MAKE TIME by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky | Core Message

Summary

In 'Make Time' by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, the authors challenge the cultural belief of being constantly busy and instead advocate for intentional living. They introduce the concept of 'daily highlights' to create meaningful days and avoid a blur of activity. The book provides strategies to focus on what truly matters, such as defining a daily highlight, using 'send-only email' to reduce distractions, employing 'near impossible logins' to combat the pull of infinity pools like social media, and setting up an 'internet kill switch' to protect evening time. By implementing these tactics, readers can optimize their day and make the most of their time.

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♂️ The 'Busy Bandwagon' is a cultural belief that equates busyness with productivity, leading to a constant state of busyness without necessarily meaningful activity.
• 🎢 'Infinity Pools' are apps and online sources that provide endless content, which can distract from meaningful tasks and contribute to a blur of unproductive time.
• 🌟 The importance of identifying a 'Daily Highlight' to make each day meaningful and memorable, rather than just being busy.
• 📅 Defining a 'Daily Highlight' involves imagining what you would say if asked about the best part of your day before it even begins.
• 🔍 Three categories to find a daily highlight are urgency, significance, and joy, which help in identifying tasks or experiences that will make the day feel worthwhile.
• 📝 Create a 'Might Do List' to write down potential highlights that are more significant than simple tasks but less than major projects.
• 🖊️ Prioritize your 'Might Do List' by circling the one highlight you want to focus on and placing it somewhere visible, like on a post-it note on your phone.
• ⏰ Block out time in your calendar specifically for your daily highlight to ensure you dedicate time to it amidst other daily responsibilities.
• 📧 'Send Only Email' tactic suggests removing the primary email account from your phone to reduce the urge to check emails constantly, which can distract from your highlight.
• 🔑 'Near Impossible Logins' is a strategy to add friction to accessing distracting apps by removing them from your phone, resetting passwords, and saving them only in a password manager.
• 🛑 The 'Internet Kill Switch' tactic involves using a device to cut off internet access during certain hours to prevent evening distractions and encourage focus on personal highlights.

Q & A

What is the main idea of the book 'Make Time' by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky?

The main idea of 'Make Time' is to help individuals avoid the 'busy bandwagon' and 'infinity pools' by living more intentionally and focusing on daily highlights to make each day meaningful and memorable.

What is the 'busy bandwagon' as described in the book?

The 'busy bandwagon' refers to the cultural belief that being constantly busy is a sign of productivity and success. It leads people to spend their days in a whirlwind of activities like responding to emails and attending meetings without focusing on what truly matters.

What are 'infinity pools' in the context of the book?

'Infinity pools' are metaphors for apps and other sources of endlessly replenishing content that can consume our time and attention, like social media platforms and streaming services, preventing us from focusing on meaningful tasks.

Why is it important to define a daily highlight according to the authors?

Defining a daily highlight is important because it helps to create memorable moments in our day. Without a significant achievement or peak moment, our days can blend together, making our weeks and months seem like a blur of unproductive activity.

How can one identify their daily highlight?

To identify a daily highlight, one can consider three categories: urgency, significance, and joy. By asking what is most pressing, what would bring the most satisfaction, and what would bring the most joy, one can determine an activity that will make their day memorable.

What is the recommended time frame for a daily highlight?

The recommended time frame for a daily highlight is between 60 to 90 minutes. This allows enough time to focus on and accomplish something meaningful without being too overwhelming.

What is the 'send-only email' tactic and how does it help in focusing on the daily highlight?

The 'send-only email' tactic involves removing the primary email account from your phone or setting up a secondary account that can only be used to send emails. This reduces the temptation to check emails constantly, allowing for better focus on the daily highlight.

What are 'near impossible logins' and how do they work to prevent distraction?

'Near impossible logins' is a tactic where one resets their passwords to complex combinations and saves them in a password manager. This adds friction to accessing distracting apps and services, giving the user a chance to reconsider their actions before logging in.

What is the purpose of using a vacation timer or an internet kill switch?

A vacation timer or an internet kill switch is used to automatically cut off internet access at specific times, preventing evening distractions and allowing for more quality time, focus on personal projects, and better sleep.

How can one ensure that they stay focused on their daily highlight?

