Make Time: Simple Ideas for Taking Back Control of Your Day

Ever finish a busy day and wonder, “What did I actually accomplish?”

You answered messages, checked social media, attended meetings, watched videos, handled small tasks, and somehow the important things never got done.

That is the problem behind Make Time, a productivity book by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky. Instead of giving you another complicated productivity system, the authors ask you to rethink how you spend your attention every day.

The central idea is simple: you don't have to find more time—you need to make time for what matters.

What Is Make Time About?

Make Time is built around a flexible daily system designed to help you focus on things that are genuinely important to you.

The authors don't suggest following a strict routine every day. Instead, they introduce a collection of practical tactics that you can experiment with.

The system has four main parts:

Highlight: Choose one important thing to focus on each day.
Laser: Protect your attention from distractions.
Energize: Take care of your body and energy.
Reflect: Look at what worked and adjust your approach.

This makes Make Time different from productivity systems that focus mainly on getting more tasks completed.

The goal isn't to fill every minute.

The goal is to make more time for the things that matter.

7 Lessons From Make Time

1. Choose One Daily Highlight

One of the most useful ideas in Make Time is choosing a Highlight.

Instead of beginning your day with a huge to-do list, decide what would make the day feel meaningful if you accomplished it.

Your Highlight could be:

Finishing an important project
Studying for an exam
Writing an article
Exercising
Spending quality time with family
Working on your business

It doesn't have to be the biggest task. It simply needs to be important to you.

Having one clear priority makes it easier to protect your time from less important activities.

2. Stop Treating Your To-Do List Like a Life Plan

A long to-do list can create the feeling that you're being productive simply because you're checking boxes.

But not every task deserves equal attention.

Some tasks are urgent. Others are merely easy.

Make Time encourages you to ask a better question:

“What do I want to make time for today?”

This shifts your attention from completing everything to making progress on what matters most.

3. Technology Should Serve You

Phones and apps are designed to capture attention.

Notifications, social feeds, emails, and endless scrolling can easily consume small pieces of your day. Those small pieces eventually become hours.

The solution isn't necessarily to throw away your smartphone.

Instead, change the way you use technology.

Turn off unnecessary notifications, remove distracting apps from your home screen, create phone-free periods, and avoid checking email constantly.

Make technology work for your priorities instead of allowing it to choose your priorities.

4. Create a “Laser” Mode

Once you know your Highlight, you need enough focused time to work on it.

The authors call this Laser mode.

The idea is to reduce distractions and concentrate on one thing at a time.

You could put your phone away, close unnecessary browser tabs, block distracting websites, or work somewhere quieter.

Even a focused 30-minute session can be more valuable than two hours of constantly switching between tasks.

5. Your Energy Matters

Productivity isn't just about managing time.

It's also about managing energy.

If you're exhausted, distracted, hungry, or sitting all day, concentrating becomes harder.

Make Time therefore places considerable importance on basic habits such as movement, sleep, food, breaks, and spending time away from screens.

You don't need a perfect fitness routine.

A walk, regular breaks, enough sleep, and some physical activity can make your working day easier to handle.

6. Experiment Instead of Searching for the Perfect System

One of the best things about Make Time is its experimental approach.

A productivity technique that works brilliantly for one person might be useless for another.

Instead of asking, “What is the perfect productivity system?” try asking:

“What happens if I change this one thing for a week?”

Maybe you stop checking email before lunch. Maybe you keep your phone outside the bedroom. Maybe you schedule your most important work in the morning.

Try it. Observe the result. Keep what works.

7. Reflect and Adjust

At the end of the day, take a few minutes to think about what happened.

Ask yourself:

What gave me energy?
What distracted me?
Did I make time for my Highlight?
What should I change tomorrow?

This turns productivity into a continuous learning process.

You don't need to design a perfect schedule once and follow it forever. Your routine can evolve as your work, goals, and circumstances change.

Why Make Time Is Worth Reading

Make Time is worth reading because it offers a refreshing alternative to the idea that being productive means doing more and more.

Its approach is practical and flexible. You can take individual ideas and test them without completely rebuilding your life.

The book is particularly useful if you constantly feel busy but struggle to find time for deep work, personal goals, learning, exercise, hobbies, or relationships.

Instead of asking how to squeeze more tasks into your day, it encourages you to decide what deserves your attention in the first place.

A Practical 30-Day Make Time Challenge

Days 1–7: Find Your Highlight
Each morning, choose one meaningful activity that you want to make time for.

Days 8–14: Reduce Distractions
Turn off unnecessary notifications and create at least one distraction-free work period each day.

Days 15–21: Improve Your Energy
Add more movement, take regular breaks, improve your sleep routine, and pay attention to what affects your energy.

Days 22–30: Experiment and Reflect
Try different productivity tactics and spend five minutes each evening reviewing what worked.

By the end of 30 days, you'll have a better idea of which habits actually fit your lifestyle.