Great idea for a book and really well executed. A thoroughly good read. Highly recommended. .

Up today: a simple tip to help you feel less harried and two great nonfiction books to kick off summer reading season.

These past few months I keep having some version of the same conversation with friends. Maybe it’s because we’re in our tired thirties (as Madeleine L’Engle called this decade); maybe it’s because spring schedules are alway bonkers.

The conversation-starting question: Why do I feel so rushed lately? And the answer, typically a rhetorical I know, right?

Don’t get me wrong; I have seasons where I’m calm and collected when it comes to time management. But I have seasons when I’m not, and what I’ve learned this spring is when I start feeling rushed, my natural instinct is to begin frantically doing all the things that make it worse. It turns out that hurrying doesn’t help me catch up on my to-do list; it only serves to make me feel hurried.

I’m not alone here; my friends and I have been talking about this phenomenon like there wasn’t anything we could do about it. But that’s not true. This spring I latched on to a simple bit of advice that’s paying me back big-time. It’s from Laura Vanderkam, and it has to do with taking smart breaks.

We all take breaks in the course of normal life: for ten-minutes, or a few hours, or occasionally for days on end. So be smart about it: when you take a break, make it a real break. And don’t waste your time on fake breaks.

What’s a fake break? I know what mine look like: deleting unimportant emails on my phone, or seeing what’s new on instagram, or making a few quick phone calls. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these things—those doctor appointments aren’t going to schedule themselves—but they’re not breaks. And our bodies and brains need real breaks.

Laura dives further into the topic in her new book Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done (Amazon | Barnes & Noble), where Laura examines highly productive people who—despite their commitments, obligations, and successful enterprises—feel like they have abundant time. Plenty of people get tons done but still feel frustrated with how they’re spending their time. The people in Off the Clock feel like they have all the time in the world, and Laura investigates what exactly they’re doing that causes them to feel that way.

Off the Clock’s release date is May 29, perched on the edge of summer, which feels like perfect timing, because in the book Laura affirms the importance of approaching not just your work life but your whole life with care, and that includes embracing leisure—and by that she does not mean deleting unimportant emails. She means sitting with a good cup of coffee, or popping into the bookstore on your lunch break, or taking a walk around the block. (Or, we could suppose, hopping a plane to Tahiti, but that feels somewhat less accessible on a Thursday morning.)

Your brain doesn’t perceive ten minutes spent in your inbox as a break (and no wonder) but the same ten minutes spent reading a chapter in your current novel-in-progress? Absolutely.

We’re entering summer, and with it, summer reading season. This is a time when many of us pause to consciously consider what we want from the season ahead. How do we wish to spend our time this season? And many book lovers think about their reading lives differently in the summer as well: they think bigger, because they know they can read more for these few months.

Another new book I enjoyed that frames summer—and summer reading—well is Alan Lightman’s new book In Praise of Wasting Time (Amazon | Barnes & Noble). It’s a short book—just a little over a hundred pages—and takes a more meandering, conversational approach to the same subject: why do we feel rushed, and what can we do about it?

Lightman’s answer, paraphrased: take real breaks. Maybe that means spending ten minutes staring at the clouds, or a few hours on the trails with your phone off; occasionally that means a longer unproductive escape. To me, it certainly means settling in with an iced coffee and a good book on a summer afternoon. Maybe even during work hours.

Consider this your annual reminder that “wasted” time isn’t wasted—if we spend it wisely. So take a break this summer—hey, take a break today—and spend some time with a good book.

Even if it’s just for ten minutes.

My only regret is that this book was too short! But yet very informative! It's important to remember and think about what truly matters in this life.

Beautifully written, this book provides the argument that we should be spending our time reflecting on our ideas, meditating, and appreciating stillness of the mind.

I got a lot of insights from such a short book.

Thank you to Professor Lightman, Simon and Schuster Australia and NetGalley for a complimentary ARC of this short TED book, in return for my honest review..

I give this book between 3.5 to 4 stars.

Professor Lightman describes the benefits of creating space, in every day of our lives, through an academic / scientific approach.
I have read a lot of books about mindfulness and about Buddhism so the benefits of spaciousness in our daily lives is not a new concept to me. I have also previously read and enjoyed learning about convergent and divergent thinking so the basis of this short book held my interest.

