Not Today by Erica Schultz and Mike Schultz Summary
Overview of Not Today
"Not Today" reveals 9 habits of extreme productivity born from the Schultzes' dual challenge: running a business while their son battled a heart defect. Their TIME formula has become a beacon for professionals seeking balance amid chaos. Can productivity actually flourish in life's darkest moments?
Similar books to Not Today
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
When Every Moment Carries the Weight of Forever
A hospital room. A child waiting 211 days for a heart transplant. Parents juggling business calls between medical emergencies, desperately trying to maintain health insurance while their son fights for survival. This wasn't a productivity experiment-it was survival. Yet from this crucible of fear and love emerged something unexpected: a revolutionary approach to time that's transforming how thousands of people work and live. Mike and Erica Schultz didn't set out to reinvent productivity. They simply had no choice but to make every minute count when their son Ari's life hung in the balance. Over 430 hospital nights, they discovered what most productivity gurus miss entirely-that meaning, not efficiency, is the missing ingredient in how we spend our days. Here's the uncomfortable truth: you're probably wasting hours of your life every single day, and you don't even realize it. Not because you're lazy or undisciplined, but because you've been sold a broken model of productivity. Since the 1980s, we've treated humans like machines-stepping on the gas without ever filling the tank. We've accumulated productivity apps, time-management hacks, and endless to-do lists, yet we're more exhausted and less fulfilled than ever. Most productivity systems focus obsessively on the "how"-the tactics and tools-while ignoring the "why" that gives work meaning. Without purpose anchoring your efforts, productivity becomes an empty treadmill. Research involving over 2,377 people worldwide revealed something striking: the extremely productive aren't just better at managing tasks. They've learned to work wholeheartedly on meaningful things while setting fierce boundaries around what doesn't matter. Their story asks a haunting question: What if it took losing everything to learn how to truly live?
Seeing Time Through a Revolutionary Lens and Manufacturing Your Own Motivation
Breaking Paralysis and Becoming the Architect of Your Automatic Behaviors
The Liberating Power of Refusal and Strategic Protection
Building Your Focus Fortress and Entering the Zone Where Time Disappears
Your Legacy Isn't What You Accomplish-It's How You Choose to Spend Your Days
Quick Summary Mode - Read or listen to Not Today Summary in 11 Minutes
Break down key ideas from Not Today into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.
Flash Card Mode - Top 11 Insights from Not Today in a Nutshell
Distill Not Today into rapid-fire memory cues that highlight Pixar’s principles of candor, teamwork, and creative resilience.
Fun Mode - Not Today Lessons Told Through 21-Min Stories
Experience Not Today through vivid storytelling that turns Pixar’s innovation lessons into moments you’ll remember and apply.
Personalize Mode - Read or listen to Not Today 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 Not Today summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.