Master Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day: Time Management Tips for Anyone Struggling With Work-Life Balance

by Michal Stawicki, Chris Bell (Editor)

Your dreams can coexist with your life! Jobs. Kids. Chores. Bills. Life has an uncanny ability to get in the way of our dreams. But, this doesn't need to be the case. In "Mastering Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day," Michal Stawicki shares his techniques for extreme productivity. As a busy, working parent of three, Michal still manages to follow his dreams prolifically, and you can too. How can these concepts help me? Using the time management tips explained in "Master Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day," Michal has managed to write over 150,000 words and publish 5 books in the last year while still making time for his family, his occupation and his life. He wrote this book to show you that anyone has the time to succeed in their passions, when they have the right tools to use. Written for the person who "doesn't have time to read" Each of the techniques shared in here is designed to be specific, actionable and easy-to-implement for even the busiest person. They are sure to make your productivity skyrocket! "Master Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day" is written for busy people in mind. It is light on philosophy and theory and is designed to be read concisely and quickly. Begin developing new habits today and align yourself with your true purpose If you are struggling to find life-work balance or the time to pursue your dreams, this book will quickly get you on the right track. One warning: after reading, you may find yourself with no excuses left for why you "can't" write that novel, launch that non-profit or start that business. Let Michal Stawicki help you invest in your future and ""Master Your Time in 10 Minutes a Day""!

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

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2014

About the author

Michal Stawicki is a busy, working parent of 3 amazing children and husband to one wonderful woman. Michal is from Poland and grew up under communist rule when opportunity was scarce. His demanding job and long commute had taken its toll. So, Michal decided it was time to change his life, to get healthy physically and financially, to become more connected to his family and spirituality and, most importantly, to follow his passions. Michal knew he felt a calling to help others, so he set out to change his life and start writing books to share his strategies for living a full and amazing life. He regularly blogs at www.expandbeyondyourself.com and the story of his life’s transformation was featured in the re-release of Jeff Olson’s “The Slight Edge.” Michal is on a mission to help busy, working adults reclaim their time, their spirit and their passions!

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad (I didn't like the part where the author said he gave up reading Fiction like it was a waste of time, but that is just me) - I like that multiple ideas from various sources were listed, with a note that said you really need to open to trying new ideas and picking out the parts that work for you - many Time Management concepts are "this idea is the best and the one and only solution" which is B.S.

Also linked the recommendations for tools (with names and links) and the idea of a time journal.

[Eddie Jong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but packs a punch

In the beginning of his book, Michal lists the things that he does on a daily basis. Believe me, the list is impressive.

Although I have been managing my time successfully for many years, and routinely reach my goals and get done what I consider to be important, this book has given me a number of new tips that I have incorporated in my life.

Another fascinating aspect for me was the number of books and blogs the author mentions that I am familiar with.

Notwithstanding what I said above, the book is packed with very specific action items that make sense, and are easy to implement.

If you read this book and really apply the techniques discussed and explained, I can guarantee that your life will change for the better.

[Rick Yvanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always curious to learn more techniques on how to control/improve time management which triggered reading this book.

As (hopefully) expected there is, of course, some nuggets to be mined .... things I already know being reinforced as how to do it as well as some nuances and new tips.

A good framework and thus a good read for anyone wanting to improve their time management.

Disclosure: I was offered a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Richard Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Master Your Time is a practical essay on time management and motivation. Stawicki's writing style is informal without academic references or footnotes. It's all about the message here. Rather than a how-to guide, Stawicki gives the readers a toolbox - a kit of ideas - for making better use of time. Not the most revolutionary ideas, these tips includes making a mission statement, tracking time use, and breaking larger tasks into smaller tasks. It is then up to the reader to figure out which tools and systems work best. Concise, unassuming and easy-to-consume, Master Your Time is a welcomed refrain from books that quite frankly, promise too much. A nice reference material for anyone seeking to be more productive at home or work.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michal's book gave me the courage to go for a couple dozen new habits I want to form, rather than the typically suggested small handful. I love his "grains of sand" idea for using a few minutes at a time to accomplish quick tasks, when I'm fatigued and would normally veg out with TV or surfing the net. His delight in daily reviewing his 1300 word personal mission statement motivated me to attack that project again with new vigor (and with the help of his $1.00 guidebook). And I am definitely going to apply his suggestion for how to choose which tasks to schedule early in the day. Very helpful read.

[Krista Moran]

Reading review

This book was very reader friendly. It has excellent information and motivation and I am looking forward to getting started.

[Mohsin Tariq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect short read with tons of great ideas!

Not sure why people keep saying that its same old stuff? Seems like there’s nothing much for them to learn when the ‘same old stuff’ didn’t work.
If you want a quick read to start to learn about time management, this is the book to go with! Author explain several methods and books in this short book; if you like a certain metho you can buy that book to dive deeper into this subject.
Love his great examples and author’s rouinte. This guy is a robot! lol. Thanks Michal!

