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The Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways To Do Less And Accomplish More Kindle Edition

by William D Jensen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 53 ratings
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In a world of more-better-faster, the challenges and stresses have never been greater: too much to do, not enough time. And in an economy where worker talent (know-how, energy, attention, commitment, and creativity) is at a premium, everyone is trying to maximize personal productivity. In The Simplicity Survival Handbook, Bill Jensen offers the antidote you're seeking: a practical guide to doing less in a world of more, and making it count. From "How to Write Shorter Emails for Better Results" to "How to Use Your Mentor to Help You Do Less," Jensen offers step-by-step strategies, tactics, and techniques for communicating more effectively, setting priorities, and balancing the competing demands on your time, while avoiding the time-sinkers. He takes on corporate foolishness, walking you through how to be more productive and take greater control of your workday and, by extension, your life.
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  1. Print length
    322 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Basic Books
  5. Publication date
    October 15, 2007
  6. File size
    3154 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Few authors encourage people to read as little of their book as possible, but Jensen (Simplicity) uses the table of contents to highlight five "must-read" sections on streamlining work practices, then encourages people who just want the tools to skip to the "Do-Less Toolkit" at the back of the book, which distills every chapter into a one- or two-page summary. The tactic, which matches his counsel to always demand the "executive summary" of any professional training course, invites comparison to the "useless crap" of PowerPoint presentations, a subject of particular efficiency-loving wrath, but these quickie lessons are as effective as their full-length counterparts, if not more so. Each of the regular chapters is introduced by three "Less-O-Meters," which gauge the level of courage needed undertake each challenge, the level of difficulty, and the level of reward each brings. Much of the advice is familiar from other time-management handbooks, like the calls to delete e-mails unread or skip unnecessary meetings, but other sections offer new perspective on dealing with job orientations and regular evaluations, observing that they're more for the company's benefit than the employee's and showing how to focus on those parts that actually address your needs. Jensen's techniques were developed over the course of a decade-long research project, and he frequently directs readers to the Web site for his change consulting firm for additional info. Most won't need it, though, since his concise presentation-reminiscent of Tom Peters, but with even more concentrated substance-lays everything out perfectly the first time.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Jensen is plainly a man with a mission... [His] observations about today's business world are dead on." -- Across the Board

"Bill Jensen offers not-so-obvious insights about the hard work of keeping things simple." -- Fast Company

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00B0YPGL8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; 1st edition (October 15, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 15, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3154 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 322 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 53 ratings

About the author

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Bill Jensen

Bill Jensen

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Bill Jensen makes it easier to do great work.

He helps companies and teams double their productivity and pursue their passions.

He has spent the past 25 years studying how work gets done. (Much of what he’s found horrifies him.)

He is an internationally-acclaimed author and speaker who is known for provocative ideas, extremely useful content, and his passion for making it easier for everyone to work smarter, not harder.

His first book, Simplicity, was the Number 5 Leadership/ Management book on Amazon in 2000. His next best-seller is Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More.

His last books, Disrupt! Think Epic. Be Epic. and The Courage Within Us, reveal the secrets of 100 great disruptive heroes on how to thrive and take advantage of continuous disarray, disorder and change.

Bill's newest book is Future Strong (Oct 2015), about the choices each of us needs to make as we lead ourselves and our teams into the future. Bill's goal is for every reader to be able to declare, #IAmFutureStrong!

Bill holds degrees in Communication Design and Organizational Development.

He is CEO of The Jensen Group. Among his clients are Bank of America, Merck, Pfizer, GE, L'Oréal Italia, Genentech, NASA, The World Bank, BBC, Philips Lighting, the US Navy SEALS, the government of Ontario, Singapore Institute of Management, Guangzhou China Development District, and the Swedish Post Office.

Bill's personal life fantasy is to bicycle around the globe via breweries.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
53 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Emre Sevinç
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply clear
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2010
Verified Purchase
I don't want to write a long review. This is the book that brings business-life wisdom in the clearest manner I've ever seen. Even the part about deleting mails (and simple methods to decide when to delete) by itself can help you transform your communication overload into a manageable stream of actions. It is one to thing to say "be focused and get organized" and completely another thing to show the simple steps to deal with real-world situations effectively. The author aims for the second and I think he's right on target. I think the most valuable chapter for me will be the chapters about "saying NO" and accomplishing more.
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Listen to Your Gut
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2013
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Ever buy a book even though something tells you that it's not worth it? That's what happened with this book for me, and I should have listened to that little voice. I purchased the Kindle version of this book. In this "book" you're not supposed to read the entire thing. You're supposed to pick 3 or 4 ideas from the table of contents that stick out to you and read only those sections. You would think that with a format like that they would make the table of contents clickable, but they don't. I put "book" in quotes, because those sections don't actually end up being real chapters, they are more like notes someone has taken down at a seminar. You're reading someone's bullet points, and it's just difficult to understand what message exactly the author is trying to convey in many of the "chapters." This book is trying to teach you how to not waste your time. Here's a way: don't buy this book.
5 people found this helpful
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Howard
4.0 out of 5 stars great book, with very god tips on being more efficient
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2014
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This book has a very good focus on how to accomplish more by doing less. Really love the cut out pages, and the structure, so I can skip the subjects that don't interest me.

