Time Management for Manic Mums

"I bought this book hoping it would help to organise my busy life with lots of simple tips and ideas.
Maybe it's just me, but I found the book so incredibly complicated with its talk of charts and treating your life like a corporate business, with no practical tips, that I was exhausted by page 8 and have not looked at it since. This book was basically yet another complication in my life that I could do without!!"
~ Written on 2008-09-01

"I am a mum to a 6-month-old baby and a 2-year-old and I was hoping for some good tips from this book, but found it to be aimed more at mums with older children of school age. If you needing it pointing out to you that you're watching too much TV and wasting time chatting on the phone then this book is for you. I think I was after multi-tasking tips to cope with the huge amount of work it is looking after two small ones, which I didn't really find in this book. I did, however, get a few useful tips which I have put into practice. "
~ Written on 2008-04-09

"I am writing this review because my husband bought this book for me as a Christmas present based on the rave reviews already here. I am sad to say it is almost as if they were reading a different book to me. It was mainly spoiled by Alison's writing style. I like books to motivate me. Her first section is called "There is no more time" - I found depressing and that got me off to a bad start. Her overuse of analogies reinforced to me that she thinks her readers are stupid. The analogies were also sometimes somewhat off putting, such as her comparison between my now lack of time management and my pelvic floor after having a baby. Scattered in between all the waffle are the most ridiculous tips such as not buying children's underwear with days of the week on, so they don't complain about wearing Tuesday's knickers on a Friday. (I have never met a mother who said to me "I wish i hadn't bought my child knickers with the days of the week on". Now don't get me wrong - through the continuous, patronising and unmotivating marathon of words are little ideas that are actually good. Sadly, by the time i got more than a few pages through the book, i spent more time being irritated by the way the book was written than being inspired from her ideas and techniques, and i almost lost the will to live. I did carry on to see if it got better, but it stayed the same, although as it goes on there are more techniques. Alison throughout reminds us that she does this for clients which she is probably very good at on a one to one. Just because you are an expert in a field does not make you good at writing. It does have a lot of information in though.
To summarise: If you buy your chilren's knickers with the days of the week on and wonder how you could make your life easier, or you enjoy the comparison of how untidy you are to your pelvic floor now you've had a baby, you'll probably find this book a hoot and incredibly useful. If you get irritated by the irony that this book wastes time by waffling - then best leave well alone, and find something that has the same ideas but is better written. (I don't mind waffle by the way - if it's well written). "
~ Written on 2008-01-01

"As a working mum with a seven-year-old boy, I found this book absolutely invaluable and practical. Allison Mitchell obviously knows all about juggling families, careers, hobbies and other commitments. From the first page, I felt she understood my problems and I trusted her to advise me. While reading this book, I was able to identify where my time leaks are and put them right. As a result, I am so much more organised and effective, both in my working life and at home. A brilliant read for all stressed-out, too-busy mums! "
~ Written on 2007-11-29

"Really inspiring book.
Great tips.
I have read it over and over again.
It is nice to go back to it when you feel things are getting on top of you.
"
~ Written on 2007-11-05