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Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most
You can't do it all. And you don't have to try.
There are too many things competing for your attention as a teacher. The solution is NOT to manage your time better or work more efficiently.
Or at least -- that's not the place to start.
The most important step is getting clarity, and figuring out how to use your life to make an impact in ways that really matter. This book will help you strengthen the courage to do fewer things, so what remains can be done even better.
There are too many things competing for your attention as a teacher. The solution is NOT to manage your time better or work more efficiently.
Or at least -- that's not the place to start.
The most important step is getting clarity, and figuring out how to use your life to make an impact in ways that really matter. This book will help you strengthen the courage to do fewer things, so what remains can be done even better.
288 pages, Paperback
Published April 10, 2019
265 people are currently reading
910 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
April 25, 2019
If you are a teacher new to the profession, been in it for a whiled, or just find yourself spending too much time and mental energy on the daily issues with being an educator in America, then this is a book of vital importance for you to read.
Packed with a series of useful tips and ideas for better time management, stewarding your time, boundaries, energy, emotions and your life, this read is easy to go through and will help put your mind at ease. Reading this book coincides with so much of the education I'm receiving from top leadership and business books and podcasts. It is important to view classroom practices as leadership even with a business mindset. This book gives practical steps to make that happen.
There are things mentioned that people are probably often thinking, or complaining and venting about with coworkers in schools... Angela in a sense gives the readers permission to do what is best for the students and for their classroom, also what is best for the personal life and sanity of the educator. As a new teacher I felt like having that "spoken in writing" to me was powerful, giving me permission to be human and take care of my needs. It revealed that I don't have to forsake all sanity and personal time to be an effective teacher (and coach) at the middle school and high school level.
If you are struggling with the busyness of the daily grind of being a teacher then this book is definitely one you should pick up. It's practical, encouraging, and a personal morale booster while heading into standardized testing season, everyone's favorite!
Packed with a series of useful tips and ideas for better time management, stewarding your time, boundaries, energy, emotions and your life, this read is easy to go through and will help put your mind at ease. Reading this book coincides with so much of the education I'm receiving from top leadership and business books and podcasts. It is important to view classroom practices as leadership even with a business mindset. This book gives practical steps to make that happen.
There are things mentioned that people are probably often thinking, or complaining and venting about with coworkers in schools... Angela in a sense gives the readers permission to do what is best for the students and for their classroom, also what is best for the personal life and sanity of the educator. As a new teacher I felt like having that "spoken in writing" to me was powerful, giving me permission to be human and take care of my needs. It revealed that I don't have to forsake all sanity and personal time to be an effective teacher (and coach) at the middle school and high school level.
If you are struggling with the busyness of the daily grind of being a teacher then this book is definitely one you should pick up. It's practical, encouraging, and a personal morale booster while heading into standardized testing season, everyone's favorite!
March 29, 2020
“Your students need you to be at your best far more than they need the best lesson.” -page 235
A book focused on helping teachers navigate work responsibilities in a way that honors their need for work/life balance and helps prioritize what is “best” for students over what has always been done or what perfectionistic thinking pressures teachers to spend hours doing. Reminds me of the book “Boundaries” (also highly recommend), but here the emphasis is on K-12 teachers.
A book focused on helping teachers navigate work responsibilities in a way that honors their need for work/life balance and helps prioritize what is “best” for students over what has always been done or what perfectionistic thinking pressures teachers to spend hours doing. Reminds me of the book “Boundaries” (also highly recommend), but here the emphasis is on K-12 teachers.
September 22, 2019
Angela Watson is an expert on efficiency for teachers. This book is not so much a list of time management tips (she has plenty of those in her online materials), but a description how to shift our mindset and allow space to create more balanced lives. Especially helpful for perfectionists.
April 25, 2020
A must read for anyone in the teaching profession. This book spoke to me, as many of Angela's books have, and made me think a lot about myself and my teaching journey.
June 26, 2021
Although this book has several good thoughts about how to take care of yourself as a teacher and what to expect of yourself, I found it extremely repetitive and a chore to read. Her ideas could easily have been summarized in less than 100 pages.
June 1, 2022
I’m on my second time reading.
