Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour: The Ambitious Woman's Guide to Doing Less and Achieving More

by Fran Hauser

An indispensable guide to help women reclaim hours in their day by overcoming the Four 4P’s—People Pleasing, Procrastination, Perfectionism, and Padding—from the acclaimed author of The Myth of the Nice Girl.


“A liberating reframing of time in a culture that equates busyness with worth.”—Jennifer B. Wallace, New York Times bestselling author of Mattering and Never Enough

Women often carry a different kind of time load—one that adds up in ways that aren’t always visible but deeply felt. Often, these responsibilities cause us to fall prey to what Fran Hauser calls “The 4 P’s”—people-pleasing, perfectionism, procrastination, and (time) padding. Whether it’s saying yes when you know you don’t have the bandwidth, rewriting an email for the tenth time, or sitting through meetings that go nowhere, these patterns chip away at our hours, leaving less time for what truly matters. But when we start paying attention to these habits, we begin to change our relationship with time.

In Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour, Hauser shows professional women how to embrace a “twenty-minute mindset” to create more time and space for themselves and their most meaningful work. This mindset helps us break free from the 4 P’s, stop over-rotating and make progress in less time than we think we need.

Drawing on Hauser’s decades of executive experience—and stories from successful women such as Sprinkles Founder Candace Nelson and Journalist Danielle Robay— Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is equal parts accessible and actionable. You’ll come away with important tools, including:

• The secret recipe for getting an effective meeting done in 20 minutes
• A messy action mindset to help you start (and keep going)
• Ways to streamline projects and negotiations that have become overly complex
• Frameworks for nailing high-stakes conversations without overthinking
• A simple weekly practice to create space on your calendar

Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is the antidote to our always-on, overworked world and a fresh take on productivity. The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to focus on what matters—and feel good about how you’re doing it.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

Published September 22, 2026

About the author

Fran Hauser is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, former media executive, leading career expert, and champion of women in the workplace. Fran is the author of two books for professional women striving to create careers they love while staying true to themselves: The Myth of the Nice Girl, which has been translated into eight languages and earned the prestigious title of "Best Business Book of the Year, 2018" by Audible, and Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, which has become the go-to curriculum for women’s affinity groups nationwide. Fran is a sought-after women’s empowerment speaker, having spoken at over 200 organizations. As a former Fortune 500 executive and active start-up investor - who has funded over 30 female-founded companies - Fran’s insights have appeared in media outlets such as Fortune, CNBC, Fast Company, and Business Insider. She lives outside NYC with her husband, two sons, and beloved mini Goldendoodle.

Reviews

[Rachel D]

Really liked this one! Like other books of this type, it did lean heavily into advice about a meeting / email heavy work environment, which isn’t translatable to the type of job I have- but regardless there was still tons of helpful and unique ideas I can utilize, and I’m sure the office workers will be able to get even more out of this! The author did also suggests using AI to help draft and organize, which is personally something I avoid- but otherwise I really liked the author’s voice, and especially enjoyed hearing about her process of opening a bookstore on such a tight schedule!

[Nicole Smith]

I like to say we take time for what we make time for. Fran helps us examine our habits around time spent to uncover where we can reduce Chronos time and replace it with more Kairos (flow) time. So many people who are "addicted to achievement" and wear "busy like a badge" are only achieving burnout and disappointment.

Our most creative ideas can come from unstructured time that opens up the brain to allow passive productivity to flourish. Fran helps us identify which of the 4 P's (padding, perfectionism, people pleasing, and procrastinating) we are more prone to, and offers tips on how to examine the why behind these behaviors and how to shift our mindset away from being overwhelmed by time.

Being mindful of unproductive meetings, endless email chains, networking nonsense, and setting boundaries on social media allow us to reclaim precious time and reduce stress. Make time to read this book, an excellent investment of your time.

[Shannon]

Thank you Fran, Crown, & PRH Audio for the gifted copies!

Twenty Minutes is the New Hour
Fran Hauser
Publishing Date: September 22, 2026

🎧 Narrator: Fran Hauser 🎧

Happy Book Birthday to my friend, owner of my fave indie bookstore, badass business woman, and all around amazing human being, Fran Hauser!

