Did I learn new things? Yes. Did I feel blindsided by the fact that Kendra mentions the patriarchy and menstrual cycle liberally? Also yes.

Kendra writes like she speaks, and it’s easily readable and refreshing. But neither the book cover nor description imply this time management book is geared toward women, so that felt off.

Kendra Adachi gets it! She puts the logic into decision making and helps you to break down goals into realistic tasks based on importance and energy. I am a huge fan of her first book, The Lazy Genius Way, and I also really enjoyed this one as well. I would like to buy a physical copy to highlight and refer back to as needed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

I loved this book so much! It was like Atomic Habits but gentler and for women. I will definitely be using a lot of the helpful advice from this book. I was particularly drawn to the lighten the load method but I highlighted so many sections that resonated to me. I love how it was separated into principles, strategies, and pep talks.

Really good! I liked how this tells you more ideas on how to implement her tips from the lazy genius way while bringing in new material also. I think she has great methods for keeping life simple!

As in her other books, the content that I connected to the most was the more emotional, 'be kind to yourself' kind of thing. I especially appreciated the section where she talked about other people's plans and time not syncing up with yours. That's one of my hugest struggles in trying to maintain relationships, and also in learning to pivot when plans get canceled (the other people have to pivot too! we might pivot in diverging ways) and I'm still not sure how to navigate it - maybe I'll just give all my friends the underlined parts of that chapter! Really unique perspective on time management that's the opposite of checklists and black-and-white thinking, full of nuance and understanding of real, actual life.

I've listened to Kendra's podcast for many years, and really enjoyed her first book. I've come to expect her approachable style of writing and breaking larger concepts down for those who struggle with overwhelm. This book didn't quite work for me. I think by her introducing so many acronyms, it only complicating things with more to remember. Also, while tying instructions to a women's menstrual cycle may work for some women, it really excludes many people as well (post-menopausal women, women who don't menstruate at all, men...). Even though this book is aimed at women (and that is a smart concept), I felt that the luteal phases sections were unnecessary and probably not thoroughly researched.

I will continue to listen to Kendra's podcast, but ultimately feel that her first book really covers most situations, and I'm not sure more books are really needed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Convergent Books for the Advanced Reader Copy!

I knew I'd love this book, and Kendra did not disappoint. Much like her weekly podcast, The Lazy Genius, and her other two books, this book takes a no-nonsense approach to time management. Kendra explains how to break down bigger tasks and get stuff DONE without succumbing to hustle culture. Using the acronym PLAN (prepare, live, adjust, and notice) Kendra takes us through several examples of how to best manage life in your current season. I especially appreciated her thoughts surrounding the hormonal shifts women experience each month which directly affect our energy level.

Another 5 star book from The Lazy Genius!

When I saw The Plan on Net Galley, I had to request it. (thank you so much for approving me). What I love about this book is that it takes the principles established in Adache's Lazy Genius and follows up on them with a new perspective and of course more details. Unlike so many self help books written by men, this book is written for women. The book is a reminder to women, that to things don't have to be perfect, and to be kind to ourselves. That you can work through the overwhelm of your to-do list by breaking things down into smaller pieces. This is the prefect guide for women who want to be more efficient, but are not seeking perfection. While it's not a requirement to read her first book, The Lazy Genius Way, it definitely helps make this a better reading experience if you have.

I hate to say I was disappointed in this book, but it's true. I m a Kendra fan. I own the Lazy Genius and the Lazy Genius Kitchen and was excited to get this book too. But it was a let down. It had Kendra's signature writing style, which I still enjoyed. But there was little substance that wasn't simply a repeat of applying the Lazy Genius principles. I'll still follow Kendra in other avenues like podcasts, but I won't be recommending this book. I'll keep recommending the original.

I love Kendra Adachi and her podcast The Lazy Genius, so when I saw her latest book available, I had to read it!

From the very beginning, Kendra explains why she is writing this book and how it’s specifically written for women. She references stats and quotes a few other authors throughout the book, but generally it was all new advice and information to me. She includes notes where you can skip ahead to read portions you are most interested in and a great quick reference guide at the end summarizing the main points.

Kendra does state she is a Christian and acknowledges that her beliefs inform her world view and some of her preferences, but that is less a part of this book than her first book, The Lazy Genius Way. I think this book has more wide appeal and you can tell Kendra is aware of the social climate we are in today and its effect on women. I love that she acknowledges how women are different and how living in a patriarchal system has affected our lives, how we manage our time, our opportunities, etc. It was powerful!

The book had a lot of acronyms which I love, but couldn’t remember on just one pass. I’ll read this one again and again, and think it’s a great choice for anyone who desires to have a better relationship with time management and enjoy life to the fullest!

Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I've been a long-time fan of Kendra Adachi, aka The Lazy Genius. Her first book, "The Lazy Genius Way," was one of my favorites in 2023. I was so excited when I saw that she was releasing a book about time management. We are entering a season with many life changes, and I was looking forward to some "big sister" advice from Kendra. I snagged an ARC copy from Netgalley and read it in less than a day. For the most part, I enjoyed the book, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Let me explain:

What I didn’t like:
- She got rather preachy about the patriarchy and how it's "a man's world." It wouldn't have bothered me so much if she mentioned it once or twice. But she harped on it quite a lot.
- There was little new content in this book. It felt like a compilation of her most popular podcast episodes.
- I felt that she gave too much credibility to feelings. Instead of "listen to your body" and "trust yourself," I was looking for more practical tips.
- Her approach to planning felt very disjointed and hard to follow because it had SO MANY aspects to consider. I found it to be overly complicated.

What I did like:
+ Kendra's personality shines through in how she writes, and it's so fun and unique.
+ The quick reference guide at the end of the book is beneficial, and I will probably reference it in the future.
+ I enjoyed the chapter on how the menstrual cycle affects our planning, and her tips on how to plan during each phase of your cycle were helpful.

Kendra Adachi is the author of several best-selling books such as "The Lazy Genius Way" and "The Lazy Genius Kitchen." Her newest book is entitled, "The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius." While Adachi is the first to admit that there are plenty of books about time management, she points out that very few are written by a woman for women. She decided to write this book because she insists that "the current productive paradigm doesn't work for women." Adachi writes with her trademark practical, open, and honest style and has divided this book into the following segments: principles, strategies, and pep talks.

I think this book would be helpful for all women, regardless of your stage of life. It was easy to understand and easy to implement. I also appreciate how she didn't shy away from discussing a woman's hormones and how that will affect your productivity as well. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I have followed Kendra Adachi for years and have found her relatable content both inspiring and useful. I really enjoyed The Lazy Genius Way (the chapter about friendship was chef’s kiss) so I was looking forward to reading The Plan. Just like in the Lazy Genius Way, I really appreciated the TL;DR at the end of every chapter because it makes it very easy to go back and find what you’re looking for. I also really liked the pep talks because I think it is in that kind of honest encouragement that Adachi shines. However, on the whole, I found this to be a little too much. There are so many acronyms and plans within The Plan that I was overwhelmed. The idea that time management systems are written by men for men rang true, but I found the intensity of the tone around that subject a bit off putting. This could all be because as a menopausal woman, I’m not the target audience for this book. I appreciated Adachi’s efforts to be inclusive, but the emphasis on productivity attuned to your cycle was not something I could relate to, even as I still have kids at home that require me to balance all the things. I have no doubt there is an audience for The Plan, but it’s The Lazy Genius Way that I will continue to give as a gift.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley and was super excited to dive in. I listen to the Lazy Genius Podcast weekly, but have never read one of Kendra Adachi's books. There were so many things I enjoyed about this book, and a few things that made me uncomfortable. There was a really heavy focus on women and the menstrual cycle. It felt a little alienating toward women who do not have a natural cycle. There are definitely references toward women in different life stages, but no mention of trans women. If this had just been a small blip in the book, I can see how it might be helpful for women who have a regular cycle and are swayed by the typical phases of that cycle. However not all women have that experience. Even I as a cis woman do not have that experience thanks to my PCOS. My cycle is erratic and not a reliable metric to plan my month around. I think for those it applies to, it's probably great advice, but it made me deeply uncomfortable that it was such a recurring theme throughout the book. I'll know for next time that this is something Kendra focuses on. Otherwise, there was a lot of great advice that I believe will be helpful planning even the small stuff in my life.

Kendra Adachi makes time management manageable and attainable. I would have liked for the book to be more inclusive and expansive to drive her points.

Thanks to Convergent Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

The Plan is an incredibly valuable shift in perspective that allows each one of us to recognize what is important and how to cultivate it. In following the principles we will truly allow ourselves to live our life as we experience it rather than constantly optimizing for a future that is not guaranteed.

To start off, I want to say I loved Kendra Adachi’s first two books, The Lazy Genius Way and The Lazy Genius Kitchen. They were fun reads and so practical, I have hard copies that I reference back to. So I had high hopes for the same to be true of The Plan. Unfortunately, it really fell flat for me. The premise was that there are no time management books for women and this is the book to solve that problem. But it mostly started with a rage against the patriarchy that we are victims too and that it’s no one’s fault that we can’t get it together. It felt like a much more disjointed version of the Lazy Genius method, which in the end, really solves the time management issues itself if you use it. It was nothing earth shattering and really needed a level of research and about women and time management to make it have more impact, it just felt very opinion and not facts. And was way overkill on our cycle, like yes, it is an issue and we should use it more in planning our lives, but it felt over punched. But I love Kendra and definitely recommend her other books and her podcast.Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205064678

This is the time management book for the rest of us – those of us who aren’t either men or ultra motivated type A women. I love that the book is written in a way that acknowledges that and doesn’t try to fix people or propose solutions that will finally make us fit the mold of someone else’s definition of a productive successful person. I appreciate the frameworks given to apply to planning and managing life and I picked up several practical tidbits I will use right away. I feel like I won’t remember some of the things that struck me as I was reading and would recommend using highlights or bookmarks or dog-eared corners so you can go back later and check whether it’s something you want to try. There is an appendix with most of the frameworks in a short form or visual but it didn’t capture everything that I mentally flagged. Just for an example, I liked the idea to put to do lists under the headings of “Have to do” and “Hope to do” (and to really reconsider when you’re thinking it’s actually just a “Should do”. Fans of the author’s first book will love this as well as anyone who is looking for a fresh look at productivity and planning with a relaxed mindset.

Thanks to Convergent Books for the early copy to read through NetGalley. I’m am leaving this review voluntarily as my honest opinion because I love books and authors. This book comes out in early October 2024.

This book is a godsend for anyone who leads a busy life (which…isn’t that all of us?!). What I appreciated most about Adachi’s concept is that it is rooted in practice, not theory. Nothing irritates me more than when someone publishes a book about productivity, and yet doesn’t give any concrete examples for practice. I can’t wait to this book to come out so I can gift it to some of the people in my life.

Thank you to Net Galley and Convergent Books for the advanced copy of this book. 
I was very excited to be able to read this book. I have liked Kendra's approach to life and this book was fantastic. It made me wish I had a physical copy right now. I loved her sisterly approach to how to plan your day, week, monthly, a season, a project. I think that her pep talks for all the situations that might come (basically all the things that could get in the way) are were very enlightening. I would highly recommend that you read this book. I'll be reading it again after it's published.