Off the Clock

Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done

By: Laura Vanderkam

Narrated by: Laura Vanderkam

"I well recall a conversation with an executive I hoped to interview about her astonishing productivity. I began our call with an assurance that I would not take much of her time. She laughed. 'Oh, I have all the time in the world,' she said."

Most of us feel constantly behind, unsure how to escape feeling oppressed by busyness. Laura Vanderkam, unlike other time-management gurus, believes that in order to get more done, we must first feel like we have all the time in the world. Think about it: why haven't you trained for that 5K or read War and Peace? Probably because you feel beaten down by all the time you don't seem to have.

In this book, Vanderkam reveals the seven counterintuitive principles the most time-free people have adopted. She teaches mindset shifts to help you feel calm on the busiest days and tools to help you get more done without feeling overwhelmed. You'll meet people such as...

♦ An elementary school principal who figured out how to spend more time mentoring teachers, and less time supervising the cafeteria

♦ An executive who builds lots of meeting-free space into his calendar, despite managing teams across multiple continents

♦ A CEO who does focused work in a Waffle House early in the morning, so he can keep an open door and a relaxed mindset all day

♦ An artist who overcame a creative block, and reached new heights of productivity, by being more gentle with herself, rather than more demanding

The strategies in this book can help if your life feels out of control, but they can also help if you want to take your career, your relationships, and your personal happiness to the next level. Vanderkam has packed this book with insights from busy yet relaxed professionals, including "time makeovers" of people who are learning how to use these tools. Off the Clock can inspire the rest of us to create lives that are not only productive, but enjoyable in the moment.

Critic reviews

"Laura Vanderkam is one of the world's leading experts in time management and productivity. If you're feeling too busy, stressed out, or overworked, reading her insights in Off the Clock can change your life."
—Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out and adjunct professor, Duke University's Fuqua School of Business

"For every minute you spend inside this book, you’ll get back ten. Off the Clock will show you how to spend your hours more meaningfully, reclaim vast amounts of wasted time, and live a better life. Picking up this book will be one of the most valuable investments you make in yourself."
—Chris Bailey, author of The Productivity Project


“Laura Vanderkam delivers a compelling and evidence-based argument that busyness is overrated in our current culture. Living a full life, at work and at home, is about doing the right things well, and confidently missing out on everything else.”
—Cal Newport, author of Deep Work

“Short of discovering an additional 25th hour what makes time so different for those rare productive, unstressed people? Laura Vanderkam knows--and can teach you. If you want to do more without losing your sense of peace along the way, make time for Off the Clock."
—Jon Acuff, author of Finish and Do Over

"I recognized myself in almost every word of Laura's excellent book. And tracking my hours was an eye-opener for me, as it appears I'm one of the people who's been unrealistic about how I spend my days. This book is liberating, useful, and so important in this era in which everyone seems to feel overwhelmed."
—Celeste Headlee, author of We Need to Talk

Practical and Pleasurable

Vandercam weaves practical strategies and thought-provoking questions with anecdotes that help concepts stick. The anecdotes provide context, which seems to matter for my brain. I also appreciate that she included a working artist as one of her anecdotal examples. I haven’t found much in the way of realistic advice for artists in the time management sphere.

Amazing. Well written. inspiring.

what a great book and a wonderful way to break down life and time that we can all relate to and Inspire to make a real change. listening to this book was like chatting with *that friend you have that always has the best advice and Inspires you to be the best version on yourself. thank you Laura vanderkam.

Awesome thoughts with practical ideas

What I love the most about Laura’s books and podcasts are the fact that she is an excellent presenter of ideas. She doesn’t push something is THE thing you need to be doing. She fully understands that everyone’s life and limitations are different. I can always gain practical insight to things I can try. This book is no exception. Highly enjoyable and I recommend!!!

inspired productivity

I am a fan of Laura Vanderkam's ideas. As a working mother I find them relatable and inspiring. The writting on this book was sooo good. The ideas are simple but they did make me look at my life in a different way. finisihed it so fasr!

Feels like fluff at first but then, when you think

I gave this a chance based on reviews but wasn't expecting much. The title and subject matter made me think this was probably a time management book full of little tips. Or, maybe, advice on outsourcing or delegating so that you can be "off the clock". Actually, I guess I'd say it's a time perception and memory management book. After all, isn't that what really matters? What happens to all the days full of trivia you can't even remember? Where did that time go? Did it ever really even happen?

There's a lot to consider here and, up to this point, I have never seen (or heard) this topic approached from this angle. Don't let the light-hearted delivery or intentionally mundane examples / applications distract from what you might find to be a profound message.