I became friends with Fran thanks to our common interest of BOOKS! And here she is publishing her third book on top of all the other ventures she continues to shine and be successful in.

As a stay at home mom, I am not the target audience of this book per se, but I still thoroughly enjoyed hearing how Fran manages to do it all with such grace by using strategies of managing time, setting realistic boundaries and expectations, and prioritizing those things that truly require attention.

I loved the format of the book in how she lays a relatable foundation for the first half and then the second half is broken into specific categories that you can hop around in to suit your needs.

This book is primarily geared toward women in the working world, however there were definite takeaways that I can use in my own life! If you are someone who feels like you never have enough time and don’t know how to create more, I suggest picking this one up and giving these strategies a try!

🎧 Fran narrates this herself and she made it such easy listening. For me it was quite literally like getting advice from a friend!

[Allison]

Fran Hauser is an incredible leader and author so I'm always eager to see what new ideas she's brewing. "Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour" did not disappoint.

Early on in the book, a quote from her friend stuck with me: "I realized that I had become addicted to achievement." That hit. Becoming more mindful in my work has spilled over into my life as well. This book helped me re-examine what is most important to me and how I can make the time to pursue my passions, whether they're related or unrelated to my work.

Bonus: Fran also tackles perfectionism by using concrete examples and relatable tips to overcome it. I especially liked her ideas on collaborating with other parties in order to let go of perfectionism.

If you're looking for a quick read with practical, reasonable, and immediately actionable advice, this is the one for you!

[Nell Hutchins]

I’m not exaggerating when I say that, for me, reading this book has been life changing. 

Recently my sister told me that every time she sees me I seem stressed. She said I seem less like I’m enjoying my life and more like I have a never ending checklist of things I’m focused on getting done. I wanted to defend myself—no one else has told me I seem perpetually stressed, and I love each one of these hats I wear, but she doesn't often say hard things to me, so I tried to listen with an open mind. Her point was that I diminish the amount I take on, and I almost always underestimate how long things actually take me. She said that the work I see as manageable isn't just about the job or the volunteering or what my kids need, it's the mental load that each of these things represents. What she said forced me to look in the mirror. 

Am I “addicted” to being busy and productive? What do I get from it, and what might it be taking away from me? These felt like genuinely valuable questions to explore but I didn't know where to start, and then this book came into my life. At first, reading Twenty Minutes ironically felt like one more thing on my to-do list, but from the first few pages reading it was eye-opening, liberating, helpful, and productive in its own right. And now that I've finished it, I genuinely feel like I have a new perspective on my time and my work-obsessed tendencies, thanks to Fran Hauser.

In the age of AI and hyper-productivity it might be tempting to think that if “twenty minutes is the new hour,” then I can do three times as much work in the same amount of time. As someone with a plate overflowing with commitments that I've chosen, part of me would be tempted by such a notion; how can I squeeze even more into my hours and days? But, that’s not what this book is about. While she does offer many tips for using your time more effectively, instead of encouraging you to squeeze in even more, Fran’s book is about taking back your time—examining why and how you find yourself without enough of it, and how to reclaim the hours in your day so that your time is spent in more meaningful ways—whatever that might mean to you.

I found that this book was equal parts reflection tool—somewhat like therapy in the mirror it holds up to examine your own relationship with time—and “self-help” with questions to ask yourself, action steps to take, and meaningful ways to change your everyday M.O.

This book was a genuinely easy read, full of pearls of wisdom, and somehow still light and quick. This book lends itself to reading all in one sitting or taking it section by section with time between to digest. My copy is full of underlines that I hope to keep in mind to permanently rethink my To Do (and To Don't!) Lists, and my overall relationship with time. 

[Christy Smith]

I just finished Fran Hauser’s new book, Twenty Minutes is the New Hour: The Ambitious Woman's Guide to Doing Less and Achieving More, and I must say, I have a very different perspective on work and time now. I wish this book was around when I first started my publishing career. I would have been so much more productive, would have focused on the bigger picture more, and been less afraid to make mistakes. I will definitely be giving it to every new college graduate in my life, although it’s relevant for everyone at any life stage.

