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Reclaim Your Workday: Sustainable Productivity Strategies for the New World of Work

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Reclaim your time and energy!

Discover no-nonsense, sustainable, actionable strategies to boost productivity, ditch burnout, and reach your goals as an individual contributor, team, or leader.

In today’s fast-paced, “always on” business environment, many organizations struggle with disengaged employees, stressed-out managers, and talented executives who keep one eye on the door.

But you can flip that script! These issues can be transformed into opportunities for growth and organizational success. Written by multi-certified and multi-award-winning speaker, four-time author, and consultant, Marcey Rader, Reclaim Your Workday offers practical, actionable solutions developed and refined through years of experience.

In these pages, you’ll

Proven techniques to enhance focus and attention that don’t require a Zen-like atmosphere or a digital detox.Strategies for effective communication, even when your inbox and message app feel like a firehose.Frameworks for managing tasks and time in a way that gives you energy even when you’re running on fumes.Insights into leading remote teams, promoting work-life sanity for every level of your organization, and cultivating healthy habits.
Unlike other productivity books that leave you overwhelmed and confused about where to start, Reclaim Your Workday meets you where you are. With a unique “buffet” approach that puts you in control of your personal action plan, discover how to build a culture fueled by Health-Powered Productivity™.

If you enjoy books like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Four Thousand Weeks, Getting Things Done, or Work Well. Play More !, you’ll love Reclaim Your Workday.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“Reclaim Your Workday is a great way to kickstart a refresh of the way you and your team work. Marcey provides actionable tips that provide immediate payback and data that’ll have you saying, “I knew it…the struggle IS real!” What I like the most is how many simple and inexpensive solutions are offered, leaving no barriers to implementation.” Sara Shelp, CPA

Check out the bonus resources included in the book!
Want your company or team to walk through the book together with Marcey Rader and get consulting advice to change your company culture? Check out Reclaim Your Workday LIVE!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The knockout punch for burnout and inefficiency”

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” -Mike Tyson. Reclaim Your Workday IS that punch shattering myths that sabotage true productivity. Rader takes on the myth of multitasking, proving that it leads to burnout, not efficiency. Her book is practical, actionable, and at times uncomfortable—REAL change always is. From better email habits to smarter meetings, this is THE game-changer you need to reclaim your time & energy. If you’re tired of being punched around by the demands of life & work, lean into Reclaim Your Workday to start throwing your own punches and knock out your most important goals & objectives—like a pro.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2025

27 people are currently reading
691 people want to read

About the author

Marcey Rader

4 books21 followers
Marcey Rader is a speaker, consultant, coach, and author who champions health-powered productivity™. Once driven by the relentless pursuit of more – certifications, endurance races, and promotions – a preventable medical diagnosis shifted her perspective on success.

As the founder of RaderCo, Marcey is sought after by Fortune 500 companies, startups, and organizations worldwide, inspiring audiences across five continents. A multi-award-winning speaker, she is one of only 900 Certified Speaking Professionals® globally, a Virtual Master Presenter®, and a TEDx speaker.

She has authored four books, created the Powered Path Program™, the ultimate reflection, prioritization, and planning program, and hosted the Health-Powered Productivity™ podcast. Her insights have been featured in major outlets like Money, Inc., Shape, and Prevention magazines.

Marcey’s mission is to teach well-intentioned individuals and companies to discover what truly matters, enabling them to create a life, job, and organization they love. By instilling sustainable habits that declutter the mind, body, and business, one habit at a time, she directs the path to reclaim their workday, work well, and play more!

Learn more or connect with Marcey at www.marceyrader.com or www.helloraderco.com.

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
1 review1 follower
February 13, 2025
Marcey Rader has the ability to make the complexities of day-to-day work (think meetings, emails, posture fatigue, keeping focus despite so many tasks...and so many interruptions!) simple with doable strategies. I picked up ideas in every chapter on how to become more in control of my time, health, energy, and productivity.

This little book is not only filled with practical and effective solutions, Marcey generously provides access to additional resources and puts it all together for us in bite-sized actions that are easy to implement.

