5 comments about How to Be Organized in Spite of Yourself: Time and Space Management That Works With Your Personal Style.

1. I have read a few organization books. this book helps you find your 'organization style'. I thought it was great. Really easy to get through, tells you how to make lists. The book is not an instruction manual, it is really only suggestions on what to do. If you give them a chance and actually do them, things will be easier.



2. Book is geared towards a professional view and not helpful for college students; which is why I purchased it.



3. This book is more conceptual than 'practical application', but I really liked it. I found out *why* I organize (to put it loosely) things the way I do and found some ways to make it work for me. Most books by professional organizers work great for people whose idea of disorganization is the occasional jacket not hung up. However, I wouldn't use this book by itself. I would recommend using this book for insight into what your style (or combination of styles) is and then apply that to a more "practical application" book like "Organizing Plain and Simple." That way, you can easily identify which hints and tips will work for you without wasting a lot of time and money through trial and error.



4. Not bad and quite helpful . Not the best self help on this topic , but not the worse either . the concept of people organising according to type is interesting.



5. Very disappointing, felt like I was reading a magazine article. Not very valuable information.

5 comments about Find More Time: How to Get Things Done at Home, Organize Your Life, and Feel Great About It.

1. Today, with both members of many households working, organization at home is a must if we are to have any leisure time at all to enjoy. Laura's tips for getting things done at home and organizing your life are to the point, practical, and, most importantly, easy to remember and easy to implement. Laura has provided numerous articles for OfficeOurs magazine, all of which have been very popular with our office manager and office worker readers. There is good reason she is in such demand as a speaker and we are looking forward to her keynote presentation at our annual office manager conference and future articles and books.



2. Organization is a breeze with these great tips. Best of all, they are very easy to implement in your own home.



3. We always have the excuse by saying, "I will do this tomorrow!" This book will help you how to get your life back together. Recommended.



4. This book focusses more on getting the home managed, but it is like alot of others that I have read. Unless you put into practice the lessons in these books they do no good. So just get up and do it. Try [...] this is a good time managing site. It works for homes as well as for offices. Teaching you how to form routines and good habbits.



5. Somehow Laura Stack, the "Productivity Pro," makes greater efficiency at home seem easy to attain. She encourages systematic, thorough evaluation of your time-management strengths and weaknesses, and lays out the "eight pillars" that form the foundation for a smoothly functioning life. Her workbook is not a quick read, but it's full of organizing tips and useful recommendations on where to find the tools and resources you need to de-clutter. getAbstract recommends this how-to manual for those who want to have it all, including free weekends.

5 comments about Focus : Achieving Your Highest Priorities.

1. 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.

   Steve Jones is the person who gives presentation. I believe it is a recorded live process. What I liked about this alot is it covered all of the Franklin Covey time management principles in a very focussed manner (hence the title...??).

   This CD series serves as an excellent refresher or introduction to the principles of managing your time. They introduce the time quadrants and explain in pretty good detail how to use paper, PDA or computer planners to manage your time. The sessions never bog down in any one area and they move from topic to topic at just about the right pace.

   Obviously this CD set has some ties to the services and courses offered by Franklin Covey. They'd love it if you registered for the full course or bought a $200 planner/binder. However the course on tape/CD will standalone quite well. The speaker is clear and has a good delivery. I enjoyed this and found the time passed quickly (which doesn't always happen) as I was listening. Buy this - you won't be sorry!




2. 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.
   
   For the price, this CD series is an excellent bargain. I recommend it highly for anyone wanting to get a basic understanding of Covey's life-changing techniques.



3. Good content, helps to have a background in the Franklin Covey system.



4. When I became responsible for managing 50 people a few years back, I had finally hit a wall. I could no longer knock out the day to day tasks and still focus on the long-term needs of my division. I went into a FC store and bought a planner. Luckily for me the sales person strongly recommend I pick up this tape also. A planner is great but this book really helped me use my planner effectively and do more then knock out the days tasks. Another side benefit, it improved my relationship with my wife, there is quite abit about work/life balance in this CD and taught me to take 5-10 minutes and focus on my wife along with work.



