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stephaniesteen73's review against another edition
5.0
This was an amazingly good, thought-provoking book. Don't let the category "time management book" drive you away!
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
I'm ancient of days, you know, so this isn't my first rodeo. Which is to say that there wasn't much in this book that was brand new to me. And also, some of the middle chapters felt padded-- as with many self-help books, it sometimes feels like this was a good, solid magazine article that got fleshed out into a book. But she's an entertaining writer, and reading about this topic helps you think about priorities and scheduling, which is never a bad thing. It's also a bit comforting to realize that I'm not nearly as busy as she is, so my life feels fairly manageable compared to the kinds of things she is juggling. A worthwhile read, but not a life-changing one-- at least not for me, at my stage of life. Really waffling between three stars and four, I'm rounding up because unlike some other authors in this category of books, I like her and feel like she's someone I would enjoy knowing if she lived in my neighborhood.
theyellowbrickreader's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
I found 168 Hours (her first book) very useful but have felt that some others were more of a retread than new information. Having said that, Off the Clock was genuinely inspiring and I look forward to thinking about and implementing many of the suggestions discussed here.
freckleduck's review against another edition
4.0
I love the way Vanderkam writes. I found this book to be realistic, fascinating, and inspiring. I loved the combination of practical tips and intentionality.
amandae129's review against another edition
4.0
In any case, people with all the time in the world know that happiness is a worthy goal. Because how we live our hours is how we live our lives, being happy with our lives means being happy with our hours.
As I read this, I thought of how full my life is with my husband and son, family and friends, running a library, being on the board for the Junior League, PTO, and a professional organization, Wellspring, church, exercising, all my hobbies (travel, reading, and genealogy), and getting 8 hours of sleep a night. Less than some people do, more than others, and yet I rarely feel overwhelmed (and when I do it tends to be because of my rebel tendency [[book:The Four Tendencies|40549144]] more than anything else). Why is this? Partly because of another of Laura's books, [b:168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think|7847359|168 Hours You Have More Time Than You Think|Laura Vanderkam|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442759653s/7847359.jpg|10958350], which changed my life, and also because I'm good at making sure to put what I want to do in first and to leave empty space for things that may come up. I'm not perfect at this by any means, and I found many ideas in this book to implement so that I'm savoring the present more and am doing more exercising, genealogy, and some other things personally and at work.
This was written in a chattier tone than her past books, which I enjoyed. Highly recommended as a starting point for changing your view of time management and how to more often feel "off the clock."
sara_shocks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 rounded down, may revise up later
Helpful round-up of research-based strategies for managing one's schedule, though I have seen many bits and pieces of the research elsewhere. Vanderkam does have some nuanced thoughts on common criticisms of the backlash these ~life hack~-esque tips get, which is helpful. I do think some of the work-related time management advice skews towards people who are more senior (& therefore have certain calendar control) or are freelancers (and therefore set their own schedules), so it's a little less helpful for more junior folks. I may revisit at a later date though, much of the discussion was worth reading.
Helpful round-up of research-based strategies for managing one's schedule, though I have seen many bits and pieces of the research elsewhere. Vanderkam does have some nuanced thoughts on common criticisms of the backlash these ~life hack~-esque tips get, which is helpful. I do think some of the work-related time management advice skews towards people who are more senior (& therefore have certain calendar control) or are freelancers (and therefore set their own schedules), so it's a little less helpful for more junior folks. I may revisit at a later date though, much of the discussion was worth reading.
jkn303's review against another edition
5.0
One of the better "time management" books I've read. Great strategies that actually sound helpful for feeling like you have more time.