Twenty Minutes is an entertaining, helpful book, and it reads like you’re sitting down with your favorite mentor (after work, maybe with a cocktail) as she walks you through her career (both highs and lows). It's full of relatable stories as Fran travels from being a high powered corporate executive, to a best-selling author, to an independent bookstore owner (among other things!). It's honest and funny, you'll be highlighting passages along the way.

Full disclosure, I work with Fran at her amazing bookstore, Bedford Books, and she walks the talk. She gets shit done, cares about other people and their successes, and has a broader perspective about time and what’s important in life.

In Twenty Minutes, Fran explores time in terms of Chronos (linear time) and Kairos (an expansive, flow state). Chronos is about checking off your to-do list, while Kairos encourages more meaningful and thoughtful work. The whole point of Fran’s book is to help you get out of Chronos, so you can spend more time creating in Kairos. This is not a book about how to use AI to save time, it’s more of a practical thought piece about time and how we’re using it.

Twenty Minutes is broken into two parts. The first examines Fran's Four P's (common time-sucks): Padding, Perfectionism, People-Pleasing, and Procrastination (hello!). Each chapter ends with a summary and exercises to help you stay on track and think about time differently. I learned why I procrastinate (too much padding!) and about how to start a project with “messy action,” not over-thinking it and just starting. The second part dives into more specific tools, techniques, and exercises. You can read the book in one sitting or pick sections that address your concerns - both will be helpful!

Between Twenty Minutes and Fran’s first book, The Myth of the Nice Girl, she’s gently helping create Super Humans who get the job done, while also spending time thinking about how they can live a more satisfying and productive life. So set your timer for twenty minutes, reduce that hour-long meeting, and see what happens. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

[Molly]

Twenty Minutes reads like your best friend imparting all her best knowledge to you, AND it’s information you want, need and can actually apply (immediately).

Fran’s goal isn’t to help you accomplish more with your time, it’s to help you use more of your time on the things you love. And who doesn’t need more time? Fran’s background as an executive, investor, bookstore owner, author, mom, wife, etc. play a key part in how she’s developed the tools that have helped her succeed and to find balance and time to enjoy the things she really loves. Which is to say, this book is for anyone who hears themselves saying, ‘there’s not enough time…’ (ME! Every.Single.Day!)

In the first section Twenty Minutes covers our relationship with time, which isn’t to say that being busy is bad, but to help empower us in our choice about how we spend our time and the quality of that time. This is followed by a chapter each on the four P’s (Padding, Procrastination, People Pleasing and Perfectionism) where Fran shows us ways these can steal valuable time and how to avoid those pitfalls, followed by tools/exercises to help you gain back time for the things you love. The second part covers more specifics, from setting boundaries to making valuable connections. Fran encourages the reader to jump around to areas you are more interested in, i.e.if time on Social Media is a concern feel free to jump to that chapter where Fran provides actionable plans to take back control of your social media use while still getting the most out of it.

I was drawn to the section on Padding in which Fran says that while most meetings are scheduled for an hour they could really accomplish their goal in 20 minutes, and this doesn't apply to just meetings. As someone who doesn’t feel comfortable ‘networking’ I also loved her advice on making meaningful connections, along with very usable templates for emails, texts, conversations, etc.

What makes this book so useful is the combination of insights, lessons, *practical* tips and tools. Twenty Minutes is a resource I’ll be returning to again and again!

[Suzy]