[Anthony Cappoferri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts simple, practical, and truly insightful. As a student of self-development, I found this brief book to be one of the most basic, concise, yet powerful I have ever read. (Strong statement!) An exceptional value in both time and financial investment. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and it inspired me to go deeper in my own life of self-development and improvement. Highly recommended!

[Trey Waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most valuable books I've come across.

This is exactly what I've been looking for. A practical way to maximize the time you have. Everyone has the same 24hours and this book truly helped me get the most from mine. I can't wait to see what results come from the consistent application.

[Mariano Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want to finally get something done and stop wasting your valuable time? Two of the reasons I read this book and don't regret it. It will change your perspective and focus in life

[Suresh Vijendran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most of the recommendations are already known facts, but this book gave me a reinforcement to practice them again.

[Tony Sammut · Rating 5 out of 5]

My progression.

Perfect book that fits in my life. It will be a good guide for me to develop myself. I don't know proper time management but I am sure this will help me

[Valerie Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a nice condensed refresher on building successful habits.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book three times over the last 4 years. That fact would surprise many coworkers and fellow students from my university days. I have a dual form of dyslexia and because of that have always needed to be very organized in order to be successful academically, and later professionally. And to be honest this is one of the best books for organizing your time I have come across. In a previous review I stated that "I would compare Michal to Robin Sharma, Stephen R. Covey, Dan Millman and John C. Maxwell. It is a mix of some incredible insight, terrific tips, practice advice, and some good steps to get you there." And with each new book I have read of his I believe that more and more. This book and the others in the 10 Minutes a Day Series, are easy to read and even easier to apply. And the greatest strength of this book and the whole series is that Michal teaches from what he knows. Michael reads numerous books on a topic and synthesis the material down into a clear concise guidebook. His books are practical because they are born from experience, from personal trial and error, and because they have worked for him and his coaching clients.

The sections in this book are:
#1 Introduction
Action Items
#2 The 10 Minute Philosophy
Action Items
#3 Motivation
Action Items
#4 The Ultimate Time Management Tool
Action Items
#5 Work on What's Important, Not What's Urgent
Action Items
#6 Don't Kill Your Time
Action Items
#7 Work Every Day
Action Items
#8 Break it Down
Action Items
#9 Use a To Do List
Action Items
#10 Block Your Time
Action Items
#11 Eat that Frog
Action Items
#12 The Sand Grains Method
Action Items
#13 Multi-Tasking
Action Items
Conclusion

Each chapter has a few action items, they will help you not only learn about the concepts intellectually but will guide you through applying them. These action items will take less than the 10 minutes a day, and once you start applying them you will be amazed at how much impact a few small actions can make. For example, from the introduction:

Action Items

-Read the introduction and make four lists (actually write these down):
- Daily Obligations
- Weekly Obligations
- Monthly and Irregular Obligations - Goals

-Compare our lists and see if your time constraints and aspirations look similar to mine.
-If you feel you stand to benefit by reading my methods to time management, read on!

This first item alone has helped me become better at time management. I review each of these lists every 2 or 3 months. It is a great tool for remaining focused. I now have a list of each of these 4 categories, and from that list have an action plan. I have items in each category for mind, body and spiritual development, and this method has helped me improve a lot over the last 4 years. I can state that because of this book and others by Stawicki I have much better work life balance than I did before I started reading his books.

Other than using the four lists the two chapters that had the most impact on me were Block Your Time and Eat the Frog. Both offer great insights. And I have used a technique from Chapter 12, The Sand Grains Method to create a Project Management Light Methodology, I have used it to successfully run 3 major projects at work. It has been so successful that it has been adopted by senior management, and it all came about from ideas found in this book.

Michal begins the conclusion of this book with these words:
"Now you know the basics, go and implement them. The techniques I have shared with you are not rocket science, but they do require sustained effort."
This book in an excellent resource. No matter where you are at, if you are completely unorganized or considered to be a master of your time, I am sure there are some tips in this book that will help you improve in this area, and through improvement in time management you will see gains in so many other areas of your life.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Michal Stawicki. As well as an author profile and interview with Michal.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read, but he packs a lot of great advice into a few pages. Each chapter is only 3 or 4 pages that outline a specific idea on how to improve time management. Stawicki is concise, practical, and honest. Recommended for anyone wanting to improve their time management skills.

[Rosa Frei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared with other good time management books, the author puts a lot of empathy on finding your purpose in life and writing your own personal mission statement down. Because as he writes: "Without a purpose, sooner or later you will give up." What I also like that he points out, that we all have to find our own personal way to manage our time. And with the beautiful words of Martin Luther King, Jr.: "The time is always right to do what is right".

[Emily]

Read kindle sample on 2/13/14.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few good ideas, but not what I was expecting.

[Julie Eger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michal has good time management skills in this book, ones that really make sense.