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Making Work Work: New Strategies for Surviving and Thriving at the Office
Offers advice for enhancing performance, promoting efficiency, and boosting one's value and security without sacrificing one's personal life, offering tips on e-mail, multitasking, and skills development.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 31, 2004
67 people are currently reading
1889 people want to read
About the author
Julie Morgenstern
34 books158 followersJulie Morgenstern, dubbed the “queen of putting people’s lives in order” by USA Today, is an organizing and time management expert, business productivity consultant, and speaker. A New York Times bestselling author, Julie's five books are timeless reference guides that are insightful, reader-friendly and jam packed with innovative strategies. Each volume features techniques and observations culled from her 20 years of experience as a consultant to individuals and companies.
Julie’s company, Julie Morgenstern Enterprises, is dedicated to using her philosophies and methods to provide a wide range of practical solutions that transform the way people and companies function. They provide one-on-on coaching, productivity consulting and training to Fortune 500 companies, organizations and agencies around the globe.
A contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine from 2001-2007, Julie has also been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Time, Business Week, and Glamour and makes frequent appearances on national television and radio programs, including the Today Show, Rachel Ray, The Oprah Winfrey Show and NPR’s Fresh Air. Since 1989, she and her team have worked with clients such as American Express, GlaxoSmithKline, State Farm Insurance, The Miami Heat, the New York City Mayor’s office, Viacom/MTV and Hearst Magazines.
For more information, visit www.juliemorgenstern.com.
Julie’s company, Julie Morgenstern Enterprises, is dedicated to using her philosophies and methods to provide a wide range of practical solutions that transform the way people and companies function. They provide one-on-on coaching, productivity consulting and training to Fortune 500 companies, organizations and agencies around the globe.
A contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine from 2001-2007, Julie has also been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Time, Business Week, and Glamour and makes frequent appearances on national television and radio programs, including the Today Show, Rachel Ray, The Oprah Winfrey Show and NPR’s Fresh Air. Since 1989, she and her team have worked with clients such as American Express, GlaxoSmithKline, State Farm Insurance, The Miami Heat, the New York City Mayor’s office, Viacom/MTV and Hearst Magazines.
For more information, visit www.juliemorgenstern.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 21, 2009
Great book for the classic ENFP overwhelmed by an ESTJ world
February 16, 2016
I have commenced on a Julie Morgenstern marathon. I am re-reading 3 of her books on time and life management. This one was very work focused so not always relevant to me (since I have no boss or staff to manage). But I took away three key points:
1) importance of estimating the time it takes to do tasks - how can you plan you day if you don't know how long anything will take - I chronically under estimate and am working on building that skill and facing up to the reality, 2) fact that time management problems can be technical or psychological and it's easier to solve the technical problems, 3) idea of selective perfectionism - recognizing that it's not worth it to do everything perfectly - watch for the point of diminishing returns - practice selective perfectionism.
1) importance of estimating the time it takes to do tasks - how can you plan you day if you don't know how long anything will take - I chronically under estimate and am working on building that skill and facing up to the reality, 2) fact that time management problems can be technical or psychological and it's easier to solve the technical problems, 3) idea of selective perfectionism - recognizing that it's not worth it to do everything perfectly - watch for the point of diminishing returns - practice selective perfectionism.
May 8, 2017
WOW, this book has transformed my outlook and approach to my work life (and my personal life for that matter). The nine "competencies" (focus areas) are skillfully organized and perfectly presented. Each one is illustrated with case studies that provide a personal snapshot of how problems can manifest themselves in different scenarios, and be solved over time using the skills from this book. I was taking copious notes after reading every chapter, and I can already see that this is a book I'll come back to again and again. Morgenstern's advice is up front but never judgmental, and you feel that she's always on your team and rooting for your personal success; she gives specific and detailed advice for problem solving and underscores that these skills are always in flux - they are quickly learned but take a lifetime to master. There are some brief boxes and questionnaires which periodically help you complete self-assessments along the way - very useful.
