The Free-Time Formula Book Summary - The Free-Time Formula Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

The Free-Time Formula summary

Jeff Sanders

Finding Happiness, Focus, and Productivity No Matter How Busy You Are

4.4 (284 ratings)
21 mins

Brief summary

"The Free-Time Formula" by Jeff Sanders is a productivity book that helps readers achieve work-life balance by optimizing their spare time. It provides tips on planning, prioritizing, and creating a routine to increase productivity and decrease stress.

Table of Contents

    The Free-Time Formula
    Summary of 8 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 8

    Getting the most out of your waking hours is about prioritization, rather than enjoying your “free time.”

    We often divide time into separate compartments. On one hand, there’s the time we devote to the things we have to do, above all work. Once that’s done, we get to enjoy our free time, or so the thinking goes.

    The problem, however, isn’t that you don’t have enough time off – it’s that the very concept of “free time” is false. The reality is that you’re already free to do whatever you want with your time. But wait, that can’t be true – after all, you have your job and family, right? Well, yes, but when you get down to it, there’s nothing really stopping you from quitting your job and leaving your family; it’s just that most people don’t!

    In truth, there’s no such thing as free time. What you have are the hours of the day when you’re not sleeping. And if you want to start getting the most out your time, you should be thinking about all your waking hours. That brings us to the first key point about time management: learning to prioritize and beat procrastination.

    But prioritizing is hard. Whether it’s the overwhelming number of possibilities on offer or that impossibly long to-do list you carry around with you in your head, there are distractions lurking around every corner. The more you set out to get done, the easier it is to wind up not doing anything. This comes down to the fact that the human brain just isn’t very good at multitasking. In fact, it works best when you just prioritize one task.

    In fact, one of the biggest time-management challenges in existence – procrastination – is closely related to poor prioritization. Say you’ve got an important project that needs wrapping up by the end of the week. If you don’t prioritize it, push it to the top of your agenda and get down to work right now, you’ll inevitably end up wasting half the week watering your office plants, surfing the web and getting bogged down in the minor details of some event that’s coming up in two months. Needless to say, leaving your most important tasks to the last minute is deeply counterproductive.

    So how do you learn the art of prioritization? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll be looking at in the next blink.

    Want to see all full key ideas from The Free-Time Formula?

    Key ideas in The Free-Time Formula

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is The Free-Time Formula about?

    The Free-Time Formula (2018) is a practical guide to better time management, addressing a problem we’ve all grappled with: the feeling that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do the things we value most. These blinks show that the problem usually isn’t time itself but perception. Once we reframe our concept of time, Jeff Sanders argues, we can start setting realistic priorities and getting the most out of our days.

    The Free-Time Formula Review

    The Free-Time Formula (2018) by Jeff Sanders is a practical guide that helps readers find more time for the things they love. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • With its step-by-step strategies, it offers actionable advice on how to prioritize and manage time effectively, empowering readers to regain control of their schedules.
    • Backed by research and personal experiences, the book provides valuable insights into productivity, efficiency, and work-life balance, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to optimize their time.
    • Through its relatable anecdotes and relatable examples, the book ensures that you won't get bored while learning how to make the most of your free time.

    Best quote from The Free-Time Formula

    My upcoming projects will wait. They will wait until it is their turn.

    —Jeff Sanders
    example alt text

    Who should read The Free-Time Formula?

    • Busy professionals
    • Workaholics
    • Self-development aficionados

    About the Author

    Jeff Sanders is a public speaker and personal coach who lives by the ideals he preaches. An avid early-riser, marathon-runner and committed vegetarian, Sanders is one of today’s most effective self-optimizers. The Free-Time Formula is his second book, following his bestselling debut, The 5 AM Miracle.

     

    © Jeff Sanders: The Free-Time Formula copyright 2018, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons Inc. and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

    Categories with The Free-Time Formula

    Book summaries like The Free-Time Formula

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.8 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    34 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    The Free-Time Formula FAQs 

    What is the main message of The Free-Time Formula?

    The main message of The Free-Time Formula is how to reclaim and maximize your free time for a more balanced and fulfilling life.

    How long does it take to read The Free-Time Formula?

    The reading time for The Free-Time Formula varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is The Free-Time Formula a good book? Is it worth reading?

    The Free-Time Formula is worth reading as it provides practical strategies to create more free time, reduce stress, and increase productivity.

    Who is the author of The Free-Time Formula?

    The author of The Free-Time Formula is Jeff Sanders.

    What to read after The Free-Time Formula?

    If you're wondering what to read next after The Free-Time Formula, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam
    • Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt
    • What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
    • Less Doing, More Living by Ari Meisel
    • Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
    • My Morning Routine by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander
    • Extreme Productivity by Robert C. Pozen
    • Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
    • A Handbook for New Stoics by Massimo Pigliucci and Gregory Lopez
    • How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen