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Mind Management, Not Time Management: Productivity When Creativity Matters
OVER 40,000 COPIES SOLD“An exhilarating but highly structured approach to the creative use of time. Kadavy’s approach is likely to spark a new evaluation of conventional time management.”—Kirkus Reviews
You have the TIME. Do you have the ENERGY?
You’ve done everything you can to save time. Every productivity tip, every “life hack,” every time management technique.
But the more time you save, the less time you have. The more overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted you feel.
“Time management” is squeezing blood from a stone.
Introducing a new approach to productivity. Instead of struggling to get more out of your time, start effortlessly getting more out of your mind.
In Mind Management, Not Time Management, best-selling author David Kadavy shares the fruits of his decade-long deep dive into how to truly be productive in a constantly changing world.
Quit your daily routine. Use the hidden patterns all around you as launchpads to skyrocket your productivity.Do in only five minutes what used to take all day. Let your “passive genius” do your best thinking when you’re not even thinking.“Writer’s block” is a myth. Learn a timeless lesson from the 19th century’s most underrated scientist.Wield all of the power of technology, with none of the distractions. An obscure but inexpensive gadget may be the shortcut to your superpowers.Keep going, even when chaos strikes. Tap into the unexpected to find your next Big Idea.Mind Management, Not Time Management isn’t your typical productivity book. It’s a gripping page-turner chronicling Kadavy’s global search for the keys to unlock the future of productivity.
You’ll learn faster, make better decisions, and turn your best ideas into reality. Buy it and start reading today.
You have the TIME. Do you have the ENERGY?
You’ve done everything you can to save time. Every productivity tip, every “life hack,” every time management technique.
But the more time you save, the less time you have. The more overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted you feel.
“Time management” is squeezing blood from a stone.
Introducing a new approach to productivity. Instead of struggling to get more out of your time, start effortlessly getting more out of your mind.
In Mind Management, Not Time Management, best-selling author David Kadavy shares the fruits of his decade-long deep dive into how to truly be productive in a constantly changing world.
Quit your daily routine. Use the hidden patterns all around you as launchpads to skyrocket your productivity.Do in only five minutes what used to take all day. Let your “passive genius” do your best thinking when you’re not even thinking.“Writer’s block” is a myth. Learn a timeless lesson from the 19th century’s most underrated scientist.Wield all of the power of technology, with none of the distractions. An obscure but inexpensive gadget may be the shortcut to your superpowers.Keep going, even when chaos strikes. Tap into the unexpected to find your next Big Idea.Mind Management, Not Time Management isn’t your typical productivity book. It’s a gripping page-turner chronicling Kadavy’s global search for the keys to unlock the future of productivity.
You’ll learn faster, make better decisions, and turn your best ideas into reality. Buy it and start reading today.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2020
About the author
David Kadavy
20 books251 followersDavid Kadavy (@kadavy) is a bestselling author, blogger, podcaster, and speaker. Through his blogging at kadavy.net and his podcast, Love Your Work, he helps people find satisfaction through following their crafts, even if it takes them down unconventional paths. David's writing has appeared in Quartz, Observer, Inc.com, The Huffington Post, McSweeny’s Internet Tendency, and Upworthy. He has spoken in eight countries, including appearances at SXSW at TEDx. He lives in Medellín, Colombia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
November 12, 2020
I enjoyed the book and also felt it was a bit too long.
Mind management is very interesting and the thoughts on it in this book are similar to ones I’ve developed over the years. It wasn’t exactly clear to me what mastering your mind meant by the end of the book though.
There were a number of practical ideas all crowded into small chapters with personal stories which made it difficult to follow. Some of the stories felt a bit extended by the end of the chapter. My one takeaway from this book is that I wish it was a bit more organized, it felt a bit all over the place although the content was great!
Thanks for the book David!
Mind management is very interesting and the thoughts on it in this book are similar to ones I’ve developed over the years. It wasn’t exactly clear to me what mastering your mind meant by the end of the book though.
There were a number of practical ideas all crowded into small chapters with personal stories which made it difficult to follow. Some of the stories felt a bit extended by the end of the chapter. My one takeaway from this book is that I wish it was a bit more organized, it felt a bit all over the place although the content was great!
Thanks for the book David!
May 4, 2022
Kadavy enjoys two things: namedropping others and writing about himself. This could, and should, have been a blog post
November 13, 2020
Here's another go-to book to add to my author entrepreneur reference shelf. I've been listening to David Kadavy's podcast for a long time, and I'm very glad he published this book because I always had the impression that a lot of what worked for him would also work well for me.
And that, really, is the beauty of Mind Management, Not Time Management. Like many books, it is about getting things done, but it faithfully serves its specific audience: creatives. Synthesizing many core ideas from other productivity books (as a lot of my favorite nonfiction books nowadays do) as well as Kadavy's own insights, this is the book I needed to form a more effective writing practice.
The structure of Kadavy's approach to creative work is incredibly flexible, giving you a concrete place to start with your efforts while also leaving room to shape every part of the process to your specific needs.
The recap of the central concepts at the end of the book is especially helpful for putting Kadavy's approach into practice. Becoming a happier, more productive creative feels more doable than ever.
And that, really, is the beauty of Mind Management, Not Time Management. Like many books, it is about getting things done, but it faithfully serves its specific audience: creatives. Synthesizing many core ideas from other productivity books (as a lot of my favorite nonfiction books nowadays do) as well as Kadavy's own insights, this is the book I needed to form a more effective writing practice.
The structure of Kadavy's approach to creative work is incredibly flexible, giving you a concrete place to start with your efforts while also leaving room to shape every part of the process to your specific needs.
The recap of the central concepts at the end of the book is especially helpful for putting Kadavy's approach into practice. Becoming a happier, more productive creative feels more doable than ever.