Fran hit it out of the park once again with Twenty Minutes is the New Hour! As someone who has spent most of my career juggling endless meetings, to do lists, family responsibilities, and a perpetual feeling that there just aren't enough hours in the day, this book hit really close to home.
What I appreciated most is that Fran isn't really teaching productivity hacks. She's asking a bigger question around why so many of us feel chronically busy but still struggle to make time for the things that matter most. I loved that she's challenging the idea that being busy is the same as being valuable, particularly for ambitious women who have spent years equating overachievement with success.
And boy, did this resonate! Her framework around the "Four P's" gave me language for behaviors I've absolutely fallen into, particularly the tendency to overthink, and overcommit. I found myself highlighting passages about how often we confuse activity with impact and how much time gets lost to work that feels important but doesn't actually move us forward. The discussion of "Chronos" versus "Kairos" time was especially memorable and gave me a new way to think about creating space for creativity, reflection, and better decision-making.
What I also loved about this book is that it doesn't come from a place of judgment. Fran writes with a lot of empathy, especially for women who are carrying multiple responsibilities and trying to excel in every aspect of life. The advice is practical, but it also feels realistic and kind. And given the source, that isn't surprising.
I walked away with a few concrete changes I want to make, but more importantly, I walked away questioning some long-held assumptions about work, success, and how I spend my time. That's what makes a book worth reading. Thank to Fran for creating something so valuable!

[Randi Subarsky]

I have long admired Fran Hauser for her remarkable ability to be incredibly productive and influential while being kind and loving at the same time. I cherish all her books, and always keep them within reach for reference and inspiration. Now, with Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour, Fran has delivered another game changer. This book challenged me to completely rethink my relationship with time—not by cramming more into my schedule, but by being more intentional about where my time and energy go.

What I loved most was Fran’s blend of practical, actionable strategies and compelling stories from accomplished people who have learned how to create impact without feeling overwhelmed. As always, her insights are refreshingly realistic and immediately applicable.

Several ideas have already changed how I work, especially her discussion of understanding your personal rhythm, planning ahead more thoughtfully, and simple systems like the “boomerang folder” that reduce mental clutter and save valuable time.

This isn’t just a book about productivity. It’s a book about creating space for what matters most while still achieving meaningful results. Fran reminds us that effectiveness is not measured by how busy we are, but by the value we create. I finished the book feeling newly equipped and eager to make important changes. Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is a must-read for anyone who wants to accomplish more while living with greater intention and less stress.

[Cheria Young]

This is exactly what I always appreciate about Fran Hauser’s work: she makes the invisible pressures professional women carry feel visible, workable, and less lonely. Her writing is deeply relatable, genuinely compassionate, and immediately practical. Not a word is wasted.

Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is not another productivity book trying to help you squeeze more out of an already full life. It is practical wisdom for the modern professional woman—a book about reclaiming your time, your attention, your energy, and your agency.

What made this book so valuable to me is the new lexicon Fran gives you. As a recovering perfectionist, “over-rotating” gave me an immediate aha. The 4 P’s—padding, perfectionism, procrastination, and people-pleasing—are sticky in the best way. And the distinction between Chronos and Kairos is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to unsee when I think about my time. Together, these concepts create a lens for seeing where your time is really going—and where your life may be asking to be lived differently.

The practical insights around meetings, networking, and social media are easy to implement right away, which is what makes this book feel so useful. This is the kind of book with a high return on the time you spend reading it. I’ll be recommending it to the women executives I coach. This book is not a waste of your time. It is a gateway to reclaiming it.

[Briana Link]

Fran Hauser’s Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is the most useful productivity book I’ve read in years! Unlike so many time-management books that feel packed with generic advice, this one feels like sitting down for coffee with a trusted friend or mentor who has figured out a few things and wants to share them with you.

What sets this book apart is Fran’s voice. She captures the perfect balance of wisdom, warmth, and vulnerability. Rather than lecturing about what we “should” be doing, she shares personal stories, mistakes, and lessons learned in a way that feels relatable.

The anecdotes were my favorite part. More than once, I found myself laughing, nodding, and thinking, “Wow, I do that too.” The book isn’t about squeezing more productivity into every waking minute. In fact, it’s almost the opposite. It’s much more about creating space for creativity, intuition, and what she calls “Kairos” time. These are the moments when we do our best thinking.

The biggest compliment I can give this book is that I finished it feeling energized rather than exhausted. It gave me permission to stop overcomplicating things and focus on what truly matters. If you’ve ever looked at your calendar and wondered where all your time went, Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is a smart, practical, and enjoyable read that may completely change the way you think about productivity.

[Gabrielle]

With her characteristic kindness and compassion Fran Hauser encourages and empowers us, the reader, to reexamine our relationship with time - and she leads by example throughout the book.

