{"id":6335,"date":"2026-08-18T02:04:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T09:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/?p=6335"},"modified":"2026-07-10T11:58:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T18:58:11","slug":"8-books-to-give-you-more-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/2026\/08\/18\/8-books-to-give-you-more-time\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Books to Give You More Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For anyone feeling frayed, scattered or pressed for time. A stack of books full of ideas, encouragement, and perspective (+free PDFs)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"720\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1280 \/ 720;\" width=\"1280\" controls src=\"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/riverside_april_\u2014-Time-Management-books_april_edwards.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This stack of books represents a special interest of mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I inherited from my mom\u2019s family (specifically Granddad) a love of time management and life organizational skills. I have used planners, time trackers, and schedule tools since elementary school. Including fun highlighters and neon Lisa Frank stickers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!56j9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F011d0ad8-0e6c-43bd-81bc-0939ba46de5c_498x278.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!56j9!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F011d0ad8-0e6c-43bd-81bc-0939ba46de5c_498x278.gif\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:211px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My love for planning and time management hit a new level in 2019 when recovering from burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I didn\u2019t want to burn my life down, but I needed to make drastic changes to keep a more sustainable schedule. Thus began my stacks of reading and gathering information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Here are my favorites.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!brqf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7e20c14-a600-4f4d-87a9-1d7518206dce_4080x2643.jpeg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!brqf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe7e20c14-a600-4f4d-87a9-1d7518206dce_4080x2643.jpeg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">my stack of books (and our favorite sand timers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/lauravanderkam.com\/books\/big-time\/\"><strong><em>Big Time<\/em><\/strong><em> by<\/em><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Laura<\/a> Vanderkam<em>\u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listening to this on audio sparked this post. I just started it but I am really enjoying it so far. It is a new release and I\u2019m excited to see what her research will show that will be new to the productivity space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I found this one when <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Meagan Francis<\/a> did a recent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/substack.com\/home\/post\/p-196301655\">Substack Live conversation: \u201cIs time really as scarce as we think?<\/a>\u201d. (<em>I know I reference Meagan a lot, she is one of my current favorites so sorry, not sorry<\/em>.\ud83d\ude1c)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!r25y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0461feb3-8632-4c37-83b8-0fb090ba1031_1810x954.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!r25y!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0461feb3-8632-4c37-83b8-0fb090ba1031_1810x954.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/gregmckeown.com\/books\/effortless\/\"><strong><em>Effortless<\/em><\/strong><em> by Greg McKeown<\/em><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Highly practical book that feels like a breath of fresh air while you are reading it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs high-achievers, we\u2019ve been conditioned to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless work. That if we want to overachieve, we have to overexert, overthink, and overdo. That if we aren\u2019t perpetually exhausted, we\u2019re not doing enough\u2026 Getting ahead doesn\u2019t have to be as hard as we make it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter what challenges or obstacles we face, there is a better way: instead of pushing ourselves harder, we can find an easier path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And check out <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/gregmckeown.com\/podcast\/\">his podcast<\/a> it is \u201cfocused on learning how to put what matters to you first and do less, but better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/gettingthingsdone.com\/\"><strong><em>Getting Things Done by David Allen<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Allen has been transforming the productivity space for a long time and I was thrilled to come across his resources. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@gtd\/shorts\">His YouTube series<\/a> helped me recalibrate through some of the chaos of 2020 and all his books have been helpful. It can be a bit tricky to apply his ideas to a lifestyle that is not in a typical office setting, but I\u2019ve made GTD a lifestyle and I love it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/emilypfreeman.com\/podcast\/\"><strong><em>The Next Right Thing<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em> by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emily P. Freeman<\/a> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have followed Emily from the beginning of my burnout journey. I love her idea of soul minimalism and how we need to declutter our minds and hearts. She also has a guided journal and audio reflections to walk you through seasons of the year. Being part of Hope*Writers (that she co-founded) gave me the resources I needed to start my writing work. One of the resources there is where I found my favorite productivity quote that I say to myself often:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u201cYour pace is your pace, there is no such thing as behind.\u201d<\/em> &#8211; Emily P. Freeman<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rebekahlyons.com\/rhythms-of-renewal\"><strong><em>Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This book is an excellent overview of ways to structure balance in all areas of your life. It leans into rhythms for each season and makes space for demanding jobs, raising kids, and being active in your community. It\u2019s a great resource to overcome anxiety with practical daily habits that strengthen you mentally and physically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thelazygeniuscollective.com\/theplan\"><strong><em>The PLAN<\/em><\/strong><em> by Kendra Adachi<\/em><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kendra approaches time management from her Lazy Genius perspective. Her writing in grounded in the chaos of real life and all the things that moms have to balance. She even mentions hormones and cycles (which has been missing in much productivity culture). She is a champion of \u201cliving in your season\u201d and not wasting energy on things that only matter to other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I just listened to one of her summer podcasts while doing some cleaning yesterday morning and was reminded of so many nuances to this season. [<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thelazygeniuscollective.com\/lazy\/messyhouse\">#473 How to Deal with a Messy House All Summer Long<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecreativepenn.com\/productivitybook\/\"><strong><em>Productivity for Authors<\/em><\/strong><em> by Joanna Penn<\/em><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A guide for writers on overcoming obstacles to writing, managing time, and focusing on essential tasks to become more productive. The book covers topics like goal setting, time management techniques (like dictation and outsourcing), setting boundaries, and maintaining physical and mental health to prevent burnout, offering practical advice. I have enjoyed all of Joanna Penn\u2019s non-fiction author series!