When Time Management Was Easy
Original excerpt
In 1973, an author named Alan Lakein published a book titled _How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life_. It wasn’t the first book about professional time management — my library contains a first edition of James McCay’s 1959 classic, _The Management of Time_ — but it’s arguably the first book to talk about the topic in a recognizably modern way, with a focus on personalized tools like daily to-do lists. It went on to reportedly sell more than three million copies, and was even shouted out by Bill Clinton, who cites its influence on his early career in his autobiography.
Revisiting Lakein’s advice today provides a glimpse into office life fifty years ago. And the encounter is shocking.
One…
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