I read for a few minutes before a work day, Angela is the voice the reminds me not to let work take over and that I can be a productive, good teacher without committing my whole life to it. Some days are harder than others but reading and using these strategies have helped my mind shift not just in work but in my personal life to work on a better harmony. I recommend Angela’s books and podcasts!
I read for a few minutes before a work day, Angela is the voice the reminds me not to let work take over and that I can be a productive, good teacher without committing my whole life to it. Some days are harder than others but reading and using these strategies have helped my mind shift not just in work but in my personal life to work on a better harmony. I recommend Angela’s books and podcasts!
September 22, 2019
I’ve been listening to her podcast for years! Love having all of her bits of wisdom in one little book! Angela Watson for Secretary of Education, please!
December 22, 2021
Could be a great read for less experienced or overwhelmed teachers/ people. I felt like there was a lot of information I already knew in life and from experience. I’m pretty old and I have been teaching for a long ass time and I mostly know how to balance my load. Are there areas I could work on? Sure? Could I delegate more esp to my students? Sure. Did I pick up a nugget here and there? Yes. And I probably would have rated it more highly if I’d read it 20 years ago.
Much of the book was about personal balance versus teacher life and taking care of yourself by figuring out what is truly important and making time for those things and letting go of others in order to fit them into your life. I’m pretty basic and my important things are family, books and friends for the most part so I only have a few things and I can say no fairly easily too but this has happened through practice.
Worth a read, yes.
Much of the book was about personal balance versus teacher life and taking care of yourself by figuring out what is truly important and making time for those things and letting go of others in order to fit them into your life. I’m pretty basic and my important things are family, books and friends for the most part so I only have a few things and I can say no fairly easily too but this has happened through practice.
Worth a read, yes.
April 7, 2020
I read this one for a Professional Development book discussion. I found many things that she highlighted important and she had some excellent suggestions. I agreed with her that when some thing is considered a "Calling" then working many unpaid hours, making do with less, being under-appreciated professionally plagues the world of teaching, there were other things that I did not find helpful. However, overall, many of her suggestions are excellent, and I will be implementing some them in my teaching practice.
January 2, 2020
If you are in the education profession, in any capacity, Angela Watson is a sage that you need to be following. Her 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club, her podcast, and her publications are always helpful and honest. This book is another great example of Angela's clear-eyed views on our profession and how to stay true to what's best about it while working within a system that is not always aligned with best practice.
May 5, 2019
My take-away? → What’s my legacy? What’s my Core 5? Use these to drive what I do EVERY DAY. Check my blog for more learning from reading Angela's work. - http://geniushour.blogspot.com/search...
May 21, 2019
Finally a book for teachers that reflects how we honestly feel. Highly recommend for all educators!
December 31, 2019
It is a rare book that I reread, much less a book I reread within just a couple months of finishing it the first time around. This is an audiobook read by the author (an experienced podcast host) that deserves to probably be on continual repeat for teachers. There are so many important ideas, approaches, and tips to safeguarding your time, health, family, and professionalism in a field that just keeps asking for more and more and where the burnout rate is high. This is one of those books I want to hand out to every teacher I know. It's really helped me grow and shift in the way I approach the logistical side of being an educator. If you're in this field, please read this book.
August 15, 2019
This book is phenomenal. It empowers those of us teachers that are exhausted, love our job, but are sick of being the leaders all time to pull back and still teach effectively. I loved every word!
January 4, 2020
This is the book I needed to read last year.
Actually, this is the book I needed to read when I first started teaching.
While there are many things in this book that I've read before in other contexts, the way Watson puts it together is formidable. This book is a stark solid, and on point, reminder that as a teacher, you can't do it all.
Side note: This is also a great book for anybody working in a field where they feel overtaxed, never able to accomplish what they want and striving to strike a work life balance.
And the self inflicted martyrdom that comes with trying to do so only leads to burnout.
There were many parts of this book where I just had to stop, nod and say, "Yes, thank you! That's exactly what I needed to hear right now."
In fact, many of the things she says in this book are things that I've said on my website and in my 15 minutes a day book. However, I could never fully put it in the context of being a teacher.