5. A litle background
   
   I used the paper based Franklin Planner about a decade ago and did a career shift to where I was using company software for all my contact work along with an appointment calendar. B/c of that - I scrapped the Planner and used a palm pilot for all my phone numbers. At the time - I had taken the full day live course for a few hundred bucks and found it invaluable in understanding "how to" use the nuts and bolts of priorities / daily lists / sharpen saw features / etc.
   
   Things changed professionally for me - and I wanted to revisit the Planner to see if it would be valuable to me again today. I purchased some filler pages for my old planner binder and tried to get back in the swing of things and see if the Planner would be useful to me now. I didn't want to spend the money on "the live course" again - but wanted to get refreshed. I read a few Covey books I had in my personal library - but they were more or less conceptual and didn't really go through the use of his planner beyond generalitites. I found out that this new and updated program might fill in the gaps and the price was right so I tried it.
   
   ***** I AM VERY HAPPY AUDIO PROGRAAM *****. So far, I've listened to the first 3 disks and they are pretty much a recording of a live trainer giving their seminars. It does a very thorough job of walking you through the areas of evaluating and writing your guiding p;rinciples / how to effectively plan weekly and daily with a system like this / how to select and prioritize tasks for each day ( things like don't ever schedule more than 65 % of yoru day in daily tasks ) - as well as documenting and note retreival.
   
   The focus of the seminar CD's is on a paper based planner - but he gives enough theory to integrate paper and electronic if you're interested in that.
   
   I just got this program and have listened to the first 3 disks ( live seminar recording ). There is a workbook and CD - Rom along with it that I have not used - it's worth adding - I'll update my review.
   
   In my opinion - this is pretty close to the same content that you'll get out of a seminar - and if want to learn the Franklin Planner system - this program OR - the seminar is "A MUST". There is an online tutorial of the basics on Franklin Covey site - but the content in Seminar and / or this program is really needed to really use it effectively.

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

1. What I love most about this book is that it is small enough to bring with you anywhere you go, and the wisdom large enough to calm and soothe you no matter where you are. It's the type of book that you can open to any page, and find wisdom ranging on topics such as: Being present to the moment; Busyness; Exhaustion; Goals; Honesty; Wholeness; Live life fully/Curiosity; Forgiveness; Feelings/Control; and the great list goes on - all 365 of them.
   If you feel harried and rushed, are in a long supermarket line, or stuck on traffic, this is the perfect book to open up and get you to feed your mind with wisdom to bring you more inner peace. A wonderful book, and I think it is great for men too.
   Barbara Rose, author of "Stop Being the String Along: A Relationship Guide to Being THE ONE" and 'If God Was Like Man'
   Editor of inspire! magazine



2. 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.



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



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



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".

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 Simplify Your Life: Get Organized and Stay That Way.

1. This book is just what my family needed to get our lives organized!!



2. Get organized and stay that way after checking out all the tips in this book. The simple ideas are very easy to put into practice.



3. Everything about this book is organized - including the way Marcia Ramsfield presents her systematic method of simplifying all the major compartments of life. She presents practical ideas that are immediately usable and are designed to have life at home and at work running smoothly with as little maintenance as possible.
   
   First, this book is definitely geared toward women, whether working or homemakers. It also includes a short devotional and prayer at the end of each chapter for those who are interested in incorporating it.
   
   I liked the way Ramsfield suggests targeting one facet of life's stressors at a time and really focuses on helping the reader get control over it before moving to the next. She begins with mealtimes and moves through clothes & laundry, cleaning, and projects. She then focuses on special areas, including work life and holidays.
   
   I felt her chapter on holiday organization was especially helpful, and her chapter on cleaning was a bit weak. I didn't feel better equipped to develop my own cleaning schedule based on that chapter. I feel the rest of the book does compensate for that weak point.
   
   This book focuses more on simplification of the stressful facets of life rather than direct organizational techniques. It is about developing good habits, but does incorporate some practical suggestions for your tangible organization needs. For an excellent resource of the nitty-gritty organizational specifics, I highly recommend "Confessions of an Organized Homemaker" by Deniece Schofield.



4. I would have given this book 5 stars had it not been full of dreadful, neatly packaged stories. I understand that the writer is trying to use examples to demonstrate principles but they come across as far too contrived.
   
