Jennifer Tan
St. Thomas More Writing Group (co-leader) and St. Francis de Sales Writing Group
As recently as two years ago, B. Eugene Griessman’s Time Tactics of Very Successful People was still getting five-star ratings on Goodreads.com. For a practical self-help book published about three decades ago, it seems to have crossed a certain threshold in maintaining its appeal to readers today.
Time Tactics is a compendium of advice on how to be successful. It encompasses endeavors that affect businesses, relationships, careers, studies, and more, which invariably require the proper use of time. In outlining what one can learn from the book, Griessman covers almost everyone who wants to achieve a balanced life.
The author’s proposed strategy for improvement is to study and model after successful (but not necessarily famous) individuals. Accordingly, the book is full of advice and practices by high achievers. His interviewees include corporate leaders, politicians, salespeople, writers, musicians, athletes, and consultants, as well as his workshop participants. Snippets of accounts of famous figures, including scientists and Nobel laureates, give glimpses into principles and habits that bear significant results. The book also draws from the wisdom and thoughts of historical figures, major religions of the world, and ancient philosophy, including Socrates, the Tao Te Ching, Sanskrit proverbs, and traditional sayings. The examples and scenarios Griessman narrates illustrate how the business world operates, how to communicate and engage with people, what to do and not to do in certain circumstances, and much more.
Griessman writes in a conversational, easy-to-read style with a sense of humor throughout. The teacher in him shows through lists of do’s and don’ts or rules in lecture-note style, which help present the comprehensive information simply and clearly. He even provides templates of rejection letters or notes that one can use by just filling in the blanks! However, far from being academic, the book reads like listening to stories and anecdotes from a guru. Many of the titles in it are imaginative and instructive, such as “Spend More Time in the Now,” “Don’t Adopt Other People’s Monkeys,” and “To Save Time, Smile.” Some expressions and corporate jargon, however, may not be immediately comprehensible to certain readers.
Most surprising is the breadth of disciplines the book covers. Some of its advice seems unrelated to time management and more inclined toward attaining goals or improving one’s life. Alongside more conventional time management tactics like setting priorities, delegating, and planning ahead, it discusses topics such as chronobiological patterns, diet, exercise, managing moods, and conflict management. However, not all sections or tactics receive equal treatment; some are longer and deeper, some only at surface level. Other seemingly unexpected advice is on becoming an all-rounder and contributing to the good of the society and nation, living in the present moment, and loving oneself. The book also offers contradictory advice such as embracing underemployment to cultivate innovative minds.
References to outdated technologies, such as fax, audio cassettes, and car phones in the book may put off some readers. Nevertheless, an initiated reader can easily think of present substitutes. A whole chapter on using technology that works may seem redundant for the current technology-savvy generation, but it shows how advanced Griessman’s advice was at the time of writing. He rightly points out how useful the computer, internet, and mobile phones are in discussing their then-possible uses, which have materialized now.
Time Tactics comes across as unbiased, as Griessman objectively discusses different perspectives. He presents both sides of the coin for many of the time tactics and identifies those who may or may not benefit from them. For instance, while he dedicated a whole chapter to avoiding procrastination, one section elsewhere talks about the benefits of delaying work on something. Even from the onset, Griessman acknowledges that “not every tactic will work for every reader, every personality, every situation.”
The author’s care in presenting information lends credibility to the book. For example, in mentioning an experiment that showed the positive effects of music on intelligence performance, he states that it incidentally used Mozart’s piano sonatas but whether all music has the same effect has not been ascertained. He also conscientiously calls out where he’s forgotten who told him about a useful tactic.
The concept of balanced time usage is present throughout, but Griessman underscores its importance by closing the book with the chapter “Balancing Work, Family, and Social Life.” Its last section that expounds on the difference between “time tactics” and “time strategies” more explicitly advocates careful consideration on why one saves time. In Griessman’s words, “The ‘What for?’ question should be asked about the life you live, not just the work that you do.” Time Tactics would be suitable not only for discerning readers hoping to use time effectively but also for those aspiring to be successful. Students, fresh graduates, and executives climbing the corporate ladder can expect to gain firm footing for navigating the work and business environment. All in all, Time Tactics makes for a handy reference and guide for achieving a full, balanced life and can even be an enjoyable read. Offering more than time management tactics, the book’s holistic scope and timeless principles are why it is still relevant now.