I recommend this easy-to-read book if you're facing the overwhelm of today's World of Work.
Profile Image for Ashlee Verner.
13 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2025
Marcey Rader is a game changer, and her latest book, “Reclaim Your Workday”, is no exception! I love how she frames her strategies and tips like a buffet—take what works for you today and skip what doesn’t. The variety of actionable ideas she shares is incredible, and I’m excited to dive in deeper. Years ago, I took her course on email management and was hesitant to follow her advice on turning off email notifications, but when I finally did, it gave me my sanity back! Now, I’m eager to try even more of her tips. This book is a must-read, and I’m already planning to introduce it to my whole office. “Reclaim Your Workday” gets 5 out of 5 bookmarks from me!
Profile Image for Jenni Stein.
358 reviews8 followers
May 12, 2025
There were so many great takeaways from this, some things like day blocking I already had started to do, but the why behind why this is so effective was great.

Marcey touches on so many things in this book that even an individual can implement in their work day to be more productive and cut burnout.
58 reviews
March 26, 2025
As a leader, one of the things I value most is setting healthy boundaries—at work, at home, and everywhere in between. Wherever you are, be all in.
No one articulates this better than Marcey Rader, CSP®, my go-to expert on productivity. At our annual corporate training, I was excited to gift my team a copy of her latest book, Reclaim Your Workday.

Marcey Rader, CSP®, thank you for putting into words the practices I believe in, value, and want to share with my team!
Profile Image for Marcey Rader.
Author 4 books21 followers
Read
December 28, 2024
Sustainable change for individual contributors, managers, C+ and Business owners!
Available in eBook, paperback, and audio https://amzn.to/4gWNs7z

If you enjoy books like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Four Thousand Weeks, Getting Things Done, or Work Well. Play More!, you’ll love Reclaim Your Workday.

Grab your bonus Reclaim Your Workday Go-To Guide here - https://www.reclaimyourworkday.com/go...

How to Use This Book
I’ve written this book to be used the same way I ask attendees in my keynotes or workshops to put ideas into action. Think of it like a buffet. Most people will not eat every single thing available at a buffet. In the same way, I don’t expect you to put everything I share here into practice. Some people are allergic to items on the buffet table. You may be “allergic” to something I say. It may be that you don’t want to do it or can’t because of your role. You can opt to skip it and move to the next dish. That doesn’t mean someone else won’t love it. Lastly, there may be something on that buffet table that you make at home, but I use a different spice. There could be a behavior I suggest that you are already doing or a policy already in place at your company, and you want to tweak it just a bit. All of these are valid ways to eat at a buffet and use this book.

Here’s how I recommend you approach the buffet that is Reclaim Your Workday.