July 14, 2014
The book is about doing the very best work at work. The use of the simple formulas will help the worker gain time and effetiveness. But the real gem of the book is the revelation of the amount of time the social networks have taken from the person's life and the habits of e-mai, facebook and cell phone have taken over the lives of the ordinary person. The book is about the office worker who needs to schedule the day but the effect it had on me is the realization that I am on the web much to much of the time. To paraphase one somment. "It isn't that the e-mail is evil, it is that it is dangerous." Whooo. Now go check your e-mail, it has been almost twenty minutes.
March 11, 2014
I usually don't read self-help books, but this one wasn't bad. She provided good suggestions, and I learned some things that have helped me in my work as a writer. I think her tips could apply to anyone really. I do think it could and should have been a much shorter book. She easily could have made her point in 50 pages, and the book would have been all the better for it. To her credit, the book is very well organized, and it can be easily skimmed--and that's what I would suggest really--thanks to her many headers and lists.
April 28, 2014
If you find yourself falling behind this book is for you. Her ideas and how to organize your work life are invaluable. It is more than just time management. It helped me concentrate on what was most important and using that info to spend time planing my days. Quick and wonderful read.
August 12, 2018
Summary:
This is a business/work oriented book that provides practical tips how to manage your time and work so you can enjoy it and life more. For anyone taking your average office worker career path, I think it's a valuable tool. If this isn't your situation, the relevance of the content may not be apparent at first, but there's something for everyone. We're all born into the rat race unfortunately, while this book is geared towards a certain type of rat, it can apply to all. Am I likening the human race to rats? Would people be offended by that because they hold the belief that they're superior to rats? Are we superior to rats? Does it matter? Do rats have superior numbers to humans and are thus superior in that sense? Will rats ever have an email to check so that they can not check it in the morning and get value from this book?
Ahem, it's a good book and you should read it!
I would recommend this book to to anyone seeking to improve their working life.
The main message I took from this book is something do with email, but it's not quite clear. It might be about when to check it or perhaps when not to check it...
Some notable points:
- Never check email in the morning.
- The book covers the following 9 competencies to achieve, I'll provide a brief summary of each:
. Embrace your work/life balance. Top performers are aggressively committed to their work/life balance and ensure that their time off is rewarding, refreshing and energising. Focus on physical health, escaping (as in gaining distance from your usual life, could be as much as a hike) and people (get social). Make a plan and stick to it, don't let work or colleagues push your plan back. Build in boundaries, your whole life will benefit from a good balance.
. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Be assertive, use the choices you have available to be more optimistic on the job. Develop these choices by building challenges at work into your resume, having a cushion of money to fall back on so that getting fired or quitting doesn't matter as much and develop yourself further. Develop your own vision and align it to your work, or align work to your vision. Find a role model, take on extra work, ask your boss what they want you to spend time on the most and build on your strengths rather than covering your weaknesses.
. Choose the most important tasks. Work as close to the revenue line of your organisation as you can. The revenue line is your organisation's key deliverables. What makes it money? What gets it done? To be valued and to fulfill the most important roles in your organisation, you've got to be as close as you can to what keeps the engine running. Capture what you need to do in one place, prioritise from the top down and get to work.
. Create the time to get things done. This is actually where the never checking your email in the morning thing comes in. Get into work, get the most important task completed and maybe the next. Then you can check your email. Pay attention to your natural energy cycles and work to its rhythm. Don't multitask, tasks are like dominoes. Put them in a line and knock the first one over, then the next, then the next and so on. Make time work for you through proper planning. The time you take to plan is recouped through efficiency and not wasting time when that plan is executed.
. Control the nibblers. Apply selective perfectionism to avoid sinking too much time into tasks. Productivity can stand still if we stress the details and put more work into a task than the task is worth. Think of what you're adding, where it's going, who your audience is and apply the appropriate level of perfectionism. Make meetings efficient and worthwhile. Frivolous meeting with no clear goals waste a lot of time. Determine who interrupts you the most, whether they're interrupting you for worthwhile reasons and take steps to stop them from interrupting you if it's not important. This can be done through specific catchphrases to move them on, rescheduling of just saying no.
. Organise at the speed of change. This is about developing organisational systems that improve efficiency. Like having your inbox sorted to in, out and working on or making sure that information is stored in one, easy to access location. Create systems for administrative processes for everyone to follow, if everyone's using the same map, you'll all end up in the same place with the right breadcrumbs so leave steps to complete these processes.
