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

by Valorie Burton

Do you feel stressed, overworked, like you’re running on empty? Are you caught in the race to get it all done—with little time to enjoy the rewards life has to offer?

There’s no doubt about these days we are just too busy. With the conveniences of technology, we’re compelled to get more done in less time and end up constantly striving for the next thing – rarely stopping to consider if it’s something we even want. As a result, we end up missing out on the things that truly our relationships, the activities we love, quiet time to reflect and replenish our energy.

Valorie Burton’s How Did I Get So Busy? is the solution for anyone who feels perpetually overwhelmed and a simple, effective 28-day program to help you rediscover your true priorities, shift out of overdrive, and reclaim your life and schedule. Built around Burton’s “Ten Commandments of Self-Care,” each day presents an easy-to-follow task to help you strip away the meaningless activities that occupy your time and make room for what nourishes you--mind, body, and spirit. The tasks are simple but yield big

Take a full hour for lunch
Set “no-email” periods
Add fun goals to your to-do list
End your day “on purpose” – meaning that you decide when to leave the office, head home, and fall asleep.

Uplifting and inspiring, How Did I Get So Busy? offers an easy way to be rid of the busywork that fills our days and rediscover the life you’ve always wanted.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Productivity, Personal Development, Christian

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

I am a bestselling author, speaker, and life coach dedicated to helping people like you get unstuck and be unstoppable in every area of life.

I founded The Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute and have served as a Certified Personal and Executive Coach to hundreds of clients in over 40 states and ten countries.

For more than a decade, I have had the pleasure of writing, speaking, and coaching in order to help people like you:

- Make major life changes
- Be happier and have more fun
- Become strong leaders
- Achieve professional dreams
- Navigate setbacks
- Speak up with confidence
- Feel at peace with decisions
- Conquer emotions that can cause self-sabotage

Let me help you get unstuck and be unstoppable!

Feel free to add me as a friend, rate or review one of my books, take one of my quizzes, or visit my website to learn more.

Reviews

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got this book because I was looking for time management books at a time when I was struggling to fit writing into my daily schedule. While it has a lot of good ideas and exercises to help you assess what's really important to you, it also contains secret Jesus that is slowly revealed throughout the book. I felt like I was being preached at. The later exercises seemed to revolve around spirituality, by which the book meant Christianity. So, that was uncool. On the whole, I wouldn't recommend this because of that. If it was going to be a time management book for Christians, it should just own that and do it, not hide it and slowly reveal it as you read.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Non-Fiction/ Self-Help) Formatted by short chapters each representing one day in the 28-day program, Burton offers her wisdom and personal experiences to help others become less busy. I found this book very worthwhile and extremely helpful. She reminded me that self-care and connecting with others comes first in the hierarchy of life. If you make time for yourself to do the things you love, to meditate, and to excercise,then your mindframe will be changed when it comes time to do all the busy stuff. I took lots of notes in my journal and have continued to reflect back on them. I highly recommend this book to anyone knows that they are too busy and overwhelmed with life's responsibilities.

[Jackie Matey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout this book, the author tells us we're reading it right now, at this specific time in our lives, for a reason. I discovered this could not be more true, for me at least. I originally received this book shortly after its original publication as a paperback in 2007, right as I was starting college. I didn't read it then, but I found it in my belongings my senior year. Since I was working four part-time jobs along with being a full-time student at the time, I dove right in. Unfortunately I didn't make it very far that time, and quickly reverted to stress and procrastination. Finally, almost ten years after getting the book, the true reason I needed for it to connect with me finally arrived: physical and emotional stress at work exacerbated my migraine condition enough to get me hospitalized for three days. I knew after that that my life needed to change if I was going to avoid having that happen to me again, and, lucky for me, this book was waiting right on my bookshelf.
What's wonderful about this book is that not only do you get lessons and prompts that get you thinking about the demands that surround you and take up your time and energy, but she also prompts you to think about how you approach these things as a person. The readings and journal prompts are very helpful in sorting out priorities and even helping you uncover things you didn't realize were lingering under the surface. Even if you can't do it in 28 days, I encourage you to still do it in your own time - it's worth it!
The only critique I have to give is that this book would be worth a more updated edition to take social media and smart phones into account (the current text only briefly mentions Blackberries). As much as social media can be used to procrastinate and waste time, it can also help you manage schedules and to-do lists more effectively (not to mention Burton's 'household communication center'), which I think would be worth discussing in the overall conversation this book broaches.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chapters of this book are how I imagine sessions with a life coach (who is Christian) would be. Each day's reading challenges you to consider some aspect of your burdened life. The book is about creating more free time in your schedule, sure, but also about becoming more productive, identifying a deeper life purpose, and having the courage to make big changes. Every chapter ends with a journaling assignment and a verse from the Bible.