Start with your pain points: Identify the chapters that address your most pressing challenges. Whether it’s managing distractions, improving team communication, or reducing burnout, jump straight to the sections that resonate most with your current needs.
Don’t skip the fundamentals: Even as you start with the chapters that address your pain points, return to Chapter 1 if you skip it. While diving into the tactics is tempting, understanding the foundational principles shared in Chapter 1 will give you a solid base. Also, each chapter starts with an introduction to the key concepts. It may be tempting to skip these introductory bits, but they provide important context. Understanding the fundamentals will make the tactics and strategies more effective when you implement them.
Apply as you go: This book is designed to be practical and actionable. As you read, start implementing the strategies right away. There’s no reason to read from cover to cover before making changes. Each chapter includes actionable steps—put them into practice immediately to see results faster.
Leverage the tools: Throughout the book, you’ll find references to tools, frameworks, and resources. Don’t just read about them—use them. These are designed to streamline your workflow and help you stay on track.
Reflect and revisit: Productivity isn’t a one-time fix. These techniques, strategies, frameworks, and insights are designed to be sustainable, meaning they will only work if you consider them part of your long-term plan. As your needs evolve, revisit different chapters. What worked for you today might need tweaking tomorrow. This book is a resource you can return to as your challenges change.
Tailor it to your role: Whether you’re an individual contributor, manager, C-suite leader, or business owner, the strategies here are adaptable. Pay special attention to each chapter's “Levels” sections that offer customized advice based on your role. Also, there are good reasons you may want to read the sections that don’t pertain to your role. For example, as a manager, you may want to read the tips for C+/Business Owners to be ready for your next climb up the ladder.
Engage with your team: If you’re in a leadership position, consider reading this book with your team. Discuss the strategies together and agree on how you’ll implement them company-wide. This shared understanding can amplify the benefits across your organization.
Putting it all together: Chapter 8 gives you a chance to reflect on what you read and make an action plan. If you want to get a head start on this process, note your top three takeaways as you read the previous chapters.
Profile Image for Susan Brumbaugh.
12 reviews
February 17, 2025
Following up her insightful 'Work Well, Play More,' the author tackles an even bigger challenge in her latest book: the crushing overwhelm of modern work. I wondered if she could possibly offer more solutions, but she absolutely delivers. The book is structured for maximum usability. Each chapter dives into a specific work challenge (task management and remote work are two examples), providing a concise overview of the problem, backed by research (with handy links for deeper dives). For each topic are, she offers a three-tiered approach to solutions: what individuals can do, what managers can implement, and how business owners can create systemic change. This makes the book valuable for everyone. Even though I'm primarily an individual contributor, I found value in understanding the manager and owner perspectives. It gave me a holistic view of the author's system and equipped me to suggest improvements to my own manager. What sets this book apart is its balanced and feasible approach. The author doesn't just preach productivity; she emphasizes the crucial link between productivity and well-being. Her recommendations are practical and sustainable because they're grounded in health and intentionality. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the demands of work, this book is a must-read. It's packed with practical, actionable advice that will help you reclaim your time and your sanity. Note: I have this book and her previous book set to "currently reading" because I keep going back to them for reference.
4 reviews
May 1, 2025
The good:
What you see is what you get. If you're looking for one place to guide you through software and strategies to implement for a better work-life balance, you'll get it.

The bad:
1. Most of the book was written by ChatGPT. You don't have to spend money on this book. Just go to the chatbot yourself and type in "What are the problems with modern always-on work culture, and what can I do to take back control?". You'll receive the same quality of advice.
2. The author is constantly promoting their business. I get it, you want to create a funnel. But I already paid for THIS product and don't want to be reminded of your consultancy services and products every 3-5 pages.
3. The actual 'professional insights' are pretty generic and weak overall.
4. Repeating advice. The book repeats the same pieces of advice over and over (how many times do I need to read about meeting free days?). This could've been fixed with better editing/structure.
5. Poor references. Half of the book's pages are just footnotes to references. But they're often not very credible and just some old blogs.

The only reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because if you're above the age of 50 and/or completely terrible with computers, it might be easier for you to find and consume this information in a book form rather than ChatGPT or a few Google searches.
Profile Image for Sara.
7 reviews
February 12, 2025
A few of my favorites:
1. Use Loom to create short “how to” videos; a < 60 second video can save so much back and forth written communication when you’re helping someone accomplish a task in a new-to-them system. I started with the free subscription - no budgetary constraints!
2. If you struggle tracking your team’s individual accomplishments and areas of improvement throughout the year, hit the easy button and get the Powered Path Program™. It complements any corporate review tool so you won’t be duplicating effort and it creates a continuous performance review approach, that leaves room for no surprises during the formal review process.
3. Virtual walking meetings are gamechangers. As a remote leader, I loved “sneakering up” for a walk with a team member who was also walking, albeit 1,800 miles away! I was an excessive notetaker, always afraid of forgetting something but these walking meetings made me realize that I’m more engaged - and a better listener - when I’m not focusing on capturing everything in real time.

That’s just a taste of what you’ll get!
1 review
February 12, 2025
Marcey Rader’s Reclaim Your Workday is a must-read for anyone looking to take control of their time, reduce overwhelm, and work smarter—not harder. Unlike typical productivity books that focus solely on efficiency, Rader integrates real-life strategies that prioritize both performance and well-being.

