What do you think?
Rate this book
Not Today: The 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity
When their five-year-old son fought for his life, business leaders Erica and Mike Schultz learned a new way to live, work, and succeed—discovering how to achieve extreme productivity with heart and purpose.
Ari Schultz was an extraordinary baby, beginning life in a pitched battle against heart disease. The same year, his parents launched their business, and they had to keep it going strong, even while living full-time at the hospital for months on end. For the next five years, Erica and Mike Schultz learned how to balance the demands of their jobs, commuting to the hospital, and spending time with their growing family—along the way, noting the tricks and techniques that allowed them to get work done, even while living in the cardiac ICU and later through heartbreaking loss.
After reflection and recovery, Mike and Erica codified their method of coping and working, and set out to study the work habits of extremely productive people. They discovered what extremely productive people do differently than everyone else, and went on to create The Productivity Code—a new approach to productivity that has helped tens of thousands of people manage their time for greatest effectiveness, fulfillment, and happiness.
Now, Erica and Mike reveal the 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity along with easy-to-apply techniques,
• How to stay focused—and positive—even in difficult times
• Clearly defining your motivations through written goals and four-three-four planning
• Helpful hacks to stop procrastinating
• How to disrupt unproductive thought cycles and break bad habits for good
• Changing your mindset to prioritize time doing things you love
• Setting boundaries and saying no to tasks that don't serve you
• Tricks to become impossible to distract
• Working in powerful planned "sprints" to get in the zone
• Finding ways to refuel your mental and physical energy
• Resetting and correcting when you've gone off course
Interweaving their son's poignant story with effective productivity and happiness strategies, Not Today shows how anyone can better manage their time—while living a more energetic and meaningful life.
Ari Schultz was an extraordinary baby, beginning life in a pitched battle against heart disease. The same year, his parents launched their business, and they had to keep it going strong, even while living full-time at the hospital for months on end. For the next five years, Erica and Mike Schultz learned how to balance the demands of their jobs, commuting to the hospital, and spending time with their growing family—along the way, noting the tricks and techniques that allowed them to get work done, even while living in the cardiac ICU and later through heartbreaking loss.
After reflection and recovery, Mike and Erica codified their method of coping and working, and set out to study the work habits of extremely productive people. They discovered what extremely productive people do differently than everyone else, and went on to create The Productivity Code—a new approach to productivity that has helped tens of thousands of people manage their time for greatest effectiveness, fulfillment, and happiness.
Now, Erica and Mike reveal the 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity along with easy-to-apply techniques,
• How to stay focused—and positive—even in difficult times
• Clearly defining your motivations through written goals and four-three-four planning
• Helpful hacks to stop procrastinating
• How to disrupt unproductive thought cycles and break bad habits for good
• Changing your mindset to prioritize time doing things you love
• Setting boundaries and saying no to tasks that don't serve you
• Tricks to become impossible to distract
• Working in powerful planned "sprints" to get in the zone
• Finding ways to refuel your mental and physical energy
• Resetting and correcting when you've gone off course
Interweaving their son's poignant story with effective productivity and happiness strategies, Not Today shows how anyone can better manage their time—while living a more energetic and meaningful life.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2021
53 people are currently reading
1673 people want to read
About the author
Erica Schultz
1 book22 followersAs Chief Marketing Officer and Owner of Boston-based RAIN Group, Erica heads up all aspects of the award-winning sales training companies go-to-market strategy, growth initiatives, messaging, branding, lead generation, and thought leadership.
Since 2005, the RAIN Group Center for Sales Research has been studying various aspects of the buying and selling process. Erica conceives the research, and then takes the findings to create benchmark reports, white papers, research briefs, guides, articles, and bestselling books to help sellers and sales leaders around the globe.
She has authored major reports that have received tens of thousands of downloads, including The Extreme Productivity Benchmark, Top Sales Leadership Challenges and Priorities, and 3 Daily Habits to Increase Sales Motivation.
Erica has been featured in publications including, Entrepreneur, ESPN, People Magazine, ABC World News Tonight, American Express, ATD, Selling Power, Training Industry, Hubspot Sales Blog, and others.
In 2019, she was named to Worcester Business Journal’s 40-under-40 and honored by the Sales Lead Management Association (SLMA) as one of the Top 20 Women to Watch in 2011 and 2016.
Erica holds a BA in Business Administration from Boston University School of Management and enjoys skiing, golfing, and anything that puts her outdoors. She’s on marketing and housing committees for the Ethan M. Lindberg Foundation, an organization that provides practical support to families facing congenital heart defects, like her own. She also enjoys spending time with her family on the beaches of Southern Maine or at her lake house in Central Mass.
Since 2005, the RAIN Group Center for Sales Research has been studying various aspects of the buying and selling process. Erica conceives the research, and then takes the findings to create benchmark reports, white papers, research briefs, guides, articles, and bestselling books to help sellers and sales leaders around the globe.
She has authored major reports that have received tens of thousands of downloads, including The Extreme Productivity Benchmark, Top Sales Leadership Challenges and Priorities, and 3 Daily Habits to Increase Sales Motivation.
Erica has been featured in publications including, Entrepreneur, ESPN, People Magazine, ABC World News Tonight, American Express, ATD, Selling Power, Training Industry, Hubspot Sales Blog, and others.
