Make Time
A productivity book by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky that provides a four-step daily framework (Highlight, Laser, Energize, Reflect) with over 80 tactics to help create time for what matters by making small shifts in environment and daily design rather than overhauling lifestyle.
Last updated: 2026-03-19 01:01
Overview
"Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day" is a book by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky that explains how small changes in the design of our days can give us more time for the people and activities that energize and fulfill us.
Philosophy
Make Time is not about crushing your to-do list or maximizing personal productivity. It's about rethinking "the defaults" so you can focus on what matters every day. Making time isn't about radically overhauling your lifestyle or throwing out your smartphone—it's about making small shifts in your environment to liberate yourself from constant busyness and distraction.
The Framework
Make Time consists of a four-step framework repeated every day:
1. Highlight
Choose a single activity to prioritize and protect in your day—the thing you want to make sure gets done.
2. Laser
Beat distraction by creating barriers around your Highlight and implementing tactics to stay focused.
3. Energize
Use the body to recharge the brain through simple habits that keep your physical and mental energy high.
4. Reflect
Before bed, take a few notes on what worked and what didn't to fine-tune your approach.
Tactics Library
The book is packed with more than 80 tactics that anyone can use to design their day around the things that matter. These are practical, actionable strategies tested by the authors.
Authors' Background
Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky met while working at Google where they created the popular Google Design Sprint process. They're the authors of the New York Times bestseller "Sprint" and the creators of Time Dorks, a popular newsletter about experiments in time management.
Key Differentiator
Unlike traditional productivity books, Make Time doesn't propose unrealistic solutions or require extreme lifestyle changes. It focuses on sustainable, small adjustments that compound over time.
Format
Published book available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.
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