Book Review: "How To Get Control Of Your Time And Your Life" by Alan Lakein

[Cron]

How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life
By Alan Lakein
ISBN: 0451167724

This book, if it was not the first book on time management was one of the first books on time management. Almost every other book on time management I have seen has rehashed what was written in this book over 35 years ago.

In my opinion this book still stands head and shoulders above other books of the genre because it says it all and it says it briefly without sacrificing content.

Though some of the examples sound quaint I think they are still relevant to the needs of contemporary life.

This book has been in publication for a long time. You can find it in most libraries and used book venues. After reading it I think you will want your own copy.

Online price comparison:
How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life: Alan Lakein: ISBN 0451167724

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Cron

How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life
By Alan Lakein
ISBN: 0451167724

In my opinion this book still stands head and shoulders above other books of the genre because it says it all and it says it briefly without sacrificing content.

Why Cron? Maybe you could elaborate?

[Cron]

Originally Posted by Alvin

Why Cron? Maybe you could elaborate?

"cron" in a unix/linux command for scheduling tasks. What could be more appropriate for a PD forum when PD is based in time management?

[Cron]

Alan Lakein - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Alvin]

I meant why you think '...this book still stands head and shoulders above other books of the genre because it says it all and it says it briefly without sacrificing content'.

[Cron]

Originally Posted by Alvin

I meant why you think '...this book still stands head and shoulders above other books of the genre because it says it all and it says it briefly without sacrificing content'.

An English teacher I had in high school quoted a great writer as saying

If I had more time it would have been shorter

In other words, if you think about your writing, put more work into it, you can explain the same content in fewer words. Often, when this level of thought goes into the text the writing tends to get the message across better.

In Lakein's case he not only does this, but he actually presents more ideas than most time management books while having a far slimmer book.

As I wrote, this book is a classic. If it wasn't the first book on time management it was one of the first.

Almost every book I have seen on time management since then has "borrowed" from that book, but has failed to present all of the ideas from that book......good ideas.......or present those ideas as well.

Other time management books I have read have said less about time management, but have had more words in the book, have been less clear, have not been original beyond making up new terms for old concepts, and have been more expensive than this book.


The book was originally published in 1960 and has undergone a large number of reprintings --- it is that good. You can probably read it for free by going to your local library or get it for $3-4 from your local used book venue.

Like I wrote, it is brief as well as cheap so there is no big investment in checking it out for yourself. Do not take my word for the book :-).

LOL! No, I do not get any kickbacks. I'm just an enthusiastic fan.

[Cron]

Wow, Alan Lakein was on Johnny Carson back in the early 70s:
Alan Lakein