Kendra Adachi is the wise and kind genius behind the Lazy Genius empire. Her attitude - 2/3 calm compassion, 1/3 backtalking sass - brings a much-needed breath of fresh air to her subject matter, which is usually the kind of being-a-person-with-little-people questions that seem basic and boring to some people but are critical to those of us in the trenches. (For example, a recent podcast episode addressed how to get out of the house in the morning. If your answer is "put on a jacket and grab your keys", this is not the book for you.)

For readers familiar with Adachi's work, the PLAN is more of the same, but delightfully so. It reminds us that we are people first and getting-things-done machines... never. It points out that traditional productivity advice is written by and for people who don't have to take care of anyone else - and quite often people who are young and able enough that they barely need to take care of themselves. It insists that we do not have less worth because getting up at 5 a.m. to run ten miles is not within our world of possibilities, and that being our whole selves is more important than checking off our to-do list. It encourages us to find the rest and joy we need, even while acknowledging that our kids will come home at 2 p.m. and immediately require a snack.

For readers unfamiliar with Adachi's work - if you feel like you are drowning in your own life, if reading traditional productivity books makes you feel like you are doing it all wrong, if you don't know how to be yourself while also being a parent and partner and family member and friend - well, no book can fix that. But this book can help.

The Plan was good that I read it in two days, and it only took that long because my life got in the way of me reading it cover to cover. This is the book that every woman has been waiting for. Kendra doesn't give us another time-management book, but she gives us the tools we need to better manage our time based on our real lives, the obstacles that we face, and the energy we may or may not have. This is a book you will turn to again and again because it has so many great strategies you'll want to refer back to. It was so good I recommended it to my husband and told him to "ignore the fact that it's written for women, I think you'll get a lot out of this."

Kendra Adachi can always be counted on to bring the hilarity and the practicality!

In The Plan, Kendra helps readers achieve a fully integrated life now instead of greatness in the future, like time management books from men are wont to do.

Kendra writes: “You're a flesh-and-blood person with a beautiful, slightly unruly life who just wants to get your stuff done, have fun, not yell at your people too much, and occasionally feel bone-deep contentment.
You want to make hard things a little easier and enjoy life more often than you endure it.”

If that resonates with you (it definitely did with me!), you will love this book.

As I was reading, I was really wishing the book came with a journal or some practical way to use the tips—and then the quick reference guide at the end completely delivered!

Thanks, Kendra for a resource that will actually work and for giving us lots of laughs in addition to tons of great tips!

Will Kendra Adachi pull off a New York Times bestseller three-peat with The Plan: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius? I’d love for her to get the recognition even though making it can be arbitrary, because what I read in an advance reader copy from NetGalley was insightful, humorous, and the most compassionate time management book I’ve read. Yes, I’m a library power user (I know multiple card numbers by heart) but I’ll be buying this book to refer to it again and again.

The Plan was written to bridge the disconnect between popular time management practices and actual life, especially for women who often juggle multiple roles and more daily variability than men. Kendra addresses the culture of productivity, seeking contentment, and making small, sustainable changes based on your values. It’s less buy this planner, use this system, start everything again on Monday, and more like a hug and gentle kick-in-the-pants to consider principles and strategies so you can determine what matters to you, feel like yourself, and get things done. The last section is full of pep talks for when challenges come--Kendra has the best big sister energy and I loved them!

Not everything in the book was applicable to me like noticing and planning around monthly hormonal fluctuations (I’m always tired and want to stay home!) but I’d still highly recommend The Plan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the ARC!

I love Kendra Adachi and all things Lazy Genius. I read her previous books and enjoyed them very much. What I loved about this most recent book was that it stuck with her principals of life, but gave a new take on time management. She explores the world of time management through a female perspective, and it was so interesting! I found myself shaking my head along with the information in agreement. If you love lists and pictures that illustrate topics you will love this book. There is so much useful information and practical examples sprinkled throughout the book.

If you are a female who has ever felt overwhelmed by all the roles you’re juggling, feel like you’re stretched too thin, or wonder how in the world you’re ever going to get everything you need to accomplish accomplished, this book is for you.

I’ve been a huge Kendra Adachi fan for the past 2-ish years when a friend introduced me to her podcasts, and when I say she is like the cool aunt you always wished you had, I mean it. This book is no exception to literal genius that she is. If you are someone who thrives on to-do lists, gets joy by starting a new planner each year, or frequently find yourself in chaos management mode (guilty of all 3!), but somehow still find yourself falling short, again—this book is for you.

This book is a time-management book like non-other. It’s written FOR WOMEN with the female mentality in mind—realizing that often we do wear so many hats—wives, moms, friends, employees, church volunteers, etc.—and also struggle with things like hormones that cause “mom guilt” and constantly make us feel less than. This book is all about shifting your perspective from making a “quick fix” to making sustainable changes that helps you be more present by focusing on what’s truly most important to you…and if you’re not sure what that is, helping you to figure it out.

My favorite part of the entire book is the last section of Kendra’s pep talks…something that I have found myself needing OFTEN and she just speaks so genuinely and compassionately—truly the cheerleader we all need!! I will be buying the hard copy of this book when it is published because there are soooo many parts of the book I found myself wanting to highlight!

