Book
Vanderkam L. 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. New York: Portfolio; 2010. 272 p.
Why we cite it
Challenges the ubiquitous "I don't have time" excuse by examining how people actually spend their 168 hours per week. Through time-diary studies and interviews with high-performing individuals, shows that most people have more discretionary time than they believe — they just allocate it poorly. Argues that "I don't have time" almost always means "it's not a priority," and that reframing the language forces honest reckoning with choices. Shows that successful people don't find time for important things — they build schedules around priorities first, then fit everything else in. Relevant to health behavior change because "I don't have time to cook / exercise / meal prep" is among the most common excuses, and the 168-hour framework makes clear that the time exists if the priority is genuine.
About the author
**Laura Vanderkam** — BA (Princeton University, 2001). Journalist and nonfiction author specializing in time management and productivity. Career in journalism: USA Today, Fortune, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, New York Times. Author of seven books including *168 Hours* (2010), *What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast* (2013), *I Know How She Does It* (2015), *Off the Clock* (2018), and *Tranquility by Tuesday* (2022). TED talk "How to gain control of your free time" (2016, 5M+ views). Hosts the Before Breakfast podcast. Not an academic researcher — a journalist who interviews high-performers about how they actually use their time, then distills patterns.
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