The Power of Slow - by Christine Louise Hohlbaum (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Overwhelmed by electronic gadgets? Buried under an avalanche of e-mails? Juggling too many tasks and responsibilities? Desperately in need of a deep breath and a time-out? For all of us who answer yes to any of these questions, help is on the way.

Getting to the heart of our hassled and over-scheduled existence, Christine Louise Hohlbaum cheerfully investigates 101 ways to increase our quality of life and productivity by reevaluating how we perceive and use time. Everyone has their own personal bank account of time, and while we cannot control time itself, we can manage the activities with which we fill the time we have available to us. The Power of Slow gives readers practical, concise directions to change the relationship they have with time and debunks the myths of multitasking, speed, and urgency as the only ways to efficiency.

Tips include:

- When working on a project on your computer, close all the windows, with the exception of the one you need to do your job.

- Learn to say no in a polite and constructive way to favors, invitations, and requests.

- Manage your own expectations, as well as those of others, by clearly stating what is possible in the time frame given.

- Declare gadget-free zones (both geographical and temporal) to really enjoy your leisure time.

- Know when your plate is full.

- Make commitments to difficult tasks in five-minute increments and gradually increase the increments.

- Save your most favorite or the easiest tasks for last to avoid procrastination.

The Power of Slow will help readers identify areas in need of improvement and show them how to become more efficient and less frazzled at work and at home---and live a better, more balanced life.

Review Quotes

"The Power of Slow is a welcome riposte to our fast-forward culture. With wit and wisdom, Hohlbaum shows us how to reset our metronomes and reinvent our lives." --Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slow and Under Pressure

"Thanks to The Power of Slow, I am now a recovering 'speed addict.' This book brilliantly showed me that my over-scheduled, multi-tasking, uber-busy lifestyle has not only made me less productive and less effective, it gently taught me ways to shift into a more flowing, creative and ultimately more successful life." --Arielle Ford, creator, www.everythingyoushouldknow.com and author of The Soulmate Secret

"The Power of Slow is a life-changing book. Far from stating the obvious, Christine Hohlbaum provides new insights and persuasive arguments for reshaping our time and changing our lives for the better. A must read in our over-scheduled world!" --Wendy Walker, author of Social Lives, Four Wives, and Chicken Soup for the Soul - Power Moms

"In the fast-paced world of Blackberrys, Iphones, and Twitter, it's hard to find one's footing. In an easy-to-read style, Ms. Hohlbaum has described a process of slowing down that is so very important to our wholeness, balance, and well being. She does so in a poetic and sometimes humorous way. She has captured a heavy topic with a light touch and yet we learn many lessons. I highly recommend this book to help anyone who wants to stay healthy, sane, and enjoy life more fully." --Bonnie Michaels, work-life balance expert and author of Solving the Work/Family Puzzle and A Journey of Work-Life Renewal

"This book presents a convincing case for slowing down in a multi-tasking world: to reboot one's natural rhythm for the sake of health and happiness. It's time to take an adult time-out to achieve greater balance and improve life quality. Christine makes it practical and easy. What are you waiting for? Slow Down...." --Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress

" [Hohlbaum] offers thought-provoking commentaries on efficiency and expectations while providing concrete tips for saying no with kindness, taking time out, and breaking habits." --Library Journal

About the Author

Christine Louise Hohlbaum is a public relations professional, freelance writer, and the author of S.A.H.M. I Am and Diary of a Mother. She lives near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children.