The PLAN - Kendra Adachi
Genre - Nonfiction, Self Help

Kendra Adachi - the Lazy Genius - has been speaking common sense and joy into me from Instagram for a number of years now. When she started talking about her new book - The PLAN, I had to give it a look. I’m so glad I did. Kendra (I like to call her that as if we are friends.) takes on the productivity culture with excellent evidence to back her claim. She advocates throughout the book for living in the now in place of always “planning” for the future - she uses the term integration in terms of a happy life, and I am here for it.
The idea of integration spoke to me - so Kendra had me from the beginning. She (and Brené Brown) refer to integration as “wholehearted living.” I have long worked toward some nebulous future and was seldom mindful about my current life - being integrated involves fully living in the now rather than working toward some future “greatness”. I have never achieved that kind of integration. I couldn’t even fully name what I was looking for, and I love the idea as outlined in this book. She offers three sections toward a more fulfilled life. The first section is Principles, and here is where she offers the basic ideas of the PLAN - hint, it turns the idea of planning as we know it a bit on its head. The second section offers strategies. I love her take on the “to do” list. Most of us could use a bit of “to do” list counseling I think. The third section offers pep talks. I fully believe I will refer to these often. She also provides us with a lovely overview/glossary section which organizes her thoughts for us as a reference. Books like this need to be revisited, and she recognizes the process of trying to change in the way that she organizes the book for easy reference. Kendra writes her book in such a way that you feel like she is sitting across the table from you and talking to you over tea. She is comforting and encouraging and funny.
I have already made some changes to my life based on my reading of this book. I am, quite honestly, living in retirement as I did as a full time teacher. I feel driven to produce and not just anything - something useful or “important” or income producing. All of those things I said I’d do “after I retired” weren’t getting any attention. So last week I pulled out a fancy cookbook and set a fancy table for my husband and me just because I could; I wasn’t too exhausted; and I had time. Listen, I didn’t even photograph the food to prove it happened - so mindful. (I sure did the place setting :-) While this may seem silly to you - it was a big step for me in living a more integrated life. So while I thought maybe this book wouldn’t be for me, it sure was. It likely is for you as well. You don’t have to know the Lazy Genius way or to follow Kendra in the socials to benefit from this book. But when you are done, you will want to get to know her better. And she will make you feel better either way. Go get yourself a copy of Kendra Adachi’s The PLAN and use it to make your life more fulfilling.

A few good nuggets, but as someone who listens to every podcast episode from Kendra + who absolutely loved The Lazy Genius Way, this was both disappointing and surprising in tone. I agree with some of the other reviews that mention the aggressive language (which definitely didn't line up with "kind big sister energy"), how menstrual cycles are way more of a focus than was needed throughout the whole book, how there are way too many acronyms, and that it's very repetitive.

Such a lovely, lovely book about how to be a human, get things done, and make the world a little less terrible in the process. Love how she encourages us, as women, to pay attention to ourselves, and what we need, and then go help the people around us. Time management is such a difficult thing, but Kendra is a steady, reassuring presence along this journey to integrate who I am, what I need to do, and who my people are all into one life-giving adventure. Truly a gem of a book, and incredible.

As a long time listener of Adachi's "Lazy Genius" podcast, I knew I would adore this title. I do not read productivity/self help books anymore, but I made an exception for this title!

Kendra Adachi brings her kind-hearted best friend energy to planning and time management. Her book focuses on how to live your best life, authentically, with your unique values. As with her other books (cookbook, etc), The Plan helps the reader assess a framework for time management that works best for them. She puts the reader in the driver seat. I love this about Kendra.

Read this if you are looking for a different sort of self help, productivity book--one that is feminist, values focused, and kind hearted.

Thank you Netgalley and Convergent books for an advanced copy of this title.

Kendra Adachi takes time management to the next level in The Plan. She brings the same down to earth tone of The Lazy Genius podcast to the page. Giving real life examples she breaks down overwhelming tasks into manageable steps.

What makes this time management book unique is that is specifically geared to the female perspective. Adachi emphasizes being kind to yourself when things go awry, and planning around your hormones.

I am already implementing what I have learned. I also highly recommend The Lazy Genius podcast.

Plot
If you are like me you know that managing all the expectations and demands can be daunting. Using the acronym PLAN, you will learn to Prepare, Live, Adjust, and Notice while considering things like hormones, personality, and live stage.

Why Kirsten loves it
I adore Adachi’s Lazy Genius Podcast and her book by the same name, so I just new I had to pick up her book on time management. The straightforward advice was easy to digest because it was written with women in mind. It takes into account that our seasons of life change more than men’s do because of family obligations, hormones, life stages, and the patriarchy.

We need to be more nimble than our male counterparts – unfairly or no – but Adachi’s PLAN helps us to do just that by leaning into what makes us different and having us push back again the traditional frameworks of planning because they were created for men, by men. (she mentions a stat early on of 93% of time management books being written by males.)

In the few days since I’ve read it, I’ve seen myself reframing the workload ahead of me, and adjusting to balance what is most important at this time in my life. Pair this with her first book and you will set yourself up for a happier, more successful life tailored to YOU.

This, THIS is the productivity book we were promised, the reference book to kindly hold our hands and remind us rest is important, we, as people, are important too.

Kendra shares such amazing wisdom about how to live, not how to hustle, and how to manage life during the chaos it inevitably brings. She incorporates the principles from her first book, the processes from her second, and hands readers a fabulous system that can be widely applied.

