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When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

Daniel H. Pink (Goodreads Author)

3.80 · Rating details · 18,859 ratings · 1,905 reviews

Everyone knows that timing is everything. But we don't know much about timing itself. Our lives are a never-ending stream of "when" decisions: when to start a business, schedule a class, get serious about a person. Yet we make those decisions based on intuition and guesswork.

Timing, it's often assumed, is an art. In When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, Pink show ...more

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Hardcover, 272 pages

Published January 9th 2018 by Riverhead Books

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Mar 13, 2018 da AL rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, audio-books

The author does an entertaining job of writing and reading. He does an admirable job of making one contemplate the importance of considering timing -- one's inner rhythms and those of others. Too bad it often rings of glossy pop psychology, though -- an amalgamation of sometimes iffy statistics via sweeping conclusions...

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Jan 27, 2018 Mehrsa rated it did not like it

It's my fault for reading this pathetic excuse for a book. It's not Pink's fault for writing a book that says nothing new at all or the publisher's fault for promoting a book that has absolutely no value whatsoever. I knew what it was when I picked it up. And yet, I am a sucker for self-help books that just regurgitate a bunch of soft science I already read in the New York Times. It's my fault. Don't make the same mistake.

Maybe I made this terrible decision in the afternoon?

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Aug 31, 2017 Marianne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5★s
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing is the fourth book by bestselling American author, Daniel H. Pink. If we’re making an important life decision, what we decide obviously requires careful consideration. But what about when we decide? Could the time of day that we make a decision be significant? Could the time of day affect how well we learn or do our work? Does it really matter when we have that first cup of coffee? According to Dan Pink, it definitely does.

In this intriguing bo 4.5★s
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing is the fourth book by bestselling American author, Daniel H. Pink. If we’re making an important life decision, what we decide obviously requires careful consideration. But what about when we decide? Could the time of day that we make a decision be significant? Could the time of day affect how well we learn or do our work? Does it really matter when we have that first cup of coffee? According to Dan Pink, it definitely does.

In this intriguing book, Pink examines the importance of good and bad timing. He begins by explaining how our individual chronotype (easily established) determines both our mood and our ability to perform at any given time of the day: how it affects our professional and our ethical judgements, as well as our physical function.

But he doesn’t just pontificate on the best time to do something for future success and happiness. He acknowledges that not everyone can control their work environment or the financial climate as they enter the job market. Pink also gives practical suggestions for dealing with less than ideal conditions, as well as hints and tips to improve everyday life.

Pink supports his points with data and simple, clear graphs. The depth of his research is apparent in every paragraph, and supported by his extremely comprehensive (26-page) notes section detailing references for each chapter. As well as six suggestions for further reading, Pink includes an 8-page index. But the most useful thing about this book is his Time Hacker’s Handbook: salient points from each section are condensed into summaries full of hints and tips and practical exercises that appear after each of the first six chapters.

Pink explains in detail: why having a coffee before a power nap makes sense; why combining a lunch break with an education session at 1pm (as some teaching hospitals do with their Grand Rounds) is counterproductive (ditto 8am lectures for University students); when the worst time to be a hospital patient is, and why; and the reason some people have the so-called “mid-life crisis”.

He looks at the effects of starting one’s career during a depressed jobs-market; why a mid-point (in a project, in a career, in a life) can cause a slump or a spark; how to overcome a bad start; when to quit your job; when to get married; when to exercise; the importance of breaks; and much, much more. Illustrating his points are choirs and rowing teams and basketballers and dubbawalas delivering tiffin tins and Hanukkah candles and the captain of the Lusitania.

Pink’s fourth book should be compulsory reading for bosses, educators, and schedulers, for policymakers, company executives, and performers, but there is plenty in this fascinating book that the average person will find applicable to their lives. This is a quick read that rewards time spent with some excellent insights. Recommended!
...more

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Feb 11, 2019 David rated it it was ok

Shelves: psychology, audiobook, biology

This book is very engaging, even entertaining. It is all about how timing can affect our lives. I didn't read the book--I listened to the audiobook, and it is read by the author, Daniel Pink. Usually, authors do not make good narrators, but this audiobook is definitely the exception. Daniel Pink is a marvelous reader. He brings a good voice, and remarkable enthusiasm to his narration. So, if you are planning to read this book, I wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook version.