December 25, 2022
I understand how the author perfected his own creativity system, and there are some useful nuggets there, but is it something applicable to every life? I doubt it. At points, it felt like a privileged person’s obsession with creating the perfect system to nurture and replenish creativity. It only became relatable when the author opened up to share his own vulnerability. Yes systems, rituals, whatever you may call it etc do help, but I find them not repeatable. What we learn here is a quite long tale of at the end it’s about breathing in life and whatever it may bring, being kind to others and ourselves and finding our own rhythm to produce what we can be proud of.
February 7, 2022
The author shows how he developed systems and hacks to increase his productivity while working on creative projects. I particularly enjoyed the Four Stages of Creativity, the Seven Mental States of Creative Work, the Minimum Creative Dose, and the Creative Sweet Spot. Lots of good stuff here, along with interesting information about the author’s life. While I enjoyed this book and found some good tips, I liked the previous book in the series, THE HEART TO START, even more.
July 7, 2021
Excellent book. This reading give me some nice examples of how our mood and spiritual state can relate with our performance in any task. More than manage our time, we should be able to identify our mental state to execute the tasks that better fits to each one. Understand and control our mind is for sure something that worth the reading.
August 13, 2021
Fine. Didn't speak to me.
March 28, 2023
Love the ideas in this book! I had been excited to read this since I saw @alexandbooks_ post about it ages ago and am glad I finally read it :)
I feel there is ALOT of valuable content in this book but it was less immediately actionable than I would have hoped, since David tells many stories along the way. Whilst this made it an easy read, I’ll have to go back through my notes to apply what I’ve learnt. I’d still recommend though!
I feel there is ALOT of valuable content in this book but it was less immediately actionable than I would have hoped, since David tells many stories along the way. Whilst this made it an easy read, I’ll have to go back through my notes to apply what I’ve learnt. I’d still recommend though!
August 16, 2022
Loved the book, we all have 24 hours a day but not all hours in those 24 hours are equal… it’s not your typical productivity style book, it links productivity with the state of mind and mood you are in which is key… life is not about waking up an hour earlier or spending more time doing things to be productive, it all depends on how you manage to be in the right state of mind to deliver something…
April 17, 2023
This may be the best book on productivity and time management I've read. I would probably recommend this before reading Deep Work, Atomic Habits, and The 12 Week Year (though I did get a lot out of all of those books as well).
I'm going to be gradually shifting my work practices for a while based on the ideas in this book.
I'm going to be gradually shifting my work practices for a while based on the ideas in this book.
May 19, 2022
It started of well but the last part became overwhelming .
February 1, 2023
Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. —Robert Louis Stevenson
As busy people we have all manner of methods for managing our time. For some…of a certain age, we had day-planners. Expensive notebooks with annual inserts to keep track of our time and our daily tasks. In the past two decades we have seen the introduction of digital assistants, smartphones, and smart watches. All offering tools and resources for making better use of our time. For some, these tools are to increase free-time and for others, it increases productivity.
We have the gall to refer to unused time as “free” time. Do we call our unused money “free” money? No! Ironic, in a world where “time is money. ― David Kadavy,
In Mind Management, Not Time Management author David Kadavy offers insight into managing our thought processes and our approach to creativity. The premise that really stands out is that not all time is created equal. Kadavy explains that we often cite the concept that we all have the same 24 hours per day which can lead us to falsely assume that they are created equal and we can simply map out the hours to schedule all that we must do. However, Kadavy will walk readers through his research and show how some time is better for some tasks for some individuals compared to others. As a result, if we can structure our time to take advantage of these differences we may see exponential results. A simple example is how one person can benefit from and thrive on early morning exercise. However, if that exercise were to be scheduled at another time of day, its benefits would be reduced.
If we are truly to get the most out of this life, we must take the time to understand how we function at our best and begin to allow that to be the basis of how we use our time.
Your edge as a human is not in doing something quickly. No matter how fast you move, a computer can move faster. Your edge as a human is in thinking the thoughts behind the doing. ― David Kadavy
As busy people we have all manner of methods for managing our time. For some…of a certain age, we had day-planners. Expensive notebooks with annual inserts to keep track of our time and our daily tasks. In the past two decades we have seen the introduction of digital assistants, smartphones, and smart watches. All offering tools and resources for making better use of our time. For some, these tools are to increase free-time and for others, it increases productivity.
We have the gall to refer to unused time as “free” time. Do we call our unused money “free” money? No! Ironic, in a world where “time is money. ― David Kadavy,
In Mind Management, Not Time Management author David Kadavy offers insight into managing our thought processes and our approach to creativity. The premise that really stands out is that not all time is created equal. Kadavy explains that we often cite the concept that we all have the same 24 hours per day which can lead us to falsely assume that they are created equal and we can simply map out the hours to schedule all that we must do. However, Kadavy will walk readers through his research and show how some time is better for some tasks for some individuals compared to others. As a result, if we can structure our time to take advantage of these differences we may see exponential results. A simple example is how one person can benefit from and thrive on early morning exercise. However, if that exercise were to be scheduled at another time of day, its benefits would be reduced.
If we are truly to get the most out of this life, we must take the time to understand how we function at our best and begin to allow that to be the basis of how we use our time.
Your edge as a human is not in doing something quickly. No matter how fast you move, a computer can move faster. Your edge as a human is in thinking the thoughts behind the doing. ― David Kadavy
April 12, 2024
I learned the idea of incubation of an idea after giving your brain the minimum creative dose to close the loop in your brain. I've done this before randomly but never knew exactly how it worked or how important it was. It frees up your mind to focus on what's in front of you in the moment while the incubated idea is being processed in the background by your subconscious. You haven't forgotten about your idea, you've just assigned it to a different part of your brain to process. Also learned the power of capturing all your ideas down to close all those open loops in your brain so you can actually focus on what's important.
January 10, 2023
A natural successor to "Get things done". If you liked that book you will love this. Lots of new perspectives to how to stay dynamic, focused and productive. He also put perspective on creative cycles and how you need to find your needs per type and the need of finding a structure to build of the chaos of life to ensure you organize your work per mental state. Lovely, lovely lovely.
June 10, 2023
Some good personal stories told by an engaging author, and some excellent reminders and tips that got a bit overworked by the end of the book.
March 27, 2021
1.⭐️5 star for the productivity tips and systems. Great observations, if I want to apply some productivity system on branched creativity world, I would 1 use Davids.
There are some nice tips, observations and connections, which would probably be more digestible separately:
Great point that state of mind/attitude matters much more in certain areas then time frame (and maybe in much more then we think).
2. Davids Personae and a bit of mine
I think that being a great writer is still only Davids dream and wish, but maybe in the future he will really become one with all this tools he prepared for this journey. For now he is not for me in comparison to others - even in the self help category, but they dont say they are writers about themselfs constantly. David should decide if he want to present those tools, himself and his life or some actual creative work (personaly I would present those parts separately). I think he dont have that much talent for writing, so it takes more work, but it is a bit presented like he was already there. That does not say he didnt created a good podcast or is not a good graphic designer or dont have interesting life - his narative about himself just dont corelate with the reality in my eyes (I dont know all Davids work - to this time I read Heart To Start, this book and Davids newsletters, heard some podcast episodes). David is a bit narcicistic self obssesed control freak (at least a little bit) with his ego and reason is to create a legacy in books (and other creative work). A am actually very similar, so Davids life is kind a study for me, some narative triggers me for the same reason and some projection could be present too. For the same reason I like to donate by buying Davids books (donate because I think the price is relatively high for the actual extent, but thats debatable) and I hope Davids journey will be really successful at the end (especially for him). Being the same type as me, I think David have same tendency to overstructure things and life as me, but I think he is dealing better with it - in that he is my example. David reminds me that writer from Easy series (on Netflix) for whom everyone was his his therapist... Anyway, I am staying his fan.
3. Precision versus creativity
Some examples (or stories from Davids life) wasnt really needed and was redundant in my opinion. Some neurology stuff (like short term memory) should have been explained with more scientific precision when they were used like they were in the book. I think there are combined relatively precise scientific findings with authors personal views and experience - thats not necessary for the point or productivity, but I would like it declared. Thats the problem of trying to write productivity - more science, practical based book with artistic depiction of ones life. It would be better separated (I think). Now its all about David with adjunct creative productivity advice.
4. Personal story intertwined with productivity advice.
As I mentioned at poing 1 for the productivity advice I would give 5 stars - despite in some points its more good collection (and connection) which was already said in other forms. So if they would be only the productivity stuff (with real life examples, thats not a problem), I would give 5 stars in self help category. I would even give 5 stars if there were a separate, more detailed Davids life story book in the category memoirs/personal stories. But in this, a bit chaotic, combination, its ⭐️4 stars for me overall, maybe a little less (but I am counting other Davids works that adds up to this book).
There are some nice tips, observations and connections, which would probably be more digestible separately:
Great point that state of mind/attitude matters much more in certain areas then time frame (and maybe in much more then we think).
2. Davids Personae and a bit of mine
I think that being a great writer is still only Davids dream and wish, but maybe in the future he will really become one with all this tools he prepared for this journey. For now he is not for me in comparison to others - even in the self help category, but they dont say they are writers about themselfs constantly. David should decide if he want to present those tools, himself and his life or some actual creative work (personaly I would present those parts separately). I think he dont have that much talent for writing, so it takes more work, but it is a bit presented like he was already there. That does not say he didnt created a good podcast or is not a good graphic designer or dont have interesting life - his narative about himself just dont corelate with the reality in my eyes (I dont know all Davids work - to this time I read Heart To Start, this book and Davids newsletters, heard some podcast episodes). David is a bit narcicistic self obssesed control freak (at least a little bit) with his ego and reason is to create a legacy in books (and other creative work). A am actually very similar, so Davids life is kind a study for me, some narative triggers me for the same reason and some projection could be present too. For the same reason I like to donate by buying Davids books (donate because I think the price is relatively high for the actual extent, but thats debatable) and I hope Davids journey will be really successful at the end (especially for him). Being the same type as me, I think David have same tendency to overstructure things and life as me, but I think he is dealing better with it - in that he is my example. David reminds me that writer from Easy series (on Netflix) for whom everyone was his his therapist... Anyway, I am staying his fan.
3. Precision versus creativity
Some examples (or stories from Davids life) wasnt really needed and was redundant in my opinion. Some neurology stuff (like short term memory) should have been explained with more scientific precision when they were used like they were in the book. I think there are combined relatively precise scientific findings with authors personal views and experience - thats not necessary for the point or productivity, but I would like it declared. Thats the problem of trying to write productivity - more science, practical based book with artistic depiction of ones life. It would be better separated (I think). Now its all about David with adjunct creative productivity advice.
4. Personal story intertwined with productivity advice.
As I mentioned at poing 1 for the productivity advice I would give 5 stars - despite in some points its more good collection (and connection) which was already said in other forms. So if they would be only the productivity stuff (with real life examples, thats not a problem), I would give 5 stars in self help category. I would even give 5 stars if there were a separate, more detailed Davids life story book in the category memoirs/personal stories. But in this, a bit chaotic, combination, its ⭐️4 stars for me overall, maybe a little less (but I am counting other Davids works that adds up to this book).
April 30, 2022
Thought-provoking for any of us who identify with Kadavy's self-description of constantly finding ways to do more and more things in less and less time. I smiled a little as he described his pursuits to this effect: they definitely sound like me, and he's absolutely right that at a certain point, there are diminishing returns. So he shifted his paradigm, focusing instead on when to do which tasks to maximum effect, based upon his mental state at the time.
I'm also already doing most of what he described in the book, though I hadn't thought of it in so many words. Any new venture requires all of my mental focus, but then once I have it down, I can shift it to "back burner"--which for me means essentially auto pilot (I'm thinking of editing podcasts and then uploading them for distribution while listening to audiobooks or CMEs, or doing the same with newsletters). My best creative time, like his, is first thing in the morning, so that's my Bible study and writing time four days per week. My workouts come next, and I've learned that I can listen to non-fiction audiobooks or learning-based YouTube videos during that time and retain the information reasonably well. Analytical tasks work better later in the day, and that's when I do the rest of my work. By the end of the day when I'm doing administrative tasks, I have to listen to fiction--I don't have the mental capacity for learning anything new.
The most interesting part of the book, or at least the part I found most original, was the segment on clock time vs event time. Kadavy moved to Colombia from the US. I also lived in Mexico for a time, and recall that the emphasis on the clock culturally doesn't apply there, which was a hard transition for an American. But "event time" is what happens when you're engrossed in what you're doing, when you're in "flow." It also has the effect of making time seem to expand. It's interesting how whatever you focus on in an attempt to maximize it has a tendency to slip away, as Viktor Frankl would say. Happiness is like that, too, and sleep--if you fixate upon either one, they will forever elude you. But place your focus on purpose, and happiness will arrive. Let your mind wander, and you'll eventually drift off to sleep. Be fully immersed in the moment, and it will seem as though time expands.
I'm also already doing most of what he described in the book, though I hadn't thought of it in so many words. Any new venture requires all of my mental focus, but then once I have it down, I can shift it to "back burner"--which for me means essentially auto pilot (I'm thinking of editing podcasts and then uploading them for distribution while listening to audiobooks or CMEs, or doing the same with newsletters). My best creative time, like his, is first thing in the morning, so that's my Bible study and writing time four days per week. My workouts come next, and I've learned that I can listen to non-fiction audiobooks or learning-based YouTube videos during that time and retain the information reasonably well. Analytical tasks work better later in the day, and that's when I do the rest of my work. By the end of the day when I'm doing administrative tasks, I have to listen to fiction--I don't have the mental capacity for learning anything new.
The most interesting part of the book, or at least the part I found most original, was the segment on clock time vs event time. Kadavy moved to Colombia from the US. I also lived in Mexico for a time, and recall that the emphasis on the clock culturally doesn't apply there, which was a hard transition for an American. But "event time" is what happens when you're engrossed in what you're doing, when you're in "flow." It also has the effect of making time seem to expand. It's interesting how whatever you focus on in an attempt to maximize it has a tendency to slip away, as Viktor Frankl would say. Happiness is like that, too, and sleep--if you fixate upon either one, they will forever elude you. But place your focus on purpose, and happiness will arrive. Let your mind wander, and you'll eventually drift off to sleep. Be fully immersed in the moment, and it will seem as though time expands.
January 14, 2022
This book moves from the traditional time management route and discusses about manging our energy and mental states. Instead of looking at being productive by the clock, the book talks about using each state to the optimal.
The author identifies Seven Mental states and leverages Creative cycles and uses them to create Creative systems. This book is an output of his creative systems.
**4 stages of creative process**
- Preparation- During preparation you lean everything that is there to the problem
- Incubation- Incubation happens when you aren’t working actively on the problem (may be even sleeping)
- Illumination - Its the aha moment, when you get insights into the problem
- Verification- where you verify the idea/ solution which you came up in the Illumination state.
**The seven mental states of creativity**
- Prioritize - Of all the problems that you need to work on, which one will be prioratised
- Explore- Its the state where you explore the possibilities to the solution. Its more than researching on the topic.
- Research - Looking for specifics in the topic would be the research state
- Generate - This is the state where you generate your creative output
- Polish - In this state you polish the output from the generate state
- Administrate- This state is to enable you to take care of details which make your creative work possible ( say eating, doing financial statements etc)
- Recharge- When you recharge and refuel yourself is the Recharge state
The author identifies Seven Mental states and leverages Creative cycles and uses them to create Creative systems. This book is an output of his creative systems.
**4 stages of creative process**
- Preparation- During preparation you lean everything that is there to the problem
- Incubation- Incubation happens when you aren’t working actively on the problem (may be even sleeping)
- Illumination - Its the aha moment, when you get insights into the problem
- Verification- where you verify the idea/ solution which you came up in the Illumination state.
**The seven mental states of creativity**
- Prioritize - Of all the problems that you need to work on, which one will be prioratised
- Explore- Its the state where you explore the possibilities to the solution. Its more than researching on the topic.
- Research - Looking for specifics in the topic would be the research state
- Generate - This is the state where you generate your creative output
- Polish - In this state you polish the output from the generate state
- Administrate- This state is to enable you to take care of details which make your creative work possible ( say eating, doing financial statements etc)
- Recharge- When you recharge and refuel yourself is the Recharge state
May 16, 2021
[oh no - I am trying to copy and paste quotes from the Kobo app which means, of course, it is not working. The Kobo dekstop app is a disaster for me. ALWAYS. So much so, I keep thinking I ought NOT to buy books in Kobo.]
The standard definition of the 4 stages of creativity is: preparation, incubation, illumination, verification. From Wallas, and after 120 years, it still stands.
So, given there is rule, he started to set out what he calls a Sloppy Operational Procedure and then he tags it with reminders for himself and has a cascading system of tech to store and retrieve it all. This way he never loses an idea.
And when it comes to creative work, he batches it. Like making a dozen cupcakes instead of one each time he does a podcast. The more you can streamline things, the more they become automatic, the less anxiety you feel over the task, and the easier and MORE creative it makes your life.
And the less energy it takes to sustain. Sure, it will take some energy to set it all up in the first place.
Look, I highlighted a LOT of this book, but cannot share it here. #BadKoboApp
He's clearly not a disorganised person, but some of these methods will work for ADHD peeps like me.
