had a negative impact on what's actually a pretty decent book. It's quite outdated in some
   respects, being written in the 80's, but still - interesting.



4. I thought this was a good book with many specific suggestions on how to simplify your life. One of the tips I used from the book was to put all of our carryout menus in plastic sheets in one master notebook. That one tip alone was worth the price of the book and has probably saved me hours of searching for misplaced menus over the last year.



5. I suppose this book may work well for type-A personalities who don't have husbands, children, dogs, roomates, etc. I tried a lot of these techniques and it really just caused a lot of tension in my house and got me pinned as a control freak. If you live with others, you cannot force them to change. Period. It's hard enough to force yourself to change and usually you don't succede anyway.
   
   On top that I found the book to be very waste-oriented. There was a lot of "get rid of stuff and then go buy new stuff just like it." For anyone working overtime and trying to make ends meet (you know the people who are really short on time and really need some simplicity in their lives), this is not simplifying, it is frustrating. So I knock off three stars for all the classist bull and not taking into account how some people really live.
   
   I let it keep 2 stars because this book made me realize that this kind of 'simplicity' does not improve my life. There is beauty in having some chaos, and learning to go with the flow is much more about simplicity than being an anal-retentive witch. My life is better when my fride is covered in finger paint masterpieces, my husband cant stop laughing at the sock that got stuck to the butt of the baby's jammies and my dog is passionately cuddling an old shoe like it was her first born baby. Now THAT is a good life.

5 comments about Sidetracked Home Executives.

1. Loved this book. It's an easy read and I've implemented the organizational strategies immediately for my whole family. It's working so far!



2. I have always been very organized until I had my second son. I am not sure what happened but I lost control of everything in my home. This book is quck and easy to read. The best part is you don't need any hard to find or expensive items to put this system to use. I can't say enough about this book. I even used it to organize my homeschooling lessons.



3. I've read many books on organization (and hope to someday accomplish all I've read!), but this book will always be my favorite. Pam and Peggy have "been there." There's nothing worse than an organization or "decluttering" book that's written by someone who was born organized (or a "B.O." as Pam and Peggy would call them!). You have to have walked a mile (or waded through the clutter) in the shoes of someone who is easily sidetracked, organizationally-challenged, and wasn't born with the organization gene. Pam and Peggy make you feel like you've found a kindred spirit who somehow waded through all their stuff and found a better way! I wish they'd re-release their original kit that included a de-junking video and a few other goodies!



4. Easy and entertaining read, plus tons of great, practical ideas for getting your home and life, organized!



5. I initially bought this book 15 years ago and my home was so organized, even with three children. I bought it again recently because we downsized homes and everything was chaos. My home is in order again, and it isn't even difficult! Great plan!

4 comments about The Book For People Who Do Too Much.

1. This is also another book of the same flavour from the same author. In that sense, there is really nothing new here, and the advices in the book can be found better expressed elsewhere. But Grieve sticks to his winning formula of attaching whimsical animal photos to his one-liners and the combination can only be charming.
   
   I think the photos this time round are not up to the high standard in the Blue Day Book, but maybe I am just nitpicking.



2. At some point in reading Bradley Trevor Grieve's mini-sermons one can't help but get hit by a wave of "Why didn't I think of this?" The idea of taking a simple lecture on enjoying life for what it is and complimenting it with animal photographs that perfectly and often very humorously illustrate his point is so simple that it's genius. In "The Book For People Who Do Too Much" Grieve continues with this formula, and for the most part the results are successful.
   
   Saying "for the most part" however separates this book from some of his classics. Grieve does stumble a bit here, and I think that might have to do with the subject matter. The concept of trying to do too much in a quickly complexifying society is something that is mostly unique to humans. Trying to find animal equivalents to this is difficult, and at times some of the attempts to link pictures and text seem a bit forced.
   
   However the earnestness and thoughtfulness that Grieve always puts into his subject matter is no less on display here, and that easily overcomes such objections. In the introduction Grieve states that this book was born out of his own propensity for doing too much, and the book's story make it clear that he is speaking from experience. And despite the aforementioned misses Grieve includes a few howlers, though like most of his best pairings they are better seen than described.
   
   So overall good, but not quite Grieve's best work, and so not the best starting point for those who are new to him. For those people I recommend "The Meaning Of Life". But for those who have other of his books and looking to get more this makes for a quality addition.



