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Productivity tips compiled from secondary sources and delivered in accessible language.

This guide aims to inform young people of the reasons for their lack of productivity and how they can improve their time management skills. Five concise chapters discuss the elimination of distractions and dealing with procrastination, two problem areas teens often face as they manage their busy schedules and technology use. Readers may find some helpful takeaways with recommendations to use productivity apps, such as a screen-time counter or digital planner. The author also presents strategies like the Pomodoro Technique, which involves setting alarms for focused study stints, or the Ivy Lee system of listing six things to do per day in order of priority. This overview of productivity ideas compiles findings from secondary sources, a few interviews with teenagers, and an assortment of blogs, news articles, and websites; actual primary source research studies barely feature. The images used are relatively unhelpful; they mostly feature stock photos of people of various ages and races looking at devices. The colorful but unlabeled drawing of a brain, for example, contributes little and does not support the portions of the book that discuss the significance of different areas of the brain. The writing style is informative but simplistic: The repetition of words like tough, challenge, and challenging may become monotonous to more sophisticated readers.

Some helpful tips buried within repetitive text and an uninspired design.