No comments about Time Management (Crisp Fifty-Minute Books).

1 comments about Take Back Your Life!: 10 Choices to Give You More Time, More Energy, and Better Relationships.

1. Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (5/07)
   
   Sometimes life takes over; we no longer feel we have any control. H. Dale Burke addresses this condition in his latest book "Take Back Your Life!" We set goals for ourselves and when we successful reach those goals suddenly they take over. One example the author gives is the desire for a family. He gets his wish, then his ministry takes off and suddenly he becomes "busier and busier." Life becomes overwhelming, you are being pulled in all directions; suddenly you have no time for yourself or God. But Burke offers hope. "The monster can be tamed!" Burke explains that "Life is too fast, Life is too complex, Life is out of control, Life is too overloaded, Life is actually underutilized, Life tells me to climb higher of the ladder of success. Burke explains that we need to slow life down, simplify it, recapture it, do less, in Christ we can accomplish more, true success is not up the ladder, but down it!" The key is to submit to God and let Him be God
   
   This book offers 10 choices. The end of each chapter offers an encouraging word that will guide you into making the changes you need to make to lead a healthier, happier life.
   
   Like most people there have been times when life has become overwhelming. Children, grandchildren, work; meetings, etc. have pulled me in opposite directions; ballgames, school plays, committee meetings, all at the same time and different places have left me harassed. Throwing up my hands and hollering "STOP!" did not help. I finally realized that I had to prioritize. Submitting to God came first and all other things fell into place. This is the message H. Dale Burke is offering in his book "Take Back Your Life!" His book is well written and easy to follow. If we would all listen to his advice we would be much happier and less stressed out. The cover is eye-catching and the print is a nice size. It is with pleasure that I recommend this book to all harried adults.

5 comments about Cut to the Chase: And 99 Other Rules to Liberate Yourself and Gain Back the Gift of Time.

1. This book is not filled with bromides about being more productive or organized for the sake of being more productive or organized. Instead, it contains concise real-world illustrations of 100 sensible, memorable rules on how to work more effectively so one can live a richer, fuller and more satisfying life.



2. Cut to the Chase is light in weight but heavy with practical advice for the workplace. The 100 "tips" are divided into nine sections. Start Now! helps the reader with problems of psychological inertia. Think Clearly deals with organization and anticipation. Speed Up offers advice on promoting and dealing with change. Be Direct encourages clear and effective communication. Meet Smarter has very helpful advice on how to run more effective meetings. Move Forward inspires and guides you to seek and grab opportunities. Cut Back helps you to prioritize. Watch Out is a mix of subjects intended to raise your level of self-fulfillment. Find Balance is additional advice on time management. The book is a quick read and should be added to your list of sources that help you become oriented when life at work seems in disarray.



3. With literally tens of thousands of business books out there, why do we need another rehash of well-worn wisdom? There's hardly a new idea in all 100 obvious points. This type of oversimplified, coffee table lightweight stuff does no justice to the reality of learning how to be more effective at work. Better to dive in to Stephen Covey's landmark 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and work hard at developing each habit thoroughly, deeply, honestly, than to read this and think that you've actually made lasting, effective change. These books do harm to the consulting and change management profession, and only serve the self-promotion of people who think they gain credibility by publishing something, anything. Sorry for the negative review, but as a practicing Business Improvement Specialist who knows, from 30 years experience, the genuine hard work that people put in to growing and developing their abilities, this kind of book is the quick pill that doesn't change anything.



4. Stuart Levine puts in plain English important guidance for anyone who wants to be productive and a leader in their own sphere of influence. Very readable.



5. If you are new to management or do not have any books - This may be the first one to own. It is a quick read of timeless points - do not expect any answers. It gives you perspective and that is about it. Nothing in the book is wrong - if you are looking for ways to lead a company or even get back your time there are better books with more meat. He does give a concise retrospect on individual performance that in some ways beats even Covey. If you own any other personal management book - this is probably not the one you want.

1 comments about The Time of Your Life: Finding God's Rest in Your Busy Schedule.

1. She's honest and doesn't pretend to be perfect. She hits some raw nerves with the idea that "Busyness even becomes a badge of honor." This isn't a self help book on organization of time. This book makes you rethink the entire concept of time. Read it. Maybe after you do, you'll have time to read more books!