Unfortunately, what ...more

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Feb 19, 2018 Peter rated it liked it

I feel I have to stress that the title of this book is very misleading. This book doesn't convey any actual secrets and it also doesn't teach you much about perfecting your timing in any of the various scenarios that it covers. What it does teach you, is that there are certain trends and rhythms in many aspects of one's life, from your daily energy and focus levels to more general feelings and commonalities people experiences during a lifetime. There are also the few obligatory case studies focu I feel I have to stress that the title of this book is very misleading. This book doesn't convey any actual secrets and it also doesn't teach you much about perfecting your timing in any of the various scenarios that it covers. What it does teach you, is that there are certain trends and rhythms in many aspects of one's life, from your daily energy and focus levels to more general feelings and commonalities people experiences during a lifetime. There are also the few obligatory case studies focusing on business aspects and other fields such as education which means that pretty much anyone can find something relatable in this book.

Pandering to the masses aside, it's actually a difficult book to actively dislike. Sure, there's very little here that's particularly new or mind-blowing, but the style in which it's written in is very engaging and very easy to follow. Having interesting, scientific case studies set up an idea and then following them up with concise discussions and lessons on the topic just works really well. The topics are also usually very applicable to one's own life, so you're constantly engaging with every topic and thinking of how it applies to you. I think it's fair to say that the author has got the formula for writing this type of non-fiction worked out pretty well.

There were a few elements I didn't like though. The "practical advice" at the end of each chapter was either very obvious or very 'self-helpy'. What I mean by the latter is that the advice wasn't as practical as it sounded since it required implementing ideas that require a lot of mental effort and aren't very sustainable, much like the advice I've read in many self-help books that very few people can actually follow through on. Another smaller element I disliked was the cherry-picking of data and then using it as the basis for far-reaching theories. This is a common practice in books like this and while I suspect for many cases, the theories actually hold up, making broad generalizations sound like facts is unscientific and annoying.

As the stars say, I liked this book. I'd even recommend it to most people simply for the exposure to some of the case studies and ideas brought up. It's a weird book though in that it's both engaging and a bit boring at the same time. The latter is probably due to some unnecessary repetition and foreknowledge of some of the ideas. The issues I had with it were mostly relatively minor though, so don't let my "average" rating put you off too much. The only warning I'd give to anyone thinking of reading this book is that you shouldn't go into it expecting to learn how to improve your timing, instead, expect to be made aware of timing related theories that are usually quite insightful.

...more

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Feb 24, 2018 7jane rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: to have perfect timings in your everyday life and self-improvement

(since my paperback version is not here, I use the hardcover one.)

music: Robert Palmer - "Housework" (like the little twist to the story in this song)

This book is a good one to have when trying to improve one's life, at work and at home. When-decision times come in so many ways: changing jobs, starting a project, running a marathon, when to exercise... it's importantly to do things not in a haphazard way, especially with important decisions.

This book is good when you want to build an ideal sched (since my paperback version is not here, I use the hardcover one.)

music: Robert Palmer - "Housework" (like the little twist to the story in this song)

This book is a good one to have when trying to improve one's life, at work and at home. When-decision times come in so many ways: changing jobs, starting a project, running a marathon, when to exercise... it's importantly to do things not in a haphazard way, especially with important decisions.

This book is good when you want to build an ideal schedule, have a fresh start, or see time as a friend, not an enemy. Each chapter has a "time hacker handbook" in the end, where you can learn the best bits of the chapter, and use them in your life. You might want to keep a bookmark in this Place to be able to see what things are mentioned in the text and which are just in the main text. At the end are some suggestions for further reading (just books).

Plenty of studies are included (examples: Twitter's emotion moods during the day, hospital handwashing, student gym attendace, state of well-being in zoo apes, age of first-time marathon runners, and an interesting study of the dabbawalas of Mumbai, how they work every day).

How the text is broken down: Pt.1: the day + breaks in it; Pt.2: beginnings + middles + ends; Pt.3: coordinatings with others + time in language and use.