Watson articulates the reason why I couldn't transition my thoughts (and actions) on productivity, efficiency, and perfect being the enemy of the good: I'm stuck on the sacred cows of the teaching profession. There are many. And just like getting rid of the sacred cows of writing (see Dean Wesley Smith) will revitalize your love of writing and put you on a path to an enjoyable career, the same can be said for teaching.
I will admit, Watson certainly knows her audience. She definitely talks right to their pain points and she reframes everything in a way that makes you feel like you can handle it again. Now, considering she is a consultant and teacherpreneur, there is a bit of upsell in this book--especially towards her 40 hour a week teacher course.
I'm constantly trying to find ways to improve my craft. I've read countless articles and books on the subject, many of which had good ideas and gems, but not wholly applicable to what I'm trying to accomplish. In some instances, it was too theoretical. In other instances, it advocated for a "perfect" system.
This book, however, should be built as the foundation for anything else that you wish to bring into the classroom. I've already made a request to get copies for other teachers in my school. So thank you, Miss Watson and I look forward to applying everything you've written here.
Actually, this is the book I needed to read when I first started teaching.
While there are many things in this book that I've read before in other contexts, the way Watson puts it together is formidable. This book is a stark solid, and on point, reminder that as a teacher, you can't do it all.
Side note: This is also a great book for anybody working in a field where they feel overtaxed, never able to accomplish what they want and striving to strike a work life balance.
And the self inflicted martyrdom that comes with trying to do so only leads to burnout.
There were many parts of this book where I just had to stop, nod and say, "Yes, thank you! That's exactly what I needed to hear right now."
In fact, many of the things she says in this book are things that I've said on my website and in my 15 minutes a day book. However, I could never fully put it in the context of being a teacher.
Watson articulates the reason why I couldn't transition my thoughts (and actions) on productivity, efficiency, and perfect being the enemy of the good: I'm stuck on the sacred cows of the teaching profession. There are many. And just like getting rid of the sacred cows of writing (see Dean Wesley Smith) will revitalize your love of writing and put you on a path to an enjoyable career, the same can be said for teaching.
I will admit, Watson certainly knows her audience. She definitely talks right to their pain points and she reframes everything in a way that makes you feel like you can handle it again. Now, considering she is a consultant and teacherpreneur, there is a bit of upsell in this book--especially towards her 40 hour a week teacher course.
I'm constantly trying to find ways to improve my craft. I've read countless articles and books on the subject, many of which had good ideas and gems, but not wholly applicable to what I'm trying to accomplish. In some instances, it was too theoretical. In other instances, it advocated for a "perfect" system.
This book, however, should be built as the foundation for anything else that you wish to bring into the classroom. I've already made a request to get copies for other teachers in my school. So thank you, Miss Watson and I look forward to applying everything you've written here.
February 18, 2020
An absolute game changer for all educators. This book is absolutely life-changing. This book needs to be in the hands of every educator. This is a disruptive book, in all the right ways. I can't recommend it highly enough - I'll be revisiting it again and again.
July 16, 2020
New Teachers —-> Read this book!
January 26, 2020
I plan to reread this, so much here to think about and work on. This book is geared toward teachers but the advice is applicable to just about anyone. It's been immensely helpful in becoming more purposeful with how I use my time.
January 24, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. BUDGET TIME:
- What a teacher says “no” to is just as important as what they say “yes” to.
- Budget time like it is money.
2. LEARN IN “BETA MODE”
- make it work. The next step is to make it work “better”.
- Delegate draining tasks to student helpers who would enjoy it.
- “What would this look like if it were easy?”
- I don’t have time for ____, can I just do ____.
- Stop over-complicating the work.
3. NO MARTYRING:
- Release yourself from the “martyr mentality”:
- Working harder to do more doesn’t pay off.
- “Savior complex” to rescue kids.
- The more you care about the kids, the more gets piled on.
4. HOURS WORKED vs. EFFECTIVENESS:
- Challenge the correlation between hours worked and effectiveness.
5. THE STORY:
- The “story” is not the “facts.”
- The story is what we make the facts mean.
6. OWN YOUR CHOICES:
- Reframe mindset to accept responsibility for choices.
- Make peace or choose alternatives. Cut non-essentials.
- What would happen if I didn’t do this?
