Sometimes a book's title will grab me . . . such was the case
with CRAZY BUSY by Edward
M. Hallowell.

That certainly describes how I often feel . . . consequently, I
picked up the to see what the author had to say about
the subject.

The key came very early in my reading . . . as Hallowell
notes on page 5:

* If you're busy doing what matters to you, then being busy is bliss.
You've found a rhythm for your life that works for you. This world is bursting
with possibilities; its energy can be contagious. If you catch the bug, you
want to jump out of bed each day and get busy, not because you are run
ragged by details or because you are keeping the wolf from your door,
but because you are in love with this fast life. At its best, modern life dazzles
us, giving us a chance to get more done in a minute than used to get
done in a month.

But if being busy keeps you from doing what matters most to you, or if
it leads you to do things you deem unwise, like getting angry at a rotary
telephone, then being busy is a problem.

Then there was this example that made me stop and think; laugh, too:

* Life these days is kinda weird. Lingering is a lost art. Such is our hurry
and our need for constant stimulation that a modern romantic conversation
might go like this:

"I love you."

"Oh, good, Now, what's your point?"

Everyone's this busy not (usually) because they want to be or planned
to be, but because they can't find a way not to be and still keep up.
Being extraordinarily busy-and at times frantic-appears to be the
inevitable, uncontrollable consequence of living in today's world. If
being busier than I'd like to be is the price I have to pay, most of us
seem to say, then so be it. After all, modern life is worth it. Life's
never been this exciting.

Fortunately, CRAZY BUSY didn't just point out the problems that
many of our face in our hectic lives . . . it offered many doable
suggestions as to what can be done about them, such as this one:

* Clutter is one of the major forces (along with the rush, gush, and
worry that have to be managed lest they not only distract but overwhelm you.
You have to work at clutter every day or it will win you out. One of the best
strategies is the acronym OHIO-only handle it once (whatever it is). File it,
shelve it, hand it up, use it, respond to it, or throw it away.

I also liked this bit of advice from Hallowell:

* Don't spend more time than you must to get good at what you're bad at
or don't like.

So on that point, let me conclude my review of this excellent book
before I spend any more time on something that I don't like doing;
i.e., writing more than you care to read!

I was disappointed by this book. He makes the same general points over and over with very little concrete steps to help people struggling with being "crazy busy." In the middle Hallowell shows off cutesy words he's coined to describe this phenomenon.

CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked, and About to Snap! Strategies for Handling Your Fast-Paced Life

This book is a great read and a big help for reducing stress.

I was at first a little distracted by the made-up, meaningless "terms" the author used such as "gemmelsmerch" to describe the various things in life that distract us from what is important. And while it took me a while to really get into the book, I found that it indeed contained some very practical strategies for handling our fast-paced lives. Chapter 32 was the best...50 suggestions to use in developing a system that works for you. Some may seem like common sense, but for those of us with ADD, it never hurts to have constant reminders. Loved the book.

I think the connection the author makes between our daily activities and ADD behavior is intriguing. Once made you can see it all around you with the frantic task switching we are all engaged in in our daily activity schedule e_mail - cell phones - over worked ETC. He as a Doctor in the mental health field has written a book that is useful and illuminating I think the book and it's thesis is very convincing- and can help alleviate the condition as you become more aware of what is happening to you-
Good read

Dr. Hallowell has reminded us what we already know...that doing the most IMPORTANT things is what makes life worth living. HOW we invest our time day-by-day determines our level of happiness with how we invest our time. In my business I see a lot of people doing what's second, instead of doing what's first on their list. REad thsi book and help yourself get re-focused...and then enjoy!

CrazyBusy is a wonderful insightful and exciting book for the time we are living in now. It examines our lifestyles and shows us some good examples of how to make our lives less stressful. It is an easy read crammed full of interesting information. After reading the whole book once, it makes you want to start over again and read it through again. It makes a great book for a book club to discuss. It should provide a lot of lively talk for a book club. I certainly want my adult children to read it, and it probably would be a good book for high school juniors and seniors to read.

This book was recommended to me after I repeatedly stated I feel like the tail is wagging the dog and my life is being run by someone else.

This is an incredible book. It is not all negative life is too fast slow down and the speed of modern life is all bad. CrazyBusy discusses how we got to this point and talks about balance and priorities.

I have found it very helpful at work, in my marriage and as a parent. I found the parts about relationships and friendships really important for me.