. Master delegation. Not everything is your burden to bear, pick the best person for the job, and it's not always you! Delegate one skill set a time and create a clear division of labour so everyone knows what they are responsible for. Flick the job back with constructive criticism if it wasn't done well. Build people up so you can delegate more and work more efficiently.
. Work well with others. This is basically just not being a jerk. Be the best you can be and in the workplace, that includes being accessible, reliable, adaptable, respectful, clear and fair.
. Leverage your value. You are an asset to your organisation, the more value you add, the more leverage you have. Be aware of this threshold, and don't push too far if you want to keep you job. Negotiate for change, ask questions and see what happens. You should be rewarded for your work, but be realistic with your perception of how much you're worth.
This is a business/work oriented book that provides practical tips how to manage your time and work so you can enjoy it and life more. For anyone taking your average office worker career path, I think it's a valuable tool. If this isn't your situation, the relevance of the content may not be apparent at first, but there's something for everyone. We're all born into the rat race unfortunately, while this book is geared towards a certain type of rat, it can apply to all. Am I likening the human race to rats? Would people be offended by that because they hold the belief that they're superior to rats? Are we superior to rats? Does it matter? Do rats have superior numbers to humans and are thus superior in that sense? Will rats ever have an email to check so that they can not check it in the morning and get value from this book?
Ahem, it's a good book and you should read it!
I would recommend this book to to anyone seeking to improve their working life.
The main message I took from this book is something do with email, but it's not quite clear. It might be about when to check it or perhaps when not to check it...
Some notable points:
- Never check email in the morning.
- The book covers the following 9 competencies to achieve, I'll provide a brief summary of each:
. Embrace your work/life balance. Top performers are aggressively committed to their work/life balance and ensure that their time off is rewarding, refreshing and energising. Focus on physical health, escaping (as in gaining distance from your usual life, could be as much as a hike) and people (get social). Make a plan and stick to it, don't let work or colleagues push your plan back. Build in boundaries, your whole life will benefit from a good balance.
. Develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Be assertive, use the choices you have available to be more optimistic on the job. Develop these choices by building challenges at work into your resume, having a cushion of money to fall back on so that getting fired or quitting doesn't matter as much and develop yourself further. Develop your own vision and align it to your work, or align work to your vision. Find a role model, take on extra work, ask your boss what they want you to spend time on the most and build on your strengths rather than covering your weaknesses.
. Choose the most important tasks. Work as close to the revenue line of your organisation as you can. The revenue line is your organisation's key deliverables. What makes it money? What gets it done? To be valued and to fulfill the most important roles in your organisation, you've got to be as close as you can to what keeps the engine running. Capture what you need to do in one place, prioritise from the top down and get to work.
. Create the time to get things done. This is actually where the never checking your email in the morning thing comes in. Get into work, get the most important task completed and maybe the next. Then you can check your email. Pay attention to your natural energy cycles and work to its rhythm. Don't multitask, tasks are like dominoes. Put them in a line and knock the first one over, then the next, then the next and so on. Make time work for you through proper planning. The time you take to plan is recouped through efficiency and not wasting time when that plan is executed.
. Control the nibblers. Apply selective perfectionism to avoid sinking too much time into tasks. Productivity can stand still if we stress the details and put more work into a task than the task is worth. Think of what you're adding, where it's going, who your audience is and apply the appropriate level of perfectionism. Make meetings efficient and worthwhile. Frivolous meeting with no clear goals waste a lot of time. Determine who interrupts you the most, whether they're interrupting you for worthwhile reasons and take steps to stop them from interrupting you if it's not important. This can be done through specific catchphrases to move them on, rescheduling of just saying no.
. Organise at the speed of change. This is about developing organisational systems that improve efficiency. Like having your inbox sorted to in, out and working on or making sure that information is stored in one, easy to access location. Create systems for administrative processes for everyone to follow, if everyone's using the same map, you'll all end up in the same place with the right breadcrumbs so leave steps to complete these processes.
. Master delegation. Not everything is your burden to bear, pick the best person for the job, and it's not always you! Delegate one skill set a time and create a clear division of labour so everyone knows what they are responsible for. Flick the job back with constructive criticism if it wasn't done well. Build people up so you can delegate more and work more efficiently.