I'm only sad I don't (yet - it's pre-ordered) have my own physical copy to highlight, annotate, and tab, because even more so than her first two books. This is already a well-loved, impactful approach for real life and I am so grateful she shared it with all of us!

An interesting new way to look at time management from the Lazy Genius. I like the simplified woman-focused approach that Kendra suggests. I think many people could find useful information from this book.

"The Plan" is nothing short of transformative. This powerful guide delves into the intricacies of personal growth, offering readers a roadmap to reclaim their lives and shift their mindsets. Kendra’s insights are not just practical but deeply relatable, making the journey feel accessible and life-saving. With actionable steps and heartfelt anecdotes, the book ultimately inspires a profound sense of purpose, encouraging readers to envision and pursue their ideal futures. A must-read for anyone seeking clarity and direction!

The Plan is another 'out of the park' hit for Kendra. This book is an eye opener about things we should know, but it surfaces a realization that planning books are typically written by executive men who are programmed to execute their plans without the obstacles that women encounter. That's not to say those books are not helpful, but Kendra's emphasis on planning incorporates understanding of these obstacles and how to plan through them. As a person who loves to organize and plan, I walked away with tangible tips and am already looking forward to the audio version to be something I listen to on a yearly basis!

I have been a longtime follower of the work of Kendra Adachi. The Plan exceeded my expectations. While the messages carried a consistent tone with Adachi’s previous works, it was freshly presented through the unique lens of planning, specifically, planning as a woman. Adachi makes a clear case for ways in which a woman plans differently than a man. I greatly enjoyed this book and will definitely reread it.

Kendra has a beautiful way to cut through the crud and get to the heart of the matter. Her ability to concisely break down an issue into tangible, helpful pieces is unmatched. The book is like a breath of fresh air to those of us who have constantly pushed to do everything the right way, but always came up short because we were aiming for the wrong goal. It truly is the book of planning we all have needed from day 1. She gives loving permission to choose ourselves and live, instead of constantly running on the hamster wheel. Fantastic book!

I’ve followed Kendra and The Lazy Genius podcast and collective for a few years now. I bought her sticker pack, I live by the Holiday Docket, and I use her signature phrases in daily life. So of course The PLAN has been on my radar and my TBR since she announced it. And I was thrilled to receive a surprise ARC from NetGalley and The Lazy Genius Collective after preordering my copy.

The PLAN is very different from Kendra’s other books, but generally still in line with her brand. The biggest tonal shift readers will notice is the emphasis on how gender (and society’s impositions on gender) affect time management and expectations. Some may find this off-putting; I found it refreshing. Women need to give themselves grace and try not to internalize what we’re taught to perceive as failure amid a productivity system that was not designed for us.

*steps down from soapbox*

Beyond the girl-power vibes lie plenty of helpful strategies and steps toward reframing and understanding planning and time management. In true Kendra fashion, the ideas are drawn out in a way that should make them applicable to a variety of situations. I love that her approach is not ever “do this one thing this one way because that’s how I do it,” but rather “here’s a few general steps or a framework to apply to fit you and your situation best.”

I’m excited to put The PLAN into action in my life and to try some new strategies I never factored into my planning. (The chapter about menstrual cycles and how they can be integrated into planning was particularly mind-blowing.)

Compassionate, kind, and life-changing are all the best ways I can describe The Plan! Yes, I’ve been searching for this book, really this paradigm for my whole adult life. Since I’m 64 years old, that’s a very long time! I’m putting The Plan’s principles to work for me right now, but I’m jealous for the 20, 30, & 40-something women who can even now experience freedom from the guilt of productivity culture. I’m making my list of young women for whom I’ll be gifting a copy! Thank you, Kendra!

Kendra applies her strategies to time management with a grace filled approach, leaving readers inspired and ready to take on the challenges of present day time management issues with fresh solutions. This book expands on the principles set forth in "The Lazy Genius' and is full of practical, creative strategies to tackling sticky points. Highly recommend this book to others who may be tired of the 'go, go go!' approach and are seeking a gentler more tender view on productivity.

Finally, a time management book that makes me feel seen! This book was a balm to my increasing irritation with a genre I used to dearly love. Becoming a mother, advancing in my career, and trying to keep the household chaos to a dull roar have all piled responsibilities on me that are rarely acknowledged or addressed by productivity experts. Enter Kendra Adachi and her clear-eyed and compassionate advice on how to do the things--the important ones, and how to discern what "important" means. Rather than one-size-fits-all platitudes, Kendra gives you the tools to figure out what matters, how to build routines that work for your unique circumstances, and how to pivot when things go sideways, as they inevitably do. I'd recommend getting yourself a hard copy of this book so that you can underline and book dart, and draw hearts in the margins, because this is a resource that you'll return to again and again.

I found this book to be very helpful and easy to understand. I love Kendra's gentle, organized approach and the fact that it is written with women as the target audience. This book provided thoughtful, useful and creative approaches for time management, but it is not a list of how-to. Her strategies are so adaptable to many different life situations. I regularly listen to Kendra's podcast and always feel like she is a friend speaking directly to me and this book felt the same way.

Thank God for Kendra!!! I loved this as much as her first book. Such great frameworks for re-thinking how I structure my plans. Thank you, thank you for the advanced copy!

This was a wonderful book that will probably change the way many business people think about the way they spend their days. This is a life changer.

With a majority of time management books written by men, this is a much needed resource for women. I found that Adachi had fewer specific tips than I expected and spent time looking at a wider view of how women should approach time management. Highly recommend!!