3. Although the words ring true throughout the book, it's the photos that capture your attention. A great little book for gift-giving, this book is a welcome addition to any coffee table, end table, office or even bathroom bookshelf. :)



4. This little book is clever, funny and full of adorable pictures of animals depicting the various states we live in as we go through life trying to do everything. The advice is wise and it's worth reading over and over again.

5 comments about Slowing Down to the Speed of Life: How To Create A More Peaceful, Simpler Life From the Inside Out.

1. Many of the reviews say that the principles are taken from Buddism and Zen. As I read it I kept thinking that's exactly what the bible teaches.
   With different names for free thinking and thought attacks etc.
   
   I thought it was excellent and explained in clinical terms what the bible describes in spiritual terms. The ideas are ones that I have found to be true as a christian and was delighted to find that science had discovered the truth about mental health.
   
   focusing on thoughts will lead to anxiety, frustration and a host of other mental illnesses. Trusting in Truth is the road to peace, happiness and love.



2. As CEO Coach, Poet and author of a leadership book that helps leaders unleash their genius, the genius of teams and the genius of corporations, I have learned to slow down my thoughts and live a more peaceful life. My mentor told me once that slower is faster. This book helped me realize the truth of that statement. I now help CEO's find a slower, peaceful place to lead from and their businesses seem to move faster. Read this one now. Paul David Walker Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations



3. Personal Assessment
   I am typically not a reader of self-help books or publications, but a colleague recommended this book to me after he continually heard me complain about how I can never seem to get ahead in my life with graduate school in the evenings, a stressful work environment with frequent travel, a 2-year old, while trying to maintain a healthy relationship with my wife. I was pleasantly surprised with the book. I always used to make lists, cross off items on the list which only resulted in new lists being made. I guess my (and everyone's) premise of making and completing lists was/is to hopefully realize a good feeling when all the items on the list are completed and crossed-off. Unfortunately, there is always another list to start and finish, so the good feeling, if one exists, will never last long, if you even get a good feeling...
   
   The book is an easy read, but to completely grasp the basis of the philosophy presented in the book, as the book authors would say, requires a healthy, free-flowing state of mind to grasp the tools presented to the reader. In fact, the author states in the introduction of the book, to open/clear your mind in preparation for reading the book to allow the concepts to sink in.
   
   I am agreeable to the general premise of the book. I believe in the Psychology of the Mind philosophy and in the presentation of said material in Carlson's and Bailey's Slowing down to the Speed of Life. The 2 forms of thinking identified in the book, Analytical and Free-Flowing modes, both seem to me to be realistic to me. I actually found myself recognizing processing thoughts that I was having both at home and work and was able to shift my mode of thinking away from these thoughts which may have prevented further unhealthy states of mind.
   
   The book has 8 chapters, with the first 3 dedicated to understanding and learning to the philosophies and tools associated with Psychology of the Mind. The first 3 chapters are: Slowing Down to the Moment, Navigating your Thinking and Getting Back to the Moment. They discuss the 2 modes of thought, how to start recognizing your thoughts and how, after your realize your in a negative thought pattern, you can get back to the moment you are presently in. The final 5 chapters of the book apply the tools to the different facets of your everyday life. These chapters are titled, Stress and Your Innate Mental Health, Being Present in Relationships, Peaceful parenting Working Smarter, and Enjoying Life. Each of these chapters basically cover the same information but in a way relevant to each of these areas of our lives.
   
   Working in an engineering capacity with my current employer, it was somewhat challenging to accept the book's view that shifting from an analytical thought mode to a free-flowing thought mode would result in a more efficient and productive use of my time. However, as the book states, there are times when being in the analytical mode are advantages and appropriate and there are times when being in the free-flowing mode is more advantages and appropriate. While working through problems at work, I've now realized that it is ok to step away from the project for an hour, day, or 3 days in hopes that staying in a more healthy state of mind will allow creative or innovative thoughts to replace fearful thoughts or thoughts rooted in an existing solution to a similar problems which may lead me astray or to dead-ends while trying to solve the problem at hand. This can be challenging given the ever increasing demands that the work environments can impose on technical employees, so a paradigm shift in thinking is required to accept the philosophies of the book.
   
   In summary, I would recommend the `Slowing Down to the Speed of Life' to anyone willing to accept and practice a new paradigm in thinking. Having said this, I would also recommend the book to anyone who currently feels that they are always struggling to stay positive or feel they never get ahead in their personal or professional life. This book might be particularily helpful to persons with type A personalities or persons who are viewed as perfectionists, because it is typically these people that start the next to-do list just after completing their last to-do list or those people who tend to be perfectionists when completing tasks that would otherwise only require a minimal investment of time.



