This book is a little dated in that it doesn’t reflect the many electronic options for managing your calendar. Also, I find Smith’s tone to be too preachy, and I don’t agree that his recommendations rise to the level of natural law.

That said, I still think the book is worth a read if you are exploring ways to get better control of your schedule. Some of Smith’s rules are right on target, including these:

• You control your life by controlling your time.
• Plan every day.
• Align your activities with your priorities and values.
• Developing good habits is a way to bring your performance in line with your priorities. And,
• An “urgent” task is not the same as an important task. Infuse your most important projects with a sense of urgency so that they can compete with distractions that feel urgent, like ringing phones and beeping messages.