   HOWEVER, and it is a big however...the book is full of very useful pieces of advice that I have found very interesting and helpful. She has lots of wonderful solutions to everyday problems faced by the average woman and suggests many clever habits to develop. Anyone who puts her advice into practice will definitely simplify their life!
   
   Overall - excellent.



5. I found this book to be highly resourceful, and I intent to keep it in my reference librabry for future use.

5 comments about How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most.

1. How Did I Get So Busy?: The 28-day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most
   
   I loved this book. It was easy to read and easy to apply. I went thru the 28 days and have noticed significant changes in my life already.
   
   The voice Valorie uses in writting is not intimidating or undermining. Reading it reminded me of alot of the advice my best friend gives me only with an unbiased perspective. It also offers productive ways to put it into practice that I never thought of before. It helps cut down on the scare factor of stating an overwhelming schedule and life rehaul and breaks it down into digestable tasks and attainable goals.
   
   I've already recommended (required) my family read it so we're all on the same page and it has greatly helped with the harmony in our house.



2. I bought this book on a busy week while at an airport. I immediately "took" to many of the ideas presented in this book. They are presented in a helpful, non-judgmental way, and address the importance of balancing one's work/school and personal life. Also, many of the ideas presented helped me to "normalize" that what I am and am not doing well is similiar to the challenges of others, such as not always getting to all those items on a to do list. The author, regarding to do lists, presents a different way of approaching these lists anyway. I guess there are some so-called new age ideas here, but I think it just has more to do with recognizing the value of remembering to have a spiritual life as well. My only suggestion for a better book would be to allow more room for writing out the brief exercises in the book itself. The author suggests a journal. I found room in the book for writing, but a little more room would have been helpful.



3. Valorie's book helped me get clarity, focus and learn how to do what matters most. I love her writing style. So crisp, personal and authentic. This book and a candy bar saved me a lot of money (now I don't have to see a therapist) :) I have to go to the gym, but now that I'm not so busy - I can do this! Thanks Valorie, another hit! God bless you!
   
   Pam Perry
   Chocolate Pages Reviewer



4. I got this book from the library with high hopes but I am disappointed in it. There are many instances I felt the author was just bragging about herself, in the guise of "sharing". By that, I mean she makes opportunities to "share" her own story, but somehow even her so-called problems seem contrived to promote herself. For example, in one part of the book, she was relating that she thinks her own tendency to be busy all the time started in childhood, when her mother put her in kindergarten at the age of four. She then goes on to say she was trying to prove to the world she is "smart" by getting her masters degree at age 21. Well, that does prove she is smart, and surely she knows it, but by the time she is done with telling the story, I was annoyed by the obvious self-promotion. In another segment, she relates of how she and her husband took a leap and bought a home that "nourishes" them physically, emotionally and spiritually. She then gushes about how lovely it is to walk in the streets near her home, how happy she is they took the leap and bought it. Well, that's great, but in these economic times, that sure does seem like bragging.
   
   I got the feeling the author led something of a life of priviledge, and cannot relate to why many of us are busy. She never mentions having children and as a busy mom, I can say a large part of why I am overly busy is the care of my children. Like many moms, I was looking for advice on things like how to slow down without shortchanging the kids, but kids were never really addressed in this book. That is a glaring omission, because kids (or the care of adult parents, or both) add tremendously to one's busyness and most women are in some sort of caregiving role for a large part of their lives. It is very easy to make the adjustments listed in the book if you are a woman with few caregiving obligations, but if you have those issues, then many of the suggestions here will be difficult, if not impossible to put into practice.
   
   The author lacks insight into the reasons why people are so busy, the very real obligations some of us face, and cannot simply reduce by self examination. Some of her points are good, but there appears to be a lack of understanding of the serious responsibilites many of us face.It is very easy to say "slow down" and "take time" but when one is faced with the care of parents and children, or working two jobs to save a home from foreclosure, such advice seems worse than trite.



5. Valorie Burton is an amazing woman who has used her talents to empower us in our everyday life. As a mother, professor and political candidate, life can get extremely busy. When I purchased this book, I expected to simply get tips of how to maintain an organized schedule. However, I received so much more. Valorie explains how "busyness is often based on fear" (p. 52). What a revelation!
   
