Book Review: The Skinny on Time Management

THE SKINNY ON TIME MANAGEMENT is a part of “The Skinny On…” books from Rand Publishing. The series uses the unique format of using stick figure drawings to better illustrate and visualize key concepts and important information. Interspersed with these illustrations are quotes, cheesy jokes, and critical pieces of information that (as claimed in the book’s introduction) the author has culled from over 100 different sources.

This book is a bit different from other “The Skinny On…” books I have read because instead of following a story of one or two individuals, it is presented as being a two-part class than can be completed within an hour’s time. The first part of the book is devoted to forcing you the reader to evaluate how you use your time. It mainly focuses on awareness, goals, and choices.

The second part of the book focuses on what a person needs to do to actually make the most of one’s time. Specific time management strategies, such as utilizing one’s time and avoiding procrastination are discussed. What one needs to do in order to successfully implement these strategies, such as making to do lists or unplugging the television, are also given. I really liked how the author pointed out the myth of multi-tasking. People can multi-task, but when they do they loose efficiency and effectiveness in not just one area but all areas.

Much of what I read in THE SKINNY ON TIME MANAGEMENT is material I have already heard or read before and, therefore, didn’t really learn anything new. However, because of the unique format of the book, I enjoyed reading it. It wasn’t as entertaining as other titles I have read in the series, but it was still enjoyable and I read the entire book in about 40 minutes. My only complaint about the book is that unlike the other books I’ve read in the series, there is no bibliography given. I realize that the information is taken from a lot of different sources, but it would have been nice to see a bibliography.

THE SKINNY ON TIME MANAGEMENT is a very easy-to-read book and can be read in about an hour’s time. If you’re someone who doesn’t have a lot of time to devote to reading lots of self-help books about how to improve your time management skills, then I recommend THE SKINNY ON TIME MANAGEMENT. I particularly recommend it for high school and college students.