4. Another reviewer was saying that it's repetetive and doesn't give answers. I too was wanting more answers halfway through the book. Then I realized that the one thing not mentioned in the book is how to deal with GUILT. If you practice the concepts taught in the book then dealing with that too will come with time. You come to the realization that you can't get more answers because there aren't any. As others said, it's based on Buddhist concepts. There is no order or closure or answer to your life. That is really the whole point of the book. Trust me, read it if you are having trouble enjoying your life, and then read it again. It comes with time, but it really did start to help me immediately. The authors can't make you change your mind through telepathy, you just have to read the concepts and start to implement them and it makes more sense as you go forward, just like any other thing that you learn. Like others, I appreciated the absence of religious aspects and found it to be incredibly practical, easy to implement, enjoyable and refreshingly helpful.



5. I read this book during a stressful semester of college while I was also running my own business. After I started reading this book my stress levels dropped 80% in just a day...and stayed that way. There's some REALLY great advice in this book about how to think in such a way that you limit stress and enjoy more of life. An AWESOME book!!

5 comments about Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much - Revised edition.

1. I own the first edition of this book and have found it to be very helpful over the years. I recently bought the new edition and was very disappointed with the quality of the book. It's clearly not made for daily use, much less use over many years. The binding is stiff, hard to pry open and easily broken; the paper is the equivalent of cheap newsprint that will yellow within the year. It's clearly not constructed for daily use, but designed to be one of those quickie, "I know how you feel" gifts that you buy for someone you think is doing too much.
   
   It's a pity because the book deserves a better presentation. It makes you think about the far-reaching effects of perfectionism, workaholism, and "busy-ness" on your emotional, physical, mental and spiritual health. Not every day is a perfect meditation, but every couple of days the alignment of the meditation with the events in your life creates a moment where the lightbulb goes on and you're jolted with the truth of who you are. With that revelation comes the possibility of change: a different decision; maybe a better decision.
   
   I'd love a high-quality version with a daily marker ribbon sewn into the spine. It's a good book and deserves better from its publisher.



2. I read this daily and have bought it for presents for several family members and friends.



3. This is my second purchase of this book-- this time as a gift. I enjoy most of the guidelines. It has some good advice.



4. This is a great gift for yourself or someone you love. My daugter gave it to me & I bought one for several of my girlfriends.



5. This collection challenges one to go beyond the normal patterns of thinking, to search for the truth of one's own reasons for doing things. I recommend it highly to "over-doers".

5 comments about The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play.

1. Please stop beating yourself up long enough to read this book. I have gotten more done on languishing projects in less time and had much more fun in my life since applying the "Unschedule" instead of my former process that began with an impossible to-do list followed by a day of procrastination and an evening of regret and guilt (sound like fun?). This is a new way of thinking about planning your time that not only works but makes you enjoy your time more. If you have any guilt over things you haven't done (calling all writers!) read this book and take a sigh of relief.



2. The techniques work. I've been a hard-core procrastinator for all my five decades -- heck, I was even late being born -- but this book has changed my life in less than a month. When you're ready to change, this is the book to buy -- read it, and follow its wisdom.



3. Just finished my first read and am about to try to put it into practice. I have a good feeling that it will have positive effects.



4. This book is by far the best book I've ever read on balancing your work and home life, especially if you struggle with procrastination and/or perfectionism.
   
   That's a strong statement, but I've read lots of book on personal self-management and how to organize your time effectively (including "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey and "Getting Things Done" by David Allen) -- and I can honestly say that, for me at least, "The Now Habit" is - by far - the best out of all of them.
   
   If you struggle with having more balance and control over your home and work life, if you allow perfectionism or fear of failure (or success) to hinder your work productivity, or if you just want to start enjoying the good things that life has to offer - while at the same time improving your work efficiency and productivity ... then I highly urge you to get this book. You'll learn how to use time-proven tools (such as the Unschedule) and guidelines on how to make the most out of your life, and starting living life to its fullest extent.
   
   I can't overestimate the value of the principles outlined in this book. Too often people who procrastinate feel angry and ashamed of their behavior - without doing anything to FIX the underlying problem. Neil Fiore not only explains why people tend to procrastinate, but he also provides valuable tools that you can use to overcome your bad habits, and replace them with positive and productive habits.
   
