4 comments about Making Friends With Time.

1. "Making Friends With Time" is a book that will guide you in a most kind and gentle way. It is a very refreshing and light hearted book, yet it is steeped in teaching. This is a book that you can pick up any time you feel a need for understanding and direction but without the hard sell. So soft and peaceful, you must read it. You will enjoy it and you will use it.



2. This isn't another "How to Multi-Task Even More Craziness into Your Day" advisory. In fact, it's just the opposite. Peggy and Tracy suggest you stop. That's all. Just pause, breathe and enjoy what's happening in your life at this very moment.

   The book stems from the authors' years as corporate consultants for executives. Their life experiences went into the book. They were extremely busy entrepreneurs with extemely busy lives, traipsing all over the planet, and these things worked for them. If they could make friends with time, you can, too.

   First become aware of the choices you have about how you can spend your time. Then notice what's taking place around you. Throughout the day are moments of renewal, moments of freshness that help transform the usual experience of getting to the end of the day exhausted because you've drained yourself. When you're in the present moment, the day opens up. This book offers reminders to help you access inner time as well as outer time. You can begin to be in the rhythm and timing of your own life, and get in tune with what that is for you. It's about the quality of time, not just the quantity.

   Not everyone can go retreat at a monastery, but everyone can stop and take five, learn a song that helps them slow down. You don't need money, don't need to take time off. In fact, as a culture, when we're on that long-awaited year-end vacation, lots of us are so exhausted we just drink all day. People don't know how to be with themselves, don't know how to just BE, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The key concept in this book is learning how to be fully present in each moment and how that transforms the way you experience yourself and your life. It's very simple, yet very profound.




3. If that sounds double-edged, that's good! That's how I meant it! This book is so relaxing, uplifting, and enjoyable that it really is like being around a good friend. A friend is somebody you spend quality time with: who picks you up when you need a boost, inspires you, gives you excellent practical advice, makes you laugh, is always around when you need them, and with whom you look forward to sharing more time! The book has seven main sections in it, filled with chapters that are only a few pages long each. At the end of each chapter are suggested exercises to help you gain the most experience and insight from the subject matter discussed. The chapters are based on life experiences that we can all relate to. The exercises can be practical, introspective, occasionally frivolous, but they are all fun! And they are all designed to offer you advice on how to enjoy your time, not be at the mercy of it. So, I would definitely say, "Get this book, and see how quickly it makes a difference in the way you use your time." And the other edge of the sword...give this book to someone you care about, or somebody you'd like to have as a friend. I guarantee they will appreciate it, and you will have done what the title of my review says!



4. Well, a friend gave me this book a few months ago and I've already read it twice. There are about 60 short (2-4 page) sections, and it's perfect to read one section every morning with my first cup of coffee. It's almost like having coffee every morning with a really close friend who cares about me and wants me to have a wonderful day. It becomes sort of a meditation and a treat to spend my five minutes a day with this book. And, just as it's supposed to, it puts me in a frame of mind to really live and appreciate each day, and to be kind to myself. It's NOT one of those books with lots of phycho-mumbo-jumbo. Instead, it's full of warm, personal, and vivid stories. It's definitely a book you'll want to give to all your friends as a friendship book, or for birthdays, or whatever. Absolutely recommended for people who are already normal and happy (as well as everybody else).

4 comments about "I'd Change My Life If I Had More Time".

1. It was a wonderful experience reading this book. It was somewhat similar to self-help books yet at the same time a bit different. It showed you how to find practical ways to accomplish your goals. It was not one of those books that says you have all of the time there is in each day broken down into hours and minutes. The author was someone you could relate to in everyday life. She had a hectic schedule and was realistic in how she shows you to use small chunks of your time to get things done even when you have a hectic lifestyle. I just finished this book and I have noticed a greater sense of fulfillment and accomplishment already in my life. This book was a book I will definitely read again and again. I am now looking for more books to read written buy this author. You will get more than your money's worth when you purchase this practical and inspiring book.



