Make Time Summary | Book by Jake Knapp

How to Focus on What Matters Every Day Hardcover

Life gets busy. Has Make Time been on your reading list? Learn the key insights now. 

We’re scratching the surface here. If you don’t already have Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky’s popular book on productivity, time management, and self-help, order it here or get the audiobook for free to learn the juicy details.

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced world, we are constantly bombarded with distractions and responsibilities. Amid this chaos, Make Time offers a refreshing perspective on how to reclaim control of your time and focus on what truly matters. With a blend of personal anecdotes, research, and practical advice, it provides an actionable framework to help you redesign your daily routine and make the most out of each day. 

Through a series of daily experiments and strategies, the authors teach us how to break free from the constant pull of digital distractions, prioritize our goals, and design our days for maximum focus and fulfillment. It’s not about squeezing more tasks into our schedule, but rather about choosing the right tasks and giving them our full attention.

About Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky

Jake Knapp is an experienced designer and product strategist who has worked with companies like Google, Slack, and Twitter. With a background in engineering and design, Knapp is skilled at creating simple, effective solutions to complex problems. 

Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky are former Google and YouTube executives who have helped shape some of the world’s most popular products. They are the creators of the Design Sprint, a unique five-day process for solving tough problems, which has been used by hundreds of companies. They have also written the bestselling book “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days.” With their vast experience in product design and time management, they have developed a deep understanding of what it takes to be truly productive and make the most of your time.

StoryShot #1: The Four Steps to Make Time

Are you constantly feeling stressed and distracted? Well, it’s probably not your fault. In the 21st century, two powerful forces are competing for every minute of your time, and it’s important to understand them to take back control of your life.

• The first force is the Busy Bandwagon, our culture of constant busyness that tells us we must fill every minute with productivity. 
• The second force is the Infinity Pools, sources of endless entertainment and distraction that lure us in when we tear ourselves away from the Busy Bandwagon.

But these forces are not mandatory. They are defaults that we’ve become accustomed to. Our devices, workplaces, and culture have built-in defaults that make busy and distracted the normal state of affairs. But nobody ever looked at an empty calendar and said, “The best way to spend this time is to cram it full of random meetings!”

That’s why Jake and John created Make Time, a framework for choosing what you want to focus on, building the energy to do it, and breaking the default cycle. They are not superhumans, but product designers who spent years in the tech industry. They applied design principles to their own lives, questioned the defaults of the Busy Bandwagon and the Infinity Pools, and experimented to find solutions. The authors propose a four-step framework to help you make time for what matters most: 

1) Highlight, 

2) Laser, 

3) Energize, 

4) Reflect. 

Lessons from the Design Sprint Laboratory

Through the design sprint laboratory, a variety of key lessons emerged that would prove invaluable for the next stage of the project:

• Focus on one goal per day to create clarity and motivation
• Ban devices to bring complete attention to the task
• Ensure energy for focused work and clear thinking with a healthy lunch quick walk, frequent breaks, and a shorter workday, 
• Experiment to improve the process, gain confidence, and take stock of results. 

These lessons laid the foundation for Make Time.

StoryShot #2: Identify Your Highlight

Our days are filled with tasks and activities, but it’s important to identify one main priority each day – your Highlight. This is the task or activity that will make your day feel successful and fulfilling. 

Every day, choose one significant task or activity to be your “highlight.” This should be something that you’re excited about, has a meaningful impact, or aligns with your long-term goals. By focusing on this task, you ensure that even if the day gets chaotic, you will have accomplished something important.

Harness the Power of Time Blocking

Time blocking is a powerful technique that involves scheduling dedicated blocks of time for specific tasks. By allocating specific time periods for your daily highlight, you can ensure that you give it the attention it deserves, while also managing your other responsibilities more effectively.

Design Your Day

Instead of allowing our days to be shaped by external factors such as emails and meetings, take control of their day and design it according to their priorities.

Create a daily highlight, a secondary highlight, and a “done list” to keep track of accomplishments throughout the day. By designing our days around our priorities, we can be more intentional about how we spend our time and achieve a greater sense of satisfaction.

StoryShot #3: Use These 7 Highlight tactics

This strategy involves identifying one key priority for each day and focusing your energy on that task.

1. Write It Down: Writing down your priorities and to-do list can help you stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
2. Groundhog It (or, “Do Yesterday Again”): Repeating the same routine each day can help you build habits and make it easier to stay focused on your priorities.
3. Stack Rank Your Life: Prioritizing your life into different categories (e.g., health, work, family) can help you make better decisions about how to allocate your time.
4. Batch the Little Stuff: Grouping together small tasks that can be done quickly can help you save time and avoid getting distracted by constant interruptions.
5. The Might-Do List: This list includes tasks that are not urgent but may be important in the future. By keeping track of these tasks, you can avoid forgetting about them and missing out on opportunities.
6. The Burner List: This list includes tasks or activities that are taking up too much of your time or energy and may need to be eliminated or scaled back.
7. Run a Personal Sprint: Setting a short-term goal and working intensively towards it can help you make progress on important projects and build momentum for long-term success.