. Work well with others. This is basically just not being a jerk. Be the best you can be and in the workplace, that includes being accessible, reliable, adaptable, respectful, clear and fair.
. Leverage your value. You are an asset to your organisation, the more value you add, the more leverage you have. Be aware of this threshold, and don't push too far if you want to keep you job. Negotiate for change, ask questions and see what happens. You should be rewarded for your work, but be realistic with your perception of how much you're worth.
March 16, 2008
This is an easy read, and I finished it in about six BART commutes (you've probably noticed another strength of mine: skimming/fast reading). Lots and lots of good tips. I'm excited to start with the 4 Ds - Delete, Delegate, Delay, and Diminish. Yay!
This book is aimed at white-collar, paper-shuffling, "professional"-types. ESPECIALLY people who have large but somewhat amorphous/flexible workloads that they exercise some control over (they can delegate, etc.) - like lawyers (yep!), salespeople, managers, entrepreuners, the self-employed, and anyone else whose main work problem is not knowing where to begin.
My feeling is that folks in other sorts of jobs - service, health care, teaching - would probably be better off reading Julie Morgenstern's Time Management from the Inside Out, which is more general, with less emphasis on the corporate environment. Also a great book. In fact, that's my only criticism of this book - there is significant overlap from earlier books. Still, as far as my life goes, she can never repeat her basic principles enough.
However, I think the world might just come to a screaching halt if I stop checking email in the morning. I don't know if I can follow that suggestion ...
______________________________________
Well, I flunked the self-assessment test at the beginning big time! Do you turn work around quickly? No. Do you let it back up? Yes. Do you have a good way of tracking your to-do list? Not really. Do you have a general structure to your days and weeks? No. Are you physically organized? Not really. I DO seem to have a good handle on work/life balance (and my coworkers would be the first to say that this is one of my strengths!). But, ahem, there may be some things I could work on.
This book is aimed at white-collar, paper-shuffling, "professional"-types. ESPECIALLY people who have large but somewhat amorphous/flexible workloads that they exercise some control over (they can delegate, etc.) - like lawyers (yep!), salespeople, managers, entrepreuners, the self-employed, and anyone else whose main work problem is not knowing where to begin.
My feeling is that folks in other sorts of jobs - service, health care, teaching - would probably be better off reading Julie Morgenstern's Time Management from the Inside Out, which is more general, with less emphasis on the corporate environment. Also a great book. In fact, that's my only criticism of this book - there is significant overlap from earlier books. Still, as far as my life goes, she can never repeat her basic principles enough.
However, I think the world might just come to a screaching halt if I stop checking email in the morning. I don't know if I can follow that suggestion ...
______________________________________
Well, I flunked the self-assessment test at the beginning big time! Do you turn work around quickly? No. Do you let it back up? Yes. Do you have a good way of tracking your to-do list? Not really. Do you have a general structure to your days and weeks? No. Are you physically organized? Not really. I DO seem to have a good handle on work/life balance (and my coworkers would be the first to say that this is one of my strengths!). But, ahem, there may be some things I could work on.
May 12, 2010
Whether in the executive boardroom or a windowless cubicle, the key to a more balanced, productive existence, according to organizer extraordinaire Morgenstern, is PEP (physical health, escape and people), the four Ds (delete, delay, delegate and diminish) and a healthy dose of reality about what is doable, and what is impossible, at work.
Written in the same to-the-point approach as her Organizing from the Inside Out, this volume espouses a combination of philosophies that not only makes a whole lot of sense but is practical and applicable to the real world, no matter what the job or office setting. Each "competency" (as the chapters are called) includes scenarios taken from actual clients, bullet-pointed tips known as "grab-and-go-strategies," from getting away from wasteful e-mails to planning your day better and always dancing "close to the revenue line." Morgenstern promises readers a significant change in their workload, productivity level and all-around confidence if they refrain from reading, replying to or even perusing e-mail in the first hour of the day. This may be a hard sell for some desk-based professionals, but it's clear that Morgenstern knows her stuff. The habits of workaholics and perfectionists, she argues, are impractical and will render one unproductive. In accessible, encouraging prose, Morgenstern helps readers learn their boundaries, limits, strengths and weaknesses.
Written in the same to-the-point approach as her Organizing from the Inside Out, this volume espouses a combination of philosophies that not only makes a whole lot of sense but is practical and applicable to the real world, no matter what the job or office setting. Each "competency" (as the chapters are called) includes scenarios taken from actual clients, bullet-pointed tips known as "grab-and-go-strategies," from getting away from wasteful e-mails to planning your day better and always dancing "close to the revenue line." Morgenstern promises readers a significant change in their workload, productivity level and all-around confidence if they refrain from reading, replying to or even perusing e-mail in the first hour of the day. This may be a hard sell for some desk-based professionals, but it's clear that Morgenstern knows her stuff. The habits of workaholics and perfectionists, she argues, are impractical and will render one unproductive. In accessible, encouraging prose, Morgenstern helps readers learn their boundaries, limits, strengths and weaknesses.
March 31, 2013
Never Check Email In The Morning
By: Julie Morgenstern
Copyright 2005
Reviewed December 2006.
This book gives an excellent overview of many ideas which will enhance productivity in your life. Julie focuses on items you can do within yourself, with others, and how to decide, in many situations, weather “it’s you” or “it’s them”. The scope of the book is not just organization, but also decisions one can make to be more effective in many aspects of life and business.
The main reason for me reading this book was to find out why Julie feels you should not read your email in the morning. Rather than keep you in suspense I will spill the beans. The morning, when you first arrive at work (prior to being inundated with meetings and communication with others, as well as while your mind is fresh), is a good time to work on large projects, or more precisely a task related to a large project. Once the typical events of a day begin, you may have little chance of getting much done on long term, non-urgent projects. Julie suggests setting aside a period of time for this productivity. During that time, you shut your door, do not answer your phone, and of course shut off your email.
If you are seeking a book on organization that gives you a clear plan to follow, David Allen’s Getting Things Done would be a better choice. I recommend this book for anyone who wants some help with overall effectiveness and productivity, not a specific plan to address one area.
By: Julie Morgenstern
Copyright 2005
Reviewed December 2006.
This book gives an excellent overview of many ideas which will enhance productivity in your life. Julie focuses on items you can do within yourself, with others, and how to decide, in many situations, weather “it’s you” or “it’s them”. The scope of the book is not just organization, but also decisions one can make to be more effective in many aspects of life and business.
The main reason for me reading this book was to find out why Julie feels you should not read your email in the morning. Rather than keep you in suspense I will spill the beans. The morning, when you first arrive at work (prior to being inundated with meetings and communication with others, as well as while your mind is fresh), is a good time to work on large projects, or more precisely a task related to a large project. Once the typical events of a day begin, you may have little chance of getting much done on long term, non-urgent projects. Julie suggests setting aside a period of time for this productivity. During that time, you shut your door, do not answer your phone, and of course shut off your email.
If you are seeking a book on organization that gives you a clear plan to follow, David Allen’s Getting Things Done would be a better choice. I recommend this book for anyone who wants some help with overall effectiveness and productivity, not a specific plan to address one area.
May 8, 2016
Practical advice from a lady who has mastered the workplace game. I've failed miserably at office politics and this explains why some people infuriate me and why I like others. At least I'm rocking all the workflow related stuff she points out. It also details the logistics of working smarter, not harder. That's my work philosophy 100%. I'm not sure how I learned some of these before reading this book, but yay me.
January 25, 2009
I read a lot of the self-help, business genre books, and I must say this is one of the best I have read. I find that most of this type of book is filled with bromides on how to be a better leader, manager, salesperson, whatever. This book is more practical, giving the author's "grab and go" tips throughout. I recommend it to anyone who feels the need to get more organized - and who doesn't?
October 11, 2009
I guess one might say I am a fan of Morgenstern ever since I heard her interviewed on Fresh Air (?) when her first book came out, Orgnaizing from the Inside Out.
This one is a very fast read, with some very good ideas. I ended up tagging several pages that had ideas that I will implement in a faculty meeting this coming Tuesday as well as a few other situations at work.