What I loved most about this book is its practical approach. The author provides actionable steps to eliminate distractions, create sustainable habits, and set boundaries that actually stick. Her advice isn’t just theory—it’s designed for busy professionals who want to reclaim their focus without sacrificing their personal lives.

The book is engaging, well-structured, and full of insights that can be applied immediately. Whether you struggle with email overload, endless meetings, or simply feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day, Reclaim Your Workday offers solutions that are both effective and realistic.

If you’re ready to ditch the hustle mentality and work in a way that supports both success and balance, I highly recommend this book!
1 review
February 4, 2025
I love this book! It is filled with a vast buffet of simple tools to be more productive and truly reclaim your workday. The tips on managing email and notifications - game changer. My work and personal emails are always a mess until now. Thank you Reclaim Your Workday! Also, I love the idea of creating a communication matrix and using video screen capture to document process instead of having a meeting. My copy of Reclaim Your Workday is filled with underlines, dog ears and sticky notes. I use this book a reference guide to streamline my work and personal life. A must read!Reclaim Your Workday: Sustainable Productivity Strategies for the New World of WorkMarcey Rader
Profile Image for Katie.
35 reviews17 followers
November 16, 2025
This was surprisingly* good. Lots of helpful tips on how to help you focus better during your workday. To be honest, I knew about most of the things suggested but hadn’t thought of them quite in the way they were presented. Using email folders as an example, I’ve thought of them as organizational tools, but the author’s point was that just *seeing* emails arrive in your inbox - even if they aren’t a priority - contributes to distraction and stress and makes them feel more pressing than they may be. Making rules to have Outlook put certain types of low priority emails directly into folders, then checking the folder maybe once a day can help a little bit. Implementing multiple pieces of advice - many with tech tools - is how you can really reclaim your workday aka your focus time. I’m honestly a little excited to go to work tomorrow and get started.

*To me because I generally hate this type of book
1 review
February 12, 2025
RECLAIM YOUR WORKDAY hit on so many levels for me! It is full of everyday practical information that anyone, in any stage of their career, can put to use immediately. As both a manager and a business owner, I found all of the information relevant, useful, and attainable. It is formatted for you to be able to read in-depth, or hit the TL:DR sections in each chapter. I appreciate it because it reads like my favorite cookbook: I go directly to the section I am focused on, whether it be how to make Meetings the most effective (or eliminate them altogether!) or how to avoid having an "Always On" culture in the workplace. RECLAIM YOUR WORKDAY was the 1st book for me to read in 2025 and it has completely set the tone for the remainder of the year. It's going to be awesome!
1 review
Read
January 15, 2025
I received an advanced hardcopy but have since purchased both the Kindle and Hardcopy versions. Marcey's writing style is easy to follow and each chapter is filled with actionable ideas and steps to make work life easier and less stressful. While I prefer e-readers, I purchased the hardcopy so that my manger and others could use it as a resource. We all struggle here with organized chaos on a daily basis and I think this book will definitely be dog-eared a lot.

Do yourself a favor and get a copy.
Profile Image for Brandon Birkmeyer.
Author 1 book7 followers
July 17, 2025
Work Smarter, Live Better - Great Book

If you’re constantly busy, but never feel like you’re moving forward, this book is the reset button. It doesn’t just give you tips, it challenges the way you think about time. I walked away with practical strategies to protect my calendar, prioritize what matters most, and say no without guilt. Highly recommend for anyone juggling too many plates.
1 review
February 12, 2025
Marcey Rader has done it again! I cannot thank her enough for changing my life and allowing me to reclaim my workday, and reclaim my evenings and weekends. This book is full of ideas of how to make small changes that make BIG differences.
1 review
February 14, 2025
Do you want a ton of no-nonsense, sustainable, and actionable strategies to boost your productivity? Are you ready to ditch burnout and reach your goals as an individual contributor, team, or leader? Marcey Rader is the real deal so read "Reclaim Your Workday"
Profile Image for Taylor Smiley.
24 reviews3 followers
April 13, 2025
Recommend this to anyone looking to increase productivity and margin at work. I thought the most interesting section was about how to manage the many communications channels many of us simultaneously use.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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