I was not so interested in some of the scientific studies and backing given to support the basis of the book, particularly with respect to technology, the internet, global warming etc, so I skipped through those parts. I also found parts of the book repetitive however, this may have been to done to emphasise important concepts.

However, there were many parts of this book that particularly held my interest. I was particularly interested in the way Professor Lightman encouraged the reader to question the way they relate to time, suggesting that we often limit our selves through our attitudes about time. Personally, this rang very true. I struggle with and often feel imprisoned by time, feeling that is it limited, never enough, goes too quickly etc. I read with awe of countries such as India that believe that time is in abundance and the connection between technology and development. . Professor Lightman invites the reader to look at time in a different manner than usually portrayed by through our fast paced lifestyles and to stop thinking of down time as wasting time but rather as a gift to ourselves to encourage spaciousness into our days.

The book highlights the necessity for play as well as developing habits for the mind that encompass spaciousness, personal reflection and solitude to develop our inner self. I was also interested to read about feeling stuck amd how in our culture we often equate being stuck with failure. Instead we are invited to embrace being stuck as it is part of the creative process. Being stuck, Professor Lightman states is a necessary part of the creative process as that is when discovery begins.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this TED book and for highlighting the importance of wasting time.

If you need to remember what it's like to stand still and think, read In Praise of Wasting Time. A beautiful exploration of a sensible, connected way of life that is anything but wasteful.

IN PRAISE OF WASTING TIME by Alan Lightman (Einstein's Dreams) is a new offering in the TED Book series. He addresses the key idea of slowing down and disconnecting, imparting a sense of urgency by comparing recent changes to global warming: "The loss of slowness, of time for reflection and contemplation, of privacy and solitude, of silence, of the ability to sit quietly in a chair for fifteen minutes without external stimulation — all have happened quickly and almost invisibly. .... The situation is dire. Just as with global warming, we may already be near the point of no return. Invisibly, almost without notice, we are losing ourselves." Take the challenge of monitoring your actions for 24 hours: Even at night, is your phone readily accessible? Do you goof off and "waste time" or do you seek to fill a potential empty space with productive activity (checking email or social media, driving and listening to an audio book)? How often do you sit alone in a quiet room, letting your mind wander? Have you made time for a "Shultz Hour" recently? That term refers to a practice of George Shultz reserving an hour a week for quiet reflection. Lightman notes others (Mahler, Jung, Gertrude Stein, Einstein) who also found creative benefits, replenishment and unexpected connections from following similar practices. He proposes new habits of mind and screen-free zones; coincidentally, we are talking about no-screen advisories (our homerooms) next year.

Lightman references both Jean Twenge and Sherry Turkle whose books we have also reviewed. At only 128 pages his work is much shorter and contains vivid descriptors like the one of having dinner with his 20-something daughter and her friend who "placed their smartphones on the table, like miniature oxygen tanks carried everywhere by emphysema patients." For more, read IN PRAISE OF WASTING TIME and Lightman's post, "Why we owe it to ourselves to spend quiet time alone every day."

Links in live post:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/opinion/youre-too-busy-you-need-a-shultz-hour.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/08/igen-by-jean-twenge.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2015/10/reclaiming-conversation-by-sherry-turkle.html
https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-owe-it-to-ourselves-to-spend-quiet-time-alone-every-day/

The last five years have brought to the fore voices telling us the dangers of too much screen time and online addiction. In Praise of Wasting Time adds its voice to the saturated space about the dangers of modern technology, the advantages of slowing down, and what we are losing by addiction to modern comforts.

WHO WOULD ENJOY IT?
Anyone looking tocut back on digital exposure might learn a thing or two here.

IS IT WORTH READING?
Yes, it is.However, if you have read a similar book to this in the past, there is no guarantee this book will give a new perspective or say anything you do not already know.

The author's writing is clear and the examples he uses are engaging, but you are in a danger of getting bored if you have read similar books.

