Work Simply Book Summary - Work Simply Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Work Simply summary

Embracing the Power of Your Personal Productivity Style

3.6 (224 ratings)
11 mins

Brief summary

Work Simply by Carson Tate is a productivity book that teaches how to improve time management. It presents a personalized approach, offering practices to transform your work style and achieve more efficiency.

Table of Contents

    Work Simply
    Summary of 4 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 4

    Find your productivity style. Figuring out what type of person you really are will help.

    Have you ever been told you’re a “left-brained” or “right-brained” thinker?

    If so, you already know what’s wrong with so many time management and productivity theories. These tools think that “one size fits all.” So just make more lists, they say, and you’ll improve.

    Yet everyone has their own way of working, and what helps one person be more productive could be counterproductive to another. That’s why the most effective way to start working better is to examine yourself and approach your work in a fashion that fits your personality.

    This is where the productivity style assessment can help.

    A productivity style assessment is a test that is based on the findings of General Electric’s long-time manager of management education, Ned Herrmann. It examines how the brain perceives, processes, comprehends, manages and communicates information.

    In other words, a productivity style assessment explains how people work!

    While there are many different personalities, Hermann’s model offers four particular styles as a guide to start your assessment. Which style are you?

    The first is the prioritizer. She’s efficient with her time and uses data, thoughtful analysis and logic to approach and solve problems. At work, she prioritizes the most important tasks and is annoyed when colleagues chatter while there’s work to be done.

    The second is the planner. He loves making lists, organizing data and doing things in a particular order. When he gets to work, he reviews his schedule and shakes his head at some last-minute project his more unorganized colleagues are scrambling to finish.

    The third is the arranger, who relies on his instinct to make decisions. He works well with others, and enjoys presenting information visually, as in a colorful flowchart. His main concern: “How will this decision make people feel?”

    And last, there’s the visualizer, who can walk into a heated discussion and find a way to reorganize all the key points that solves everyone’s problems. When making decisions, she hates being dragged down by data, but will gather everyone’s input and synthesize it into something new – even if it’s contrary to “the way it’s always been done.”

    Want to see all full key ideas from Work Simply?

    Key ideas in Work Simply

    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 Work Simply about?

    In Work Simply (2015), author Carson Tate draws from her own career experience to show you how to become more productive. By understanding your own productivity style, you can make lighter work of the ever-growing pile of tasks and achieve your life goals.

    Work Simply Review

    Work Simply (2015) by Carson Tate is a book that offers valuable insights and practical strategies for achieving productivity and effectiveness in the workplace. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • It provides practical solutions to common work challenges, helping readers optimize their time, tasks, and energy to achieve better results.
    • Backed by research, the book offers evidence-based approaches that can be easily implemented to improve workflow and productivity.
    • With its engaging and relatable examples, the book keeps readers captivated, making it an interesting and inspiring read that never gets boring.

    Who should read Work Simply?

    • Busy people who feel there just aren’t enough hours in the day
    • Business leaders tired of ineffective time management techniques
    • Stressed students looking for help in organizing school-life balance

    About the Author

    Carson Tate is a coach, consultant and founder of Working Simply, a management consultancy that has worked with high-profile clients such as Coca-Cola and John Deere. An expert on workplace productivity, Tate’s ideas have been featured in the The New York Times, Fast Company and Forbes.

    Categories with Work Simply

    Book summaries like Work Simply

    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

    4.7 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

    Work Simply FAQs 

    What is the main message of Work Simply?

    The main message of Work Simply is to find your unique productivity style and tailor your work to fit it.

    How long does it take to read Work Simply?

    The reading time for Work Simply varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

    Is Work Simply a good book? Is it worth reading?

    Work Simply is worth reading as it provides practical techniques to improve productivity. It helps you work smarter, not harder.

    Who is the author of Work Simply?

    Carson Tate is the author of Work Simply.

    What to read after Work Simply?

    If you're wondering what to read next after Work Simply, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Solving the Productivity Puzzle by Tim Ringo
    • The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey
    • Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg
    • The Best Place to Work by Ron Friedman
    • The PLAN by Kendra Adachi
    • 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
    • The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss
    • Designing Your Work Life by Bill Burnett
    • On the Edge by Nate Silver
    • Psychological Types by Carl Jung