4 stars
The standard definition of the 4 stages of creativity is: preparation, incubation, illumination, verification. From Wallas, and after 120 years, it still stands.
So, given there is rule, he started to set out what he calls a Sloppy Operational Procedure and then he tags it with reminders for himself and has a cascading system of tech to store and retrieve it all. This way he never loses an idea.
And when it comes to creative work, he batches it. Like making a dozen cupcakes instead of one each time he does a podcast. The more you can streamline things, the more they become automatic, the less anxiety you feel over the task, and the easier and MORE creative it makes your life.
And the less energy it takes to sustain. Sure, it will take some energy to set it all up in the first place.
Look, I highlighted a LOT of this book, but cannot share it here. #BadKoboApp
He's clearly not a disorganised person, but some of these methods will work for ADHD peeps like me.
4 stars
August 10, 2022
I love books about productivity and time management. So, I was very excited to read "Mind Management, Not Time Management" by David Kadavy. And I can say it is a real eye-opener.
💬What kind of book is this?
This isn't the typical productivity book. Kadavy brings new ideas on how to get things done. The concepts are great! It's a fresh approach to productivity by focusing on getting more out of your mind (in stead of struggling to get more out of your time).
💬How can this book help me?
Mind management, not time management provides the tools you need to make the most out of creatieve energy. Insights into the creative mind, with practical techniques for getting things done. I love the concepts about Four Stages of Creativity, the Seven Mental States of Creative Work, the Minimum Creative Dose, and the Creative Sweet Spot.
💬My thoughts
I enjoyed reading a lot of interesting concepts and ideas. I especially found it very helpful to read about the author's life journey. This book will make you re-think the concept of time and important aspects of your life.
💬Rating
Excellent book. A lot of good stuff. I suggest you get your notebook ready! I would recommend this book to those of you who are planning any creative project, like writing a book. Highly recommended. Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
💬What kind of book is this?
This isn't the typical productivity book. Kadavy brings new ideas on how to get things done. The concepts are great! It's a fresh approach to productivity by focusing on getting more out of your mind (in stead of struggling to get more out of your time).
💬How can this book help me?
Mind management, not time management provides the tools you need to make the most out of creatieve energy. Insights into the creative mind, with practical techniques for getting things done. I love the concepts about Four Stages of Creativity, the Seven Mental States of Creative Work, the Minimum Creative Dose, and the Creative Sweet Spot.
💬My thoughts
I enjoyed reading a lot of interesting concepts and ideas. I especially found it very helpful to read about the author's life journey. This book will make you re-think the concept of time and important aspects of your life.
💬Rating
Excellent book. A lot of good stuff. I suggest you get your notebook ready! I would recommend this book to those of you who are planning any creative project, like writing a book. Highly recommended. Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
February 24, 2024
Bits of good advice, but…
After reading the first three chapters, I skimmed the rest of the book with bits of advice and strategies.
While the author provides some promising time management approaches, I wasn’t interested in his personal stories and creative writing process. His stories are unique to him, and I couldn’t relate to them for the type of work I do. He also refers to the GTD method, which is pretty well known.
When I chose the book, I sought time strategies and workflows to enhance my current work. Unfortunately, I didn’t get as much as I was looking for.
After reading the first three chapters, I skimmed the rest of the book with bits of advice and strategies.
While the author provides some promising time management approaches, I wasn’t interested in his personal stories and creative writing process. His stories are unique to him, and I couldn’t relate to them for the type of work I do. He also refers to the GTD method, which is pretty well known.
When I chose the book, I sought time strategies and workflows to enhance my current work. Unfortunately, I didn’t get as much as I was looking for.
January 18, 2022
Overall, it’s a decent book with good tips. However, there were two issues that made my reading experience slightly less than ideal: 1) it’s was a bit repetitive; 2) his personal stories were too long— could’ve been summarised without losing the wisdom they impart.
October 16, 2023
- Productivity is less about time management than it is about mind management.
- Being productive today isn't about time management, it's about mind management. Time management optimizes the resource of time. Mind management optimizes the resource of creative energy.
- Your Brian is plastic: Each time you perform a thought or action, you make it easier for your brain to reproduce that thought or action. This has some pretty clear implications for positive vs. negative thoughts, and explains why meditation is so powerful
- Your prefrontal cortex is in charge of things like prioritization, planning, and suppressing urges. But, your prefrontal cortex is small, but energy-hungry. So when it gets tired, it’s hard for you to think about the overarching purpose of what it is you’re doing right now, or to keep yourself from checking Facebook and Twitter every 2 minutes. So, it’s important to get mental rest to keep your prefrontal cortex working well, and to set aside special time dedicated only to prioritization
- our amygdala is extremely fear-driven, and is programmed to save you from danger. The really tough part is that your amygdala communicates with your body even before the rest of your brain (which can handle much more complex thinking). For example, if you see a snake, your amygdala tells your sympathetic nervous system to increase your heart rate before your eyes can even tell your brain “this is a snake.” The rest of your brain will then conclude “my heart rate increased, so I’m scared of this snake.” Your amygdala always wants you take the “safe” route, and will stifle your creativity, so you have to be wary of its power.
- Given this struggle between your prefrontal cortex and amygdala, and the fact that your prefrontal cortex is so easily fatigued, it should be no surprise that rest is important to using your mind effectively. If you think you’re getting more work done by working until you collapse every night, I’d argue that you probably aren’t. You’re probably depleting your prefrontal cortex, and instead of thinking strategically, are filling up the time with reactionary, fear-driven (amygdala-driven) “work.” Restorative activities, such as exercising, sleeping, and spending time with loved ones help your brain reorganize.
A few actionable tips you can use to manage your mind effectively.
- Mediatate: start with two sessions a day at 10–15 minutes for about 6 months.
- Make time for planning
- Trick yourself into starting
- First Hour Rule- Spend the first hour of your day working on your most important project.