Would recommend to anyone who is employed or even a business owner.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2014
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Great book. I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm getting more productive and professional every day.
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Ken R H
2.0 out of 5 stars BOOK - 5 stars, KINDLE - 1 star. By Ken Hollingshead, Rosemary's husband
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2014
Verified Purchase
The BOOK version of this Handbook is outstanding for me and my top resource for getting things done - 5 stars. The KINDLE version of this Handbook is practically worthless according to the authors own standards – 1 star or less. Combined rating: 2 stars for wasting time and disrespecting readers with the kindle edition. I am returning the kindle edition.
I have used the Handbook for years for getting better at doing less and accomplishing more. Robert Morris’s “How to Flourish” amazon book review presents the fine strengths of the BOOK. I needed a second copy of the handbook and bought the kindle edition this time. The lack on any table of contents and page locations in the kindle edition makes it impractical to use the Handbook the way the author tells you to use it: “Pick (only!) the three or four chapters that scream at you: Yessssss! This is the stupid stuff I’ve been dying to deal with!” Without a table of contents, I had to flip through the entire kindle to find the “screaming” chapters. I was screaming at the kindle edition instead.
Chapter 25, How to Measure Respect in a World of MoreBetterFaster has 6 How To Do Less questions to measure respect. The kindle Handbook fails all 6 questions.
Author Bill Jensen, here is what I want you to Know, Feel, and Do. Know: the kindle edition of the Handbook is a much worse tool than the book edition. Feel: You are wasting readers’ time, which you define as disrespect, and hurting the sale of both editions of the Handbook and your other products. Do: Withdraw this kindle edition of the Handbook. Revise and replace it with a version with a linked table of contents and other improvements to make it a great worktool.
3 people found this helpful
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Rob Kirk
3.0 out of 5 stars it's not good either. Secondly
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2018
Verified Purchase
First off, it's not simple. Not that it's hard to understand, but the format of the actual paper book is awful. I have seen in the Kindle reviews, it's not good either. Secondly, it's really just a mash up of many ideas and thoughts with no real connection. With time so precious, look to invest your reading time somewhere else.
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TexasTJ
1.0 out of 5 stars Am I Reading The Same Book?
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
I'm wondering if the book that downloaded is the same book these other reviewers read. This book was recommended as part of a simplicity project I've been voluntold (told I volunteered) for at work.

I was hoping for some concrete suggestions on how to simplify. Instead there is ALLOT of repetitive material which to me had very little substance. If I bought this at a traditional brick and mortar store I'd be returning it.

Save your money and more important your time!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Larry Underwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Brilliant & Hilarious
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2009
I spent 26 years working in the vast wasteland of corporate America, where "more" useless information and wasted effort became the rallying cry; even though "less" was what was really needed. Needless to say, my simple approach to business got me in trouble with the humorless corporate hierarchy, especially since I appeared to be having way too much fun for my job description.

For anyone who's had to put up with all the annoying pestilence of corporate America's most inane activities, Bill Jensen has produced this wonderfully simple and effective "survival handbook", which will help you cut through the clutter, eliminate the waste, and focus on the 20% of the memos that have actual value to your productivity and your long-term career potential.

This hilariously handy guide might also be called, "Dilbert Strikes Back", or "Dilbert's Guide to the 80/20 Principle". Certainly, much of what Jensen professes alligns very closely with Richard Koch's  The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less . The information contained in this particular endeavor is a bit more lighthearted, but it packs a similar significant punch. Read 'em both; your career will certainly benefit from the message of simple common sense.

Review submitted by Larry Underwood, author  Life Under the Corporate Microscope: A Maverick's Irreverent Perspective
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Jeremie
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple but Super-Effective
Reviewed in France on April 30, 2013
Verified Purchase
One of the best books I've ever read, and trust me I've read some about management.

How to simply manage your career from A to Z. Must Have !
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AE1967
2.0 out of 5 stars Not at all simple
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
I found it very complicated actually. I am not sure who the target audience is but I did not find it helpful as an overworked PA/administrator. Probably more for someone who is self employed or a CEO and can decide for themselves what they do or don't do
One person found this helpful
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