Here’s the chapter outline of 168 Hours (the book). I have written the opening two chapters, and the “personal life” module; now I’m working on the career module, with an estimated finish date for the manuscript at the end of July. That will give me time to edit. I’m looking for more case studies, so please let me know if you’re interested.
168 Hours
1. The Myth of the Time Crunch
You have more time than you think you do. There is enough time in a week to sleep 8 hours a night, work more than full time, spend more time with your kids than the average stay-at-home mom, train for half-marathons, volunteer more than 90% of Americans and still have time to relax! This chapter looks at why perceptions of time are so different than the reality.
2. Your Core Competencies
How do you get the most out of life? Just like successful businesses, by focusing — at work and in your leisure time — on the things you do best, and that others cannot do nearly as well, and outsourcing, ignoring or minimizing everything else.
– The Career Section —
3. The Right Job
Graduation speakers always say to do what you love, but guess what? There’s a business case for it. This chapter looks at what the right job looks like (it involves your core competencies, offers you lots of autonomy and challenges you at close to the extent of your abilities) and offers some hard truths about that job. It doesn’t exist — you’re going to have to create it, whether you work for yourself or someone else.
4. Clearing the Calendar
There are lots of books about work time management –corralling emails and the like. Here’s another approach. Anything done during your work hours that isn’t advancing you toward the career you want is wasted time. This chapter looks at how to get rid of it.
5. Anatomy of a Breakthrough
When you get rid of all the sludge at work, there is no conflict between dialing up your career and your personal life at the same time. Here’s how several people have taken their careers to the next level in the middle of very full lives.
– Personal Life Section –
6. The New Home Economics
It’s a little known statistic. As women poured into the workforce over the last 40 years, the amount of time they spent with their children actually increased. This chapter looks at the shifting home economics, at how moms in particular have drastically cut time devoted to housework in order to spend more time with their children, and how dads, too, have changed over the past 40 years. What do core competencies look like within the family?
7. Don’t Do Your Own Laundry
In 1972, Judy Syfers wrote a shocking essay for Ms. magazine called “I want a wife.” Here’s how to hire one — that is, outsource most domestic work — so you can focus on your core competencies of work and family.
8. A Full Life
We have more leisure time than we think we do, the problem is that people waste vast hours of it in front of the TV, an activity that does not make you feel truly relaxed. Here’s how people use their leisure time more effectively to get in great shape, make a difference in their communities, or nurture their own souls.
— Conclusions –
9. The Hard Work of Having it All
This chapter features some make-overs of how busy people have taken control of their 168 hours to fill them only with things that should be there.