- You don’t have to comply with everything that is asked. Weigh consequences.
7. YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL:
- Don’t give away your power. You have the right to assert control over how you teach and how you spend your time.
- Brainstorm alternatives to norms. Question what is an unconscious norm vs. official requirement.
- Stop allowing the bureaucracy to steal the enthusiasm you have for your work.
- Show up with solutions.
- OPTIONS: Go along. Subvert the system. Be a leader by standing up for a better solution.
8. BE YOURSELF:
- Be yourself unapologetically without having other people’s expectations define you.
- Understand strengths and the value you bring to the table.
- There is always a critic.
- Focus on small wins.
9. ALIGNMENT:
- “Quality of life” is a being in alignment with what you want and the reality of what you are doing.
- Spread priorities out over time.
- Life goes in seasons.
10. PLAN, THEN EXECUTE:
- stop over-planning on projects you don’t have time to complete.
- don’t start new types of activities.
- Students like knowing what they will be doing.
1. BUDGET TIME:
- What a teacher says “no” to is just as important as what they say “yes” to.
- Budget time like it is money.
2. LEARN IN “BETA MODE”
- make it work. The next step is to make it work “better”.
- Delegate draining tasks to student helpers who would enjoy it.
- “What would this look like if it were easy?”
- I don’t have time for ____, can I just do ____.
- Stop over-complicating the work.
3. NO MARTYRING:
- Release yourself from the “martyr mentality”:
- Working harder to do more doesn’t pay off.
- “Savior complex” to rescue kids.
- The more you care about the kids, the more gets piled on.
4. HOURS WORKED vs. EFFECTIVENESS:
- Challenge the correlation between hours worked and effectiveness.
5. THE STORY:
- The “story” is not the “facts.”
- The story is what we make the facts mean.
6. OWN YOUR CHOICES:
- Reframe mindset to accept responsibility for choices.
- Make peace or choose alternatives. Cut non-essentials.
- What would happen if I didn’t do this?
- You don’t have to comply with everything that is asked. Weigh consequences.
7. YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL:
- Don’t give away your power. You have the right to assert control over how you teach and how you spend your time.
- Brainstorm alternatives to norms. Question what is an unconscious norm vs. official requirement.
- Stop allowing the bureaucracy to steal the enthusiasm you have for your work.
- Show up with solutions.
- OPTIONS: Go along. Subvert the system. Be a leader by standing up for a better solution.
8. BE YOURSELF:
- Be yourself unapologetically without having other people’s expectations define you.
- Understand strengths and the value you bring to the table.
- There is always a critic.
- Focus on small wins.
9. ALIGNMENT:
- “Quality of life” is a being in alignment with what you want and the reality of what you are doing.
- Spread priorities out over time.
- Life goes in seasons.
10. PLAN, THEN EXECUTE:
- stop over-planning on projects you don’t have time to complete.
- don’t start new types of activities.
- Students like knowing what they will be doing.
March 13, 2020
This book is one that I will revisit. I was first introduced to Angela Watson by a teacher colleague who recommended the I join the 40-Hour Teacher Workweek Club. It was the best $99 that I ever spent on a teaching resource. I then started listening to her podcast Truth for Teachers. I found that her ~ 15 minute podcast helped inspire me for the week and helped me have better balance in my life. I found that with Watson’s help I became more efficient at my job, helped gain a more positive mindset, became a better teacher for my students, did a better job of taking care of myself, and have a job that feels sustainable for the future.
This book does a nice job of providing a framework for changing your mindset while also providing tips for how to implement that mindset shift. Practical ideas are described along with relevant examples from her own career as a teacher and instructional coach. I made 69 highlights as I read on my Kindle and that was with me being discerning about what I chose to highlight. I found myself nodding along as I read since I could relate to so much of what she wrote about. I also found that I felt affirmed while I read it because I have been implementing these mindset shifts over the past 3 years and have noticed such a positive change in my own life.
I would highly recommend this book to any teacher.
This book does a nice job of providing a framework for changing your mindset while also providing tips for how to implement that mindset shift. Practical ideas are described along with relevant examples from her own career as a teacher and instructional coach. I made 69 highlights as I read on my Kindle and that was with me being discerning about what I chose to highlight. I found myself nodding along as I read since I could relate to so much of what she wrote about. I also found that I felt affirmed while I read it because I have been implementing these mindset shifts over the past 3 years and have noticed such a positive change in my own life.
