I’m a big fan of Kristin Sherry’s books, and frequently recommend them to my clients. I pre-ordered Maximize 365 expecting a book of equal quality, but this may well be her best. It goes far beyond traditional business topics and addresses a much broader range of topics. The practical application of concepts has always set Kristin Sherry apart from other business authors, and she uses the same approach with Maximize 365.
The book is divided into 5 parts: health, spirituality, relationships, career, and finances. Each topic (e.g., stress management, burnout, sleep) is just one page, and includes an explanation of a unique challenge and ideas for action. The advice is “bite-sized” and you don’t need to read it in a linear way. You just invest a few minutes in reading the part of the book that is relevant to your life now. Terrific book! ( )

NOTE: I won a free eBook copy of this book in MOBI format from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers (December 2020).

This book is a compendium of day-by-day self-help entries for readers who aren't looking to make a specific change in their lives, but to improve their overall quality of life in general. Entries are organized into 5 broad areas: Health & Wellness, Spirituality, Relationships, Career, and Finances, with several subcategories in each. Apart from that, there is no methodology for how to interact with this book to ensure the best results. Sherry includes a brief, almost nascent, quiz in the Introduction to help readers determine which of the 5 areas to focus on first. For readers who wish to read the book straight through, this is particularly frustrating, as entries do not necessarily build upon one another. Given that the title alludes to the calendar, organizing the entries under calendar dates (January 1, January 2, etc.) would have been far more helpful.

I also have a bone to pick with the formatting of my ARC copy. The MOBI file has a lot of issues with spacing and paragraph and page layout. There are numbered lists in which the last item is empty and in which graphic art is not displayed properly. Some quotes are highlighted but this is inconsistent. Hopefully these issues have been resolved with the final published edition.

However, the book does deliver with its comprehensive subject matter and (mostly) practical ideas for encouraging self-growth. While nothing is particularly paradigm-shifting (indeed, my suspicions that this book grew out of a mosaic of Pinterest items was confirmed in the entry about Vision Boards), much of the advice examines self-help issues from different and unexpected angles. ( )

Okay so . . . ebooks are not for me.

I was very excited to review this since I love small-bit self-help books. I downloaded it and looked at a few random pages and then planned to come back for a closer look. Now, I can't find the download on any of my devices. So other than a general impression of helpful suggestions to move forward through the year, I have no other comments on the book itself.

Had this review copy been an actual book, I know exactly where it would have been so that I could return to it day after day.

Inspired by a combination of the works of Bob Sager and Zig Ziglar Kristin Sherry has come up with her own five forms of life-wealth: Health and Wellness, Spirituality, Relationships, Career, and Finances. Each chapter is dedicated to themes surrounding the five forms of life-health and each theme is only a page long. Sherry’s book is chock full of great advice although not all of it is hers. She has curated dozens of websites, YouTube videos, Tedx Talks, quotes, articles and books from other experts and compiled them in Maximize 365. I thought of her book as more of an encyclopedia for the learners and the curious; anyone interested in self-development but too busy and overwhelmed to find each resource individually.
There is truth to the information Sherry shares in Maximize 365. My favorite example would be something my husband and I started doing early in the pandemic: taking hikes in the woods. Described by the Japanese as Shinrin-yoku, or "taking in the forest" Sherry reports taking twenty-minute walks through nature several times a week as a way to stave off depression. It works.
Another element of Maximize 365 I could relate to was when Sherry describes being busy as a "status symbol." ( )

There is a volume of good information that a reader can use to make changes to their life. There is almost too much information. The author suggests selecting a trait that you want to improve in your life and work with that chapter/section, and that isn't just an idle remark but almost a requirement, otherwise you will find yourself in self help overload. There are a lot of great quotes and references to work with during your self help journey, but don't overpack your suitcase on the trip, take just what you need this time. ( )