In 2019, she was named to Worcester Business Journal’s 40-under-40 and honored by the Sales Lead Management Association (SLMA) as one of the Top 20 Women to Watch in 2011 and 2016.
Erica holds a BA in Business Administration from Boston University School of Management and enjoys skiing, golfing, and anything that puts her outdoors. She’s on marketing and housing committees for the Ethan M. Lindberg Foundation, an organization that provides practical support to families facing congenital heart defects, like her own. She also enjoys spending time with her family on the beaches of Southern Maine or at her lake house in Central Mass.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 20, 2022
I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My review was going to be 3 stars but bumped down to 2 stars after I finished the book and tried to access the "online tools". The productivity code challenge costs money to join. OK fair enough. But the book tools referenced throughout the book are not available without giving your personal and professional information. Sorry, but your book was not good enough for me to be added to your database.
In terms of the content itself, I found it to have some good points but I was not happy with the way they were presented. I felt that the authors tried too hard to justify their recommendations with science and it was too researchy. The bottom line is they recommend you decide what really matters, work on that first, work on it steadily, cut out distractions, and keep yourself healthy enough to do the work. I have read other books that present similar material in a much more accessible way.
I'm sure that this is a great selling tool when you are trying to convince companies to give you money to train their people to follow your methods. However, for the average reader, it is just too much to wade through that doesn't matter to the bottom line of how do I get my time management in order and working for me.
In terms of the content itself, I found it to have some good points but I was not happy with the way they were presented. I felt that the authors tried too hard to justify their recommendations with science and it was too researchy. The bottom line is they recommend you decide what really matters, work on that first, work on it steadily, cut out distractions, and keep yourself healthy enough to do the work. I have read other books that present similar material in a much more accessible way.
I'm sure that this is a great selling tool when you are trying to convince companies to give you money to train their people to follow your methods. However, for the average reader, it is just too much to wade through that doesn't matter to the bottom line of how do I get my time management in order and working for me.
Read
November 9, 2021Erica and Mike Schultz learned the hard way how to become extremely productive, while their young son Ari was fighting a heart condition. But the brilliantly effective habits they developed can be learned by anyone and everyone who wants to get more done. The nine habits revolve around getting motivated, obsessing over your TIME schedule, and working steadily and energetically in the zone. Extreme productivity is closer than you think.
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Set a Big Picture Goal – and then break it down.
Productivity isn’t just about how and what – it’s also about why. And that’s why you need a Big Picture Goal – something you want to achieve, maybe months or, even better, years in the future. Write this down, then break it down into manageable steps: where will you need to be after two years? How about after one? Then figure out how to get there, including which targets you’ll need to hit every month, week, and day. Once your goal is broken down into chunks, you’ll start to see that it really is achievable.
---
Extremely productive people manage their time better – and so can you.
When you have a child whose life is at risk, you really have to make every moment count. And that’s especially true when your schedule is as busy as Mike and Erica’s was.
In fact, they started to look at time in a whole new way. For them, TIME became an acronym, with each letter standing for a different category.
T is treasured time; I is investment time; M is mandatory time; and E is empty time. And once you start to break down your day into those four categories, you’re a big step closer to becoming extremely productive.
The key message here is: Extremely productive people manage their time better – and so can you.
Treasured time is what it sounds like: it’s the time that’s most special to you on a personal level. For Mike and Erica, this was often the time they spent with Ari, watching hockey on the hospital television, or playing baseball in the play area. But they also treasured the time they spent in jujitsu class, or in front of Grey’s Anatomy with a cold beer. Don’t just think of this as time off – think of it as time to cherish.
Investment time generates returns that exceed the work you put in – just like a financial investment. When you take investment time seriously, you’ll start to see new possibilities and opportunities for expansion. It’s where you should look to spend most of your work time.
Mandatory time is time doing the day-to-day things you feel you have to do, even if you don’t want to. You should try to minimize mandatory time. Some of it you can – and should – outsource. Some of it you might be able to turn into investment time. Your daily commute, for instance: stick on a relevant podcast, and a mandatory activity becomes an investment.
Empty time is wasted time. Surfing the web, checking social media, staring into space. This one’s easy: just cut it back. Eliminate it altogether if you can – it adds nothing.
All that might sound easier said than done. But the truth is, it’s easier than you probably think to craft a new routine for yourself in which you can maximize treasured and investment time and minimize mandatory and empty time.
As the authors discovered, you just need to develop nine habits. And that’s what we’re going to look at next.
---
Prioritizing important activities and developing better routines helps you make the most of each day.
During Ari’s long, final stay in the hospital, the family fell into a morning routine that involved a scarily large amount of iPad time. Ari would wake up and watch sports for hours, and soon, the morning was gone. That was that. But he was in hospital – how could Mike and Erica say no?
Still, they eventually realized they had to change the routine. So every morning they started getting Ari out of bed and walking around the hospital. They would greet everyone they met with a cheerful “Good morning!” Or, once Ari developed an interest in Japan, he’d say it in Japanese: “Ohayo!”
This new habit completely changed Ari’s mood – not just for the morning, but for the whole day.
The key message here is: Prioritizing important activities and developing better routines helps you make the most of each day.