I would highly recommend this book to any teacher.
November 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this book, but struggled to finish it. I've been carrying it around since the beginning of the school year about 80% read and finally finished it today.
I think the message is great but sometimes I felt like I wouldn't want to work with sometime who felt this way about education. Overall it have me a lot to think about and I would still recommend it.
I think the message is great but sometimes I felt like I wouldn't want to work with sometime who felt this way about education. Overall it have me a lot to think about and I would still recommend it.
June 17, 2020
I’ve never been into reading a lot of PD books, but our instructional coaches set up summer book clubs around four professional development topics and I joined three of them because money for reading? Yes please! This book is more or less about teacher wellness, and I will be foisting this book on every teacher I know for the foreseeable future because it’s that good.
Watson centers the book on shifting your mindset to believe that a better, more fulfilling life is possible for the teacher who wants it. A lot of what she talks about pulls from what I *think* is stoic philosophy, the idea that everything in life is a choice and we need to learn to reframe our “I have to do _____” mindset into an “I choose to do _____” one (I could be wrong about the stoicism, but this book definitely has less-sweary “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” vibes.) Two years ago I would have resented that, but if you really dig down, that mindset shift makes total sense AND is really powerful. So much of the book also focuses on doing things with intention, and being able to define what “better,” “productive,” and “work” look like for you, personally.
I took the most from the section where Watson asks us to distinguish between “real work” and “hobby work,” with real work being what is absolutely essential to our job that we can’t get away with NOT doing, and hobby work being the parts of our job that we don’t strictly *have* to do but that being us joy and fulfillment, so we find it worthwhile. And that’s different for everyone, so my “hobby work” is not someone else’s, and vice-Versa. It really brings me joy to design cute weekly hyperdocs for my BlendEd classes, but this is hardly a requirement of doing my job well. The same can be said for directing: it fulfills me to no end even though I could absolutely be a teacher and never step into the theatre again. Here’s my fave quote:
“Once you distinguish between real work and hobby work, you can either cut back on some of the hobby work in order to focus on something else, or you can embrace it wholeheartedly. The only path that isn’t viable is continuing to do hobby work incessantly while feeling resentful and complaining that you have no life apart from school. You have total control of those activities, and you are responsible for considering the trade-offs you’re making.”
Woof. You’re so right, Angela Watson. I CAN’T just keep feeling so resentful!
There are some practical tips in here too, but it’s definitely more of an “internal shift” that she advocates for. Minus one star because I think she’s speaking from a place of privilege that she doesn’t quite check (a lot of assumptions about a two-adult household, which can be alienating for like, single parents?) but overall the beliefs she’s sharing hold up. Highly recommend!
Watson centers the book on shifting your mindset to believe that a better, more fulfilling life is possible for the teacher who wants it. A lot of what she talks about pulls from what I *think* is stoic philosophy, the idea that everything in life is a choice and we need to learn to reframe our “I have to do _____” mindset into an “I choose to do _____” one (I could be wrong about the stoicism, but this book definitely has less-sweary “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” vibes.) Two years ago I would have resented that, but if you really dig down, that mindset shift makes total sense AND is really powerful. So much of the book also focuses on doing things with intention, and being able to define what “better,” “productive,” and “work” look like for you, personally.
I took the most from the section where Watson asks us to distinguish between “real work” and “hobby work,” with real work being what is absolutely essential to our job that we can’t get away with NOT doing, and hobby work being the parts of our job that we don’t strictly *have* to do but that being us joy and fulfillment, so we find it worthwhile. And that’s different for everyone, so my “hobby work” is not someone else’s, and vice-Versa. It really brings me joy to design cute weekly hyperdocs for my BlendEd classes, but this is hardly a requirement of doing my job well. The same can be said for directing: it fulfills me to no end even though I could absolutely be a teacher and never step into the theatre again. Here’s my fave quote:
“Once you distinguish between real work and hobby work, you can either cut back on some of the hobby work in order to focus on something else, or you can embrace it wholeheartedly. The only path that isn’t viable is continuing to do hobby work incessantly while feeling resentful and complaining that you have no life apart from school. You have total control of those activities, and you are responsible for considering the trade-offs you’re making.”