SAMPLE PASSAGE
"Psychologist Anthony Pellegrini and others have concluded that play, in animals as well as humans, allows individual to focus on means rathr than ends. In play, an individual can try out new things, revise, modify, explore, pass time pleasantly and, in subtle ways, develop the inner self. These researchers argue that the non-goal-oriented activities we call play have been a critical part of the development of problems-solving skills and emotional awareness in animals with more advanced cognitive abilities."

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In Praise of Wasting Time by Alan Lightman is available to buy on all major online bookstores from Mat 2018. Many thanks to TED Books (Simon & Schuster) for review copy.

As in Einstein's Dreams, time seems to be a central theme in Mr. Lightman books. And for good reason. We live in a world governed by time; we are always busy, trying to accomplish as much as possible each day, having left no free time for our inner selves. We do not see as often our friends because we have apps to keep in touch, we shop online, we are addicted to internet through all available means. The author points this out because all this daily rush brings no benefits to us.

Among the issues presented in this book are:
- Depression and anxiety rising in young people due to addiction to smartphones and social media;
- Increased stress overall in population due to increasingly fast-paced society;
- Dramatic decrease in creativity in children and other problems, all these based on research done over the years.
There are numerous studies presented here which should raise awareness toward all above problems.

Every day on my way to work I see people with the eyes in their smartphones, not even looking where they step; they write messages even when walking. But when it comes to meeting face to face, things get awkward; I think we are slowly becoming robots.

Wasting time is a metaphor, of course. The author is trying to show that having free time and spending it free from internet, news, work, is to our benefit. The brain needs this kind of relaxation. Spending time with friends and family face to face, walking in a park, having a small vacation in a remote place with no access to media is what our body and mind needs after a day/months of work.

It’s a small book but it’s sufficient to make you ponder on your daily routine. And maybe afterwards, to find some time to waste - I definitely try to waste as much as I can ;)

Another in the long line of books that merely repeats what should be common sense to most people as though it were extraordinarily insightful. That said, it is sensible and reasonable - always desirable traits.

In Praise of Wasting Time may just be a modern day Walden Pond. From great thinker Alan Lightman comes a new TED Book. Well researched and well written, Lightman muses on the importance of self introspection and reflection. In a society where it is socially acceptable to be addicted to technology, we need to make the time to regularly unplug and reflect. He theorizes that this simple act of idleness is as important to our mental and emotional health as sleep is to our physical well-being. A must read for the tech generation!

I liked tbe overall idea for this book. However his solutions probably aren't practical for many. It was a well researched book which I liked.

This is a short TED book by Alan Lightman looking into the idea of wasting time that contradicts with our fast paced world today. It's actually a really quick read but I found myself re-reading some chapters so I could highlight and make notes to remember later. It was really enjoyable to read, well referenced throughout and at the end. I found myself agreeing to a lot of the points and seeing things from a difference perspective. I love the figures and statistics on how the worlds pace has changed with the increase in speed of technology.

Also, the little designs in this book were beautiful. Highly recommend this book to everyone.

Side note I actually took up mediation while reading this book to increase my 'idleness' and calm my mind each day. So this book had an impact on me :). Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc for this book in exchange for an honest review.

In the short book In Praise of Wasting Time, Alan Lightman asks us to reflect on how we view and use time. Too often, we rush to fill every spare second, striving to be more productive. Idleness borders on immorality and boredom is something to be feared. And now with smartphones, we’re always reachable and an endless amount of information is just a few swipes away.

While productivity has risen dramatically with this busyness, so has depression and anxiety, even in our children. Drawing from psychological studies and brain scans, Lightman claims our well-being depends on having time to ponder, reflect, and rest, and that losing free time is harmful to creativity and divergent thinking.

To regain our sense of balance, he suggests looking at free time in a positive way, instead of as time wasted. He also provides ideas for incorporating more breaks into daily life. Some are unpractical for most of us because they require changes in workplaces and schools (hopefully bosses, teachers, and administrators are among the readers); others can easily be incorporated into our days, such as purposefully spending a chunk of time technology free.

His points have stuck with me. While in line at the post office this morning, I almost checked my email. Then I decided to take a moment to reflect on my day. A waste of time? Lightman would say not. And the only email I missed was a promotion from Shutterfly.