Fran identifies and explores four common categories of behaviors which have the ability to deeply impact not just our careers but the entirety of our lives. She refers to these behaviors as “the Four P’s” (i.e., Perfectionism, Procrastination, People-Pleasing, and [time] Padding).

In a conversational style with practical advice and pertinent vignettes, she models the iterative process of self-examination. In each chapter, Fran provides candid reflections on the impact of the 4 P’s in her own life not only over the course of a highly successful career in the corporate world but also through the process of opening the beloved indie bookstore Bedford Books in Bedford, NY. She then challenges us to implement practical and readily achievable modifications to help us reclaim a more intentional and meaningful relationship with time.

The approachable framework of the Four P’s organizes the book in a way that invites the reader to return to its contents time and again as the reader’s needs arise. I wish that I had had the advice and resources of this book years ago and I know that I will be grateful for the author’s insights and encouragement in the years to come!

[LM]

Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour: The Ambitious Woman's Guide to Doing Less and Achieving More by Fran Hauser is written as if she were looking right into my perimenopausal, overloaded, and tired soul. I will be 53. Yup, here we are. I am tired, exhausted, absent-minded—tired, absent-minded, and always tired. There are not enough hours in the day. I wake up, blink, and it is time to go to bed, and nothing I needed to get done is done. Every day is Groundhog Day. So when I saw the title of this book, I was ecstatic. I am all about a self-help book. Fran dives into the key elements that cause us to waste time. She lays out ways to reformulate your point of view so you can get down to business quickly and knock things out. She explains to you how it is okay to allow some non-critical things to be not perfect (gasp). And how honestly it is okay to say NO. Full stop. I am the queen of procrastination and, yup, she addresses that too. She also addresses the black hole of time-wasting that is social media. Ugh. We all do it. This book is a wake-up call to reclaiming your day. It is a wealth of tips, and I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you to Fran Hauser, Crown Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC. I am excited to put these pearls of wisdom into practice!

[Sarah Bergin]

I am so thankful that Fran gave me an advanced copy of this book. I did not know that this was exactly what I needed at this time in my life, and I have a feeling many readers will feel the same way.
Fran Hauser, a former Fortune 500 media executive, brings warmth and practicality to something refreshingly specific: the hidden ways women lose time every single day, and exactly what to do about it.
The heart of the book is Hauser's "4 P's" framework: People-Pleasing, Perfectionism, Procrastination, and (time) Padding. What makes this so effective is how instantly recognizable each pattern is. Whether you are saying yes to a meeting you did not need to attend, or waiting for the "perfect moment" to start a project, Hauser names the behavior, traces it back to its root, and gives you a concrete fix. There is no finger-wagging here, just clear, compassionate guidance.
The "twenty-minute mindset" at the core of the book is a genuinely liberating idea: progress does not require a free afternoon you will never have — it starts with the twenty minutes you actually do have. That reframe alone is worth the price of the book. But Hauser does not stop there. She delivers practical tools like a "to-don't list" to cut decision fatigue, a script for saying no kindly but firmly, and a formula for running meetings that actually end on time.
Her relatable narrative and practical strategies truly made me evaluate and shift my relationship with time, and that is not something I say lightly. The writing is energetic and easy to read, and Hauser's advice never feels generic. It is grounded in real workplace dynamics and the specific pressures professional women face.
If you are ready to stop waiting for a wide-open calendar and start making real progress in the pockets of time you already have, pick this one up. Highly recommended.

[Trisha Blackmar]

I really enjoyed Fran Hauser's first two books, so was really looking forward to this new one. It came at the perfect time. I'm a recent empty nester, and I've been frustrated at feeling like I have less time than ever to get things done. How could this be, when my calendar is free of the travel sports commitments and school activities that once seemed to fill every hour of the day?

This book made me realize I needed to rethink my relationship with time (the title of the first chapter). I loved learning about Chronos and Kairos and the framework Fran lays out in the book helped me identify the two biggest reasons I wasn't in control of my calendar: Padding and Procrastination. Read all about the 4 P's!