Woof. You’re so right, Angela Watson. I CAN’T just keep feeling so resentful!
There are some practical tips in here too, but it’s definitely more of an “internal shift” that she advocates for. Minus one star because I think she’s speaking from a place of privilege that she doesn’t quite check (a lot of assumptions about a two-adult household, which can be alienating for like, single parents?) but overall the beliefs she’s sharing hold up. Highly recommend!
April 19, 2019
I loved this book! One thing I love about Angela is how she will meet your where you are. There were multiple moments where I thought: "This would have really struck a chord a year ago. This is something I still need to come back to." One thought that really struck home for me was Angela's explanation that when people say they want more time, they don't quite mean that. They mean they want more memories. This book can help be the catalyst towards a life focused on memories, not time. There are so many tools and mindset shifts and strategies you can use for productivity, but ultimately, the goal is not productivity. The goal is living your best life. This book keeps that hope for each person's best life at its core.
I have read Angela's books, listen to her podcast, done the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek, and listened to Finally Free, but I still took many notes on this book. If you find yourself wondering if your life is headed down the right track or if your current teaching position or teaching in general is working for you or if you're worried you're just wasting time, this book is for you. This has so much powerful advice that would apply to more than teachers, but if you're a teacher, read it!
Angela allows you to notice things in the world, particularly those that are unique to the microcosm of schools. It forces you to think and wonder about deep questions such as:
-Do I want people to agree that I have a terribly hard job with completely unreasonable demands, or do I want to enjoy my work?
-What kind of legacy do I want to leave (and how can that inform choices about my time)?
-Energy, money, and time are all resources, but they act differently. How do I view them and how should I use them?
-How do I think that working harder and doing more could possibly be the way to meet all of the expectations on me?
-What if I gave myself permission to look for ways to make things better instead of expecting them to be perfect from the start?
One major lightbulb quote for me was thinking: "Staying perpetually busy and overcommitted is a common way people hold themselves back from fulfilling their dreams. When you're constantly in motion, you have an excuse for delaying your goals." Also: "The only time that's wasted is the time that you neither utilize nor enjoy. Every experience is an opportunity for fulfillment through getting things done or being mindfully present."
If any of that seems like something you want to know more about, there's so much more in this book including core beliefs, dangers of different personal "syndromes", questions to clarify life choices, empowering advice, etc.
I had the privilege of reading this book early, but as soon as I could preorder, I did because I could not wait to read it again and let it all sink in more!
I have read Angela's books, listen to her podcast, done the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek, and listened to Finally Free, but I still took many notes on this book. If you find yourself wondering if your life is headed down the right track or if your current teaching position or teaching in general is working for you or if you're worried you're just wasting time, this book is for you. This has so much powerful advice that would apply to more than teachers, but if you're a teacher, read it!
Angela allows you to notice things in the world, particularly those that are unique to the microcosm of schools. It forces you to think and wonder about deep questions such as:
-Do I want people to agree that I have a terribly hard job with completely unreasonable demands, or do I want to enjoy my work?
-What kind of legacy do I want to leave (and how can that inform choices about my time)?
-Energy, money, and time are all resources, but they act differently. How do I view them and how should I use them?
-How do I think that working harder and doing more could possibly be the way to meet all of the expectations on me?
-What if I gave myself permission to look for ways to make things better instead of expecting them to be perfect from the start?
One major lightbulb quote for me was thinking: "Staying perpetually busy and overcommitted is a common way people hold themselves back from fulfilling their dreams. When you're constantly in motion, you have an excuse for delaying your goals." Also: "The only time that's wasted is the time that you neither utilize nor enjoy. Every experience is an opportunity for fulfillment through getting things done or being mindfully present."
If any of that seems like something you want to know more about, there's so much more in this book including core beliefs, dangers of different personal "syndromes", questions to clarify life choices, empowering advice, etc.
I had the privilege of reading this book early, but as soon as I could preorder, I did because I could not wait to read it again and let it all sink in more!