Some things that appear in the text that are interesting to me:
- biological clock; lark, owl, & third bird-persons
- importance of appointment time
- the ”nappucino” (coffee and a nap)
- recessions impact on the luck at getting work after graduation
- ”midlife crisis” (term since 1965)
- 9-enders (ages of 29, 39, 49…): challenges or destruction (of self, cheating etc.) starting then

This was a good read to me. I found it very helpful – inspiring me, surprising me, making me think. Self-improvement really benefits from good timing, and this book really help you with it. There is certain plenty of ideas for everyone, wherever they are in life. I recommend this :) ...more

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Dec 30, 2017 Christopher Lawson rated it it was amazing

In WHEN: THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETS OF PERFECT TIMING, author Daniel Pink shares scientific, surprising findings that have serious consequences. Did you know, for instance, that the timing of your surgery is important? Studies show that far more mistakes are made later in the day, so be sure to get a morning appointment! Similarly, if you are in court, the disposition of the judge is a lot more lenient in the morning.

To work the most efficiently, it's important to figure out your own cycle of effect In WHEN: THE SCIENTIFIC SECRETS OF PERFECT TIMING, author Daniel Pink shares scientific, surprising findings that have serious consequences. Did you know, for instance, that the timing of your surgery is important? Studies show that far more mistakes are made later in the day, so be sure to get a morning appointment! Similarly, if you are in court, the disposition of the judge is a lot more lenient in the morning.

To work the most efficiently, it's important to figure out your own cycle of effectiveness--what the author calls "Waves of the Day." Each day, our disposition traverses three stages--a peak, a trough, and a recovery. So try to tailor your activities to match the best time for that type of task. For instance, most people do analytical tasks better in the morning, and more insightful tasks in the evening. The worst time to tackle serious problems is in the afternoon--that's the "trough" time. That period is your least effective time and "good for very little." Use that time to do trivial things like checking e-mail.

The author provides a simple way to figure out if you are a "Lark" (early bird) or "Owl" (late riser). The cycles are different for each chronotype. Also, not all places are equally good for both types. For example, school schedules, with classes beginning early, are setup to favor the "larks," or early-risers. This is unfortunate, since many teens are at their best much later in the day.

Here's something really scary: A study of parole judges showed a significant difference in their rulings, based on the time of day. If your hearing was scheduled in the afternoon, you had almost zero chance of winning a parole. However, if the judges took an afternoon break, their disposition drastically changed, and parole was far more likely.

The author emphasizes the importance of "restorative breaks." These are especially important in countering the low time of the trough. Just a ten-minute break, such as a nature walk, can have an enormous impact. For school kids, taking a break is especially important. One Danish study showed that if students took a 20 minute break before a test, their scores were substantially higher.

Restorative breaks should ideally be outside, with nature, and away from work. It's best to be moving, and with others: "Consider a short walk outside with a friend during which you discuss something other than work."

When you start a task has a lasting effect on our attitude and our success. The author cites statistics showing the career path of graduates based on when they first started their career: "Beginnings stay with us far longer than we know; their effects linger to the end."

So, starting anew, or a "fresh start" helps us recover from a false start. There are many ways and times to do the reset. In the section, "Eighty-Six Days in the Year when you can Make a Fresh Start" the author provides suggestions for starting anew. You can re-start on the first of the month, for example, or on an anniversary.

I found the "Science of Endings" particularly intriguing. Research shows that we tend to remember events based on how they end. So, we can decide to change the ending to make it more positive and memorable: "If we're conscious of the power of closing moments and our ability to shape them, we can craft more memorable and meaningful endings in many realms of life. . .

For example, if you are on vacation, plan a great close: "You'll enjoy the vacation more, both in the moment and in retrospect, if you consciously create an elevating final experience."

The same priniciple applies at work--end your workday on a positive note. One easy trick is to take a few minutes to jot down your accomplishments for the day. This step of "recording what you've achieved can encode the entire day more positively." Ending the day with a moment of gratitude is another easy trick, and is a "powerful restorative." (Note: The author includes a surprising item of generiosity in the book itself. I hope you find it!)

So all in all, I found WHEN to be a fascinating, fun read. The author is a witty writer, who brings a lot of humor to the subject. His experience as a speech-writer is evident in the quality of the writing. I enjoyed reading about the various studies that illustrated peak times and low times. The statistics showing the correlation of medical mistakes to the time of day was especially alarming. Perhaps the most alarming research was the study showing how parole board judges were stricter later in the day. If I ever have to appear before a parole board, I'm definitely asking the judges to first take a restorative break. ...more

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Mar 09, 2018 L.A. Starks rated it it was amazing

Pink has written a gem of a how-to book that cites and summarizes a huge amount of research on how to get things accomplished more efficiently, despite basic biological/organizational challenges like afternoon lulls and beginning-of-project chaos.