Ari’s morning walk is a great example of the second habit in the Productivity Code: ignite your proactivity. This is all about how you structure individual days. Start by filling your daily calendar with investment time activities. Then, within that schedule, prioritize your Greatest Impact Activity, or GIA. This is the activity with the biggest long-term return on detailed, concentrated effort. Exactly what it is may vary from day to day, but in general, it’s best to work on your GIA early on in the day, when your mind is fresh. On those days when you’d rather stay in bed, try shifting your attitude by sitting up and saying “3, 2, 1, go!” That should give you the momentum you need.
Habit three is to reengineer your habits. On one level this couldn’t be simpler: identify unproductive, empty-time habits – like Ari’s morning iPad routine – and upgrade them. But this also works on the micro scale.
Take your phone, for example. When a notification comes in, do you immediately grab it and lose your concentration? If so, you can solve that problem by turning off unnecessary notifications. Or just train yourself to react differently. The next time it happens, remind yourself how much you’ll gain by staying focused and leaving your phone where it is.
Changing your environment can be useful, too. Look around you and think about what aspects of your surroundings do and don’t help you concentrate. Fix them – find somewhere else to work if you need to.
To really turbo-boost your productivity, though, it’s all about not space, but time.
---
The fourth, fifth and sixth habits are all about managing your TIME.
During Ari’s time in the hospital, Mike’s father usually looked after Ari in the morning while Mike worked. But when his father couldn’t make it, Mike faced a problem managing his time.
One such morning, Ari was watching hockey as Mike tried to work. But Ari had developed a new obsession. He kept trying out hand signals, imitating the hockey umpires.
Mike’s initial reaction was annoyance – not at Ari, but at his distraction from his GIA. How could he concentrate on work when all he wanted to do was spend time with his son? Eventually, he realized the lesson he was learning, set his work aside, and played with his son.
Because sometimes treasured time wins out.
The key message here is: The fourth, fifth and sixth habits are all about managing your TIME.
As that morning with Ari proved, sometimes you need to adapt your schedule to fit your priorities. To do that, adopt the fourth habit: obsess over TIME.
Obsessing over your treasured, investment, mandatory, and empty time means figuring out where every single activity in your day fits within that structure. Then make sure that your priorities are reflected in your daily routine. How? Well, take treasured time. Increase investment time. Minimize mandatory time. And, as much as possible, eliminate empty time.
Sticking to these rules and achieving greater productivity isn’t just about what you do, though. It’s also about what you don’t do, and that’s where habit five comes in: say no. This means having a clear idea of what’s really important. If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t fit with your priorities, have the courage to say no. Next time you’re asked to bake cookies for a charity sale, ask yourself: Would this be investment time for me? If not, politely decline. That’s habit five: say no.
Habit six is play hard to get. This is about concentration: distractions are everywhere for us these days – including in our inboxes. But does every email need to be dealt with right away? Don’t make out like you’re constantly available: block off time for dealing with issues that arise, and devote the rest of your time to your own schedule. Go someplace else if you need to. Remember: your TIME is your own. It has to be.
---
Habits seven and eight get you into the zone, and give you the energy to stay there.
The first and second sections of the Productivity Code have taught you how to get motivated, and organize your TIME. The final section is about how to put theory into practice, by executing in the zone – that state where you’re completely engaged with work, tuned out from all distractions, and able to accomplish remarkable things.
Sounds nice, right? But how do you get there whenever you need to?
Well, maybe it’s worth asking someone who had to get in the zone every day while waiting in a hospital, with his young son down the corridor.
The key message here is: Habits seven and eight get you into the zone, and give you the energy to stay there.
Mike wasn’t always in the zone, especially in the early days of Ari’s hospital stays. He’d be checking his email or Facebook, texting, getting coffee – you name it. Sixty minutes of work would routinely turn into 11 or so minutes of real focus.
So how do you go from there to being in the zone? In short, discipline. Block off what Mike calls a sprint – 20 to 90 minutes set aside for productive work. Then try a relay, which is four sprints in a row with short breaks in between. Time your sprints with a stopwatch, but don’t use the one on your phone, which you definitely don’t want to be looking at.
Of course, for a productive session in the zone, you also need sufficient energy. This is something else the XP are much better than the rest of us at doing: they sustain their energy levels for longer, and not just with chocolate bars. Energy is a triad of mind, body, and spirit. To have enough energy, you need to nurture each of these elements.
Encourage your mind through positive self-talk, and give it a break by minimizing decision-making. For instance, instead of wasting mental energy on deciding what to have for breakfast, just have the same thing every day.
As for your body, you probably already know how to take care of it: eat nourishing food, get enough sleep, and exercise. But do you do these things? If not, it’s time to step up.
Finally, there’s spirit: if you’re taking treasured time and doing meaningful work, you’re well on your way.
Of course, life isn’t as simple as that might make it sound, but these basic principles are what you should be aiming towards. And when things don’t go the way you want them to – well, that’s where habit nine comes in.
---
The final productivity habit is to right the ship – no matter what life throws at you.
When he was five and a half, Ari finally got the heart transplant he needed. But tragically, his body didn’t accept it, and he passed away not long after.
Mike and Erica felt utterly drained and defeated, and they struggled to cope. They both had trouble sleeping, and Mike was drinking too much. Despite the good habits they’d developed, they were running on empty.
But eventually, they simply had to pull themselves together and let a positive attitude lead them forward. In other words, they had to right their ship.
The key message here is: The final productivity habit is to right the ship – no matter what life throws at you.
How do you get back on track when life seems so overwhelmingly hard?