2. I'd Change My Life if I Had More Time: A Practical Guide to Making Dreams Come True
   
   FROM THE PUBLISHER
   If you dream of something more, perhaps a more fulfilling love live, a more satisfying career, or a well toned body, but just don't feel that you have the time to take care of these things, then this is the book for you! Doreen tells you how to make your dreams come true, even on a tight schedule. She reveals the secrets to balancing all the aspects of your life no matter how overbooked things seem to be.



3. I absolutely loved this book. It is helpful, possitive and a lot more down-to-earth then I'd expected. Of course it also has that extra bit of magic that Doreen Virue adds.



4. I'm on my second read of this incredible book by Doreen Virtue. Some of her insight is unlike anyone else in the circle of self-help or metaphysics.
   
   This book has the perfect balance of her own life examples with actual step-by-step advice on redirecting your time and energy in order to complete your true desires.
   
   The amazing thing about this book is that each bit of instruction is nothing new and yet, quite honestly, it's as if I knew nothing about any of the things she talks about; her point of view and real life examples are that refreshing that the information takes on an entirely new light.
   
   I really like her style of writing. It's very easy to read. It's light. It's friendly. And it's usable. Most of us procrastinate because different steps or goals seem too hard. Doreen makes everything seem so effortless that you just want to start making your dreams happen. And, once you do, you wonder why you've been putting things off for so long.
   
   If you're a procrastinator or someone who wants to accomplish goals that you believe are "too big" then you need to read this book. If you're unhappy with your current circumstances and want something else but can't figure out how to get it, read this book.
   
   Highly recommended. Good job, Doreen.

5 comments about The Frantic Woman's Guide to Life: A Year's Worth of Hints, Tips, and Tricks.

1. My first thought upon picking up this book was that I was NOT frantic... just sort of continuously running at a low level of mild panic. I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did. I was afraid this book would lecture me about being a perfect wife and mother (ha ha ha), but I found this was not the case at all. Instead of coming off like My Mom, I got a definite "girlfriend vibe" from the authors. For someone like me, the habit of planning ahead to avoid being overwhelmed later on is something utterly foreign and has to be learned. I'm one of those people who loves concise little tips - easier for me to digest and remember - and I've found the tips in the book to be very helpful and creative. Though my children are mostly grown now, I still have a lot of challenges for running my household and my life in general. I got the book at the beginning of 2005, and I think there is hope for me. I'm not quite ready to do "Christmas in July," but I think with the help of the Frantic Women I may actually get it done on time in December for a change!



2. As a professional writer, I've learned that if I say: "I'm going to write Chapter 1 today," chances are it won't get done. BUT, if I give myself a goal of "I'm going to outline Chapter 1 and flesh out my characters," I have a much better chance of accomplishing that "do-able" goal. Well, this book is the hallmark of listing do-able tasks--nothing overwhelming, nothing particularly difficult--but all designed to make your life less hectic, less distraught and of course, less frantic! So what if you don't get through the entire list?!? The authors understand you very well may not--but even if you don't, they're supportive and encouraging. You feel as if you're being helped--not lectured to or berated.
   
   This is definitely a hands-on book, so feel free to break the binding, mark off the checklists (live dangerously--do them in green ink!) and even make liner notes as you add your own items to their checklists. And if you've misplaced your bookmark, don't fret. Bend the page to mark your place.
   
   The authors will understand!