One can stay focused on their daily highlight by using tactics like 'send-only email', 'near impossible logins', and setting up an internet kill switch. Additionally, blocking out a specific time in their calendar for the highlight and placing a visual reminder, like a post-it note, can help maintain focus.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Prioritizing Daily Highlights for Meaningful Living

The first paragraph introduces the concept of the 'busy bandwagon' and 'infinity pools' as cultural norms that can lead to a life filled with unfocused activity and a lack of meaningful experiences. The authors, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, emphasize the importance of living intentionally by focusing on 'daily highlights' to create memorable moments. They suggest imagining a friend asking about the highlight of your day and defining it before it begins. The paragraph outlines three categories for identifying daily highlights: urgency, significance, and joy. It advises writing down potential highlights on a 'might do list,' selecting the most memorable one, and setting aside time in the calendar to achieve it. The goal is to create a life where each day has a clear peak moment that makes it stand out and contributes to a meaningful existence.

05:01

🛠 Tactics to Avoid Distractions and Enhance Productivity

The second paragraph discusses strategies to prevent the 'busy bandwagon' and 'infinity pools' from derailing one's focus on daily highlights. The first tactic is to manage email distractions by either removing the email app from the phone or setting up a 'send-only' email account to avoid constant checking. The second tactic involves adding friction to the access of 'infinity pools' like social media and news apps by removing them from the phone, resetting passwords to complex ones, and using a password manager. This forces a conscious decision before logging in, providing an opportunity to reconsider time spent on these platforms. The third tactic is to use a 'kill switch' to cut off internet access during certain hours, such as evenings, to protect time for highlights like family activities or passion projects. The paragraph concludes with an offer to provide a one-page PDF summary of insights from the book 'Make Time' and encourages viewers to subscribe to a productivity newsletter for more tips.

Keywords

💡Busy Bandwagon

The 'Busy Bandwagon' is a cultural belief that equates being busy with productivity and success. It is the notion that one must always be active and rushing around to be considered as doing something right, particularly in a work context. In the video, it is suggested that this mindset can lead to a blur of unproductive activity, as people may focus on the quantity of tasks rather than the quality or significance of their work. The authors encourage viewers to step off this bandwagon to live more intentionally.

💡Infinity Pools

In the context of the video, 'Infinity Pools' are metaphors for apps and online sources of content that are designed to be endlessly engaging, such as social media platforms and streaming services. They are called 'infinity pools' because they continuously provide new content as you scroll or interact with them, much like water in an infinity pool appears to stretch on forever. The video warns that these can distract from meaningful activities and contribute to a life that feels unfocused and unproductive.

💡Daily Highlight

A 'Daily Highlight' is a concept introduced in the video to help individuals focus on what truly matters in their day. It is the single most important or meaningful task, achievement, or moment that one plans to accomplish each day. The video emphasizes that by identifying a daily highlight, people can create more memorable and fulfilling days, as opposed to letting their time be consumed by less important or urgent matters.

💡Urgency

Urgency, as discussed in the video, refers to tasks or activities that are pressing and require immediate attention. It is one of the three categories, along with significance and joy, that the authors suggest considering when identifying a daily highlight. An urgent task might be a proposal due to a client or studying for an important test. The video suggests that making progress on urgent matters can contribute to a feeling of a productive day.

💡Significance

Significance pertains to activities that hold personal importance and satisfaction, even if they are not urgent. When considering a daily highlight, the video advises reflecting on what would give the most satisfaction at the end of the day. This could include personal projects like writing a book or completing a module of a desired course. These are activities that one wants to do for personal growth or fulfillment, rather than because they are required.

💡Joy

Joy, in the context of the video, is associated with activities that bring personal happiness and pleasure, without necessarily being tied to productivity or accomplishment. It is the third category for identifying a daily highlight. Examples given in the video include spending time with loved ones, engaging in hobbies, or participating in leisure activities. The focus is on experiences that are pursued for the sheer enjoyment and happiness they bring.

💡Might-Do List

A 'Might-Do List' is a tool suggested in the video for planning one's day. It involves writing down potential highlights that are bigger than a simple task but smaller than a major project, each taking about 60 to 90 minutes to complete. This list helps in organizing and prioritizing the day's activities, ensuring that there is a focus on meaningful tasks rather than getting lost in a sea of less important to-dos.

💡Send-Only Email

The 'Send-Only Email' tactic is a strategy for managing email distractions. It involves removing the primary email account from one's phone and setting up a secondary 'send-only' email account. This way, the individual can still send emails from their phone without being tempted to check incoming emails constantly, which can be a significant source of distraction and a hindrance to focusing on the daily highlight.

💡Near Impossible Logins

This tactic is used to combat the ease of access to 'infinity pools' like social media and other time-consuming online platforms. It involves changing passwords to complex ones, not saving them, and removing the apps from one's phone. The idea is to create friction in the login process, which can help prevent mindless scrolling and encourage a return to more intentional and meaningful activities.

💡Internet Kill Switch

An 'Internet Kill Switch' is a device or software that can automatically cut off internet access at a set time. In the video, it is suggested as a method to protect one's evening time, ensuring that it is spent on highlights rather than getting lost in online distractions. By setting a timer to disable internet access during certain hours, one can create an environment conducive to focusing on personal highlights.

💡Productivity Game

While not explicitly detailed in the transcript, the 'Productivity Game' seems to be an email newsletter or a resource mentioned by the speaker that provides tips and insights on improving productivity. It is implied that subscribing to this newsletter could offer further strategies and summaries on how to make the most of one's time, aligning with the video's theme of intentional living and focused productivity.

Highlights

The cultural belief of the 'busy bandwagon' where busyness is seen as a badge of honor.

The concept of 'infinity pools' as sources of endless distraction like apps and streaming services.

The importance of living intentionally to avoid a blur of meaningless activity.

The idea of a 'daily highlight' to make days more meaningful and memorable.

Defining a daily highlight before the day begins to experience peak moments.

Using the three categories of urgency, significance, and joy to find a daily highlight.

Creating a 'might do' list to identify potential daily highlights.

Writing down and focusing on one highlight for the day to increase the chances of a meaningful day.

Using a post-it note to remind oneself of the daily highlight throughout the day.

Blocking out time in the calendar dedicated to the daily highlight.

Tactic one: 'Send only email' to reduce the urge to check emails on the phone.

Tactic two: 'Near impossible logins' to add friction and reduce the use of distracting apps.

Tactic three: Installing a 'kill switch' to cut off internet access during certain hours.

The effectiveness of using a vacation timer and apps like 'Freedom' to block internet access.

The overall goal of focusing on one highlight a day to live more intentionally and increase productivity.

Offering a one-page PDF summary for those interested in a concise overview of the book's insights.

Transcripts

I recently read make time by Jake Knapp

and John zorroski

how did you spend your time last week

when you think back does your week seem

like a blur like a dream you can barely

remember if so it's probably because you

spent the entire week on the busy

bandwagon the busy bandwagon is a

cultural belief that if you're not busy

that is you're not running around like a

chicken with your head cut off

then you're doing something wrong at

work when you ask someone how they're

doing they'll probably tell you a busy

really really busy people where their

busyness like a badge of honor

so to avoid feeling left out you and I

hop on the busy bandwagon and spend our

whole day responding to emails from

running from meeting to meeting and

constantly adding tasks to our to-do

lists when we step off the busy

bandwagon to relax infinity pools are

waiting to pull us into their vortex

authors John and Jake to find infinity

pools as apps and other sources of

endlessly replenishing content if you

can pull to refresh it's an infinity

pool if it streams it's an infinity pool

to prevent the busy bandwagon and

infinity pools from turning our daily

lives into a blur of meaningless

activity we must learn to live more

intentionally and to live more

intentionally we need to focus on daily

highlights to illustrate the power of a

daily highlight imagine taking a trip to

Disneyland with your family after a long

drive you pay too much to get in you

wait in long lines in the heat you deal

with screaming kids and you eat greasy

food that makes you feel like crap but

then there's that one moment that one

peak moment of joy the ride on Splash

Mountain with your daughter in which you

both got soaked that makes your time at

Disneyland worthwhile we tend to

remember peak moments not entire

experiences so over the course of a busy

day we can answer 100 emails we can

complete 20 errands but if we don't have

a big win a peak moment a highlight then

our day will seem just like every other

day in our weeks and months will become

a blur

to make our days more meaningful we need

to define a daily highlight before our

day begins to define your daily

highlight imagine a friend calls you at

the end of the day and asks what was the

highlight of your day if you can answer

that question before the day begins you

give yourself the best opportunity to

experience a peak moment and stop your

weeks and months from becoming a blur of

business and mindless distraction by

establishing your daily highlight you'll

be able to look back on your week and

think ah Monday was great because I did

this one big thing Tuesday was great

because I made time to hang out with my

child

which led to that one memorable moment

to help you find your daily highlight

authors Jake and John have provided

three highlight categories urgency

significance and joy to find a highlight

in the urgency category ask yourself

what's the most pressing thing I need to

do today like that proposal you promised

a client or that test you need to study

for of all the urgent things in your

life what could you make progress on

that would make your day feel like a win

when searching the satisfaction category

for a potential daily highlight ask

yourself at the end of the day what

would give me the most satisfaction

maybe that's drafting 2,000 words for

that book you want to write or

completing the first module of that

computer programming course you wanted

to start these are things you want to do

but don't necessarily need to do in the

joy category you can find your daily

highlight by asking yourself when I

reflect on my day

what experience will give me the most

joy here you stop searching for things

you can accomplish and start identifying

the people you love to spend time with

innate tivities that bring you joy that

is activities you do for the sake of

doing them joy based highlights might

include going to the playground with

your child or having a guitar jam

session with your friend or taking a

cooking class with your spouse as you

consider all three categories urgency

satisfaction and joy write down all the

potential highlights on the blank piece

of paper

in no particular order this piece of

paper is your might do list each item on

your might do list should be bigger than

a task but smaller than a major project

and each item should take between 60 to

90 minutes to complete

once you have a few good options on your

daily might do list rewrite the items

that you think will make your day

memorable on a new list then circled the

one highlight you want to focus on today

now put that highlight on a post-it note

and put that post-it note in a place

you'll see throughout the day I like to

use post-it note tape every morning I

rip off a piece write my highlight on it

and then paste it to the back of my

phone every time I pull my phone out of

my pocket I'm reminded of my highlight

and now the final step is to open up

your calendar and block out a 60 to 90

minute chunk of time that you'll

dedicate to your highlight that's it by

identifying and focusing on one

highlight each day you'll start living

more intentionally and you'll increase

the probability that each day will count

however you still need to prevent the

busy bandwagon and infinity pools from

pulling you away from your highlight to

help with this the others have several

tactics in make time to block the busy

bandwagon and tame the infinity pools

here are three tactics I found

particularly helpful tactic number one

send only email the biggest source of

busyness is email particularly email on

your phone because emails so easy to

access on our phone we feel the urge to

check it throughout the day and when

we're focusing on our highlight like

cooking with our family practicing

guitar or writing a blog post our

attention is fractured and what's worse

if a highlight becomes hard like

creating an outline for an important

presentation then we'll quickly escape

to our inbox the easiest solution is to

simply delete the email app on our phone

but if you're like me and you think

that's too hasty because you need to

communicate with your team or send

updates to somebody then there is a

better way remove the primary email

account from your phone but set up a

secondary send only email account on

your phone when you need to send an

email message open up that secondary

email on your phone and send away then

when someone replies to you set up Auto

forwarding to your primary account

that's not on your phone this way you

won't be tempted to check email on your

phone because there is no email coming

in and you'll be forced to check your

email on your desktop where it's

actually faster to respond to all your

email

because you've access to your files and

you can type out responses tactic number

two near impossible logins infinity

pools are powerful because they're so

frictionless to access YouTube or

Instagram on the iPhone you just need to

hold the phone to your face and hit the

app icon to add more friction to

infinity pools and reduce their pole

execute the following three steps step 1

remove all apps on your phone that you

have the urge to check like Instagram

Twitter Facebook news apps and any other

apps you feel that you overuse now that

they're off your phone you'll need to

log into these services on our desktop

step number two you reset all your

passwords so they're all different and

they're all crazy-like see dollar sign

exclamation mark RFQ 8e p star period

underscore efore then save all your

crazy passwords in a password manager

like keeper and step 3

uncheck the option to save passwords on

every service now when you try to log

into Facebook or Instagram or YouTube

you need to make an effort and you get a

chance to stop yourself mid login and

think is this how I really want to spend

my time if so go ahead if not get back

to your highlight tactic number 3

install a kill switch for a lot of

people the best time to experience a

highlight is in the evening however the

evening is usually the time we waste

hours in an infinity pool like Netflix

to protect our time we need to kill the

primary source of busyness and

distraction the internet the best way to

kill the Internet is to not think about

doing it and have a vacation timer do it

automatically a vacation timer is a

device you plug into your outlet which

you then plug your internet modem into

then you can set the vacation timer to

kill power to the modem at a specific

time every day I set my vacation timer

to kill the internet between 8 p.m. and

8 a.m. now between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. I

can't watch TV because my TV's

internet-based and I can't wait hours

browsing websites on my laptop sure I

can still use my phone but that's why I

use an app called freedom which I've set

to block access to all web sites between

p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the result is more

quality time with my wife more time

reading and more time on my passion

projects and better sleep in the end

make your days count by focusing on one

highlight every day something urgent

you'll be proud to have completed

something satisfying you want to do but

don't need to do or something that

brings you joy then use tactics like

send only email near impossible logins

and the internet kill switch to ensure

that you have the time and the attention

to dedicate to your highlight that was

the core message that I gathered from

make time there are dozens of tactics in

this book to help you optimize your day

and make the most of your time how do

you recommend this book if you would

like a one-page PDF summary of insights

that I gathered from this book just

click the link below and I'd be happy to

email to you if you already subscribe to

the free productivity game email

newsletter this PDF is sitting in your

inbox if you like this video please

share it and as always thanks for

watching and have yourself a productive

week