The exercises she lays out have helped me chip away and the bad habits that have crept into my routine. Shrinking the window of time dedicated to accomplishing a dreaded task is an important mindset shift that is helping me immensely.

As with her other books, there is helpful advice no matter how accomplished you are in your career. I plan to gift it to a few women just starting out, as the advice around networking effectively and being careful about "people pleasing," is spot on.

[Leah Lawrence]

I’m so excited to start implementing the tools Fran shares in Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour. This book is so much more than a guide to productivity—it’s a practical roadmap for reclaiming time for the people, experiences, and work that truly fuel us instead of leaving us feeling drained.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is how Fran helps us recognize the unhelpful patterns we've developed in our relationship with time and offers simple, actionable tools to replace them with habits that create more ease, intention, and joy. From managing overflowing inboxes and meetings to navigating social media more mindfully, her strategies are realistic and immediately useful.
What I love most is that this book isn’t about getting more done, it’s about making room for what matters most and enjoying the process- which IS actually what makes us more productive!
Fran writes with such warmth and authenticity that it feels like a trusted friend is cheering you on. As someone who knows her personally, I can honestly say that's exactly who she is. Her wisdom, generosity, and genuine care shine through on every page. This is a book I know I’ll return to again and again. -Leah Lawrence; executive coach, facilitator, and performing artist

[Christine]

Productivity books can be wildly intimidating, but Fran Hauser has a gift for making ambitious women feel both seen and capable. She invites you into her world like a friend offering a warm cup of coffee and a soft place to land. Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is practical, encouraging and refreshingly realistic. It's a book about productivity that doesn’t make you feel like you need to become a robot or optimize every second of your life... much like Fran, it's just REAL.

What I loved most is that Fran doesn’t frame doing less as lowering your standards or caring less. She's all about care. Instead, she shows how much time we lose, especially to concepts like perfectionism and procrastination. I love how she illustrates how small, intentional shifts can help us reclaim that time for the work and life that actually matter. I especially loved her discussion of Kairos, the Greek concept of intentional, present time. That idea stayed with me because it makes the book feel like more than a productivity guide; it’s really about building a healthier, more meaningful relationship with time...and with yourself.

This is a thoughtful and empowering read for anyone who wants to achieve more without burning herself out in the process. I can't wait for the world to have access to it.

[Patricia]

Another amazing, game-changing book from author Fran Hauser. This book is all about optimizing your time—and your life—for the things that truly add value. What sets it apart is that Hauser isn't advocating for greater productivity for productivity's sake. Instead, she encourages us to examine our relationship with time: how we spend it and how often we allow autopilot habits to dictate our days.
For example, why cram an already packed schedule with busywork? Instead, Hauser advocates "taking back" time for what is most meaningful—what matters most to you and what may ultimately have the greatest impact. Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour urges readers to be more intentional with their time. Ask yourself: Do I really need to spend an hour on this?? The amount of time something takes often has little bearing on the value it creates.
Hauser's goal is to help readers take greater control of their time, reducing clutter and fluff while making more room for meaningful work, creativity, relationships, and even 'time out.' It's an easy, engaging read filled with practical ideas for shifting our relationship with time. I loved this one.

[Barbara Bailey]

Another great book! I was a shelver at my local library when I happened upon Fran Hauser 's first book The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate. Devoured it, loved it and recommend it all the time. This book is also fantastic - in the day and age of not knowing where to start with a to do list and wondering where "all the time goes," this book was filled with practical best practices. I especially liked the insights around "Padding" - this is one of the Four "P's" shared in the book. I also found the recap at the end with concise takeaways from the book very helpful too. I love Fran's tone throughout her books, and I think a lot of people will share that feeling. She makes everything so approachable - like we're all just figuring it out right alongside her.

[B.B. Corcoran]

Before becoming a mother, I was already losing hours to people-pleasing and procrastination. After becoming a mom, every one of those lost moments was impossible to ignore. I found myself desperate to claw back every free minute I used to have to put towards my goals and business.

