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

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

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.

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.

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.