In Praise of Wasting Time is developed from a TED Talk and published by TED Books. I love that the most popular speakers are given another platform to expand upon their ideas. A benefit of books is that notes on the sources are included. There have been a few times that a speaker mentions a study or book that I’d like to check out, but it’s difficult to catch names and titles during a speech. And all TED Books are short enough to be read in a day. Just be sure to take Lightman’s advice and set aside time to reflect on what you learn.

Thank you to NetGalley and TED Books for the opportunity to review In Praise of Wasting Time. This review can be found on Goodreads, Amazon, and my blog www.vagabondreader.com.

A very timely book in today's busy, busy world. Remember when we were children, and could lie on our backs and just look at the clouds? And just let our minds wander? Some would call it "wasting time". What happened to those times? Today we are constantly rushing from one task to another. Always 'plugged in" to some electronic device, checking them over and over again to make sure we don't miss something. Even on our vacations!
And what is the result of all this busy searching? Are we ever really satisfied? News flash....you will never get to the end of the internet, never are going to be "up" on everything. And that's okay, the world will not end if we don't be the first to find out the latest Kardashian news, or what Sue said about John on Facebook, or to see the latest bunny ears photo enhancement of Kay on SnapChat!
And that's what this book is about. Taking a step back from our time-driven lives and just "wasting time" for a bit. I like this line, "break free from the idea that we must not waste a single second, and discover how sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing at all."
Did you know that Albert Einstein described his thinking process as letting his mind roam over many possibilities and making connections between concepts that were previously unconnected! I wonder how he could do that today, and still check his phone every ten minutes? That Hindu's discovered over 2500 years ago that the mind needs periods of calm, and to rest. A passage from a Buddhist monk reads "when a monk has gone into an empty place, and has calmed his mind, he experiences a delight that transcends that of men".
Lightman explains how you need quiet time and stillness to find your inner self, that part of you that imagines, that dreams, that explores, and that is constantly questioning who you are and what is important to you.
He explains that it really comes down to the big questions in life: how should you live in the world, and why should you live that way? For him, and for many of us, there are certain things we all want in life. 1) the pure joy of helping others, without expecting anything in return. 2) the belief in certain values that require action. 3) the desire to have an impact in the world, to make a difference. And 4) the desire to promote one's self or achieve personal gain, regardless of whether there is any positive impact on the world. And how can you determine how to do these things, if you are always rushing around, and not "wasting" time to listen to yourself?
Lest you think that this is all well and good, but you don't have time for it, Lightman lists what happens to people who don't slow down. Think about your own children, how they don't seem as happy as you used to be when you were their age. The rate of teenagers reporting at least one major depressive episode in the past year has almost doubled from 2010 to 2015. Experts say the main reason is the "massive and pervasive presence of the digital grid, with little opportunity or desire to disconnect". A Pew survey shows that the average American teenager today sends or receives more than 110 text messages a day! And that the source of the increased depression and anxiety is their "terror of aloneness'. their FOMO (fear of missing out).
I think Lightman is really onto something here. And that we owe it to ourselves to take a step back from all the noise and distractions to just tune out for a bit and waste some time.

Everybody who is unhappy with our Western apporach to work probably has thought about time as well, because the major part of our time is spend with work. And that is what the book is about. Even thughI liked how the author put all his thoughts together, giving insights into his life, I was disappointed by his 'solutions' or proposals to simply chance things as this is not possible. Too many people simply need many working hours to earn enough to live, so they cannot take time off or reduce their working hours.

Thanks to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lightman’s argumebts for wasting time are well-researched and compelling. However, the presentation in book form, while meaningful, is not as attention grabbing or memorable as a 30 minute well-presented TED talk. While book length treatment is perfectly well deserved, the genius of the TED format is to distill an idea to its essence and, for this topic, I feel it’s a better format for this information.

I like Alan Lightman on the strength that a5 one time his book Einstein’s Dream was a formative read for me, it totally stopped me from
multitasking from that day forward. I don’t know if It’s a function of being older but most of the points made here are nothing new to
introverts and creatives. three and a half stars...might be instructive for the busy Ameicans who think they are better

This book is a must read for anyone that constantly overbooks and overcommits themselves. The author brilliantly lays out the advantages to taking time to do nothing, which can actually increase our productivity.