Start of day-If you start your day working on the most important thing, there's less of a chance for other things to get in the way.
- Creative tasks Versus analytical task-Sometimes your mind is better-suited to think creatively. Sometimes your mind is better-suited to think analytically. Complete the work which requires creativity when mind is better-suited to think creatively. Complete the work which requires analysis when mind is better-suited for the same.
- Sleep-A one-hour increase in average daily sleep raises productivity by more than a one-year increase in education.
- Energy leakage-When you randomly switch from one activity to another, your energy leaks...If you're doing that all the time, little of your energy is going toward traction which is important for task completion
- Noise-Noise level can also affect your ability to think creatively...studies suggest that a background noise level of about seventy decibels is optimal for idea generation.
- State of mind-Things are not difficult to make; what is difficult is putting ourselves in the state of mind to make them hence put mind into state of completing task
- Being productive today isn't about time management, it's about mind management. Time management optimizes the resource of time. Mind management optimizes the resource of creative energy.
- Your Brian is plastic: Each time you perform a thought or action, you make it easier for your brain to reproduce that thought or action. This has some pretty clear implications for positive vs. negative thoughts, and explains why meditation is so powerful
- Your prefrontal cortex is in charge of things like prioritization, planning, and suppressing urges. But, your prefrontal cortex is small, but energy-hungry. So when it gets tired, it’s hard for you to think about the overarching purpose of what it is you’re doing right now, or to keep yourself from checking Facebook and Twitter every 2 minutes. So, it’s important to get mental rest to keep your prefrontal cortex working well, and to set aside special time dedicated only to prioritization
- our amygdala is extremely fear-driven, and is programmed to save you from danger. The really tough part is that your amygdala communicates with your body even before the rest of your brain (which can handle much more complex thinking). For example, if you see a snake, your amygdala tells your sympathetic nervous system to increase your heart rate before your eyes can even tell your brain “this is a snake.” The rest of your brain will then conclude “my heart rate increased, so I’m scared of this snake.” Your amygdala always wants you take the “safe” route, and will stifle your creativity, so you have to be wary of its power.
- Given this struggle between your prefrontal cortex and amygdala, and the fact that your prefrontal cortex is so easily fatigued, it should be no surprise that rest is important to using your mind effectively. If you think you’re getting more work done by working until you collapse every night, I’d argue that you probably aren’t. You’re probably depleting your prefrontal cortex, and instead of thinking strategically, are filling up the time with reactionary, fear-driven (amygdala-driven) “work.” Restorative activities, such as exercising, sleeping, and spending time with loved ones help your brain reorganize.
A few actionable tips you can use to manage your mind effectively.
- Mediatate: start with two sessions a day at 10–15 minutes for about 6 months.
- Make time for planning
- Trick yourself into starting
- First Hour Rule- Spend the first hour of your day working on your most important project.
Start of day-If you start your day working on the most important thing, there's less of a chance for other things to get in the way.
- Creative tasks Versus analytical task-Sometimes your mind is better-suited to think creatively. Sometimes your mind is better-suited to think analytically. Complete the work which requires creativity when mind is better-suited to think creatively. Complete the work which requires analysis when mind is better-suited for the same.
- Sleep-A one-hour increase in average daily sleep raises productivity by more than a one-year increase in education.
- Energy leakage-When you randomly switch from one activity to another, your energy leaks...If you're doing that all the time, little of your energy is going toward traction which is important for task completion
- Noise-Noise level can also affect your ability to think creatively...studies suggest that a background noise level of about seventy decibels is optimal for idea generation.
- State of mind-Things are not difficult to make; what is difficult is putting ourselves in the state of mind to make them hence put mind into state of completing task
March 30, 2021
There are countless self-help and productivity books out there that focus on time management. Kadavy acknowledges them and even enlightens us to one of his favorites (David Allen's Getting Things Done). However, using our time well is only a part of the equation, the other part is ensuring that our minds are able to do their best work within that time, and that different creative activities require a variety of environmental optimizations.
From the book:
"This is my proposal to humanity to let go of the notion that we can squeeze more from our time. Instead, let's think about how to get more from our minds."
Mind Management, Not Time Management continues to describe how to optimize the building block of creative thinking: the moment of insight. Kadavy explores the differences between insightful thinking and analytical thinking, and how to find your Creative Sweet Spot. The creative process is broken down into Four Stages of Creativity, and how we can make room for them.
With Kadavy's principles, we can stop struggling to achieve solutions and start letting those solutions "come to us."
The book continues by describing the Seven Mental States that move creative projects forward, and how to match your mental state to the task at hand. Finally, Kadavy explains how to leverage the power of Creative Cycles and how to develop Creative Systems that are repeatable and applicable to any of your current and future projects.
Kadavy is not simply a self-proclaimed guru, he has developed these systems while building his career as a writer. From the struggles of earlier books to the inspiration he has found while escaping the brutal Winters of Chicago in the far-away climate of Columbia. A digital nomad, Kadavy is sharing the tools that have helped him churn out numerous books, podcast episodes, and other writings.
I give this book 5 stars not only for the unique angle of the subject matter, but also for Kadavy's thorough exploration, systems development, and personal experience spread throughout. Highly recommended for any individual looking to maximize their creative output.
From the book:
"This is my proposal to humanity to let go of the notion that we can squeeze more from our time. Instead, let's think about how to get more from our minds."
Mind Management, Not Time Management continues to describe how to optimize the building block of creative thinking: the moment of insight. Kadavy explores the differences between insightful thinking and analytical thinking, and how to find your Creative Sweet Spot. The creative process is broken down into Four Stages of Creativity, and how we can make room for them.
With Kadavy's principles, we can stop struggling to achieve solutions and start letting those solutions "come to us."