Readers will close the book with several ideas about how to make better, happier use of each day's hours. Don't miss the last section on the joys of synchronicity, from crew to choral singing to the tradition in India of lunch delivery.

Highly recommend ...more

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Jun 11, 2019 Yun rated it liked it

When is an exploration of how timing effects everything we do and achieve. Some things covered in this book include the afternoon slump, how starting your career during a recession affects your lifetime earnings, and how working together with others in a cohesive environment produces more positive results than working alone.

This book contains some interesting tidbits, but for me, most of it falls under the category of common sense. Therefore, I didn't feel its points were particularly revolution ...more

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Jan 29, 2018 Brandice rated it really liked it

I really liked When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink. The book was interesting. I was into it from the get-go but the last chapter was probably my favorite - thinking in terms of tenses.

The book discusses the factor of time, in many facets of life: The impact of one decision and the timing in which you arrived at that decision. It discusses (among other things) the hidden pattern of every day life, beginnings, midpoints, and ends, synching and belonging, and thinking in ...more

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Feb 06, 2018 Daniel rated it it was amazing

I am a fan of Pink. In this book he talks about timing.

1. Most people do well in analytical tasks and have better mood in the morning, worse in the afternoon, and slightly better in the evening. That is, except the night owls.

2. Breaks are powerful and improve performance. A power nap of 20 minutes is good; it is even better if one drinks coffee just before the nap so that when one wakes up the coffee perks one up.

3. Beginnings are important. Students who start later for school do better. Gra ...more

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Feb 11, 2018 kartik narayanan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Read the full review at my blog Digital Amrit

I used to believe that timing was everything. Now I believe that everything is timing.

What is the book about?
When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing is written by Daniel Pink, famed author of books like Drive, A Whole New Mind, To Sell is Human etc.

Daniel Pink talks about the importance of timing in this book. According to him, Timing is an emerging science and he explores this science further in ‘When’. Some of the themes he covers in this bo ...more

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Dec 28, 2017 UB rated it liked it

I picked this up because lately, I can’t shake a sense of panic about time slipping through my fingers (babies becoming biggies will do that, so too will turning 39 in a few weeks, which the author spends some time talking about - “the nines” and how they approach life). No big surprises in this book but a quick and fun read nonetheless. Also, So. Much. Stanford. But I love that place, so...

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Jan 02, 2019 Maciej Nowicki rated it it was amazing

The book starts with an example from the World War I when Lusitania was hunted down by a German U-boat, killing around 1200 passengers. Then Daniel H. Pink points out that decisions made by the captain of the cruise ship played a huge role in this tragedy, and coincided specifically with the time of the day.

With an abundant introduction of various research methods, involving sentiment analysis and techniques such as DRM, the author describes why a reader should pay special attention to the time ...more

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May 04, 2018 Anton rated it really liked it

Shelves: ideas, mind-and-nature, managing-self

The first 'when-to?' among crowded 'how-to?' book genre

Strengths
+ brief, enjoyable and clever
+ lots of useful and practical advice
+ plenty of insightful examples
+ well-crafted non-fiction with memorable anecdotes and vignettes

Weaknesses
+ does not go into 'scientific' depth behind the phenomena discussed. it stays a quite 'high-level' throughout

Perfect 'commuter companion' for planes or trains ;)

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Jan 11, 2018 Text Publishing added it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, science

2018 Goodreads Choice Awards semifinal nominee

‘He [Pink] offers practical advice in the form of “life hacks,” which feel modern, relevant and timely…Pink’s engaging prose and useful advice make for some entertaining and engaging reading. This is one highly readable volume about a fascinating topic that affects us all in a multitude of different ways.’
AU Review

‘An appreciation of time, some might say an obsession to the fraction of a second, seems to set humans apart from all other species…Desp ...more

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Jun 05, 2020 fleurette rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, but this book turned out to be great.

The author is undoubtedly fascinated by the topic of time in human life and is able to convey this fascination to his readers in an amazing way. I reached for this book because I needed it for one of my reading challenges, and not because of any particular interest in this topic. But as soon as I started reading, I was as fascinated by this subject as the author himself. It's a great feeling.

At least partly it is due to how t I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, but this book turned out to be great.

