Time Management In An Instant by Keith Bailey and Karen Leland

Time Management In an Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day (In an Instant (Career Press))


In today’s hurly-burly work environment many business people find it challenging to avoid distraction, stay focused, use their time and energy to maximum benefit, and gain ground on important goals and outcomes. One study by the Families and Work Institute found that one-third of Americans are overworked and more than 50 percent of those surveyed say they are either doing too many tasks at the same time or are frequently interrupted during the workday - or both. In short, we are overloaded!

Time Management In An Instant helps you to overcome this feeling of overload and avoid the traps that lead to an unproductive relationship with time. It offers field-tested time habits and expert advice based on the latest research that will help you better manage, create and spend your time with more satisfaction and results.

Based on the authors’ popular Time Management workshop, given to Fortune 500 companies and small businesses alike, Time Management In An Instant outlines the best practices for improving your everyday work situations including:

* Harness the power of completion
* Link your core values to key projects
* Find the power of mini-tasks
* Master the art of time planning
* Play the 80/20 game of accomplishment
* Cut your meeting times in half
* Get a procrastination inoculation
* Arrest the biggest time crimes
* Take back your time - Just Say No
* Go for your goals - everyday
* Fight distraction and find your focus

My thoughts:

In case you haven't heard, time management and organization is my thing. I am a contributor to Writer2Writer, an online magazine geared toward assisting writers generate cash from their passion. My articles help our readers increase productivity through time management and organization.

When I read this book was going on tour, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. It just came in on Monday, so I haven't had time to get too much into it yet, but here's what I can tell you I like so far:

* Its Size - At around 150 pages and in paperback, this book is easy to tuck into your briefcase and will make excellent reading material during lunch hour or while waiting for a doctor's appointment.

* The Content - The subtitle is "60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day", and those 60 things cover a lot of ground, so don't let its size fool you. From assessing your time-management skills to achieving your daily goals, and from determing what to delegate to getting a good night's sleep, I see a lot of topics I mention in my articles, and they can never be stated often enough for those who struggle with time managment.

* Its Cover - I absolutely love this cover! Covers sell books, and cover designer Howard Grossman did an excellent job in putting together a cover that is not only attractive, but speaks to the content of the book.

* The Format - With exercises, charts, tables and step-by-step instructions, this book will make learning how to manage your time easier.

Look for my full review of Time Management In An Instant, coming soon!


In 1986, Karen Leland and Keith Bailey founded Sterling Consulting Group, Inc. and shortly thereafter made history by being chosen over more than a dozen European competitors to become the first American consulting company to win a major contract for communication and service training within the British government.

Inc. Magazine chose Keith and Karen as their primary judges for the Inc. Magazine Positive Performer Award, which honors companies that have achieved an outstanding level of business excellence. For a period of five years, Karen and Keith were responsible for selecting the winning finalists from among 500 applicants.

Today, after having worked with some of the most prestigious companies in the world, they are internationally acclaimed experts on increasing productivity through the people side of business, whose speaking and consulting talents have brought them such clients as American Express, Oracle, AT&T, Marriott Hotels and IBM.

Their unique ability to make their research accessible, humorous and practical has led to a thriving business that takes them throughout North America, Southeast Asia and Europe, giving them the chance to both learn and teach world-class best business practices.

Karen and Keith are highly sought after keynote speakers and have presented to a wide range of audiences including: Young Presidents Association, American Management Association, American Marketing Association, The Bakersfield Business Conference and countless corporate meetings.

They are the best selling authors of seven books which have sold over 350,000 copies including Customer Service For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons), Watercooler Wisdom: How Smart People Prosper in the Face of Conflict, Pressure and Change (New Harbinger Publications), Customer Service In An Instant, Public Speaking In An Instant, Email In An Instant and Time Management In An Instant (Career Press). In addition to distribution within the US, their books have been translated into ten other languages.

Karen and Keith are regularly featured in the news media and have been interviewed by the New York Times, Newsweek, Fortune, Inc. Magazine and Time among others. They also have extensive on-air experience and have been interviewed on The Today Show, CNN, Good Morning America, Fox News and Oprah.