3. This is a book that can be of help to frantic folks,both female and male. I first heard of it around the Christmas holiday, and it was helpful in sorting out the growing number of tasks that my wife Chris and I want to do, and to do that during the absence of the sun in our home town of Barrow, Alaska.
   For example, maintaining and updating the Christmas card list is always important, but especially in the far north where blizzards and other weather can slow even the postal service.
   Baking ahead is also important, because our one general store can run out of key ingredients just when you need them.
   The authors also include the spiritual focus on Christmas, and hints at low-tech, low-cost ways to share the real meaning of Christmas with friends and family.
   This practical, easy-to-read book continues with tips and approaches to chores and the like by month through the year, including -"Tax Time."
   Also a growing concern - "The responsibility of caring for aging relatives."--including "Be respectful of their needs and wants" There is a tradition among the Inupiat Eskimo people of taking very good care of the elders, and respecting them. When we all become "aging relatives," we'll certainly want that, so let's give it now.
   And let's not forget pets --dogs, cats, hamsters and more
   The book includes "Planning a neighborhood dog show"
   Here in Barrow, we'd have a lot of Huskies and even some sled dogs, but it would be fun!
   A great book to read, from Barrow to Key West. Enjoy!
   Earl



4. I would buy it again. It covers every month of the year from school papers to dust on the molding to your makeup and fashion to organization



5. I did read the beginning and decided to take it a month at a time (giving me a chance to read other books).
   It would seem that the author's idea of frantic and mine are quite different. I read through January and most of what I read did not apply to me. Perhaps I'm not a normal wife/mother/employed person. I guess I was looking for something else.
   But I no doubt will finish this book in hopes that I will find something I can use.
   You may be different. Perhaps I was just trying to organize my social life vs my home life.

5 comments about Alter Your Life: Overbooked? Overworked? Overwhelmed?.

1. "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." (Quote by Anonymous, page 55 Alter Your Life)
   The greatest threat to America and its inhabitants has been revealed and experts are naming it, "Stress." As a medical professional, I'd like to add complacency, and lack of knowledge regarding how to break the stress- cycle to the problems facing American's today. Turn a page in any health magazine, flip through your local TV stations and what you will find is: article after article, report after report, linking stress and the fast-paced American lifestyle to: cancer, obesity, heart disease and a myriad of other diseases. Overworked, overweight, undernourished, and suffocating under piles of work, over-using our natural and spiritual resources, we American's are in a heap of trouble. Fortunately, Dr. Kathleen Hall author of Alter Your Life has devised a sound, step-by-step, non-dogmatic approach to changing your life-and your own special corner of the planet-without having to: surrender all of your worldly goods, give up your job, or move to the mountains. Sounds easy, doesn't it?
   Hall will hook readers from the first page by appealing to their desire for a better life. Her plan, carefully woven together with the wisdom and appreciation of multiple spiritual traditions, provides a true blueprint for a better life. Learn how to wake up and embrace life without caffeine in chapter one. Follow simple steps to turn your commute in to your chance to commune with your Divine Self in chapter six. Rediscover the joy in life by reclaiming your leisure time on page 127.
   Alter Your Life is flawlessly written, well edited, and the information is presented in a format readers can actually apply to their lives. Blissfully devoid of double-speak, cryptic passages, and superior guru-ish talk, Dr. Hall's self-help masterpiece is not your mama's promise-you-the-world, but give- you -zilch- for-useful- information, type book. Anyone willing to live a better life, can easily pick up a copy and apply the simple techniques to achieve a better, more compassionate existence, without abandoning their faith, their family, or making any drastic, overnight life changes.
   Review by Kate St.Amour



2. Alter Your Life is not your regular self-help inspirational book. It is practical, engaging and powerfully life-changing. Unlike other self-help books that focus on the goals you'd like to create for your life, Dr. Hall provides a different angle of everyday activities, so you'd be able to alter your perspectives, which are the key of lifetime joy and happiness.
   
   Divided into 24 chapters, this book talks about ways to give meaning in the simplest and overlooked activities, such as walking, shopping, gardening, listening to music, taking a bath, watching the evening news and, even, washing dishes. The author's easy-to-read conversational tone is an added plus, as most people prefer not reading a preachy book.
   
   Written by a former Wall Street stockbroker who lived joylessly for years, the soul of this book shines throughout the pages, making the reading a breeze. The author has walked the walk and talked the talk, indeed. It is evident from the depth of one's innermost issues covered as she encourages the readers to choose the joy and the enlightened path in their hectic and, oftentimes, boring lives.
   