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">and 2 books that are my unique \u201cApril specific\u201d picks \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/jayber-crow-wendell-berry\/1003954494\"><strong><em>Jayber Crow<\/em><\/strong><em> by Wendell Berry<\/em><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I fell in love with the slower pace and the strong community base in this novel. It is a glimpse into a different time and reminds me that life was not always so instant, fast, and stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">. . . . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/barefeetinthekitchen.com\/\"><strong><em>The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook<\/em><\/strong><em> by Mary Younkin<\/em><\/a><em> \u2014<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This cookbook is a great example of recipes based on time to make them. Search online for \u201c20 minute meals\u201d or go to your library and browse the cookbook section for time-based cooking inspiration. It is a great way to get back some time in your evening while still making great meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pay attention to what sparks your interest. If any of these books grabbed your attention, put them on your TBR list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And don\u2019t miss the video for more details on what I loved about each book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u27a1\ufe0f I would love to hear from you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What books have you read that changed the way you think about time?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"%%half_magic_comments_url%%\">Leave a comment<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a class=\"image-link image2 is-viewable-img\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!5cRf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52b86cf8-7206-40eb-9e63-5448b30db9a9_498x498.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!5cRf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_lossy\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F52b86cf8-7206-40eb-9e63-5448b30db9a9_498x498.gif\" alt=\"\" style=\"width:239px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>For those of you who are still reading\u2026<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bonus Post and Free PDF &#8211;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">check out this post on Time Tracking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!KmZ5!,w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc95150ed-7768-468b-979e-d4a8d703ba51_768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Time Inventory for Moms &amp; Homemakers\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/embracinghome.substack.com\/p\/time-inventory-for-moms-and-homemakers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Time Inventory for Moms &amp; Homemakers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>A while ago I decided that the answer is NOT:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>becoming superhuman and trying to fit more into my already busy day<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>getting up early and stealing hours of sleep (eww.. no thanks!)<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>it\u2019s not yelling or becoming impossible to live with (because I feel like a failure)<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>However, I often do not know what change to make. What would be the most effective? <\/em><strong><em>The answer often rests in realizing how much time my tasks take<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The tool that I use is my Time Inventory tracker.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Time-Inventory-PDFs.pdf\">Time Inventory PDFs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding your time usage can reduce stress and create space for self-care. This will make it easier to handle all your responsibilities and be your best self in every role you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This broken world needs more moms, homemakers, and leaders who live intentionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I hope that something here will help you do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udcda<em>Happy Reading! &#8211;<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a class=\"image-link image2\" href=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!kCcV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8f9eed48-9cde-4698-be1f-0bfb4b398844_1456x258.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/substackcdn.com\/image\/fetch\/$s_!kCcV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep\/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8f9eed48-9cde-4698-be1f-0bfb4b398844_1456x258.webp\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For anyone feeling frayed, scattered or pressed for time. A stack of books full of ideas, encouragement, and perspective (+free PDFs) This stack of books represents a special interest of mine. I inherited from my mom\u2019s family (specifically Granddad) a love of time management and life organizational skills. I have used planners, time trackers, and&hellip; <\/p>\n<div class=\"readmore-wrapper\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/2026\/08\/18\/8-books-to-give-you-more-time\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read <\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_stc_notifier_status":"sent","_stc_notifier_sent_time":"2026-08-18 02:40:00","_stc_notifier_request":false,"_stc_notifier_prevent":false,"_stc_subscriber_keywords":"","_stc_subscriber_search_areas":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[692,278],"tags":[534,755,26,29,47,486,18,57,30,25,767,768],"class_list":["post-6335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-intellectually-alive","category-productivity","tag-book-recommendations","tag-book-recs","tag-home-management","tag-homemaking","tag-mom-life","tag-my-reading-stack","tag-planning","tag-productivity","tag-productivity-for-moms","tag-routines","tag-time","tag-time-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6335"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6346,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6335\/revisions\/6346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embracinghome.blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}