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for providing me with an e-ARC copy to this book!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
This book is incredible and it changed my life!
I’ve been reading a lot in this genre recently trying to get out of a rut in work in particular and this author just gets it and speaks to me. Maybe it’s that I’ve been reading so much written by clueless men or maybe this author is just a genius but whatever the case I’m hooked and I need more.

This is Kendra's best book to date! I love the way her Lazy Genius principles have been used to create a kind and flexible plan to manage your time in a way that makes you feel like yourself. The book is separated into 3 parts and all 3 are fantastic. Part 1 helps you to reframe your mindset and lays the foundational skills to be able to utilize the "plan", part 2 is a pathway for putting the "plan" into action to manage your time, and Part 3 is filled with pep talks that will talk you off the ledge and help keep the big black trash bag energy (or tears) at bay. This book would benefit every woman who picks it up!!

5/5

Thank you Net Galley and Convergent Books for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I'm a fan of Kendra Adachi so when I saw her new book The Plan on NetGalley I put my request in right away (thanks for approving me!). This book was able to take Adachi's Lazy Genius Principles and present them in a fresh way, with added detail. This is a book written for women, and the overarching theme for me is that life doesn't have to be perfect to be good. I already practice many Lazy Genius Principles like doing things now that will benefit future me, and meal planning. Despite this, I found this book full of useful reminders to be kind to myself, and how to take what matters and make it smaller to combat overwhelming to-do lists. I would recommend this book to women who are looking to streamline their lives in a way that values what matters over perfection. You don't have to read her first book The Lazy Genius way first to enjoy this book, but I think it would add to your reading experience if you did.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Lazy Genius writes a planning book - for women! This is how you plan your life (if you want to) in a kinder way, allowing for life seasons and periods and managing the mental load.

The guidance to Plan, Live, Adjust, and Notice feels like something that might actually work in this crazy world we are navigating. She reminds us it's necessary to rest, and ok to just be sometimes.

A few sections of the book focused on lists and steps in a way that felt slightly repetitive, but it feels so much more useful than traditional time management advice including an 18-step morning routine and time-blocking when life just isn't predictable.

I read through it quickly in a few days, and I'm looking forward to having a hard copy to highlight and reference.

Practical and easy to follow, with recaps to conclude each chapter. Part One covers principles (of time management), Part Two offers strategies, and Part Three lays out pep talks! This is a quick, accessible read and I recommend it to any woman looking for or interested in reading about how to manage your days.

Thank you very much to Convergent and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

93% of time management books are written by men for men, so believe me when I say that The Plan by Kendra Adachi is unlike any other time management book I've read. You will not find the "push" behind the bootstraps mentality (although I did see one Wayne Gretsky reference). Instead, Kendra takes on the role of caring big sister to guide you through how to PLAN your life around your hormones and hiccups. For that reason, I can see that some might be turned away from this book. Because it's not what you expect when you pick up a book on time management. If you go into this book expecting it to be like others you've read, you will be disappointed. Instead, The Plan is full of compassion and kindness towards yourself with practical tools to navigate real life.

I have been a long time listener of The Lazy Genius Podcast. I listen religiously, and the podcast has become part of my Sunday ritual. I have several episodes saved to return to when I'm feeling particularly stuck with life. Her first two books The Lazy Genius Way and The Lazy Genius Kitchen are helpful resourses in my arsenal for troubleshooting different areas of my life. I am so excited to add The Plan to my repertoire, and I will return to it frequently.

The Plan is broken down into three sections: Principles, Strategies, and Pep Talks. Through each, Kendra walks readers through how to use the PLAN Pyramid (tetrahedron) to Prepare, Live, Adjust, and Notice. Each chapter also concludes with a helpful summary. Without the summary, it might be overwhelming to get caught up in the frequent step-by-step lists embedded throughout each chapter. As an action-oriented reader myself, I have learned it's best to read through the entire book before going back to implement changes (I also keep a notebook handy to jot down ideas for when I come back). The 13 Lazy Genius Principles are woven throughout with a whole bunch of new ways to approach "being a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't."

What I appreciated most in this book was the softer approach. Here's a little of what you can expect with this approach:
- An entire chapter about cycle synching with women's hormones with productivity
- A Someday List instead of the more aggressive bucket list
- Pep Talks for various situations in life (feeling overwhelmed, feeling guilty, lacking motivation, etc.)
- How to plan seasonally
- Being kind to yourself

I predict The Plan being a divisive book because it's in the minority for books of its kind. Not all books are for all readers, but for those who need this book, it will change your life.

This book was extremely accessible. It was full of practical tips that I could implement immediately. I truly enjoyed this book!

I love Kendra, she is the big sister we all need to have. This book challenges the message we women hear to go do more, be more and achieve more. Kendra says, chill out, sit down, take a breath. We don't have to ride this roller coaster if we don't want to. Decide what matters and let's go from there. I found it refreshing for a time management book. Lots of period talk tho. LOTS. If you already know and love Kendra then I'm sure you will love this as its written in her classic quick-witted style.