   Alter Your Life is, indeed, a self-help book of its own class. For once, an enlightened friend has spoken. Thanks, Dr. Hall.[]
   
   A review by Jennie S. Bev of BookReviewClub.com



3. There is little question, it seems to me, that most Americans living in this new century of ours are suffering from a condition one might refer to as the "stressed-out" syndrome. (And the really unfortunate thing is that this is true of young people as well, some of them barely into their teenage years.) Many of us are working harder, trying to raise families while advancing a career, competing obsessively in the marketplace for that promotion, striving to keep up with the Jones next door, hoping that the pay check will last until the end of the month, and, well, you get the point. Are we simply condemned to this malady by the realities of modern life, or is there a way of successfully meeting this challenge and conquering it? Dr. Kathleen Hall, the author of this book and one of our nation's leading authorities on stress management, thinks there is and she calls it "living an intentional life."
   
   This is a self-help book, to be sure. Many of you probably think as I do: most self-help books are so full of psycho-babble, unrealistic expectations, impractical advice, dogmatic prescriptions, and are so far out of touch with the actual world in which most of us live, that they seem to be written only to make some quick money for the author. I assure you this is not the case with Dr. Hall's book. Believe me, I look hard for incidences of psycho-babble in self-help books (it's one of my pet peeves) and I could not find a single case of it here. In sum, she has outlined a simple, easy-to-read, very practical and, above all, undogmatic, blueprint for living an intentional life.
   
   The "intentional" life, Dr. Hall says, has three simple ingredients: awareness, choice, and energy. These are not sequential; it is simply necessary to "become aware of these three key elements in your life and learn how to navigate them." She emphasizes that we ought to look at our daily experiences, listen to what our body and mind are telling us, and become more conscious of how we are living our lives and how we want to live them. If I could put this general prescription into my own words, I would say she is proposing living a "proactive" life as opposed to a "reactive" life, and most people do seem to mostly "react" to the situations they encounter in life rather than make a proactive choice.
   
   There is absolutely nothing complex about the prescriptions in this book regarding how to live an intentional life. Above all, they are very down-to-earth; very much a matter of applied "common sense." It is simply that so many people, if not the majority in today's hectic world, either "forget" to pay attention to these simple ideas or are stressed out and distracted by the events surrounding them. The author here is really recommending that we all need, now and then, to "stop and smell the roses," so to speak.
   
   But, of course, there is much more than that presented. She gets down to the "nitty-gritty," shall we say, and, chapter by chapter, discusses everything from making your morning shower an event for setting the stage for your day, suggesting gardening (even though you may have to plant a "mini-garden" in your bathroom) as a means of reclaiming your roots to the soil, altering your dinner experience at home so you have "dined well," and, yes, even how to turn dishwashing into a unique and fulfilling experience. To point out the range of "ordinary" daily experiences she discusses, just let me say that Chapter One is entitled "Waking Up" and Chapter Twenty-four is entitled "Sleeping." Between those two points of reference are chapters devoted to most of the other daily activities we perform and encounters we experience (breakfast, commuting, working, leisure, family, etc.). Furthermore, most chapters end with a suggestion as to how to "alter your life" in the area discussed.
   
   What I like most about Dr. Hall's book is that it is sound, pragmatic, and undogmatic. It deals with the simple pleasures we can experience in our lives, if only we would pay attention to them rather than ignore them or get distracted by other things which contribute to our "stressed-out" syndrome. Since I am by education, inclination, and choice, a philosopher in the formal sense (and an Aristotelian realist, at that!), let me conclude with a more philosophical observation.
   