5 comments about Self-Discipline in 10 Days: How to Go From Thinking to Doing.

1. Very pragmatic and useful for those looking for auto-discipline.
   
   Buy it!
   
   -- Daniel Barna



2. After reading this book I felt empowered. It gives you the tools to overcome the mental roadblocks to self-discipline.
   
   While this book may seem dumbed-down and simplistic (and this may bother you if you take yourself too seriously) it was actually clear and pithy. Many of the books in this genre have too many words that dilute the meat of the teaching. Not this one. It is a lean and spare manual that you will devour quickly and go back to often.
   
   Dr. Bryant is right-on when he says that you don't "have" self-discipline, you "use" self-discipline. It is a learnable skill, and he is an effective teacher.



3. I thought the book was a little silly. I got a few good concepts that were explained well that I can use with my trainees.



4. This is an awesome book. It explains how human nature exists in all of us an how to recognize and control your inner self discipline. I'm only on page 50 and have learned tools that are already working. Spend the extra money to get this book, it's worth the money and then some !!



5. Precise, concrete and effective. And what I really like about the book is that it doesn't contain worthless banal verbiage to fill the pages.

1 comments about Six Basics of a Balanced Life.

1. Our Bible study was expecting something a bit different and better than this. There just isn't that much to it. All we are getting out of it is a reassurance that our lives are out of balance but that is about it. There is some scripture but it doesn't always seem to go along with what the chapter is about.
   
   The book has been good in the sense that it does bring us together each week and we do focus on some aspect of the Bible.

1 comments about Stop Procrastination! Subliminal CD.

1. This CD promotes energy. Just listening to it a couple of times was enough for me to get on my feet and start acting. I highly recommend it.

No comments about Living with No Balance ... and Loving It!: A Simple Guide to Thriving in a Real World of Life and Work... Even as a "Road Warrior".

3 comments about Finding More Time in Your Life: With Wisdom from the Bible and Tools That Fit Your Personality.

1. Dru Scott Decker's new book is wonderful!-- its really zeroing in on some of my big issues and I am so excited to apply things I'm learning to my life. I am really grateful for the wisdom she is sharing. Its very practical as well as inspiring.



2. This book adds inspiration to reach for the Bible and for new time to0ls. Does a great job of helping us all see God's healing power for our time pressures. Packed with great ideas. Superb book. It's a must for anybody struggling with finding more time.It certaintly helps me take timeless truth from the Bible and apply it to my time pressures in the business world.
   Each chapter is well written and organized where tools can be applied. There is no question that this book perhaps more than any other current time book, will draw you into a richer, closer relationship with Jesus first, family and friends that would last for a life time. You'll be blessed. Thank you, Dru!



3. This book helped me, and I am sure other readers, in understanding their own approach to life and time from the perspective of our life with God. By presenting a variety of tools that work for different people for a variety of situations the reader is guided in practical ways to make the choices of how you want to use your time and effort. I found the chapter on the importance and different ways of getting closure very helpful.

   This book brings wisdom from many years of helping people learn to use time more productively. Its discussion of the spiritual side of life puts the consideration in the context of one's whole life and what is most important and lasting. I highly recommend this book for your reading and application in your life.

2 comments about I'm Okay...but You Have a Lot of Work to Do!.

1. If you are a follower of Pam & Peggy's wisdom, you should own this book. It gives more detail of their quest for organization, as well as taking us on a hilarious journey on the way there! Peggy's description of Danny's unknowing adventure of washing his hair in Woolite is delightful, as is Pam's surprise wedding toward the end of the book. Their homespun wisdom and humor will endear the Sidetracked Sisters to you. Their focus of this book is getting your family involved in cleaning up at home, and the infraction game that they've invented for offenders sounds promising. My favorite part of the book is the ending which talks about how a home isn't a home without the support of your loved ones, no matter how messy or clean it may be.



2. This is pretty much the "prequel" to Get Your Act Together.... (aka GYAT). Most of the stories are repeats from Sidetracked Home Executives. If you have GYAT, skip on this one unless you are a real fan and/or find it at a yard sale cheap.

   The best part of the book is the appendix, where they have pictures of the "cards" and how they look when done. You could do something similar on the computer, and even add cute graphics if you wanted to.