In the past, I had read plenty of books on productivity but had yet to find any great fixes for my procrastination or for why I was really doing it… but Fran Hauser really nailed it in 20 Minutes. I procrastinated to avoid discomfort and pretend my lack of confidence didn’t exist. This book, and this chapter in particular, made me feel seen and empowered to do something about it. Instead of offering another productivity system, Hauser gets underneath the behavior itself, which helped me understand myself better and actually change it. The questions she provides and the insight into why I am like this were just so so helpful. 10/10.

20 Minutes is absolutely worth your time. I promise you’ll get hours back. So grateful to Fran Hauser for letting me read an early copy of the manuscript - this has been such a game changer. Thank you.

[Vasudha Viswanath]

Between running a business, writing, studying, and trying to be present for my family, I've caught myself falling into the trap of believing that being busy means I'm being productive. In her latest book, Fran challenged that assumption in a way that really resonated.

She first explores the deeper reasons we overfill our calendars: padding, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and procrastination, and helps you recognize yourself in those patterns. I found myself going, "Yep, I do that," more times than I could count!

I especially loved that the advice isn't about optimizing every minute. It's about creating more room for the work that actually matters, along with creativity, reflection, and simply being present. The idea of Chronos versus Kairos time has already changed the way I think about my own calendar.

I closed the book with a handful of practical changes I want to make, but more importantly, I walked away questioning some long-held beliefs about success and achievement. For me, that's the mark of a great book. It doesn't just give you new strategies; it changes the way you think. Highly recommend.

[Sansan]

This is a time management book—but not really. Fran has a gift for naming what we rarely stop to notice: the imperceptible distractions stealing our focus, and the tendencies within ourselves (the 4 P's: padding, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and procrastination) that get in the way. I had to keep putting the book down to reflect on my own habits.

This book is brimming with smart, actionable ideas, but what surprised me most is how much wisdom is packed beneath the surface. Behind something as simple as 20-min meetings lies a complete framework: effective agenda-setting, pre-meeting prep, clear decision-making, and follow-up strategies. Her guidance spans across professional life: networking, personal branding, pitching ideas, giving feedback, and more. Like having a brilliant, been-there mentor in your corner.

Fran is the champion every ambitious woman needs, regardless of her career stage, equally relevant whether you're just starting out or decades in. Highly recommend, and an especially perfect gift for recent grads and rising stars.

[Melina Gac]

This book landed in my hands at just the right time! In a year where I'm balancing growing a business, writing my own book, a home renovation, and raising two young kids every minute counts. I related deeply to Fran's feeling that her relationship with time was not serving her, and am so thankful that she took the initiative to figure out why and give the rest of us a path forward.

Twenty Minutes is the New Hour reads like getting advice from a friend. It's honest and clear. I blew through it and began putting her advice into action right away. I can truly say it has made my life better, which is why I'm still referencing it and learning from it as I reflect on the bigger questions it brings up about our relationship to work and productivity.

This book has the perfect balance of practical advice and strategies, while also holding space for the meaningful work of questioning our assumptions. And it's all delivered with kindness!

Highly recommended for anyone looking to get off the hamster wheel of productivity and enjoy living (ambitiously!)

[Soph]

20 Minutes Is the New Hour is a terrific, practical book filled with mindset shifts that feel incredibly relevant to everyday life. It’s an easy and enjoyable read that you’ll walk away from with actionable ideas to rethink how you approach your time, priorities, and daily habits.

Hauser’s “Four P’s” framework especially resonated with me, particularly the section on perfectionism. This is something I personally struggle with, and one of the biggest takeaways was recognizing how much time we can waste trying to make things perfect when what truly matters is making progress and moving forward.

The chapter “Shifting from Perfect to Done” completely shifted my perspective, both professionally and personally. It was such a good reminder that spending hours refining small details that often go unnoticed isn’t always the best use of our time. Sometimes progress, momentum, and simply getting things done well matter far more than chasing perfection.

I’d recommend 20 Minutes Is the New Hour to all readers and I look forward to coming back to it again and again!