The author is undoubtedly fascinated by the topic of time in human life and is able to convey this fascination to his readers in an amazing way. I reached for this book because I needed it for one of my reading challenges, and not because of any particular interest in this topic. But as soon as I started reading, I was as fascinated by this subject as the author himself. It's a great feeling.

At least partly it is due to how this book is written. The author uses very accessible language even though he talks about the results of scientific research, and often also has to use scientific terminology. But he can explain everything very simply and easily. I did not have any moment when I would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information or in which I would not fully understand what I read. It is also due to the huge number of examples that the author uses. And simple analogies to situations that we know from everyday life.

Despite these simplifications, the author did something for which I think I value him the most. He placed a huge number of footnotes and references to specific research results in the text. Each claim he writes finds confirmation in specific scientific research results, in a specific scientific article or scientific work. Not only does this make the information presented by the author credible, but it also allows us to independently expand our knowledge of a subject that will be of particular interest to us. It seems to me that too often we read simply "Swedish scientists say that ...". Pink gives the names of these scientists, information on what exactly they research and under what circumstances, and a reference to the results of their research. This book is not only a non-fiction item, but a solid monograph. And at the same time extremely interesting. I also liked how Pink tries to relate the results of this research to our daily lives.

This is a truly short book and I would like it to be longer. I will definitely look at other books by this author. ...more

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Jan 28, 2018 Asia Burnett rated it liked it

I wish I could do 3.5 stars. This book was a little slow/repetitive to start but the useful tips and exercises throughout have had me quoting it for the past week and gave me some good work ideas: including ending the day with a quick thank you email to someone. Worth the read if you’re looking for ways to strategize your time or make a fresh start.

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Jan 03, 2019 Becca Noggle rated it really liked it

Interesting! Not your ‘how to book’ but a ‘when’ book. Glad I started the new year with this one. The backing, research and facts within this book were entertaining and intriguing.

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May 20, 2018 Katie rated it it was amazing

Unless you’re a night owl, prepare to make your sales calls, schedule your classes, and attend your criminal trial early in the morning because science.

The time of day affects how the brain functions, and early in the day, our minds are more vigilant. For most, alertness and energy levels tend to peak around noon. This means you want to solve all your analytical problems in the morning (when your brain is processing data best), and all your insight problems in the afternoon (you want your filte ...more

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Feb 04, 2018 Romans Karpelcevs rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction, brain-and-self, science

It has some useful tips, but the books is written like a collection of lifehacks and towards the end of the book stops being about time or the 'when' problem at all.

Some research seemed dubiously attributed to the morning-afternoon hypothesis because it originally targeted other problems related to our thinking and I'm not convinced you can just change "before/after mealtime" research into "morning/afternoon" like Pink did without running a new research.
On top of that, somewhere midway it start ...more

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Nov 30, 2017 Bookworm LLC rated it really liked it

“When” is destined to become required reading for all college students regardless of major. Daniel H. Pink shines the stage lights on Perfect timing, bringing it out of the shadows of mystic good ol’ fashioned luck and showcasing it as a learnable, teachable and accomplishable part of the show of life. This may have been the first time I read about studies and laughed. Mr. Pink’s humor and chapter summations kept me going at just the right time.

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Nov 07, 2018 Alex Givant rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science, best-of-2018, read-again, tts

Excellent book on when you need to do something (work, relax, decision making etc). I like all of Daniel's books - but this one is the best!

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Apr 01, 2018 David rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-psychology

Sometimes an interesting book of popular science writing about time and timing related research. At other times, a not-as-interesting self-help book for the overextended and/or the procrastinator. I recommend you skim over the self-help book and enjoy the popular science book. The popular science book still gives some good ideas about how to behave.

There are some pretty terrifying statistics that should give second thoughts to anyone with an appointment for surgery in the afternoon. However, the ...more

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Jun 27, 2018 Kelly added it

Shelves: boldness-bravery-and-authenticity, non-fiction, read-in-2018

Pink talks about why time and how we use it matters. But unlike a typical productivity book, this one is based on your own rhythms and needs, coupled with what science has said about those things. The biggest take away is that the dip in productivity and clarity in the middle of the day is average across all types of people and maybe is best used not on your brainy tasks, but on the mundane. That, or, prior to those brainy needs mid-day, time is offered for a break, a walk, socializing, or other ...more

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Feb 06, 2018 Christine Nolfi rated it it was amazing

Fabulous tips on how to increase productivity by making subtle changes to your work routine. Highly recommended for any woman crawling through the afternoon energy slump by consuming too much sugar and caffeine. Highly recommended!

