Book Review: Kendra Adachi’s Plan

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Sally Mercedes is the executive director of the Feminist Book Club and she first introduced me to plan Author: Kendra Adachi. Sally contacted me because she thought I would be a good fit to review it. She’s absolutely right. I’m a die-hard color coding, project planning, and to-do list checking person. My full-time career is as a project manager, which suits me well. I enjoy developing detailed plans and executing high-quality deliverables.

However. It has its advantages and disadvantages. Productivity somewhat overestimates rest and balance. Using your spare time to radically optimize your life has become the “gold standard.” Whether it’s managing a side hustle (no shade, I write all about the art of the side hustle here ), or checking off every errand on your list. What happened to taking breaks on purpose? How about finding balance so we don’t burn out? What just…does nothing? plan Did a great job sharing a strategic framework for how to manage your time although Find time to rest, listen to your needs, and adjust your plans.

I loved Kendra’s analysis of the productivity industrial complex and how it has historically excluded the needs of women. Anda shares a fantastic perspective: Most time management books are written by men for man. I’ve never thought about this before. She shared, “Men’s cycles are twenty-four hours…” while “Women’s cycles are about twenty-eight days, not twenty-four hours.” The mic dropped. How should women follow the guidance of a time management book that aims to maintain the same energy level throughout the month? This is an important conversation. People who menstruate have different energy levels than people who don’t menstruate. But this is not part of the conversation about the productive industrial complex. Just, “Keep going! You got this! Try harder!” In our productivity strategies, we fail to consider the complexities of women’s bodies and hormones.

One impactful takeaway from the program is the importance of focusing on “what matters most in the current season.” Many time management and productivity books urge you to do it, regardless of your current mindset. But this is not life. Life happens and routines need to change. When your life changes, you can’t expect your strategy to stay the same.

This has played a role in my life over the past few weeks. I’m a very strict and by-the-book person (I’m super fun at parties). I have morning, workout, nutrition, evening, skincare, generally have every routine you name it. I don’t feel so good when my daily routine is disrupted. However, I recently experienced a very confusing health scare. I won’t go into details, but there were a few weeks where I was filled with uncertainty about the future. During these weeks, my daily routine—and myself—need to adjust. I had several stress-induced migraines, so I couldn’t work or exercise.

What I need is to open up and talk to the people around me, rather than live a standard day. I need to focus on what’s going on in my “current season.” what do i need this Season is rest. This is self-care. This is vulnerability. once i leave I’ll stick with it and stay on track Mentally, my body finally had a chance to breathe. Sticking to a routine isn’t always the best strategy. You have to meet yourself where you are. The message comes from plan It really bothers me. This book delves into practical strategies to help people organize their time while remaining true to their needs. I think this is a game changer in the productivity genre.

plan Kendra Adachi’s book will be published in October 2024 – pre-order yourself a copy now!