What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend

A Short Guide to Making the Most of Your Days Off

By: Laura Vanderkam

Narrated by: Laura Vanderkam

Many of us breathe a grateful TGIF when Friday rolls around, envisioning a weekend full of both productivity and refreshment. Yet too often our precious weekends seem to disappear, eaten up by unproductive work or leisure that fails to energize us. Monday morning comes too fast, finding us still unrested, with too much still undone. Time management expert Laura Vanderkam, continuing her series on What the Most Successful People Do, shows how we can take control of our weekends to get necessary R&R, while also using our downtime as a springboard to a productive week.

Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research, Vanderkam explains why doing nothing can be more exhausting than doing something and why happy people make weekend plans in advance. She shares weekend tips gleaned from busy people such as politician and talk show host Mike Huckabee, former CEO Frank Baxter, and TV producer Aliza Rosen. She reveals the kind of weekend activities that make people happiest, explains why it’s important to unplug at least for a little while, and shares the secret of why Sunday night may be the most important part of any weekend.

What the Most Successful People Do On the Weekend is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your weekends and start your workweek refreshed, renewed, and on track.

©2012 Laura Vanderkam. (P)2012 Gildan Media LLC

Read the Publisher's Summary

There isn't much more to this book than what you read in the summary. It's really more of an article.

Intentionally Use Your Weekend Time

What insight do you think you’ll apply from What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend?

There are several great ideas packed into this short audio book. The big take away for me is to consciously choose how to spend weekend time. One of the many ideas that I will be applying to my life is to break the weekend down into chunks (i.e., Friday evening, Saturday day, Saturday evening, Sunday day, and Sunday evening) and plan activities for each of those time chunks.

Weekends are Important

Would you consider the audio edition of What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend to be better than the print version?

I would have enjoyed the print version more than this audible book because it was hard for me to listen to this narrator. It's usually fun to hear the author narrate his/her own book, but in this case I didn't prefer it. Laura Vanderkam's pace was so slow, I played the entire book at 1.5 speed, and it was still dragging. Also, coupling the slow pace with the vocal punctuation. of her words. made it hard for me. to fully grasp. the complete thought of the sentence. Lastly, her tone was much quieter and timid than I prefer.

Would you recommend What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes--the book has good content. Much of it is common sense, but people should still pause to consider how they are spending their weekend time.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Laura Vanderkam?

A voice talent instead of an author

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Author/narrator shares some fine qualities

The narrator has a very pleasant voice and uses it well, with sensitivity, brightness, and a certain softness. I don't fully agree with her suggestions, as I see value in un-programmed rest time and see value in limiting travel
, for example, on one's day of rest. I like the examples she gives on activities that can add joy, delight, wonder and meaning to weekends. I perceive that though she is resourceful and creative, she maintains a certain humility.

A quick read

A very quick read with good points, simple examples, basic information and recommendations. I recommend it.

Decent message, slow narrator.

What did you like best about What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend? What did you like least?

I like the idea the book portrays about in order to have a good relaxing weekend you need to have "anchors," certain activities that give your weekend character and shape. You also need to plan rest and relaxation into your weekend. Overall message was good and I took some nuggets away from this book.
This book had the worst narrator I've ever heard. I had to speed it up to 1.5x the regular speed and even still the way she read commas and periods was so annoying and unnatural.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

slow. so slow. so so slow

I need to plan my weekends!

Great ideas. We all have the same amount of hours. what will we do with them?

Short Read, Scratches Surface

Decent content but lacks depth. To be fair they are simple tactics, just hard to practice. Worth the read as a reminder/refresher/filler but not super motivational, just lays out good habits. Narrator is soft spoken, slow, and seems to be speaking in a calming tone. While it's very clear it lulled me into daydreaming and sleepiness until I cranked up the multiplier to 1.5. made it easier to stay engaged.

Concise inspiration for satisfying weekends

Would you consider the audio edition of What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend to be better than the print version?

Probably not better than print, but easier to take with me. Relistening helps me refocus on what is really important, remember that being intentional yields greatest enjoyment... for me and for my loved ones.

What did you like best about this story?

Great ideas for how to enjoy weekends in a way that refreshes and enhances productivity next week.

Which scene was your favorite?

Examples of planning for free time makes them more enjoyable, yields more rejunvenating weekend.... the couple who unwinds Friday night and talks about how to spend Saturday. This had helped my family (2 teens) actually get family time and all be happy about it.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from What the Most Successful People Do on the Weekend?

Do some work planning on Sunday so hit ground running Monday.

Finally an answer to where I got lost

I was sure it was age that had gotten to me but it was a lifestyle change that was killing me. Starting life again at 54