The book continues by describing the Seven Mental States that move creative projects forward, and how to match your mental state to the task at hand. Finally, Kadavy explains how to leverage the power of Creative Cycles and how to develop Creative Systems that are repeatable and applicable to any of your current and future projects.
Kadavy is not simply a self-proclaimed guru, he has developed these systems while building his career as a writer. From the struggles of earlier books to the inspiration he has found while escaping the brutal Winters of Chicago in the far-away climate of Columbia. A digital nomad, Kadavy is sharing the tools that have helped him churn out numerous books, podcast episodes, and other writings.
I give this book 5 stars not only for the unique angle of the subject matter, but also for Kadavy's thorough exploration, systems development, and personal experience spread throughout. Highly recommended for any individual looking to maximize their creative output.
December 30, 2020
An enjoyable, thorough, and well-organized guide for any creative
Mind Management, Not Time Management: Productivity When Creativity Matters is a gripping blend of inspiring insights and actionable practices that will make you want to grab pen and paper, put your fingers to strings, or start in on a blank canvas. After reading it, you'll want to create, and you'll have a better idea of how to do so.
This is the perfect addition to the "Getting Art Done" series, following The Heart To Start: Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating (another must-read), as it provides clear entry points to start becoming what Kadavy calls a "perpetual creativity machine." Set inside the framework of the four stages of creativity, Kadavy calls for reimagining the common time-is-money approach to work because that isn’t the case for creative work. What Kadavy offers is a unique approach, catered to a specific kind of work, that he has tried and tested over the years.
As a college student and self-published author who does not yet write full-time or for a living, this book reassured me that I can continue to improve as a creative and make strides on my projects, even if I’m unable to dedicate my work week to it. Mind Management, Not Time Management makes constant creative progress seem attainable by offering actionable steps, delivering relatable anecdotes, and suggesting accessible tools. Give it a read!
Mind Management, Not Time Management: Productivity When Creativity Matters is a gripping blend of inspiring insights and actionable practices that will make you want to grab pen and paper, put your fingers to strings, or start in on a blank canvas. After reading it, you'll want to create, and you'll have a better idea of how to do so.
This is the perfect addition to the "Getting Art Done" series, following The Heart To Start: Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating (another must-read), as it provides clear entry points to start becoming what Kadavy calls a "perpetual creativity machine." Set inside the framework of the four stages of creativity, Kadavy calls for reimagining the common time-is-money approach to work because that isn’t the case for creative work. What Kadavy offers is a unique approach, catered to a specific kind of work, that he has tried and tested over the years.
As a college student and self-published author who does not yet write full-time or for a living, this book reassured me that I can continue to improve as a creative and make strides on my projects, even if I’m unable to dedicate my work week to it. Mind Management, Not Time Management makes constant creative progress seem attainable by offering actionable steps, delivering relatable anecdotes, and suggesting accessible tools. Give it a read!
July 1, 2023
No hay medias estrellas, pero son 4.5.
Es una gran libro sobre cómo administrar tu energía mental y cómo ser más creativo. Creo que complementa muy bien a "The Heart to Start" y en realidad me ha dejado grandes enseñanzas, creo que la que más me impactará tiene que ver con el ciclo de la creatividad.
Quiero aplicar en mi vida esto: para enfrentarme a problemas difíciles, necesito prepararme lo mejor posible (o intentar atacar el problema), dejarlo incubar (que mi mente inconsciente trabaje en él). Es muy probable que mi mente inconsciente encuentre alguna solución por sí sola, ya que los humanos podemos procesar ese tipo de cosas en el 'fondo'.
Esta propuesta va completamente de acuerdo a las demás cosas que he leído sobre neurociencia y el funcionamiento de la mente, pero lo que siento que este libro viene a completar es el método. No vale de nada que tengas la capacidad si no le das las herramientas o el material a tu cerebro para trabajar en eso.
También voy a intentar aplicar la propuesta que hace sobre los "Sistemas Creativos", aunque no da ningún paso específico, que me hubiera gustado, resalta la importancia de armar tu sistema creativo para que puedas continuar produciendo de manera consistente.
David tiene una manera de escribir desenfadada, agradable y entretenida, sin embargo creo que el libro sigue mucho el estilo de autores de no ficción que llenan el libro de descripciones y anécdotas personales que a veces aunque aportan mucho al escrito (como el caso de la enfermedad de su madre), otras veces no aportan tanto a la información pero sí a la extensión, este es un punto qué mejorar.
De todos modos, lo recomendaría a todos mis compañeros programadores que aunque no lo crean, se parecen más a los escritores de lo que creen.
Es una gran libro sobre cómo administrar tu energía mental y cómo ser más creativo. Creo que complementa muy bien a "The Heart to Start" y en realidad me ha dejado grandes enseñanzas, creo que la que más me impactará tiene que ver con el ciclo de la creatividad.
Quiero aplicar en mi vida esto: para enfrentarme a problemas difíciles, necesito prepararme lo mejor posible (o intentar atacar el problema), dejarlo incubar (que mi mente inconsciente trabaje en él). Es muy probable que mi mente inconsciente encuentre alguna solución por sí sola, ya que los humanos podemos procesar ese tipo de cosas en el 'fondo'.
Esta propuesta va completamente de acuerdo a las demás cosas que he leído sobre neurociencia y el funcionamiento de la mente, pero lo que siento que este libro viene a completar es el método. No vale de nada que tengas la capacidad si no le das las herramientas o el material a tu cerebro para trabajar en eso.
También voy a intentar aplicar la propuesta que hace sobre los "Sistemas Creativos", aunque no da ningún paso específico, que me hubiera gustado, resalta la importancia de armar tu sistema creativo para que puedas continuar produciendo de manera consistente.
David tiene una manera de escribir desenfadada, agradable y entretenida, sin embargo creo que el libro sigue mucho el estilo de autores de no ficción que llenan el libro de descripciones y anécdotas personales que a veces aunque aportan mucho al escrito (como el caso de la enfermedad de su madre), otras veces no aportan tanto a la información pero sí a la extensión, este es un punto qué mejorar.
