168 Hours audiobook cover - You Have More Time Than You Think

168 Hours

You Have More Time Than You Think

Laura Vanderkam

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Categories:
ProductivityCareer & Success

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Key Takeaways from 168 Hours

Learning Tools

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Mind Map

168 Hours
Mindset & Time Tracking+
Core Competencies+
Career Optimization+
Family & Relationships+
Outsourcing Chores+
Leisure Planning+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10
According to the American Time Use Survey, why do most people feel 'time-poor' despite actually having ample free time?
  • A. They work an average of 60 hours a week and sleep less than six hours a night.
  • B. They lack a mindset of taking full ownership and control over how they spend their hours.
  • C. They spend too much time commuting and dealing with unexpected emergencies.
  • D. They are genetically predisposed to underestimate the amount of time tasks will take.
Question 2 of 10
What is the recommended first step to take before you can effectively reorganize your life and take control of your time?
  • A. Create a detailed time log for two to three weeks to see how you actually spend your hours.
  • B. Immediately outsource all of your household chores to free up your weekends.
  • C. Negotiate a four-hour workweek with your current employer.
  • D. Delete all social media apps from your smartphone to eliminate distractions.
Question 3 of 10
What exercise does the author suggest to help you identify your 'core competencies'?
  • A. Taking a standard corporate personality test.
  • B. Asking five close friends what they think your best traits are.
  • C. Writing a list of 100 things you want to do before you die.
  • D. Listing all the tasks you do in a week and ranking them by difficulty.
Question 4 of 10
Which of the following is considered a strong indicator that you have found a job that utilizes your core competencies?
  • A. You are able to complete all your work in under four hours a week.
  • B. You frequently experience 'flow,' a state of being completely absorbed in your activity.
  • C. You earn enough money to retire before the age of 40.
  • D. You are promoted to a management position within your first year.
Question 5 of 10
How does the author suggest dealing with tasks at work that fall outside of your core competencies?
  • A. Complete them first thing in the morning so they are out of the way.
  • B. Spend extra time training yourself until you become an expert at them.
  • C. Ignore them completely until your boss brings them up.
  • D. Delegate them to someone else who is better at them or minimize the time they take.
Question 6 of 10
According to the book, what two elements must you combine to achieve a career breakthrough?
  • A. Strategy and story
  • B. Networking and investment
  • C. Education and experience
  • D. Luck and relentless overtime
Question 7 of 10
How does the author suggest parents can improve their relationship with their children despite having limited time?
  • A. By ensuring every meal is cooked from scratch to show dedication.
  • B. By signing them up for as many extracurricular activities as possible.
  • C. By focusing on shared passions and dropping performative tasks like baking if they don't enjoy them.
  • D. By spending at least five hours a day engaged in active outdoor play.
Question 8 of 10
What does the book identify as a major 'time thief' that steals quality family time, and how should you address it?
  • A. Commuting; by demanding to work from home full-time.
  • B. Constantly tidying up and being house-proud; by letting it go or outsourcing it.
  • C. Helping children with homework; by hiring a private tutor.
  • D. Exercising; by giving up gym memberships and working out at your desk.
Question 9 of 10
Why do most people feel they have no leisure time, even though studies show the average American has about 30 hours of it a week?
  • A. Because they spend most of it sleeping to recover from work exhaustion.
  • B. Because they fail to plan their leisure time carefully and end up wasting it watching TV.
  • C. Because the 30 hours are broken up into tiny, unusable five-minute increments.
  • D. Because they are forced to spend all their free time doing mandatory volunteer work.
Question 10 of 10
What is the 'mini night shift' strategy recommended for working parents?
  • A. Waking up at 3:00 a.m. to finish household chores before the kids wake up.
  • B. Taking a second job in the evening to afford outsourcing household tasks.
  • C. Blocking out 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for family time, and catching up on work from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
  • D. Alternating night shifts with a spouse so one parent is always awake with the children.

168 Hours — Full Chapter Overview

168 Hours Summary & Overview

168 Hours (2010) provides a revolutionary strategy to manage your time. Author Laura Vanderkam has discovered that successful people have a unique mindset, one that helps them fit everything they value into their week. By learning to time-manage like they do, you can free yourself from the daily grind and focus on what really matters. 

Who Should Listen to 168 Hours?

  • Employees trapped in demanding and unfulfilling jobs
  • Parents who want more quality time with their kids
  • Creatives struggling to pursue their dreams

About the Author: Laura Vanderkam

Laura Vanderkam is an author and productivity specialist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is a co-host of the podcast Before Breakfast, which features ideas from her other books on time management including What Successful People Do Before Breakfast, Off the Clock, and I Know How She Does It. 

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