How to Make Time for Your Highlight

• Schedule Your Highlight
• Block Your Calendar
• Bulldoze Your Calendar
• Flake It Till You Make It
• Be selective about your commitments and don’t be afraid to say no when necessary
• Design Your Day
• Become a Morning Person
• Nighttime Is Highlight Time
• Quit When You’re Done

“A good rule of thumb is to choose a Highlight that takes sixty to ninety minutes.”  – Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky

StoryShot #4: Create Laser Focus

Once you’ve identified your daily highlight, eliminate distractions and give it your full attention. Identify the most important task or activity you want to focus on each day. Start by identifying your biggest distractions and finding ways to eliminate or minimize them. This may mean turning off notifications, setting specific work hours, or creating a dedicated workspace. The key is to be fully present and engaged with your chosen task.

Create Barriers to Distractions

Identify the distractions that pull you away from your highlight and implement strategies to minimize their impact. This may involve using apps that block social media, setting boundaries with family members, or creating an environment that encourages focus. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Use tools and techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, blocking distracting websites or working in a quiet environment to help you maintain focus on your Highlight.

StoryShot #5: Use These 6 Laser Tactics 

We need to take control of our digital devices to optimize productivity and make the most out of our day. As we explore various lease tactics, let’s consider how some strategies from the book can be applied to our lives:

1. Try a distraction-free phone by removing non-essential apps and limiting its functionality. 

2. Log out after each use to avoid getting sucked into time-consuming activities. 

3. Nix notifications by turning off unnecessary notifications and setting important ones to alert you at specific times. 

4. Clear your home screen by decluttering and organizing it to minimize distractions. 

5. Wear a wristwatch to check the time without opening the digital rabbit hole. 

6. Leave devices behind to create intentional breaks from technology and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

StoryShot #6: Optimize Your Energy Levels

Maintaining high energy levels throughout the day is crucial for productivity. Pay attention to your physical well-being by getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly. Manage your mental energy by taking regular breaks, practicing mindfulness, and avoiding multitasking.

In a world of endless distractions, it’s challenging to prioritize our time and energy effectively. By understanding the forces that compete for our attention, we can take back control and focus on the things that truly matter.

StoryShot #7: Use These 4 Energize Tactics

The book recommends 4 tactics and strategies to help keep our bodies moving and promote overall health:

1. Exercise every day to maintain your energy levels and mental clarity, but avoid overexertion. Find an activity that you enjoy and can stick to, such as walking, cycling, or yoga. Listen to your body and avoid pushing yourself too hard, as this can lead to burnout or injury. 
2. Embrace the benefits of walking. Go for regular walks to notice an increase in energy and mental clarity. Try incorporating walks into your daily routine during lunch breaks, for errands, or for exploring new neighborhoods. 
3. Seek opportunities for movement throughout the day by taking the stairs, parking farther away, or standing up and stretching during long periods of sitting. 
4. Make the most of short workouts, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), stretching, or body weight circuits. These efficient workouts can provide a much-needed energy boost even when life is busy.

StoryShot #8: Reflect and Adjust

At the end of each day, reflect on your progress and consider what worked well and what didn’t. Use this information to adjust your approach, experiment with new techniques, and continue to refine your daily routine for maximum productivity. Remember, change is a process, and it’s essential to learn from your experiences.

Make Time for Long-Term Goals

Breaking down long-term goals into smaller tasks and incorporating them into your daily routine can help you make consistent progress. Schedule time for these tasks each day and treat them as non-negotiable appointments.

Prioritize Single-Tasking

Multitasking is a productivity killer. Focus on one task at a time, giving it your full attention, to improve efficiency and reduce stress.

Can a Morning Routine Boost Productivity?

A morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day. By establishing a consistent routine, you can create a sense of stability and focus. Experiment with different activities like exercise, meditation, or journaling to find the routine that works best for you.

StoryShot #9: Take a Real Break

While it’s essential to work hard and stay focused on your goals, it’s equally important to make time for play and relaxation. Taking breaks and engaging in enjoyable activities can help you recharge, maintain your well-being, and ultimately, enhance your productivity.

Avoid the temptation to check Infinity Pool apps during breaks; instead, take breaks without screens by gazing out the window, going for a walk, grabbing a snack, or talking to someone. 

Use distraction-free phones, log out of websites, and put toys away to help change your habits and more easily access real-world breaks for increased energy and sustained focus.

Final Summary and Review

Make Time is a practical guide to help you reclaim control of your time and focus on what truly matters. The book offers a four-step framework (Highlight, Laser, Energize, and Reflect) that provides actionable strategies for optimizing your daily routine, eliminating distractions, and making the most of your day.  It’s important to maintain your physical and mental energy, harness the power of time blocking, and find a balance between work and play. By following their advice, you can create a more fulfilling and productive life.

Key Ideas:

• Choose a daily highlight and focus on it
• Eliminate distractions and maintain laser focus
• Reflect on your day and adjust your approach
• Create barriers to distractions
• Understand the forces that compete for your attention
• Maintain your energy levels
• Use time blocking to prioritize tasks
• Make time for play and relaxation

Rating

We rate Make Time 4.1/5. 

How would you rate Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky’s book?

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