I really needed to get control of my life and while I am still working on creating the balance and setting my priorities, I am feeling less guilty saying no and using my time as the precious commmodity it is.

I will only get to raise my daughter once...I better make sure my actions are in line with my desires.

This book is incredible and I think I am giving this book to everyone for Christmas...everyone needs to learn to take a deep breath and find balance for yourself.

Who better than a dyslexic psychologist specializing in Attention Deficit Disorder to list the ways modern life is making us all mentally ill? Edward M. Hallowell's breezy style and short, entertaining chapters are perfectly portioned for reading during the few calm moments in a hectic day. His sound advice is more than simple platitudes. Admit it: You're too busy to read this book right away, so you're reading the summary for now. What with your deadlines, commute and family commitments, you're reading the recommendation in the few seconds you have before you read e-mails, prepare for a meeting or pick up a carpool. Feel a jolt of recognition? Our diagnosis is that you need this book.

Ever wonder how you get through the day in the modern high-tech communications world in which we live? If Blackberrys, PDAs, voice mail, text messaging, e-mails, longer workdays and information overflow are making you crazy, Dr. Hallowell has some news for you. (like, for starters, you're not alone.) This Massachusetts author and ADD psychiatrist, begins by taking you through a rather extensive, yet easy-to-read, analysis of the current trends that have foisted themselves on society through technological advances (?) and the societal impact of change in our increasingly fast-paced world. By exploring both the macro view and the micro implications, Hallowell makes the reader stop in his tracks to observe the effects of modern life that are washing over us, often times without us even having the time to stop and consider their ever-increasing impact. He uses his self-coined term, Gemmelsmerch, to describe the kinds of distractions that attack us against our will (the sound of a jackhammer, IRS audits, angry rants on the radio, nearly everything on TV) and deplete our resources for deep thought and the appreciation of the human experience. The second half of the book offers a variety of recommendations to help the reader work through the cluttered life of the 21st century in ways that focus on what's important in life, as opposed to what is unwittingly coming at us, someone else's agenda or somehow merely categorized as urgent. As much of an observation of society (based on clinical experience) as it is a self-help book, "Crazy Busy" is a must for anyone who has become the victim of the modern busy society, yet wants to turn it's inevitable by-products into assets.

Dr Hallowell has a way with words and some incredible insight into the nature of human nature. What is it that drives us to live life at an unsustainable pace? He knows and he helps us deal with it. Genius!

This is a simple book but very helpful. I now see why I have, subconciously, resisted carrying a cell phone. My psyche always knew below the surface that it would be a bad thing to do. I do carry one now occasionally to tell time and for outgoing calls only. It is very easy to get trapped in this busy routine and even if one thinks they are aware of the traps it still happens. Recommended.

This is a simple book but very helpful. I now see why I have, subconciously, resisted carrying a cell phone. My psyche always knew below the surface that it would be a bad thing to do. I do carry one now occasionally to tell time and for outgoing calls only. It is very easy to get trapped in this busy routine and even if one thinks they are aware of the traps it still happens. Recommended.

I bought this book on faith alone, and it turned out to be a good purchase. I am one of those people who, over the years, has grown into a "crazy busy" lifestyle. It really happened when I entered grad school (10 years after undergrad) and found a passion for computer science. I figured out a way to occupy my every waking moment with some level of academic thought. I was and have been unable to "fix" that persistent focus even now nearly 10 years after earning my Masters. This book helped to point out the wacky behavior that I exhibit. Sometimes, you need to be told or shown that "being on" all the time is not normal. This book helped me to see that I am overly busy in ways that I thought were OK. Changing my behavior isn't going to be easy, but I have succeeded in the first step - to know I am in need of some healthy change.

It's worth the money and the time to read this book.

Who cannot relate to being "overstretched, overbooked, and about to snap?" As with his other books, Dr. Hallowell presents not only the problem (overcommitted, speeded-up lifestyles), but some practical solutions as well. I rolled my eyes along with the anecdotes he presents, completely identifying with his subjects. If you want to do something good for you and your family, read this book -- especially if you think you don't have time to.

I bought this CD because an adult family member was recently told that they had this problem. I thought it might be helpful for both of us. I listened to it and then sent it to him. It explained the condition and made recommendations about how to change your life so that it is't so crazy. It said your life can still be crazy/busy even if you don't have ADD. I think this CD will help anyone whose life is crazy/busy.