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Jan 09, 2018 Gary Moreau rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Daniel Pink has already written a couple of best-selling books, and it’s safe to say this one will be his latest. It’s a book about timing, the “when” side of the “what” coin. When is a lot more critical than most of us assume. And it’s importance is naturally underscored simply because “when” seems less controllable than “what”.

But both assumptions are generally wrong. Or at least a bit myopic. We can adapt the what to the when in most cases. And we can control the when, perhaps by starting ove ...more

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Feb 08, 2018 Jim Razinha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I read Dan Pink's Drive before I read his A Whole New Mind, which was a better order because Drive was better written and had a more accurate message than Mind. Okay, a message that resonated better. When is as good as Drive, if not as much a paradigm shifter. But it is still a think prompter.

Dan Pink writes an easy read...he's really good at it. Drive is excellent. And, as with Drive, he's very good at summarizing the extensive research he's done on this book - which he provides in his end note I read Dan Pink's Drive before I read his A Whole New Mind, which was a better order because Drive was better written and had a more accurate message than Mind. Okay, a message that resonated better. When is as good as Drive, if not as much a paradigm shifter. But it is still a think prompter.

Dan Pink writes an easy read...he's really good at it. Drive is excellent. And, as with Drive, he's very good at summarizing the extensive research he's done on this book - which he provides in his end notes, and encourages his readers to read and check his conclusions. (Some authors don't even provide references...Bill O'Reilly, take note...) Pink looks at timing patterns of the day, associated with beginnings, middles, and endings, and synchronization.

There's a lot more behind what he presents. Yet, what he presents...well, I'm a rather informed person but I learn stuff every day...at least I try. Drive may have shifted my paradigms, but When taught me some physiological and behavioral changes that I might just want to make. How did I not know that caffeine disrupted the natural cortisol production of my body? And that I needed to delay my morning extra jolt?

Things I do naturally seem to be right according to what Pink shares. Detachment is supposed to be critical - I'm paraphrasing, but...check out and you'll actually check in. Not focusing on something else might just help you actually focus on the task that needs your focus.

Time is obviously the focus of Pink's work here, and he talks about short and long term timelines, significance of milestones (holidays, just before decades of life, just after say...New Year's Day...), taking stock of time in general... A point that emphasizes living in the present is [researchers]

...found that the experience of awe—the sight of the Grand Canyon, the birth of a child, a spectacular thunderstorm—changes our perception of time. When we experience awe, time slows down. It expands. We feel like we have more of it. And that sensation lifts our well-being. “Experiences of awe bring people into the present moment, and being in the present moment underlies awe’s capacity to adjust time perception, influence decisions, and make life feel more satisfying than it would otherwise.”

Yes...our perception changes...I've experienced it. Walking through the redwoods or sequoias...time seems to slow.

Lots here, and hidden behind here... worth a read, and maybe a reread read or two. Pink's books have that quality. ...more

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Feb 04, 2018 Frank rated it it was amazing

Shelves: for-peaceful-reflection

Very well written, with a touch of humour. The book is about what we feel at different times of day and different times of our life. But not all of the info is practically useful; some of the info is only emotionally useful, but that is still a good thing. For example, it is typical for people to feel a slump, a lack of motivation, in the middle of their lives, and this can take some of the edge of a person's guilt for not getting goals achieved by a set time.

Other examples:
It is typical to fee ...more

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Feb 12, 2018 Valerie rated it liked it

Definitely some worthwhile information in here, but I see this as more of a read to skim than a deep dive. Pink does a good job of backing up his points with research and also cites a few books to check out afterwards. I did take note of a few of the tidbits he shared, but didn't feel like I walked away learning anything that was incredibly surprising or life changing.

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About Daniel H. Pink

Daniel H. Pink

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Daniel H. Pink is the author of six provocative books — including his newest, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

WHEN has spent 4 months on the New York Times bestseller list and was named a Best Book of 2018 by Amazon and iBooks.

Dan's other books include the long-running New York Times bestseller A Whole New Mind and the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human. His ...more

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Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future

To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need

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“coffee-then-nap combination known as the “nappuccino.” — 16 likes

“Afternoons are the Bermuda Triangles of our days. Across many domains, the trough represents a danger zone for productivity, ethics, and health.” — 8 likes

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