Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky

Summary

'Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day' by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky offers readers actionable strategies to cut through distractions and become more intentional with their time. The authors present a flexible framework centered around selecting a daily highlight, managing energy, and building barriers against distraction. By sharing personal anecdotes and experiments, they empower readers to tailor habits that align with their unique goals and lifestyles.

Life-Changing Lessons

1. Prioritizing a single daily highlight helps you focus your energy on what truly matters rather than spreading yourself too thin.

2. Small tweaks to your environment and routines can have significant impacts on productivity and attention.

3. Being deliberate about technology use—like turning off notifications or creating 'distraction-free' spaces—can radically improve your ability to make time for important work.

Publishing year and rating

The book was published in: 2018

AI Rating (from 0 to 100): 88

Practical Examples

1. The Daily Highlight

   The authors suggest picking one task every day that will be your main focus or 'Highlight.' This practice ensures that even on busy days, you accomplish something meaningful and satisfying. They share techniques to help identify what your Highlight should be, such as considering urgency, satisfaction, or joy.

2. Laser Mode

   'Laser Mode' refers to periods of focused work where distractions are minimized. The book encourages habits like leaving your phone in a different room, blocking distracting websites, and setting clear start and end times for focused sessions. This helps reinforce deep work and significantly improves outcomes.

3. Making Technology Less Attractive

   They recommend making your phone and computer less appealing so you're less likely to be distracted. This might involve turning screens grayscale, moving tempting apps off your home screen, and uninstalling nonessential apps. These steps reduce the number of cues that can derail your focus.

4. Reflecting and Adjusting

   A core concept is to review your progress at the end of each day or week. The idea is to experiment with different tactics, note which ones work, and tweak your approach over time. This iterative method makes your 'Make Time' system highly personalized and sustainable.

5. Designing Your Environment

   The book advises shaping your physical and digital environments to support your goals. For example, leaving your running shoes by the door can encourage exercise, while arranging workspace tools in sight can nudge you toward your projects. These small changes help lower the friction of getting started on important tasks.

6. Energy Management

   Recognizing that energy, not just time, is a crucial resource, the authors suggest strategies for maintaining high energy levels. Recommendations include staying hydrated, prioritizing sleep, eating nutritious snacks, and taking regular movement breaks throughout the day. These practices ensure you're alert and ready for your chosen highlight.