I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam Summary
Overview of I Know How She Does It
Discover how high-earning mothers balance success with life. Based on 143 time logs, Vanderkam reveals counterintuitive findings: these women average 7.7 hours of sleep and 3.3 hours of weekly exercise. Endorsed by Gretchen Rubin, who claims it transformed her calendar perspective forever.
Similar books to I Know How She Does It
Feel the book through the author's voice
Turn knowledge into engaging, example-rich insights
Capture key ideas in a flash for fast learning
Enjoy the book in a fun and engaging way
Key takeaways
The Myth of the Impossible: Rewriting Work-Life Balance
What if everything we've been told about balancing career and family is wrong? Laura Vanderkam's research reveals a startling truth: successful women aren't constantly struggling with work-life balance - they're quietly thriving. By studying time logs from women earning six figures while raising children, Vanderkam discovered that life isn't a linear narrative of crisis moments, but rather a mosaic of time. Those snowstorm nights when you're stranded at work while your child waits with a sitter? They're just single tiles in a much larger, often beautiful picture. The math is surprisingly simple: there are 168 hours in a week. Even working 50 hours and sleeping 56 leaves 62 hours for everything else. When we stop focusing exclusively on difficult moments and instead see our entire mosaic of time, a different picture emerges - one where success and fulfillment coexist more harmoniously than we've been led to believe.
The Reality of Working Hours and Flexibility
Thinking in 168 Hours: Breaking the Daily Balance Trap
The Good Enough Approach to Home Management
Self-Care and Leisure: Essential, Not Optional
Life's Mosaic: The Art of Seeing the Whole Picture
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to I Know How She Does It Summary in 8 Minutes
Break down key ideas from I Know How She Does It into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 7 Insights from I Know How She Does It in a Nutshell
Distill I Know How She Does It into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - I Know How She Does It Lessons Told Through 21-Min Stories
Experience I Know How She Does It through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to I Know How She Does It Summary in 0 Minutes
Ask anything, pick the voice, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
Get the I Know How She Does It summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.