September 28, 2021
How many of us say there isn't enough time in the day to do all that we need/want to do? Perhaps it's not that there isn't enough time but that we are not using the time we have as efficiently as we could. If this sounds familiar, then this book is for you. Made for educators, this book is about changing our mindset and habits; Watson doesn't simply provide strategies. It's more about shifting how we think and how we create a better work/personal life balance. This is a great book to use with new teachers; okay, it's good for all educators because it's easy to fall into time management traps, and we can all use reminders. We need to give ourselves permission to do what is best for our students and for us (which might be seen as rebelling against practices and procedures sometimes!) I think the book could have been shorter; there were some points that felt like they had fillers/repetition.
I really like that the author provides a free online mini course with resources and a workbook. It's available to anyone at FTBproject.com
I really like that the author provides a free online mini course with resources and a workbook. It's available to anyone at FTBproject.com
February 3, 2021
This book changed my “world” through changing my mindset. The information is not necessarily earth shattering, but it did shatter the shackles I have placed upon myself for far too long. God spoke through Watson, bringing this book to my attention right when I was at a very low point. Trying to teach during a pandemic heightened all the things that drive me bonkers in a normal year. Watson’s advice turned my life around. The moment I picked up the book to read some more, it was exactly what I needed to know. I am now on a new health journey, and I look and feel more amazing than I have for the last seven years. I am in a headspace that isn’t freaking out when the next 20 tasks are added to the other 50 that were given last week. I am managing my time more smartly. Now that I’ve finished the book, new self care habits will be formed. I highly recommend this book for any teacher who is perpetually living in survival mode - pandemic induced or not. It will change your life!
November 16, 2019
I'm a member of Angela's 40Hour Teacher Work Week Club, and at first, I was not sure about buying this book. I wasn't sure that there would be enough unique content to justify the purchase and time. While some of the content of the book was familiar from her club or from her podcast, I still found the book refreshing and compelling. The way that I would explain the connection is that the club is about the HOW of work/life balance for educators while this book is about the WHY along with essential mindset changes that support the decisions made by teachers in the club. This is the type of book that took me much longer to read because I kept pausing to take notes or reflect on what she was saying.
June 10, 2019
My favorite part was the historical background of how teaching in the 1800's was done by unmarried women, so it began as a job not expected to have a sustainable wage, and how some of those beliefs born in the 1800's carry over to today.
I always appreciate reminders about how I am spending my time and what assumptions I am making about how I have to spend my time. I'm definitely guilty of adding more to my plate without really taking anything off it, so I appreciate reminders like, "Saying yes to something means saying no to something else" (even if one is not consciously aware she is saying no to time with family, etc.).
I always appreciate reminders about how I am spending my time and what assumptions I am making about how I have to spend my time. I'm definitely guilty of adding more to my plate without really taking anything off it, so I appreciate reminders like, "Saying yes to something means saying no to something else" (even if one is not consciously aware she is saying no to time with family, etc.).
October 11, 2020
This book should be REQUIRED READING for everyone though its focus is for teachers. In our American society where most of us are overworked and overwhelmed this book helps empower you to do fewer things better. It helps you have ownership of your time and gives you the tools you need to reflect on what is important to you, let go of perfectionism, and use your time the way you want while balancing the things that are important to us so we are living a more fulfilled life and life is short. Angela's podcast also helps me so much and helps me get back on track. Go get this book and then pass it on to a friend! Thank you, Angela 🌷💜
April 28, 2019
This book is designed to help you get back the balance in your life. As a teacher, mother and wife myself, I had given into the countless reasons/excuses as to why I needed to be so busy and overwhelmed in my life. Angela gives you back the power to find your own happy balance in your life and free yourself from the guilt of taking your life back. I recommend reading this book and then following the mini-course that comes with it. You deserve to have a happy balance in your life and this book will help you get there.
July 9, 2019
Are you are a classroom teacher looking to maximize the time you spend working in addition to your life outside of work? Angela will inspire you, while helping you to take steps in making realistic, practical change that suits you and your unique purpose. She not only writes from years of experience but the book is filled with encouragement and perspectives from other teachers. I’m going to be referring back to this book often and have already encouraged my team to read it. Easy read and immediately applicable.
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