The Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More [Paperback]

Yes! Jensen's tips are huge helps! I've started writing memos and emails and presentations and running meetings exactly the way this book describes, and _every single person_ I work with has said, "This is really helpful." "This is so much more useful than what I'm getting from so-and-so." "I really appreciate what you've done. We can be so much more effective now. Thank you!"

These tips have made a huge difference in how focused my team and I are, and how effectively we get things done, and the respect we're earning from everyone else. And most important to me: It took minutes to master the basics...not months or years.

If you already seek ways to simplify your life, a lot of the material in this book will stimulate a "Duh" reaction: I already know this stuff. Very good! A gold star for you. Now here's the Big Question: are you actually employing Jensen's simplicity techniques to do less and accomplish more? Or are you one of those well-intentioned people who needs a swift kick every once in a while to get you back on track? This book is full of swift kicks.

A word of caution. If you do all these things as well as the author would expect, you will probably alienate some people who don't get it yet. Be prepared. You may want to temper some of the applications with a little wisdom and sensitivity to the folks you interact with. Chapter 1 is How to Ignore Most Corporate Communications. While there could be a lot of value in that practice, there's also an inherent risk. This juxtaposition runs throughout the book as Jensen somewhat irreverently pokes fun at what so many of us do just because we've always.... You know the drill. Ready to change?

In addition to the read-through text, which can also be used as a reference-thanks to a clear Table of Contents and a triple-comprehensive index, there are tear-out pages with compressed advice clearly presented on single pages. Triple-index? Yes, there are three indexes: by subject, by people, and by organization.

Prepare to feel lectured-to. You'll probably have that feeling in many sections of this book, because you deserve it. Accept what you'll get, trusting in this consultant who understands the topic well enough to write a book that's full of valuable content. The trick is to apply what you learn. That important step will give you great return on your investment in this volume.

Note: the author also wrote Simplicity. This book could be perceived as a companion to that work, but it stands alone nicely.

Nothing in this book is easy, though. Someone as inclined to follow the rules like myself will find it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the more demanding recommendations. This is a shame, as these people are those who would probably benefit the most.

Even if you don't think of yourself as a rabble-rouser, you should still read this book and take heart that there are some possible methods of extracting yourself from business situations that leave you feeling busy, but not very productive. There are ways of escaping the bureaucracy and yet keep your job.

The cutest, yet still effective, idea in the book is the "Less-O-Meter" associated with each chapter. These graphical gauges give you an "at a glance" reading on how much Courage you will need to put this tip in place, how difficult it can be and the possible yield to your productivity and happiness.

You may be ready to take on your whole company and engage in full-scale "pushback", but implementing even one idea from this book could do a world of good for you, your job and your career, while helping your company, as well.