Also by this author: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do
Published by Little Brown & Company on December 27, 2016
Genres/Lists: Non-Fiction
Pages: 304
Length: 4 hrs, 32 mins
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
“Understanding time is key to getting your shit together,” says Sarah Knight, and this statement could not be more true. If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said that I had my time management skills down, but if I’ve learned anything since then it’s that there’s always room for improvement. And figuring out how to get our shit together is exactly what Knight aims to help the reader do in Get Your Sh*t Together: How to Stop Worrying About What You Should Do So You Can Finish What You Need to Do and Start Doing What You Want to Do. Like her previous book, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do, this is not actually a life-changing book. What it is is a good reminder that we all have it in us to be more productive and self-aware, so long as we get it together.
In this book, people are divided into three categories of Chipmunks: Alvin’s, Simon’s, and Theodore’s. If you’re familiar with the famous trio, then you know that Alvin has a hard time getting the big things done, Simon is always busy but maybe not seeing the results he’d like, and Theodore is just naive and chill. Me, I fluctuate between Alvin and Simon, depending on the day. I’m almost never a Theodore.
And so, with these personalities as the foundation of her book, Knight goes on to break down how each of the chipmunks can get their shit together. Some of it is practical advice, such as why you need a calendar, why multitasking isn’t a good idea, and why setting goals is important, but some of it is aimed at our mindset and approach to life, such as why we being a perfectionist is destructive, why we put off certain things but not others, and why happiness should be a goal in and of itself (although this concept was addressed in The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters, which says otherwise).
Overall, it’s a fun, quick read. I listened to this one on Audible (get your free trial) while cleaning the house and I spent most of it laughing at Knight’s examples and witty one-liners, including, “the only people who don’t need a calendar are drifters and deities,” or that family is like leg hair – you don’t want it to get prickly so you shave it every few days. So while I didn’t enjoy her line about how it’s healthier to fear sharks than failure, I had a good time with this one.
Recommended for: Anyone looking for a fun, quick read that reminds you of the things you already know but needed to be reminded of.