Maximize your time and enjoy more joy

I just finished a terrific time management book by Laura Vanderkam, I Know How She Does It.  Vanderkam had high income ($100k+) working mothers keep detailed time logs in an effort to study how they use the 168 hours we all have each week.  She challenges many of the widely held narratives that in order to balance a successful work and family life, that either sleep or leisure or both need to be put aside.  And she shows with data how a more mindful approach to time and how we use it can significantly improve our efficacy, efficiency and overall joy.  

While I don't agree with all of Vanderkamp's tips and opinions, I did find the majority to be thought-provoking and practical.  Her assertion that one of the biggest contributors to time frustration (and the feeling that we don't have enough leisure) is multi-tasking.  How many of us are guilty of checking email (again) or social media when we are supposed to be "off"?  The constant connection to technology is both a blessing for information flow and a curse for the mind break we all need to maximize creativity.  Setting some boundaries around communication -- for example, phone off between 8pm and 6am and on Sundays, is something that we can all test to see if it improves our overall performance and enjoyment of life.

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