One way is to engage not your free will, but your free won’t. This is a little like reengineering your habits, and it’s particularly useful if you’ve fallen into destructive routines. Start by identifying your bad habits, from ordering another beer to checking your phone. You might feel like you don’t have the will to choose whether or not to do these things, but luckily, you do have free won’t. So dig in and tell yourself no. In Mike’s case, this meant giving up alcohol and taking up exercise, which helped him lose 25 pounds and start sleeping well again.
Another tip relates to the authors’ advice on breaking down large tasks into small ones. Micro changes make a huge difference, not just in achieving your goals, but in improving your outlook. If getting into cycling feels like too big of a commitment, turn it into a manageable one: ride for just 15 minutes the first day, and then let yourself relax.
One final tip for righting the ship is to make a contract with yourself. This could be as simple as signing up for a class or joining a gym. Or you could promise yourself that, if you don’t meet a target, you’ll make a donation to a charity you dislike – that’s how Mike lost all that weight.
Ari may be gone, but he’s still in his parents’ hearts, inspiring them and motivating them to make the most of their lives. And that’s a lesson everyone should remember.
The XP aren’t magicians. Just like the rest of us, they get distracted, discouraged, thrown off course. But they are far more likely than anyone else to get themselves back on track. And with just a few adjustments to your routine, you can do the same.
And here’s some more actionable advice:
Set a Big Picture Goal – and then break it down.
Productivity isn’t just about how and what – it’s also about why. And that’s why you need a Big Picture Goal – something you want to achieve, maybe months or, even better, years in the future. Write this down, then break it down into manageable steps: where will you need to be after two years? How about after one? Then figure out how to get there, including which targets you’ll need to hit every month, week, and day. Once your goal is broken down into chunks, you’ll start to see that it really is achievable.
---
Extremely productive people manage their time better – and so can you.
When you have a child whose life is at risk, you really have to make every moment count. And that’s especially true when your schedule is as busy as Mike and Erica’s was.
In fact, they started to look at time in a whole new way. For them, TIME became an acronym, with each letter standing for a different category.
T is treasured time; I is investment time; M is mandatory time; and E is empty time. And once you start to break down your day into those four categories, you’re a big step closer to becoming extremely productive.
The key message here is: Extremely productive people manage their time better – and so can you.
Treasured time is what it sounds like: it’s the time that’s most special to you on a personal level. For Mike and Erica, this was often the time they spent with Ari, watching hockey on the hospital television, or playing baseball in the play area. But they also treasured the time they spent in jujitsu class, or in front of Grey’s Anatomy with a cold beer. Don’t just think of this as time off – think of it as time to cherish.
Investment time generates returns that exceed the work you put in – just like a financial investment. When you take investment time seriously, you’ll start to see new possibilities and opportunities for expansion. It’s where you should look to spend most of your work time.
Mandatory time is time doing the day-to-day things you feel you have to do, even if you don’t want to. You should try to minimize mandatory time. Some of it you can – and should – outsource. Some of it you might be able to turn into investment time. Your daily commute, for instance: stick on a relevant podcast, and a mandatory activity becomes an investment.
Empty time is wasted time. Surfing the web, checking social media, staring into space. This one’s easy: just cut it back. Eliminate it altogether if you can – it adds nothing.
All that might sound easier said than done. But the truth is, it’s easier than you probably think to craft a new routine for yourself in which you can maximize treasured and investment time and minimize mandatory and empty time.
As the authors discovered, you just need to develop nine habits. And that’s what we’re going to look at next.
---
Prioritizing important activities and developing better routines helps you make the most of each day.
During Ari’s long, final stay in the hospital, the family fell into a morning routine that involved a scarily large amount of iPad time. Ari would wake up and watch sports for hours, and soon, the morning was gone. That was that. But he was in hospital – how could Mike and Erica say no?
Still, they eventually realized they had to change the routine. So every morning they started getting Ari out of bed and walking around the hospital. They would greet everyone they met with a cheerful “Good morning!” Or, once Ari developed an interest in Japan, he’d say it in Japanese: “Ohayo!”
This new habit completely changed Ari’s mood – not just for the morning, but for the whole day.
The key message here is: Prioritizing important activities and developing better routines helps you make the most of each day.
Ari’s morning walk is a great example of the second habit in the Productivity Code: ignite your proactivity. This is all about how you structure individual days. Start by filling your daily calendar with investment time activities. Then, within that schedule, prioritize your Greatest Impact Activity, or GIA. This is the activity with the biggest long-term return on detailed, concentrated effort. Exactly what it is may vary from day to day, but in general, it’s best to work on your GIA early on in the day, when your mind is fresh. On those days when you’d rather stay in bed, try shifting your attitude by sitting up and saying “3, 2, 1, go!” That should give you the momentum you need.
Habit three is to reengineer your habits. On one level this couldn’t be simpler: identify unproductive, empty-time habits – like Ari’s morning iPad routine – and upgrade them. But this also works on the micro scale.
Take your phone, for example. When a notification comes in, do you immediately grab it and lose your concentration? If so, you can solve that problem by turning off unnecessary notifications. Or just train yourself to react differently. The next time it happens, remind yourself how much you’ll gain by staying focused and leaving your phone where it is.
Changing your environment can be useful, too. Look around you and think about what aspects of your surroundings do and don’t help you concentrate. Fix them – find somewhere else to work if you need to.
