How to Be Smart With Your Time: Up-to-the-minute Advice from the Star of Dragon's Den

by Duncan Bannatyne

Time—unlike money, opportunity, or good looks—is the one resource that is allocated equally to all of us. No matter what our financial or family situation, we each get 24 hours a day. In the practical and straightforward style to which his Dragon's Den contestants are accustomed, Duncan Bannatyne explains how we can make the most of our time to get the most from our lives, and not just our working day. What do you really want to do with your life? This book will help you identify the goals and aspirations that really matter to you so that you can make them happen. It will give you the confidence to make your ambitions a reality and teach you how to focus on the things that count. In a series of short chapters, illustrated with examples from his extraordinary career in business, Duncan will show you how to make quicker, better decisions and how to make things happen—fast. Duncan knows more about what can be achieved in a day, a year, and a lifetime than most and in this book he shares how you can achieve your ideal work/life balance.

Genres: Productivity

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2010

Reviews

[Bai Bua · Rating 5 out of 5]

อ่านเพลินมากก ช่วยเเนะวิธีการเเบ่งเวลาได้ดี

[Ka_nisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

เป็นนส Eng ที่อ่านเข้าใจมาก

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr Bannatyne, self-styled ‘star of Dragon’s Den’ (although I think Peter Jones might disagree with that) claims in this book to be able to save you time and to a certain extent he does. Time is the commodity of which everyone wants more. But maybe it’s not more time that we need but the ability to make more effective use of it.
Have paper and a pen or whatever you use to write with while reading as Mr Bannatyne sets you
questions on your goals, to keep records of what you actually do in a day and other ways of finding out where you’re wasting time. Some of it was very thought provoking – I speak as someone who used to do a huge amount of voluntary work and temping full time which meant little free time at weekends etc and then when an aunt died who I hadn’t managed to see prior to her death I thought ‘Things have to change.’ The goal setting section was very useful as sometimes they can end up on the back burner as mine did. Bannatyne’s motto is ‘What do I want to achieve today/this week? which is a good way to look at a day.

Some of it did go over my head as I’m not a high powered businessman like Mr B but there was enough in this book to make me reconsider my priorities. Hence I do a lot less voluntary work than I used to and am working towards my defined goals. After all what do you want to be saying on your deathbed ‘ I wish I’d done more committee work.’

Bannatyne also explodes the myth of multi-tasking – doing several tasks at once wastes your energy and concentration as you flit from task to task without completing any of them satisfactorily.

I don’t think that this book has all the answers - only you know ultimately what you want to do with your time but remember we all received the same amount of time – 24 hours each day but with thought and planning it can feel like much more. And don’t forget the incredible and effective power of saying ‘No’ and meaning it.

[Mara Shaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Determine who you are and your goals, then work toward them with driven focus. Work toward good enough. Play to your strengths and let others fill in your weaknesses. Get organized and stay there. Plan your day. Define success for every day and meet it. Make sure your goals are reasonably achievable and say no if things come up that don't work toward your goals.

Having read a number of these time-management books, I think I could write them myself, but without the arrogance of a "star" of the UK's Dragon's Den, or the repetition in each of these books that "no other book approaches time management in the way this one does." Oh, believe me, indeed, other books also have this approach.

This book contains some good advice to skim and dip into. I liked the reminder to set restraints on your activities to maintain focus (e.g., not checking e-mails during the best working hours of your day) and always asking how your activities fit into your goals, but there's nothing new here.

[Aurora7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice but much of it is common sense & compiled in other books such as 'Do it Tomorrow'