Book Report – Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day

Although The ONE Thing is the book we think of when talking about prioritizing our time and measuring productivity, a close second is Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day. In this book, the authors Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky share their insights from time spent in the Silicon Valley trenches at Google and YouTube. They created a model which serves to help us carve out more space, or “Make Time,” in our day and eighty-six tactics to help us use it. 

The Model: Highlight, Laser, Energize, Reflect

Pg. 19, Make Time

First, a bit of disclaimer: “Make Time is not about productivity. It’s not about getting more done, finishing your to-dos faster, or outsourcing your life,” Knapp and Zeratsky write. “Instead, it’s a framework designed to help you actually create more time in your day for the things you care about…” Sounds too good to be true, right? Let’s break it down.

Highlight: Start Each Day by Choosing a Focal Point (pg. 20)

To help identify the highlight, or focal point, of each day, this model recommends literally asking ourselves the same question every morning: What do I want to be the highlight of my day? 

The answer then becomes our focus. The goal in choosing a highlight is to focus our attention on something that matters to us, something bigger than a to-do list item, but smaller than an annual goal. 

If you find yourself struggling to choose a highlight because you have so many competing priorities, the authors suggest using the following rubric: Urgency, Satisfaction, and Joy. 

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What’s the most pressing thing I have to do today?

2. At the end of the day, which highlight will bring me the most satisfaction?

3. When I reflect on today, what will bring me the most joy?

The thing you’re thinking about is your highlight. Now, let’s talk about how to make it happen. 

Laser: Tactics for Getting in the Zone

This part of the Make Time model is all about freeing ourselves from the constant distractions of technology so we can laser in on what’s important. There are tactics for creating a distraction-free phone (#17, pg. 93), nixing notifications (#19, pg. 99) and even turning distractions into tools (#32, pg. 120). Here are some of our favorites from this section:

Tactic 23: Skip the Morning Check-in (pg. 107)

Most of us pick up our phones before our feet even hit the floor. We have notifications to clear, emails to read, texts to reply to, but how much is necessary? Can we postpone that check-in until after we’ve thought about our highlight, had our coffee, and put shoes on? Probably. 

Tactic 27: Fly Without Wi-Fi (pg. 113)

There’s something really compelling about the time spent in a plane — we’re stuck in a seat and there’s nothing we can do about it. We must endure. Perfect time to focus on our highlight, if it’s plane-friendly. Even better if it doesn’t require Wi-Fi.

Tactics 37 and 38 work together: Pretend Messages are Letters (pg. 129) and Be Slow to Respond (pg. 130)

The idea behind these two is to get away from the need to instantly reply to every chat, email, and text. If we frame them as “snail mail” we can respectfully be slower to respond and therefore focus our attention on our own priorities, not everyone else’s. 

Tactic 49: Invent a Deadline

Having a deadline, even an arbitrary one, instills a sense of urgency that open-ended commitments just don’t have. So feel free to make one up and assign it to yourself. Accountability is required, but you can do it!

Energize: Tactics for Maintaining the Energy Required for Your Highlight

According to Knapp and Zeratsky, “With a full battery, you have the power to be present, think clearly, and spend your time on what matters, not default to what’s right in front of you.” So, as we zone in with laser focus, we also need to be aware of keeping ourselves energized and avoiding burnout. The tactics in this section may seem rudimentary, but they are worth sharing again and again.

Tactic 61: Exercise Every Day, but Don’t Be a Hero (pg.177)

Aim for twenty minutes and keep it simple. Even a short walk or choosing the stairs over the elevator count. 

Tactic 65: Eat Like a Hunter-Gatherer (pg. 191)

The authors credit another book for helping with this tactic, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Essentially it boils down to: eat real food, not too much. Mostly plants.

Tactic 81: Spend Time with Your Tribe (pg. 223)

There are people in our lives that give us energy just by talking to them. Make it a point to connect with these people often. 

Reflect: Collect the Data on Your Day

The final step in the “Make Time” model is about reflection. Keeping simple notes about our day will help to refine our approach. This isn’t a journaling prompt, it’s a few bullet points to help us figure out what worked and what didn’t each day.

Reflection isn’t all business. The authors also recommend we take a moment to note something that we’re grateful for, to help boost your wellbeing. 

Pg. 242, Make Time

What’s your favorite tactic we’ve shared here? Will you implement this approach into your daily life? We want to hear about it! Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for content like this delivered directly to your inbox every other week.