To really turbo-boost your productivity, though, it’s all about not space, but time.
---
The fourth, fifth and sixth habits are all about managing your TIME.
During Ari’s time in the hospital, Mike’s father usually looked after Ari in the morning while Mike worked. But when his father couldn’t make it, Mike faced a problem managing his time.
One such morning, Ari was watching hockey as Mike tried to work. But Ari had developed a new obsession. He kept trying out hand signals, imitating the hockey umpires.
Mike’s initial reaction was annoyance – not at Ari, but at his distraction from his GIA. How could he concentrate on work when all he wanted to do was spend time with his son? Eventually, he realized the lesson he was learning, set his work aside, and played with his son.
Because sometimes treasured time wins out.
The key message here is: The fourth, fifth and sixth habits are all about managing your TIME.
As that morning with Ari proved, sometimes you need to adapt your schedule to fit your priorities. To do that, adopt the fourth habit: obsess over TIME.
Obsessing over your treasured, investment, mandatory, and empty time means figuring out where every single activity in your day fits within that structure. Then make sure that your priorities are reflected in your daily routine. How? Well, take treasured time. Increase investment time. Minimize mandatory time. And, as much as possible, eliminate empty time.
Sticking to these rules and achieving greater productivity isn’t just about what you do, though. It’s also about what you don’t do, and that’s where habit five comes in: say no. This means having a clear idea of what’s really important. If someone asks you to do something that doesn’t fit with your priorities, have the courage to say no. Next time you’re asked to bake cookies for a charity sale, ask yourself: Would this be investment time for me? If not, politely decline. That’s habit five: say no.
Habit six is play hard to get. This is about concentration: distractions are everywhere for us these days – including in our inboxes. But does every email need to be dealt with right away? Don’t make out like you’re constantly available: block off time for dealing with issues that arise, and devote the rest of your time to your own schedule. Go someplace else if you need to. Remember: your TIME is your own. It has to be.
---
Habits seven and eight get you into the zone, and give you the energy to stay there.
The first and second sections of the Productivity Code have taught you how to get motivated, and organize your TIME. The final section is about how to put theory into practice, by executing in the zone – that state where you’re completely engaged with work, tuned out from all distractions, and able to accomplish remarkable things.
Sounds nice, right? But how do you get there whenever you need to?
Well, maybe it’s worth asking someone who had to get in the zone every day while waiting in a hospital, with his young son down the corridor.
The key message here is: Habits seven and eight get you into the zone, and give you the energy to stay there.
Mike wasn’t always in the zone, especially in the early days of Ari’s hospital stays. He’d be checking his email or Facebook, texting, getting coffee – you name it. Sixty minutes of work would routinely turn into 11 or so minutes of real focus.
So how do you go from there to being in the zone? In short, discipline. Block off what Mike calls a sprint – 20 to 90 minutes set aside for productive work. Then try a relay, which is four sprints in a row with short breaks in between. Time your sprints with a stopwatch, but don’t use the one on your phone, which you definitely don’t want to be looking at.
Of course, for a productive session in the zone, you also need sufficient energy. This is something else the XP are much better than the rest of us at doing: they sustain their energy levels for longer, and not just with chocolate bars. Energy is a triad of mind, body, and spirit. To have enough energy, you need to nurture each of these elements.
Encourage your mind through positive self-talk, and give it a break by minimizing decision-making. For instance, instead of wasting mental energy on deciding what to have for breakfast, just have the same thing every day.
As for your body, you probably already know how to take care of it: eat nourishing food, get enough sleep, and exercise. But do you do these things? If not, it’s time to step up.
Finally, there’s spirit: if you’re taking treasured time and doing meaningful work, you’re well on your way.
Of course, life isn’t as simple as that might make it sound, but these basic principles are what you should be aiming towards. And when things don’t go the way you want them to – well, that’s where habit nine comes in.
---
The final productivity habit is to right the ship – no matter what life throws at you.
When he was five and a half, Ari finally got the heart transplant he needed. But tragically, his body didn’t accept it, and he passed away not long after.
Mike and Erica felt utterly drained and defeated, and they struggled to cope. They both had trouble sleeping, and Mike was drinking too much. Despite the good habits they’d developed, they were running on empty.
But eventually, they simply had to pull themselves together and let a positive attitude lead them forward. In other words, they had to right their ship.
The key message here is: The final productivity habit is to right the ship – no matter what life throws at you.
How do you get back on track when life seems so overwhelmingly hard?
One way is to engage not your free will, but your free won’t. This is a little like reengineering your habits, and it’s particularly useful if you’ve fallen into destructive routines. Start by identifying your bad habits, from ordering another beer to checking your phone. You might feel like you don’t have the will to choose whether or not to do these things, but luckily, you do have free won’t. So dig in and tell yourself no. In Mike’s case, this meant giving up alcohol and taking up exercise, which helped him lose 25 pounds and start sleeping well again.
Another tip relates to the authors’ advice on breaking down large tasks into small ones. Micro changes make a huge difference, not just in achieving your goals, but in improving your outlook. If getting into cycling feels like too big of a commitment, turn it into a manageable one: ride for just 15 minutes the first day, and then let yourself relax.
One final tip for righting the ship is to make a contract with yourself. This could be as simple as signing up for a class or joining a gym. Or you could promise yourself that, if you don’t meet a target, you’ll make a donation to a charity you dislike – that’s how Mike lost all that weight.
Ari may be gone, but he’s still in his parents’ hearts, inspiring them and motivating them to make the most of their lives. And that’s a lesson everyone should remember.
The XP aren’t magicians. Just like the rest of us, they get distracted, discouraged, thrown off course. But they are far more likely than anyone else to get themselves back on track. And with just a few adjustments to your routine, you can do the same.
June 27, 2021
I've lost count of how many 'productivity' books I have read, or listened to over the years. I often go through phases of doing okay and then phases of doing, well, not-so-okay and then I try and remidy that but I guess countless books down the line, and various models that were half heartedly used and discarded means that I have not been very successful in obtaining that, yet.
I listened to this on audible and it was interesting to listen to the intertwining stories of Erica and Mike Schultz, with their son Ari, and the tips the discovered along the way. The touching story of a child with chronic illness, along with the tips the parents provided regarding productivity came through. It was easy to see how this seemed to be they survival hack if you will, something to hold on to in trying times.
Since I listened to this on audible, I was disappointed there was no accompanying pdf with some of tips or nine habits, as I didn't take notes and it would be time consuming to go back and listen to certain parts again.
I listened to this on audible and it was interesting to listen to the intertwining stories of Erica and Mike Schultz, with their son Ari, and the tips the discovered along the way. The touching story of a child with chronic illness, along with the tips the parents provided regarding productivity came through. It was easy to see how this seemed to be they survival hack if you will, something to hold on to in trying times.
Since I listened to this on audible, I was disappointed there was no accompanying pdf with some of tips or nine habits, as I didn't take notes and it would be time consuming to go back and listen to certain parts again.
April 25, 2022
Such a dynamic book—from the heart breaking story of parents losing an exceptional child to how they got what they needed to get done with work while he was so sick… there was a lot to digest for brain and soul. I enjoyed the productivity portion (tips for getting in flow, the “start” and “stop” command to help with the voices in your mind and how to disappear). Well worth the read for all business owners!
October 17, 2022
This book was at times boring to me. Their life story was tragic, but I didn't like reading about it every single chapter. I wanted a book about extreme productivity. I'm not a fan of self help books that are bogged down by personal stories. I want the tips and info.
June 16, 2021
Fantastic book written by friend Erica Schultz. Even if you feel like you have mastered being productive I recommend reading this book.
September 25, 2021
Two things: first is that this book sets out to look at productivity beyond our job and into our life, and second is that this book has what you'd call a lot of things to do. Plenty of practical action to take and how to take it, so I feel more like it's a guide, one that you can only refer to when necessary.
It's not to be read in one sitting.
It's a resourceful book and I truly loved their 4-3-4 outlook on breaking down goals and pursuing them. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
It's not to be read in one sitting.
It's a resourceful book and I truly loved their 4-3-4 outlook on breaking down goals and pursuing them. Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
July 4, 2021
Books that promise to unlock productivity hacks to unleash your potential, are by-and-large glorified case studies of the one time the author was successful wrapped in an overly self-congratulating sales pitch.
The opening chapters are typically overly burdensome hype about why you need to read what is coming next. Not Today skips that and opens with the heartbreaking journey of Erica and Mike and their son Ari's battle against a critical congenital heart defect.
The struggle to meet the demands of growing a business, caring for a spouse and raising a family is challenging to the best of us. To do it while living out of hospital with a child requiring constant medical attention is a near impossible task.
It is against this seemingly overwhelming emotion and physical strain that Erica and Mike show why success requires careful and consistent management. Management of time, resources and our own bad habits.
Typically this is where most books stop. "Do this and you'll be a success". Erica and Mike however go deeper, having built the principles in the book on top of a large scale case study into what they refer to as "the XP", extremely productive people. Advice and habits are backed by metrics from the study.
Which is what sets Not Today apart from typical productivity hacking advice. Rather than trying to replicate a one-off process, Erica and Mike offer the rather simple, but obvious advice: If you want to be extremely productive, then copy the behaviors of extremely productive people.
Much of the 9 habits they detail will not be news to anyone who has picked up other books on productivity. They build on well trodden ground: track and manage time, focus on the most important task, work in short hyper focused bursts, etc. What the book does offer that is new, is a consistent and overarching framework to consistently repeat this process as well as self evaluation tools to track your progress. It is this reliance on tooling and metrics, both in their research and in their process for self-evaluation that really help to move the needle and force you into rebuilding healthy habits and working patterns that drive more productivity.
Not Today provides a framework that can be utilized in the most devastating and demanding events a family can go through. Erica and Mike demonstrate that building a higher level of productivity isn't just for those who show up at 5am and ignore anything beneath them. Even when the waves break your life into two and leave you with nothing but crumbs, you can find a way to move forward. To build and invest with what you have. Without a doubt, this is my new go-to for those looking for a detailed approach on how to work smarter, not harder.
The opening chapters are typically overly burdensome hype about why you need to read what is coming next. Not Today skips that and opens with the heartbreaking journey of Erica and Mike and their son Ari's battle against a critical congenital heart defect.
The struggle to meet the demands of growing a business, caring for a spouse and raising a family is challenging to the best of us. To do it while living out of hospital with a child requiring constant medical attention is a near impossible task.
It is against this seemingly overwhelming emotion and physical strain that Erica and Mike show why success requires careful and consistent management. Management of time, resources and our own bad habits.
Typically this is where most books stop. "Do this and you'll be a success". Erica and Mike however go deeper, having built the principles in the book on top of a large scale case study into what they refer to as "the XP", extremely productive people. Advice and habits are backed by metrics from the study.
Which is what sets Not Today apart from typical productivity hacking advice. Rather than trying to replicate a one-off process, Erica and Mike offer the rather simple, but obvious advice: If you want to be extremely productive, then copy the behaviors of extremely productive people.
Much of the 9 habits they detail will not be news to anyone who has picked up other books on productivity. They build on well trodden ground: track and manage time, focus on the most important task, work in short hyper focused bursts, etc. What the book does offer that is new, is a consistent and overarching framework to consistently repeat this process as well as self evaluation tools to track your progress. It is this reliance on tooling and metrics, both in their research and in their process for self-evaluation that really help to move the needle and force you into rebuilding healthy habits and working patterns that drive more productivity.
Not Today provides a framework that can be utilized in the most devastating and demanding events a family can go through. Erica and Mike demonstrate that building a higher level of productivity isn't just for those who show up at 5am and ignore anything beneath them. Even when the waves break your life into two and leave you with nothing but crumbs, you can find a way to move forward. To build and invest with what you have. Without a doubt, this is my new go-to for those looking for a detailed approach on how to work smarter, not harder.
June 26, 2021
I honestly had incredible big expectations for this book. I thought if the authors could do so much while living with so much on their plate and in their hearts there must be some valuable lessons.
And all my expectations were fulfilled. And exceeded. This is a very complex and complete book about how to value your time and how to really organize your life in order to achieve your goals while actually living, not only working. I loved this about the book - it takes work as part of one's life and it teaches you how to make the best of your days, not only your working days. When you don't have a choice between work and life, when it's not a matter work - life balance, this book shows you how to approach the balance as a whole.
There are books out there that treat only one issue that this book covers, seeing so many techniques and tricks, and coming from a place of experience, was a real help. It is full of resources, not to mention at the end there is a full plan on how to implement the whole process.
As it took me some weeks to finish this book I got to see it's effect. I didn't yet go for the 90 days plan, but I started thinking differently about my time, about my treasured and mandatory time and started tracking. These alone have been super revealing, I discovered a lot about how I handle my time, and started obsessing about it! Just by reading this book.
While living great hardships, the authors don't look down on any struggle and understand change is hard. Ultimately, what I loved the most about this book was how much love and affection it was infused with, how much Ari was present and revered and just how heartfelt the writing was. There was a big dose of humanity that I haven't encountered in any productivity / time management book and this makes it absolutely invaluable.
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
And all my expectations were fulfilled. And exceeded. This is a very complex and complete book about how to value your time and how to really organize your life in order to achieve your goals while actually living, not only working. I loved this about the book - it takes work as part of one's life and it teaches you how to make the best of your days, not only your working days. When you don't have a choice between work and life, when it's not a matter work - life balance, this book shows you how to approach the balance as a whole.
There are books out there that treat only one issue that this book covers, seeing so many techniques and tricks, and coming from a place of experience, was a real help. It is full of resources, not to mention at the end there is a full plan on how to implement the whole process.
As it took me some weeks to finish this book I got to see it's effect. I didn't yet go for the 90 days plan, but I started thinking differently about my time, about my treasured and mandatory time and started tracking. These alone have been super revealing, I discovered a lot about how I handle my time, and started obsessing about it! Just by reading this book.
While living great hardships, the authors don't look down on any struggle and understand change is hard. Ultimately, what I loved the most about this book was how much love and affection it was infused with, how much Ari was present and revered and just how heartfelt the writing was. There was a big dose of humanity that I haven't encountered in any productivity / time management book and this makes it absolutely invaluable.
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
May 28, 2022
there are many many many better books about productivity that are actually based on neuroscience and mindfulness than this rehash. the book starts with the hook of every parents' nightmare ... a child's illness and worse here congenital before birth. but it uses the authors' terrible situation -- their child's heart challenges -- to booster their boring repetitive recitation of many other smart time management folks. just read brene brown they repeatedly cite and the many other folks. i mean their "do most important stuff first", write out goals quarterly, weekly plans, etc etc. are all part of many other smart project management books. this was written by sales people. the tell you many times they are great at increasing sales. not human good. they want you to buy their book. dont. buy neuroscience interpretations like Rock's "Your brain" and others. this book was specious rich people in a terrible situation selling that to make money. ignore
March 5, 2023
This was a really powerful book written by parents who lost a child at just 5 years old after a life-long health battle. They also own a company and had to learn how to get their day to day tasks accomplished while caring for a child who spent the majority of his life in a hospital. I thought the productivity hacks were great, but one thing to keep in mind were that some were probably only applicable to some business owners, and CEOs.
A key takeaway for me was was around treasured time. You want to maximize your treasured time and understand how you can utilize it to make you a happier and more fulfilled individual.
1. Recruit your drive
2. Ignite your pro activity
3. Re-engineer your habits
4. Obsess over time
5. Say no
6. Play hard to get
7. Sprint into the zone
8. Fuel your energy
9. Right the ship
I did download the productivity files and plan to utilize them in my day to day as well.
A key takeaway for me was was around treasured time. You want to maximize your treasured time and understand how you can utilize it to make you a happier and more fulfilled individual.
