21 Lessons From The Book “Make Time”

1. Understand that your DNA is wired to seek dopamine hits (social media, video games).

You need to create systems and not rely on willpower to counter this.

2. Choose a daily Highlight from these buckets:

• Business

• Personal

• Family

Then order it by:

• Urgency

• Satisfaction

• Joy

Next, decide on one and go execute (60-90mins)

3. Stay away from:

• Busy Bandwagon (endless tasks & always responsive)

• Infinity Pools (endless distraction & time sucks)

4. Make time for activities that’ll make you happy, not just ‘productive’.

5. “You only waste time if you’re not intentional about how you spend it”

6. “If you want control, you have to redesign your own relationship with technology”

7. Design your day to start with what is important to you. Then later, spend time on what other people want from you (email).

8. Responding straight away to people sends a message of being available and putting people’s priorities above your own. Do you want that?

9. Paper improves focus. Don’t waste time with fancy writing tools.

10. Optimize caffeine intake (wake up first naturally, then caffeine and stop drinking it shortly after lunch)

11. “Meditation is just a breather for your brain”

12. Resist the urge to fill the silence. Boredom fuels creativity and a calmer mind.

13. Use the Scientific Method to fine-tune your day

A) OBSERVE what’s going on.

B) GUESS why things are happening the way they are.

C) EXPERIMENT to test your hypothesis.

D) MEASURE the results and decide whether you were right.

14. Take notes and track your progress. Be honest with yourself. Then refine your system.

15. “Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” —HOWARD THURMAN

16. The more planned out your day is, the more freedom you’ll create to focus on the moment.

17. It’s never too late in the day to choose a daily Highlight which will make today a win.

18. Daily movement & a clean diet devoid of sugars will do more for your to-do list than a new fancy app.

19. You can’t out-caffeinate bad sleep. Prioritize set bedtimes, a dark and cool bedroom & no screens 60 mins before sleep.

20. Create a minimalist phone (no social media, no email, no games).

21. The four steps of Make Time:

• Choose a daily Highlight (Urgent, Satisfaction or Joy)

• Create your environment to foster Laser Focus

• Energize yourself (sleep, food, movement & rewards)

• Reflect on your day and systems (amend to suit your goals and lifestyle)