This one is a very fast read, with some very good ideas. I ended up tagging several pages that had ideas that I will implement in a faculty meeting this coming Tuesday as well as a few other situations at work.
September 13, 2013
More than anything, these simple strategies allow you to take back control of your workday, which in this fast paced world seems to have slipped away. And possibly more importantly, recognize the need for a work-life balance, giving us permission to leave work at work and use our time off to refuel ourselves with what's most important to us.
June 10, 2009
I really liked this book, although it is challenging with my direct responsibilities to implement EVERYTHING. It was the first time-management type book I read that came at it with the reductionist theory - i.e. do what's important - so directly. Would like to read more of her work.
December 22, 2011
Never finished the book (and therefore the low rating). It was interesting and the author gives a lot of suggestions on how to work more efficiently and effectively. But after a few chapters I was just quite done with it. Too much tips & tricks. It almost felt as homework.
May 21, 2011
Not bad but most doesn't apply to being a teacher.
March 31, 2016
Fabulous - I took away several valuable and practical tips for organizing my day!
February 9, 2023
I should have checked the publishing date. This almost 20 year old book has clever core ideas but are buried under everything that is not quite relatable anymore.
I felt overwhelmed with the structure of the book and what seemed like endless repetitions of strategies and info boxes. A stream of consciousness, compared to more effectively structured work related organization books of today, for sure.
This book should have been at least two. It seems like Morgenstern tried to squeeze in everything she has to say in one whole book which makes it very muddy and probably causes my perception of info overload.
I did pick a couple of points out for myself to translate into my work life but would not recommend this lengthy book in 2023.
the 13 year old reviews here are raving about this book. I’m more a „meh“.
I felt overwhelmed with the structure of the book and what seemed like endless repetitions of strategies and info boxes. A stream of consciousness, compared to more effectively structured work related organization books of today, for sure.
This book should have been at least two. It seems like Morgenstern tried to squeeze in everything she has to say in one whole book which makes it very muddy and probably causes my perception of info overload.
I did pick a couple of points out for myself to translate into my work life but would not recommend this lengthy book in 2023.
the 13 year old reviews here are raving about this book. I’m more a „meh“.
December 16, 2020
I've unexpectedly found myself on a Julie Morgenstern kick thanks to my public library delivering them all at once before my holiday travels. I started with this one thinking that it would be the one I can skim the fastest and not much of a value-add. As a fairly organized person, I wasn't really interested in actionable tips, but this book surprised me with many. More importantly, I consider this book a treatise on the philosophy of work. Like any other self-help book, it is chock full of enthusiastic optimism, but the focus on our internal locus of control was refreshing.
February 22, 2022
I read this for a work book club, and it definitely had some actionable/helpful tips. A lot of it was a bit dated, especially reading this in a Covid / hybrid / who knows when/if we'll go back to the office fully world. The title about not checking email was misleading; that was covered in a few pages in the middle of the book.
April 5, 2018
I loved this book. Very practical.
December 31, 2018
Basically sound information, well organized, easy to skim through and take what is useful to you. I skipped around and just read what was most applicable for me.
December 17, 2021
Super practical and readable. Lots of great tips for being positive and productive at work.
May 10, 2025
Some good overall concepts but outdated - no one has a Rolodex any more 🤪
December 11, 2023
I found this book really invigorating!
I liked the structure of the 9 competencies - some of them were new ideas for me in a book on organisation and time management, such as developing an entrepeneurial mindset about career. But Julie Morgenstern makes a great case for the value of these different competencies.
I found so many of the strategies in it really helpful, and I’m sure I’m going to return to it for some new ways of working in the future as needed.
I liked the structure of the 9 competencies - some of them were new ideas for me in a book on organisation and time management, such as developing an entrepeneurial mindset about career. But Julie Morgenstern makes a great case for the value of these different competencies.
I found so many of the strategies in it really helpful, and I’m sure I’m going to return to it for some new ways of working in the future as needed.
September 12, 2007
Found some helpful hints for being more productive at work, and a couple to keep me from going insane. Probably won't buy a copy though--one read was enough.
Want to read
December 22, 2015 650.1 MOR
March 29, 2008
Practical tips to improve effectiveness, efficiency, and work.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews