What is your most recent book? Tell us a bit about it.
The 25 Best Time Management Tools & Techniques: How to Get More Done Without Driving Yourself Crazy is a no-fluff, easy-to-read compendium of the best advice on how to manage time better, get organized, and stay focused and in action. What readers seem to like about the book is that it is not a cumbersome time management system. You can read the book from start to finish or zero in on specific areas for improvement.
Tell us something about yourself.
I’ve been interested in personal and group effectiveness since the 1970’s. I have a doctorate in organizational psychology and social work from the University of Michigan, which took me 10 years to complete as a single parent when I was 49. (So never tell me you’re too old to start something!) I’ve done team building, diversity training, and organizational culture assessment in both corporations and non-profit community and governmental organizations.
My co-author (and son), Doug Sundheim, has a MA in adult learning and leadership from Columbia University. An entrepreneur at heart, he started and ran a 100-person catering company when he was in college. Before he got into executive coaching and organizational consulting, he did business development in the dot com world.
What inspired you to write this book?
Doug and I were in business together and thought he should have a product. Time management was a perennial issue for his coaching clients but we couldn’t find a succinct book to recommend. So we decided to write one.
How did you publish this book? Why did you decide to self-publish?
We self-published because it was fast and easy. The book was published by Peak Performance Press, owned by bestselling business author Tom Connellan. who also happens to be my husband. If you’ve got in-house talent, by all means use it!
How did you know you wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?
I’ve written all my life. In 6th grade, I read a weekly installment of my ongoing story of the antics of a boy named Ralph and his little mouse friend who slept in a match box. I’ve also had poetry published in several college and community literary magazines and a last page think-piece in a big city Sunday newspaper magazine. I was also the learning organization editor for a newsletter of the American Society for Training and Development.
What do you believe is the hardest part of writing?
Writing consistently, every day, is the hardest part. I always have zillions of ideas. However, bringing them to life (and not getting distracted) is what takes patience and elbow grease.
How do you do research for your books?
I’m good at finding a lot of information on a topic and combining it in a compelling way. For our book, I researched the top 40 time management books on Amazon. I bought the top 20 and read them. Then we found the commonalities among them and put them into a sensible order. Voila! A book (which is now itself one of the top time management books on Amazon).
Did you learn anything from writing this book? What?
Most authors are relieved when they finish writing a book, thinking the bulk of their work is done. It’s not. If you don’t continuously market and promote your book, it’ll go nowhere. Luckily I had my husband to remind me of this. I wasn’t happy to hear his advice but it kept me from having unrealistic expectations.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading John Adams by David McCullough. I was inspired by the HBO miniseries based on the book, which I’m finding is even better. I don’t usually read biographies but I’m curious about the beginning of America and the intent our Founding Fathers had for the country they wanted to create.
It’s unfortunate these days that many people don’t seem to know about or appreciate history.
Are you working on your next book? What can you tell us about it?
Doug is working on a book about risk. He’s got an inventive take on why we need to stand for things that are important to us and why NOT taking risks is often more risky that taking them.
What is the best advice you could give other writers about writing or publishing?
My best advice to writers is to write. And learn about writing and publishing. But don’t get so hung up so on the learning that you don’t publish. Nothing’s perfect. Keep moving forward. And don’t give up too soon, if ever.
What are you doing to promote your latest book?
Our book has sold well since we put it on Amazon in late 2005. We’ve never done a lot of promotion. It has been represented at the Frankfurt (Germany) International Book Fair since 2006. That has led to 8 foreign rights contracts. An interview we paid for in 2005 for the digital version of the book was put on Ezinearticles and is still being picked up.
Where can readers learn more about you and your book?
Learn more about us and our book at www.best-of-time-management.com. That’s an ebook.
The paperback version can be found at Amazon.com.