De todos modos, lo recomendaría a todos mis compañeros programadores que aunque no lo crean, se parecen más a los escritores de lo que creen.
March 1, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I thought it would be a generic self-help, meaningless repetitive drivel book, but it is not! For whatever reason, it makes me want to be a writer, probably because writing is the testing ground for the mind management techniques in the book. Some of the useful tips from this book:
-Batch tasks according to the state of mind you need to be in for those tasks.
-Keep open loops on creative tasks. Work on them a little, then walk away, then come back to it at a later time. Keep a lot of these loops open. Open loops aren't good for some administrative tasks, but they are for creative work, which require some percolation.
-Think about your work in terms of cycles, preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. The creative cycle can run through the day, week, month, or season of the year.
-Move through the 7 states of mind when working on something: prioritize, explore, research, generate, polish, administrate, recharge. You are free to choose which state you are in at any given time, so make that choice based on your energy, mood, and surroundings.
-Different environments can be conducive to different kinds of work. A small coffee shop, a library, a quiet desk, and a walk in the park are conducive to different states of mind.
-Tag your tasks with different mental states so that you don't have shortage of things to work on.
-Batch tasks according to the state of mind you need to be in for those tasks.
-Keep open loops on creative tasks. Work on them a little, then walk away, then come back to it at a later time. Keep a lot of these loops open. Open loops aren't good for some administrative tasks, but they are for creative work, which require some percolation.
-Think about your work in terms of cycles, preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. The creative cycle can run through the day, week, month, or season of the year.
-Move through the 7 states of mind when working on something: prioritize, explore, research, generate, polish, administrate, recharge. You are free to choose which state you are in at any given time, so make that choice based on your energy, mood, and surroundings.
-Different environments can be conducive to different kinds of work. A small coffee shop, a library, a quiet desk, and a walk in the park are conducive to different states of mind.
-Tag your tasks with different mental states so that you don't have shortage of things to work on.
July 23, 2023
A creator describes how he stays productive in writing and podcasting. His tips are a mix of his own habits and the fruits of others' research and recommendations (such as popular books on productivity). Kadavy reinforces the point that motivation and moods matter in getting things done and creating. He offers tips on getting in the mood to do certain tasks, generating ideas, getting unstuck, and continually making progress.
This book was a reminder that I need to brainstorm more and save my editing for later. Spending time in Preparation (e.g., researching) is vital for producing intellectual or creative work. Giving time for Incubation (waiting or doing other things so that the brain can work out problems and cut out distracting ideas and dead ends) paves the way for Illumination (that sudden "Aha!" moment, the spark of a good idea) and its burst of productivity. Verification (testing and honing ideas) comes after those stages. This four-stage path prevents frustrations like writer's block and impasses in problem-solving. Plus, the book pointed out that I need to pay more attention to my mood and what kind of tasks are best for it (and how to change my mood to prepare for needed tasks).
This book was a reminder that I need to brainstorm more and save my editing for later. Spending time in Preparation (e.g., researching) is vital for producing intellectual or creative work. Giving time for Incubation (waiting or doing other things so that the brain can work out problems and cut out distracting ideas and dead ends) paves the way for Illumination (that sudden "Aha!" moment, the spark of a good idea) and its burst of productivity. Verification (testing and honing ideas) comes after those stages. This four-stage path prevents frustrations like writer's block and impasses in problem-solving. Plus, the book pointed out that I need to pay more attention to my mood and what kind of tasks are best for it (and how to change my mood to prepare for needed tasks).
January 25, 2024
In "Mind Management Not Time Management," David Kadavy talks about how we can be more productive by managing our mental energy instead of just focusing on managing our time.
Kadavy introduces the idea of seven mental states that affect how well we work: generating ideas, deciding what's important, researching, exploring new ideas, handling details, refining our work, and taking breaks.
He gives examples of how these mental states work in real life. For example, when we're planning to make a presentation, it's important to know if we're in a state where we're good at handling details or if we're feeling creative and can generate new ideas.
Kadavy suggests that by understanding our mental states and organizing our tasks accordingly, we can get more done and focus on what's most important.
While the book has some good ideas, it might be hard to follow in real life when things are unpredictable. Also, it could have talked more about dealing with things like procrastination.
Overall, "Mind Management Not Time Management" offers some helpful tips for being more productive in today's busy world.
August 13, 2021
I've learned from the book that there are not just 2 types of activities (work and leisure), but 7 of them. It's great that leisure is called Recharge, reframing it to be useful for doing great work later. I feel much better about resting, knowing that I need to Recharge to do my best work.
Another activity is Administrate, which includes grocery shopping and email. The author argues that it's suboptimal to spend the best energy on something like Administrate. Best energy should be given to high leverage activities like Generate (working on a new feature in a program, for example). And Administrate can be done with the medium level of energy.
Tasks can be tagged with those 7 activities in your second brain. So, when I feel like doing Explore, I can pick up a book to read. Or read up on the UX Reddit community, because I'm learning UX. Doing a task that fits the mood is pleasant :)
I'm yet to really integrate even this single piece of advice into my workflow, but it's been helpful just to know there are multiple types of activities, not lump everything into "work".
Another activity is Administrate, which includes grocery shopping and email. The author argues that it's suboptimal to spend the best energy on something like Administrate. Best energy should be given to high leverage activities like Generate (working on a new feature in a program, for example). And Administrate can be done with the medium level of energy.
Tasks can be tagged with those 7 activities in your second brain. So, when I feel like doing Explore, I can pick up a book to read. Or read up on the UX Reddit community, because I'm learning UX. Doing a task that fits the mood is pleasant :)
I'm yet to really integrate even this single piece of advice into my workflow, but it's been helpful just to know there are multiple types of activities, not lump everything into "work".
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