   Aristotle's famous work, the "Nicomachean Ethics," was written to provide us with a blueprint for living "a life worth living." His book is, in my opinion and in the opinion of many others, the only sound, pragmatic, and undogmatic work in moral philosophy within the Western tradition of intellectual thought. I have used those same words (sound, pragmatic, undogmatic) to describe Dr. Hall's "Alter Your Life." I think this is justified. Furthermore, I suspect that Aristotle, if he were living today, would also approve of her work; he was, after all, that most practical and commonsensical of philosophers. His "Ethics" was a manual on how to put together a "good life" through the practice of the virtues; hers is a manual on how to deal with the stresses of this contemporary world or, if you will, how to live a "good life" through the practice of intentional living in spite of the stresses surrounding us. I think Aristotle and Dr. Hall would have gotten along famously.
   
   I recommend this book and my fellow males should not shy away from reading this book. After all, women on the average live longer than we males do, and it may be (at least partially) because they are willing to seek help and guidance rather than face stressful conditions alone. I know men tend to avoid self-help books because they consider them to be "for women." This is unfortunate. Men also need to learn strategies, even the simple ones suggested in this book, in order to live a healthy and meaningful life.



4. So many of us are overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of our careers, our families, sometimes even our friends. We often feel there is not enough time in our lives to do the things we need to do, let alone to do the things we want to do. And, most importantly, there never seems to be time just for ourselves.
   
   The book, Alter Your Life, discusses many aspect of your life. The book discusses daily tasks that we all do and points out ways we can live intentionally, i.e. by making choices by intention, not by default.
   
   What impressed me about the book is that it is not based only on theory. The author has implemented changes, and has altered her life to one of intentional life vs. life in the fast lane where she felt overwhelmed, overworked and overbooked! She discusses the three components that are the foundation for living an intentional life and they are simpler than you think. Her story is an inspiration for us all. While we may not choose to live the life she chose, you will find ideas and thoughts to alter you life in everyday tasks.
   
   Dr. Kathleen Hall's book is one which made me realize even the simplest of things I was doing every day were being done without intention. When you stop and answer some of the questions the author asks, it makes you realize that there is more. In fact, we do have the choice to change our lives so we do not have to feel so overwhelmed.
   
   I would highly recommend this book.



5. Stress management expert Dr. Kathleen Hall presents Alter Your Life: Overbooked? Overworked? Overwhelmed?, a no-nonsense self-help guide to finding more time in one's life and balancing responsibilities in a manner that reduces tension, cultivates energy, and primes one for the knock of opportunity. Chapters discuss simple changes and mindfulness that can be incorporated into any routine, from the morning shower, breakfast, and commute to daily exercise, shopping, learning to be a more attentive listener, and even turning routine chores such as washing the dishes into a fulfilling experience. The "Ask, Tell, Give" sections condense extended discussion points into simple sentences and precepts; for example, "Ask yourself 'Why do I, or why don't I have a pet?' 'How can I bring more quality to the time I spend with animals?' 'What can I learn from the animals in my life?' / Tell yourself 'Animals support and guide my journey through life.' / Give yourself 'A bird feeder by your favorite window' 'time each day to relax with your animal' 'sponsorship of a cause that supports animals'." An uplifting, motivational guide to lifestyle changes that can make each day richer.

4 comments about KISS Guide to Organizing Your Life (Keep It Simple Series).

1. As a professional speaker and author of several books on presentation skills and public speaking, I have always had a keen appreciation for the management of time. In fact, I had the privilege of participating in one of Don Wetmore's three day programs about 10 years ago, and still use his strategies today in my own business. My most recent book, 10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking (Warner Books, 2001) would not have been completed on time if I hadn't been well organized. As an international professional speaker, I spend a lot of time traveling and I know from first hand experience that there is a correlation between good time management and career success. Th opposite is true as well. Failing to manage your time will limit your opportunities for success.
   
   Beyond career success, however, managing your time effectively permits you to do more of the things you want to do and enjoy a better quality of life every day-both at work and at home. The K.I.S.S. Guide to Organizing Your Life guides you along the path to more effective time management, starting with the important step of balancing your life. After all, good time management isn't based on doing the wrong things quicker-that just gets you nowhere faster. Instead, this guide show you how to achieve better balance in every aspect of your life.
   
