Author: Daniel Pink

A wonderful science teacher I work with handed this book to me and asked me to read it. She also told me it was a borrowed copy from the library and I was on a strict timeline to finish it.

I was happy to be forced to finish it under the gun.

Pink is a tremendous storyteller, which allows him to distill scientific research into a digestible narrative that makes sense to the average reader. Watching his talks (TED and other lectures) will give you an idea of how that looks.

When (The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing) delves into the details that define perfect timing. I consider this an important lesson as my wife constantly tells me what horrible timing I have with just about everything.

The big takeaway is the natural rhythms that dictate our own lives (biologically wired) and how to take advantage of those to confront our day better. For instance, instead of chugging an extra-large coffee with three shots of espresso in the afternoon to get over the afternoon ‘wall,’ take a short nap. Your body naturally wants to shut down, so let it (for 15-20 minutes).

Some of the other research he includes aren’t secrets, but merely overlooked articles that are corroborated by other sources.

The information wasn’t quite new, but the presentation was certainly refreshing. Well worth a read if you want to get a better handle on your day.