[Amy]

Fran Hauser's Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour is really for all women, not just women in business. Yes, it written in a way that benefits business women, addressing how to have shorter meetings and get to projects in a more reasonable time frame, but all women can benefit from this book, which also addresses how to spend less time on social media and how to build boundaries and negotiate with people in better ways. I loved Hauser's examination of the 4 Ps -- procrastination, padding, people-pleasing, and perfectionism -- and, as somebody who is guilty of engaging in all four at various times, I loved how Hauser than applied all four Ps to different situations like the work meeting, social media, negotiations, etc. This book was really helpful, giving concrete examples, of how to move from hour-long (or more) activities and shorten them into 20 minutes or less, or, even, use 20 minute time fragments to get more accomplished without the accompanying stress. I will definitely be recommending this book to all women, and I will definitely be reading more of Hauser's work.

[Trish McGovern]

I loved reading this book. It was an efficient, intuitive guide that helped me understand and start to repair my toxic relationship with time!

Reading through Fran's experiences with her own evolving relationship with time helped me to realize why I am my most productive, creative self when my brain is the least scheduled.

I also really appreciated the exercises that helped me learn to set boundaries so that others value my time as well. It's not easy, but with her guidance you can learn to put your needs a little higher on the priority list. A main takeaway regarding deliverables that stuck with me - "good enough" isn't setting a low bar - it is in fact "good", and that's enough!

Now that I have read this book I will keep it close as a reference for those typical times during the year when the to-do list seems never-ending, to see if some of those items can become "to don'ts". Highly recommend!

[Ellen]

I found this book both insightful and practical.

What I appreciated most was that Fran doesn't approach the subject with judgment. Drawing on both personal experience and research, she helps readers better understand their relationship with time and identify habits that may be getting in the way.

Several ideas really stayed with me, particularly the concept of creating a "don't list." Such a simple idea, yet a powerful way to gain clarity about what truly deserves our attention and energy. I also appreciated Fran's discussion of people-pleasing and the practical strategies she offers for setting healthier boundaries and protecting your time without guilt.

Throughout the book, Fran includes exercises and concrete suggestions that make it easier to put the ideas into practice. A thoughtful, well-researched read that left me with several practical ideas I am excited to put into practice. Highly recommended.

[Wendy Adams]

"Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour" is another gem from Fran who continues to use her extensive experience to thoughtfully address common challenges and provide guidance along a gentle path to a happier more productive place. Filled with relatable examples and good advice, the text is not about doing more, but managing how you spend your time so that you do what matters the most to you. This is a practical guide which questions our relationship with time and the negative aspects of the "Four P's" (padding, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and procrastination) and how each of these can impact the quality of our days. Applicable equally to the corporate world and the manic multitasking lifestyles that we are all inevitably navigating, this book allowed for many moments of reflection. Thanks to Fran I now have some new ideas for making my days happier and more productive in the areas that matter the most to me.

[Grace Prudente]

As a working mother of two, I often struggle with time management, and this book really hit home for me. Fran offers practical advice you can actually use every day, and her relatable perspective and real-life experiences make her strategies feel easy to put into practice. I really appreciated her focus on the “4 Ps” that can weigh us down and how to overcome them, particularly the section on people pleasing (and ineffective meeting time to name a few!), which really resonated with me. I appreciate Fran’s wisdom and her ability to make something that can feel impossible like getting everything done in a day, feel much more manageable by breaking it into small, meaningful steps.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone trying to make better use of their busy days. One of my biggest takeaways was realizing that being productive doesn’t mean I need to do more; it means focusing my time and energy on what actually matters.

[Carrie]

Fran has spent her career doing a lot: succeeding as an executive, investing and advising, raising a family, and becoming a bestselling author. What makes Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour so useful is that the advice comes from someone who had to learn for herself that doing more isn't necessarily the same as accomplishing more.
Her section on perfectionism especially hit home for me. I recently launched a new website and have caught myself going back again and again to revise and tweak things that were already good enough. Fran's idea of recognizing when additional effort is no longer adding value was a reminder I needed.
The book isn't about squeezing even more productivity into an already packed day. It's about recognizing the habits that quietly consume our time, especially padding, perfectionism, people-pleasing and procrastination, and reclaiming that time for the things that actually matter.
Practical, relatable and grounded in Fran's own experience.