   Don has taken a complex topic and boiled it down to a simple step-by-step plan that can be readily implemented by all readers-and I like that. There's enough complexity in your life already; the last thing you need is an even more complex and cumbersome system to manage it! Luckily, Don has devised a easy-to-implement, 20-step action plan to organize your life. In fact, if you follow one of Don'd steps each weekday for the next four weeks, you will be surprised by the enormous strides you'll make toward managing-and enjoying-tasks and responsibilities that may have once seemed overwhelming.
   
   The methods Don writes about, and uses every day, are not lofty theory, but, rather, practical, common sense tools and techniques that he has tested himself; If they work for him-and they can work for you, too.
   
   Lenny Laskowski, Author of National Best Selling Book:
   "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking"
   President of LJL Seminars(tm)



2. Great book! I also took a course by the author and it was great.
   The book is easy to read and has some good advise that i s easy to implement and use in everyday life.



3. Don Wetmore's "Guide to Organizing your Life" is a well-thought out, thorough and easy-to-read time management book. If you read and implement even a quarter of the strategies, you would have many more hours in your day and much less stress as a result!

   One of the most useful aspects of this book is its interactive exercises: the reader identifies their own strengths and weaknesses and is then provided with concrete, practical ways to develop better habits. Readers are empowered to live on purpose and always be thinking "what's in it. . . for me!"

   I personally liked the weblinks that provided me with more or related information about each of the topics. The book is colorful with many photos that encourage a reader to keep reading.

   I highly receommend this book for everyone: those who have never taken a time management course before AND those who have. It is a thorough book with lots for everyone.




4. Keeping things organized and getting things done have always been difficult for me. I found Don's book very easy to read. It has some phenomenal tips and practical ideas that can be implemented right away. In today's hectic world, it is refreshing to find a book that helps to make life easier. I keep it by my nightstand and refer to it frequently, as it can be read straight through, or in bits and pieces by subject matter. The back of the book has a wonderful index that makes it easy to find what you're looking for. There is also a preferred reading list and a list of useful web sites. I recommend it for anyone who needs more organization in their life.

5 comments about 5 A.M. & Already Behind.

1. This books is simple and it's about every one of us. We need more than just read a book, the workbook takes us places and to people we've forgotton--us! What a wonderful reminder as to why we're here and that in reality... the story we tell at the end of our lives should be the one we really wanted to tell. If we take this book seriously and make that Bahbit change, it really will take me and you and your employees...anybody...on a new path!



2. I have read many books on personal and professional success, and have found Dr. Kennedy's book to be one of the best. Though on the surface it would seem that he is addressing personal change, the ideas expressed in this book address the total quality of life. It portrays personal and professional successes as intrinsically intertwined and synergistic so that developing good habits and discarding old ones enhances all facets of ones life. This is an excellent read!!



3. Worth a try - will help identify those things holding you back from achieving a more satisfying and productive existance.



4. I like this very simplistic approach to something we all know we should do, but can never seem to get to that point. It puts putting your habits behind you in perspective and gave you a slow methodical way to get it done.
   
   My only criticism of the book was the editing/proof-reading. It was very confusing in the beginning when he was supposedly talking to Mike, but kept referring to him as Ben.



5. Right off the bat I wasn't impressed with this book when Ch 2 was full of weird typos and kept confusing names with each other. First off, you know that "Ben" isn't there in that part of the story and that the author meant "Mike", but due to some really poor writing and/or editing, the two names keep getting used interchangeably, which is really confusing and more than a little annoying. After all, it's not a free book, so you'd think the author would put at least a tiny little bit of effort into it. Believe me, I'm not one who's picky about errors, but these are huge glaring things that make you question the quality of the content. There are some good things about this book/workbook, but overall I wasn't disappointed with how unprofessionally put together it is.

3 comments about Make Room for God: Clearing Out the Clutter.