   It's not an expensive or overly long book -- and the best part is that the tools mentioned in this book are quite flexible and can easily be melded with other techniques, such as those outlined in "Getting Things Done" by David Allen.
   
   If you struggle with stress from overwork or procrastination, do yourself a favor and buy or borrow this book. You may have been soured on other books that claimed to help with your problems, but told you nothing more than what you already knew. But The Now Habit really identifies WHY we procrastinate, and gives you the means to overcome it - if you commit yourself to doing them.
   
   Also, if you know someone who struggles with these problem, there's a chapter in the end that gives advice on how to deal with the procrastinators in your life. (Although I think this book would make a pretty good gift for them as well.)



5. I'm not a usual reader of self-help books, but have been struggling with procrastination for awhile now. This book has given me some specific tools to deal with it, understand it, and not torment myself over it.

5 comments about Simplify Your Time: Stop Running & Start Living!.

1. I've read a lot of time management books, and this is probably the best so far, as far as readability, good teaching techniques, and useful suggestions. It's written simply but effectively, easy to follow and good suggestions. She starts at the most basic level and explains things that those of us who are time-challenged don't naturally understand, such as when you're doing one thing, you're choosing not to do another, or to get somewhere on time, you have to allow travel time, not leave at the time you're supposed to arrive. There are also a number of other entry-level suggestions such as posting your goals where you will see them. I was very impressed with how well she simplified the concepts and built from the fundamental practices which would give immediate benefits for a small investment of effort, to the details that add polish to a life. In every chapter she gave simultaneous illustrations of how to apply the principles to both office and home to get both under control and save time, and covered everyone from mothers overwhelmed with several preschoolers to both male and female executives. I found that it inspired me to get my desk and files in better order, and I'm picking up on several organizing and planning suggestions.



2. I have really enjoyed reading this book. Each chapter explains one step to simplifying your time. It's set up as a one-month tool, but I read it through once and am re-reading to implement her ideas. I really like her practical ideas and realistic viewpoints.



3. Most of this is obvious stuff. "Hang up your coat when you take it off instead of dropping it on the couch." That is so obvious that it doesn't deserve a bulleted entry in a book. "Clean out a drawer while doing a load of wash for smart multitasking." Excuse me, did the author think I was just going to stare at the machine, waiting for the load to finish. This book tries to cover goal setting, prioritizing, life purpose, etc. But these are only given very short chapters and they deserve book length treatments. Overall, this is a light treatment of everything it tries to cover. There are better books on all the topic she covers. And there are no illustrations, except here boring charts and grids. Sometimes you read a book and feel as if the author has lived her subject matter to the point she is an expert, this isn't one of those times!! Read "It's all too much..." by Peter Walsh. If you follow his very thorough advice for getting rid of clutter then your life and time will organize themselves!!



4. Simplify Your Time is an accurate title for a book that is well written, simple yet effective. The chapters are short enough to be read in an entire sitting but have great ideas on how to simplify your life. My personal favorite is the "Two Minute Pickup". This tip alone has saved me many hours of work and frustration in the past few days alone.
   
   As a reader of several self-help books on time management, I was skeptical about "Simplify Your Time" but this is a must-read for anyone struggling to juggle one too many items on your to-do list, work, family and personal agenda!
   
   I highly recommend it!



5. This is an excellent time management and organization book - and I have read many of them! The book is set up to read and implement for 30 days (if you prefer). Each day offers advice for taking control of you day, time, and life. One thing I appreciate about this author is that she asks what will you do with the free time that you have - this is a valid point. If you get organized and manage time well, what will you do with the free time? She weaves goals and dreams perfectly into the strategy of time management.

4 comments about BusyBodyBook (RETRO DOTS) 08/08 - 09/09 Personal Organzier.

1. This book has been a real lifesaver for my family. The fact that it has 5 squares for each day of the week is great, each member of the family has their own square, there is enough room to write in school and sports information for the kids without having to have all the little slips of paper hanging out of the calendar. If you have an active family, this is the calendar/planner for you. Until I found this calendar, I could never keep all the kids sports schedules and school schedules together and keep everybody organized, after I found this calendar, the whole family knows where to look to find out what things are due at school, when they have practice and games, when mom and dad have meetings and appointments; it's all right there in the BusyBodyBook. Thanks so much to Joan Goldner for her great invention, it has been a lifesaver here and also to many of my friends now, I've got them hooked too.



2. This book is a lifesaver. We use the 5 columns for each family member and then leave the last column for misc. (there is only 4 of us) for the dog or a birthday coming up we need to remember, etc. It's a way for the parents to both be on the same page, in terms of schedules for work and school and activities. I seriously can't live without it. I've been torn this year about purchasing this one or their new wall calendar but have decided to go with the book again. I've sent this product link to many of my friends and quite a few have purchased and have thanked me immensely. You won't regret the purchase.



3. I switched from Mom's Family Calendar to Joan Goldner's Busy Body Book last year. Joan has created a "can't live without" product that is absolutely superior to your ordinary wall hanging calendar. I could NEVER fit everything my family does into the one tiny space of a rectangle that ordinary calendars give you. Our calendars ended up looking like an unreadable scribbled mess. Mom's Family Calendar introduced me to the grid system, which was a big improvement, and then the BBB (Busy Body Book) is a huge improvement upon that because I have more room to write all the details I need in each grid space, without having to refer to post-it notes (that inevitably fell off the calendar anyway) or numerous scraps of papers everywhere. There are pockets in the front and back for storing invitations and other important fliers you might need to keep for reference.
   
   I am purchasing the academic BBB again this year, and will probably switch to the wall calendar next year, hopefully when it's academic version debuts.
   
   If you have kids, an active family, this is the calendar for you. If you haven't ever tried a grid calendar system before, give yourself the gift of sanity and purchase the BBB. You won't ever go back.



4. I switched from timemine.com calendar for the family and I really like it. At first I missed the size, timemine is larger, but I have adapted and it is always easier to carry something smaller. My previous calendar had squares to write in, like BBB, but it also had a 2 page spread of the month, which I would place my final actities on. This too I missed at first, but I find that I am wasting less time. The only thing I really miss is the info section. I like to have more places for phone numbers, children's information, Dr numbers, etc. Oh, and I have a family of 11 with children in college and others homeschooled. I have enough room to record everyones comings and goings, so you can see it does have plenty of room for it's size.

5 comments about Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload.

1. As a medical student I felt I had a grasp on time management and attention skills, and then I read Find Your Focus Zone. I had no idea how much this book would change my life for the better. It's a must read for all high functioning people who want to reach their fullest potential. Thank you, Dr. Palladino, for writing such a cutting edge, powerful and useful guide for making the most of each moment of precious time.



2. HELP FOR MY SCATTERED BRAIN!
   I like this book. Tips and strategies for staying engaged with boring tasks, as well as practical methods for dealing with anxiety, pressure to perform, and fear of failure. It teaches the art of finding and maintaining a state of productive focus. It provides tools to call yourself to attention so you can visit that wonderful place where "all systems are go" and you are humming along. You don't have to be a scientist to appreciate the clear explanation of the upside down U that graphs the relationship between attention and stimulation. Even the Brain Chemical Attention Chart, showing the relationship of serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine to attention, is clear and understandable. The book is easy to read, user friendly, and contains lots of practical advice. I had no problem staying in my "focus zone" as I read.



3. When a friend put this book in my hands a few months ago, I wondered if he was trying to tell me something, and if I should be offended. Find Your Focus Zone: Hadn't I read enough time-management books or self-improvement books already? Now I've read the book -- and passed on a few copies myself -- and I'm signing on here to say that THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL SELF-HELP BOOK.
   
   For one thing, it's really helpful. Really, really helpful. Palladino has a novelist's gift for succinct and memorable character descriptions, which means that her description of the too hyperfast, hyperfocused guy reminded me of someone (several someones) I knew, as did her sketch of the woman who is scattered and spacey, the folks who are overstimulated, understimulated, afraid of failure. I started turning down pages to share with people but stopped partway through. I could tell that nearly everyone I know could benefit from Palladino's clear analysis of what makes us less effective in every part of our lives.
   
   That leads me to another part of Find Your Focus Zone that surprised me: how much I found that Palladino's advice could help me in my family life. Her portraits of parent-child interactions hit home with even more force than did her sketches of workers. Because of her book, I've changed the way I think about my daughter's foot-dragging over homework and music practice. Also how my husband and I work with her and our son on chores, how we think about our family meals, our vacations, our dreams for them. Little stuff and big stuff.
   
   If you wonder about the effect of the new connectivity toys and tools on children, read this book. If you wish work didn't intrude on your family life but find it hard to leave it at the office, read this book. If you wish you could just Get More Done, read this book. If you feel like there's more in you than your work is getting out, read this book. If you're a manager or business owner, read this book. If you're just starting out in a job, read this book.
   
   Best of all, it's not just easy to read and well-written. It's clear that Palladino knows her science. She trusts the intelligence of her readers when she describes current research in attention and attention disorders. It's a pleasure to read a book with clear footnotes that also has practical end-of-chapter suggestions.
   
   So if someone gives you this book, thank them. And then buy another to pass on.



4. The book provides great insight into strategies for finding your own focus zone. I'm still trying to hone the methods for my optimal zone, but all in all, the book is very valuable.



5. I've spent about 15 years reading books and articles about this subject, and this is the first time I've actually experienced an immediate and tangible shift in focus. That's pretty close to miraculous, especially since I've even been an editor or contributor to some books on the subject.
   
   See, I have a very very busy mind. I'm a marketing director for a Boston high-tech company (fast-moving group in a rapidly changing environment with constantly large amounts to learn), I sing in a championship men's chorus which requires a substantial commitment, I'm in an a capella quartet (ditto), I'm Class Notes secretary for my college class, and just for fun last year I discovered a very advanced life-threatening cancer, learned an enormous amount fast (as if my life depended on it) and completely beat it, while being stuck with two houses because we'd moved at the start of the housing slump. Now that the house and cancer are resolved, I'm a team leader in a year-long self-development course, I've become an active blogger, and I've published my year-long cancer journal and I'm becoming active in the "e-patient" movement to promote a new kind of doctor-patient relationship for the internet-enabled, whose principles played a big role in my cancer success last year.
   
   I mean, I love my life, but with a life like that, who has time to stop and "go to school" about focusing?
   
   I'll never forget the first time management course I took, decades ago. It said you just make a list and mark everything A,B,C for priority and then do the most important stuff. I wanted to reach out and SLAP the author, saying "You idiot, if I could do THAT, I wouldn't need this course!"
   
   Where most books spend chapters being philosophical about why their solution WILL be useful later in the book, Find Your Focus Zone immediately gets to the point, delivering solutions in the very first chapter. Sure, it deepens your understanding later on, but the punchline, the payoff, is delivered right away.
   
   I experienced it like a caffeine jolt of understanding and awareness. It's about finding the level of stimulation that works for you (which isn't as easy as it might sound). The funny thing is that I read it months ago and didn't think much about it since then, but then the other night in the middle of a marathon of productivity, I realized I was *doing* it, and it was working. I was moving from task to task with grace and ease, just gettin' stuff done.
   
   Frankly, I've always had a hard time with the idea that with all the ways I experience and contribute and enjoy life, somehow I shouldn't be the way I am. I mean, I have more fun and I experience more stimulation than two or three ordinary people. This book doesn't say for a minute that you've got to learn to be different - it says "Here's this one massively useful knob you can control about your environment, to get more stuff done while being exactly the way you are." How cool is that?

5 comments about Study Power: Study Skills to Improve Your Learning and Your Grades.

1. This book is similar to the book, SURVEY OF 300 A+ STUDENTS: A+ STUDENTS DESCRIBE THEIR ACADEMIC STRATEGIES, by Kenneth Green (from Harvard). However, I think that Kenneth Green's book is more comprehensive and gives the information in a chronological order, which makes it a smoother read.



2. This book is rather brief. This book is like a brief assortment of topics.
   It didn't help me much. For time management (which possibly is the greatest skill that any student must master), the authors just mention very briefly.



3. The content and writing style of this book are more appropriate to the high school or college student. The book probably would not motivate a younger reader...too serious and too general.



4. I suggest this read to anyone who is serious about stuyding and wants to earn A's. Although it's a lot of work if you follow the book's suggestions I can't see how anyone could not get great grades!



5. This book is invaluable! As a returning adult student (grad school) this book provides the ultimate road map for getting A+ grades. As a star student (h.s. valedictorian) I know a lot about getting the top grade in every class - this book provided me with tips I've never read anywhere else, and I've read a few books on this topic. I recently used a few of these new study ideas in 2 econ classes at jr college (review before grad school) and I received A+ grades in both classes - exactly what I wanted! Since it's been over 20 yrs since I've been in a classroom, my results were unexpectedly high, and I'm thrilled. These authors know their stuff, and they present it in clear, understandable ways that can be easily learned and consistently used. I am very grateful that I've found this book and will use the ideas and processes the authors provide for the rest of my school career (the book also provides ideas that can be transferred to the business world about preparation, people communications, and process.) This book is the best I've found; and would benefit high school, college and all adult students, regardless of field of study.