   I've shared usurps of "How Did I Get So Busy" with my students and they are astounded at how 28 days of application can change their habits. I encourage all of you to take a moment and read this book from cover to cover and I assure you, the profound message(s) will change your life. Thank you Valorie for helping me to get my thoughts and life back on track. You're truly divine. Sincerely, Dr. Ro 2010

5 comments about One Year to an Organized Life.

1. This book has great ideas. It gives good examples of how to organize certain spaces. You don't have to start organizing on January 1st. You can jump in any day of the year. It's a nice motivating tool.



2. This author really knows her stuff. As a long-time sufferer of adult ADD, I am always interested in tools to keep my household organized, not to mention my life. The monthly projects are great, not too overwhelming. The only problem is...I read the book 3 months ago and it is still on my nightstand because I like the way it looks there!



3. This is a great book when you need a bit of help with the mess you are in... It breaks up the disorder into orderly projects, which are fun to do and easy to follow. And it gives you the very positive feeling about the house and the chores you have to do to make it your home.



4. One Year to an Organized Life: From Your Closets to Your Finances, the Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Completely Organized for Good Good book. Haven't had time to put it to use yet, but am planning on moving, so I'll be able to start from scratch.



5. Boy, was I disappointed with this book. It's clearly aimed at housewifes and house husbands. Almost nothing about organizing paperwork, calendar, your office...etc. This was an utter waste of time for me.

4 comments about Freedom from Tyranny of the Urgent.

1. This book is great for someone who is stressed out because they are always so busy dealing with the urgent that they find themself forgetting the important. While many books on time management are great for motivation - this one brings time management tips to you in a practical manner - with questions for reflection and application at the end of each chapter.

   There were two sections of this book that I found particularly helpful. One dealt with the difference between being efficient - and being effective. Before reading this, I had never realized that a person could show 100% efficiency in something but never have it be effective in helping anyone! The second section that helped me was a list of 7 tips and ways to say no. One of the most helpful tips was to learn to "go with your gifts" when making the choice between two good things.

   I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to reclaim their time.




2. Hummel's "Freedom from Tyranny..." is a wonderful amplification of his booklet "Tyranny of the Urgent." Like its predecessor, the book encourages you to examine your life and realign your priorities by seeking to live a holy life. This book is a beautiful balance of illustrative vignettes, Scripture, and Hummel's thoughts.

   The book is very encouraging, uplifting, and peace-inducing.

   I've been leading a small group study in which we are slowly digesting the book and attempting, with God's help, to apply it. The group members unanimously love the book. They all feel uplifted and have remarked on Hummel's giftedness in encouraging us rather than making us feel guilty that we haven't mastered the topics yet.

   This book is a gift to yourself. I encourage you to read it with an open heart, then give a copy to loved ones.

   I've returned to order an additional five. That brings my total to 20 so far.

   God bless you.




3. Several years ago, I bought this book for myself. It was a great help during a time of massive transition. Today, I am buying it for a friend.
   
   If you know that you don't have time for what is really important to you, but you aren't sure why or how to fix it - this book is like a ray of sunshine piercing through the clouds. Unlike typical organizational books this book does not focus on taming paper, cataloging information, to do lists or household choirs.
   
   This book does not assume that each reader is the same. But, this book does focus on the freedom to be in the center of God's will and how that applies to your life, one day at a time. An added plus for the time cruched person who needs this saged wisdom: the book is a relatively quick read.
   
   Today it is being placed on my annual must read list - I highly reccomend it.



4. In my openion this book is a must read for every Christian who has found themselves not having the "time" to accomplish what God has in a 24 hour day. The author does a fantastic job of using scripture to point out that Christ had urgent request before Him often but He did what the Father planned for Him to do. Jesus obeyed the Father with the plan His Father had choosen Him for.This book has taught me to carfully examine the time God has given me and pay close attention to the urgent, a cell call, email, whatever the urgent and make sure it is of God. Also the author helps you to evaluate your time in writing to see where you waist time. In doing this you creat time to accomplish the task you are called to and eliminate those "urgent" things that distract you. I highly recommend this book.

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.