1. In the year 2000, the author found herself alone and deeply depressed, her life "collapsing under the clutter." The self-help books she consulted were of some use, but missing the element of faith. Over time, with the help of friends, a spiritual director, and a Christian psychologist she was able to change her perspective about the meaning of life. In Make Room for God, Rowland shares the lessons she learned as God led her out of the clutter. "This book is a bit of bright orange paint pointing toward the path home," she writes.
   
   She encourages us to approach the lessons as a journey, beginning with an overall read, then returning to topics of special interest, spending up to 40 days on each. She urges patience with self and God, making small changes, and celebrating accomplishments.
   
   The book is formatted in nineteen chapters divided into five sections on getting rid of clutter in relation to (1) self-care, (2) our environment, (3) productivity, (4) our spirit, and (5) our relationship with God. Most chapters close with suggested activities. For example, Kicking the Worry Habit includes directions for making a "God jar" to hold little notes about worries we are handing over to God. The creativity exercise is a list of ten simple things we could do now to release more creativity in our lives. To get the juices flowing, Rowland provides a dozen or so ideas such as repotting a plant, writing a letter by hand, and making soup.



2. I was disappointed in reading this book...actually I made it halfway through it and lost interest...I thought it would deal more practically with everyday decluttering..of course with spiritual overtones..but it didn't really hit upon the decluttering in full force..perhaps I'll read the 2nd half..perhaps not.



3. This was an easy read. It has a lot of informative, good suggestions to make your life simpler and focused on what is most important.

2 comments about 1000 Best Quick and Easy Time-Saving Strategies (1000 Best).

1. As the author of this book I am bias. But I hope you'll read this anyway because I want to tell you why I wrote the book. For over 16 years I've worked as a Professional Organizer and Time Management Expert, helping overwhelmed, over scheduled people enjoy life more!
   
   While working together my client would almost always comment how quick and simple my ideas are. How they work for real life, and how no other book captures ideas for everyday living.
   
   Sure there are a ton on books on time management, but they mainly focus on corporate offices. How to manage meetings and projects. But how about laundry, to do lists, housecleaning, mail and so much more???
   
   So I pulled together my most tried and true techniques that even the busiest person can manage to integrate into his or her life. My style is non-judgmental and motivating! I promise to only give you practical ideas; you won't find any silly or complicated steps.
   
   I cover everything from speed cleaning, to the paper pile and filing, getting organized, caring for elderly parents or children (including children with special needs), meal planning and then actually cooking.
   
   
   The book NOT meant to be read cover to cover, if you want to you can, but the book is beast read a few tips at a time. The put the tips into action and come back and read some more.
   
   You can find lots of FREE tips on my website which is my name dot com. Please stop by where you can get your own clutter challenge, find a clutter club near you, learn about how to be a Professional Organizer and view my schedule to see me live or listen to me on the radio. Hope to hear from you soon! Happy reading- Jamie



2. I bought this book and I know it was writen for me!! It is great to learn how to improve your time. And it gives you very simple tips, that are at your hand!! but didn't come to your mind!!
   Great book!!! I recommend it to everyone!!

2 comments about Vineyard Simple: How to Build and Maintain Your Own Vineyard.

1. As the owner of grapeseek.com I am constantly receiving complimentary copies of grape growing books and this is one that really sticks out in my mind for the new or even experienced grower that wants his or her own vineyard. It describes the whole process from beginning to end and even tells you what you should be doing each month of the year and where to aquire the materials you need . Even if you are just a hobby grower this book is about all you would ever need to tend your grapevines. If I could only have 3 or 4 grape growing books this one would definitely be on the list!



2. This is a great book, recommended to us by Pete Anderson of San Diego. It became a daily reference book for us as we planted our own vineyard, which ended up to be over 1,000 vines in San Diego County. One piece of advice (which I may have missed in the book) " Don't trim your first year vines while they're still growing!" To see how we implemented the recommendations in the book, please visit www.winemakersjournal.com
   Craig Justice

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