This book is for anyone who feels trapped, either by too much work or the wrong kind of work.

I'm counting this as "a book on productivity" for the 2016 #vtReadingChallenge.

[Ramona Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book in a thrift store at the perfect time in my life. It was a great resource for reinforcing what I already "know" about prioritizing and was full of helpful tips. The approach is very positive and focused on self care. I found that reading one chapter a day (as the author wants you to) interrupted my flow/motivation so instead I read one per sitting and did the exercises, then would return to the book later in the day for another chapter if I was so inclined. I highly recommend this for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by life and needs help sorting through a busy schedule to determine what matters most.

[Ashley Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! As an entrepreneur of many things, this was a great eye opener that helped me see as a business woman what was worth moving forward with and what was worth putting down. I found reading this book helped me establish a fruitful business and still have time to enjoy and understand more about my place in my life.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would probably be quite useful for workaholics, but that label does not apply to me at all. Some of the suggestions the author gives (make time for exercise, do something for yourself every week, etc) are the very reasons my life is crazy.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely gave me a lot to think about. Each short chapters ends with a challenge for the day, a 5 minute journal exercise and a 1 minute idea to meditate on. I think I will go probably need to go through the exercises one more time to make the ideas stick.

[David Rosage · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, and learned a few great new techniques for making improvements. I still see problems in the fact that it seems like part of her solution is to give up on somethings to make more time. Being an incredibly driven person, sometimes I feel that the sacrifice is worthy of the ends.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

So it seems like I'm overworked and way too busy for my life. I have implemented some of these techniques and not I get more rest, enjoy my family more, and make time to watch mindless TV. Thanks Ms. Burton for helping me understand.

[Marcus Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very insightful and practical guide that challenges us to assess our lives and identify our purpose as well as the things that have meaning. In doing so we can remove the clutter, care for ourselves, and spend our time wisely.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't have time to read it.My first time with a self help book.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

a few gems but mostly sugary, preachy and/or lacking in depth.

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a busy bee and wanted to see how I can slow it down!

[Susie Pettit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this ionic that I bought this book, read the first chapter (which I loved!!), and haven't had time to pick it back up agin....

[Judith Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

We read this book as part of a work boo club. I had high hopes after listening a couple podcast episodes and you tube videos. However, I found the overall book just “meh”. Even as a Christina, she often seemed preachy rather than supportive and non judgmental. I also felt her tone was not supportive to working moms and some people that can’t just take a summer off because they want to. I was going to give the book a two stores, but I added the third for day 6. The section of working to live not loving to work was helpful. That’s what we centered on in book club. Be a bit more gentle to working parents that need to work, but still want balance.

[Mitzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent resource for getting you to really declutter your life in order to make more time for what matters most. I loved it!

[Simone Francois-Whittier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an eye opener, very thought provoking

[Adnama Ossur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great way to progressively un-busy yourself, but I'm not a fan of the religious component.

[Corinnagoodwin · Rating 1 out of 5]

way to preachy

[Ndecker1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some helpful ideas. I hope I can start implementing them in my daily life. A little religious/ preachy for me.

[Rachella]

I haven't read this yet....I've been so busy:)

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it!!!! Changed my life! Read it read it read it!

[Carla Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. Sharing with all my friends that are busy moms wanting more time to do it all. I recommend it to anyone that is ready to change from busy to intentional.

[Morpheyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Follow the exercises and it'll really help you regain your life and time and sanity. I did the exercises on the way to work - doesn't take much time.