1. Recruit your drive
2. Ignite your pro activity
3. Re-engineer your habits
4. Obsess over time
5. Say no
6. Play hard to get
7. Sprint into the zone
8. Fuel your energy
9. Right the ship
I did download the productivity files and plan to utilize them in my day to day as well.
January 26, 2025
This entire book is an advertisement for their sales training.
It feels pretty icky the way they hook you with the sad story of their son being sick and dying, enlightening you with their revelation that productivity is really about happiness and fulfillment.....and then immediately pivot to an entire chapter that mentions repeatedly how effective their productivity training is at boosting the output/sales of their clients. The book includes several references to visit their site to use the "book tools" which, as another reader noted, require you to hand over your contact information before you download.
It's such blatant lead generation it's kind of gross.
Just read The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey instead. A more personable book with chapter by chapter challenges, a flexible approach that doesn't have to align with some sales training seminar, and resources that anyone can download without forking over any personal information.
It feels pretty icky the way they hook you with the sad story of their son being sick and dying, enlightening you with their revelation that productivity is really about happiness and fulfillment.....and then immediately pivot to an entire chapter that mentions repeatedly how effective their productivity training is at boosting the output/sales of their clients. The book includes several references to visit their site to use the "book tools" which, as another reader noted, require you to hand over your contact information before you download.
It's such blatant lead generation it's kind of gross.
Just read The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey instead. A more personable book with chapter by chapter challenges, a flexible approach that doesn't have to align with some sales training seminar, and resources that anyone can download without forking over any personal information.
November 12, 2023
It was a short book so I finished it. I checked out a book on productivity to end up reading over and over about a family who lost their son. While the productivity piece is there, it felt more like parents living through tragedy and trying to stay afloat. While I sympathize with their personal story, this is a weak self-help on productivity. I’d recommend trying something else unless you want t relive their story with them. That is fine if you do; it’s not a bad book per se….just not the best book for what I was seeking.
November 8, 2021
I like how they cut up long term goals into to do per year, month, daily.
Heartbreaking story about young Ari though. It is actually what made this 4 stars. How the parents were able to deal with life before during and after Ari. It shows how anything is possible no matter what stage in life and how bad it gets.
Getting in the zone.
Big picture goal. The why of the what. Break down into manageable steps. Daily monthly weekly targets.
Heartbreaking story about young Ari though. It is actually what made this 4 stars. How the parents were able to deal with life before during and after Ari. It shows how anything is possible no matter what stage in life and how bad it gets.
Getting in the zone.
Big picture goal. The why of the what. Break down into manageable steps. Daily monthly weekly targets.
January 8, 2023
Moving and Motivating
A moving and motivating lesson in the importance of not wasting on minute in life. I’ve read a lot of time management books. There are some different approaches in this book, but its power is the perspective it provides that life is short, and you can find the time to live no matter what the challenge.
Thank you Erica and Mike for sharing your story about the Unstoppable Ari.
A moving and motivating lesson in the importance of not wasting on minute in life. I’ve read a lot of time management books. There are some different approaches in this book, but its power is the perspective it provides that life is short, and you can find the time to live no matter what the challenge.
Thank you Erica and Mike for sharing your story about the Unstoppable Ari.
July 3, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book comes at a time where everyone is trying to learn how to be productive for improved mental and physical health. If you only read it for the wonderful story about their son, I would highly recommend this book.
This book comes at a time where everyone is trying to learn how to be productive for improved mental and physical health. If you only read it for the wonderful story about their son, I would highly recommend this book.
November 8, 2021
This book does not focus just on productivity, it also teach live lessons and gives hope for those who’ve faced similar challenges to get back in track. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs, your advice made me believe that I can get through this difficult time and recover my energy to focus on what matters most.
November 25, 2025
I loved and appreciated this book so much because of their journey with a heart warrior. I only know a piece of what families go through with a child in the ICU, and I cannot imagine the extreme productivity required to be a parent to kids outside the hospital, a parent to the child in the ICU, and working...let alone writing books! Quite impressive and the story of Ari is incredibly moving.
January 14, 2022
I appreciated the authors' stories about their son. In my current life and work areas I can't implement many of their ideas but I could see it being helpful for someone with a full-time job working independently on projects.
May 4, 2024
This book had some decent advice and definitely buffered some good advice, but I didn’t feel like it related to me right now. If I were reading this book in a time of great time stress, I would have seen more value, just not right now. Also, so think too many self-help books in a row was causing some reader fatigue.
June 6, 2024
This book was boring for me and it was more about them then focusing on the habits itself. I would think this more as a journal of their life than 9 habits. After reading multiple self help books, this didn't caught my attention and they is nothing new I learnt for this
October 5, 2021
SO good!!
November 12, 2021
Brisk read, simple improvisations to unloack productivity
December 9, 2021
Great book
July 3, 2022
Always good to re-read something that has a different approach to productivity and the reasons why one should prioritise important, high value activities.
October 8, 2024
A lot of this book didn't apply to me but to people running businesses. I wish their advice was more applicable and practical for everyone.
October 25, 2024
This was listened to on audible, but I like the concepts. Explained well, may have to look at getting an actual copy to view.
January 30, 2024
Ehhhhh this book was so weird. Their life is so tragic and they start with their story and then relate it to each chapter. Like every. Single. Chapter. I didn’t want to be sad I wanted to learn and it was hard not to. 3/5
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews