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The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time
Be present, connect more effectively, all while being as productive as possible 5 How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time teaches you to shift into the right gear at the right time so that you can grow in your relational intelligence and increase your influence. This revolutionary text introduces you to the five different gears, or mindsets, that carry you through various facets of your day. These Using these gears consistently allows you to bring a new level of relational intelligence to your life that offers a competitive advantage in our task-driven world. All too often people go through life without truly connecting―and can, as a result, miss out on experiences and relationships that have the power to bring them great joy. By understanding how the five gears presented in this engaging book work, you can improve your ability to connect with the world around you. 5 How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to live and lead connected.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 5, 2015
54 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
October 20, 2015
I received this book as part of Goodread's Giveaways.
Here's the thing: it's well written and is a theoretically good system, but the book itself is repetitive and it constantly name drops - and I mean CONSTANTLY. One issue early on is that the gears should be more clearly defined. How can the authors refer to gears that we only know the name of? I think right off the bat that the authors should have used the first chapter to to into each gear a little more. This book feels like it has to be re-read to be properly absorbed. If they got rid of name dropping and referring to everyone as a "friend" or "close friend" and got rid of some of the pitch - like tone in the testimonials, this might actually feel like more of a self help book than, well, a sales pitch. It's frustrating to me that the book had these flaws because as a person with ADHD, I have issues staying focused and although this book did help me to be more aware of when different "gears" are appropriate, the almost bragging tone of how well this technique works didn't appeal. I also don't think a manager coming up to staff and saying "we need to be in fifth gear" would be any more useful than just telling them to stay on task. However, if the book lost all testimonials and repetitive slogans, would there even be enough content to fill a book? I'll keep this book in mind, I just don't like how the ideas were represented.
Here's the thing: it's well written and is a theoretically good system, but the book itself is repetitive and it constantly name drops - and I mean CONSTANTLY. One issue early on is that the gears should be more clearly defined. How can the authors refer to gears that we only know the name of? I think right off the bat that the authors should have used the first chapter to to into each gear a little more. This book feels like it has to be re-read to be properly absorbed. If they got rid of name dropping and referring to everyone as a "friend" or "close friend" and got rid of some of the pitch - like tone in the testimonials, this might actually feel like more of a self help book than, well, a sales pitch. It's frustrating to me that the book had these flaws because as a person with ADHD, I have issues staying focused and although this book did help me to be more aware of when different "gears" are appropriate, the almost bragging tone of how well this technique works didn't appeal. I also don't think a manager coming up to staff and saying "we need to be in fifth gear" would be any more useful than just telling them to stay on task. However, if the book lost all testimonials and repetitive slogans, would there even be enough content to fill a book? I'll keep this book in mind, I just don't like how the ideas were represented.
Read
January 7, 2019Most people recognize the need to balance work and life. The authors hit upon the gear analogy to describe this: you are in gear 5 when you ought to be in, say 2. That they came up with 5 states to force match the typical 5 gears of manual transmission is a sign of stretching the analogy too far.
The takeaway point is to be cognizant of the mismatch between what you should do and you are actually doing: if you need time to work, tell your friends. If you should be enjoying family stop work. Sensible enough.
The takeaway point is to be cognizant of the mismatch between what you should do and you are actually doing: if you need time to work, tell your friends. If you should be enjoying family stop work. Sensible enough.
Read
January 8, 2019Great book on learning to go from Gear 5 Focus on one simple project to 4 Multitasking to 2 being with family to 1 spending time alone.
January 8, 2019
birçok kişisel gelişim kitabında durumsal davranışlar ile ilgili yaklaşımları okumuştum. ancak 5 vites kavramına daha önce rastlamadım. sistemin kurgusunda konu ile ilgilenenlerin bilmediği bir fikir yok ama güzel olan taraf bu 5 vitesi sınıflandırmakla kalmayıp, ailen veya iş arkadaşların ile nasıl paylaşacağını belirtmesi ve basit örnekler ile açıklaması. uygulanabilirliği çok kolay.
geri vites ile ilgili söyledikleri de tutarlı; hata yapılabilir, yanlış düşünülebilir ancak bunlar için özür dilemenin de bir yolu olduğu unutulmamalı.
geri vites ile ilgili söyledikleri de tutarlı; hata yapılabilir, yanlış düşünülebilir ancak bunlar için özür dilemenin de bir yolu olduğu unutulmamalı.
January 7, 2019
i surprised with this book. authors find new point of view to scheduling and managing life process.
in this vision you must think to your life as a car and use 5 gear (better i say 6 gear by adding reverse gear) to managing your lifetime between self and family and work and so on. i recommended this book for every one.
بعد از مدتها یک کتاب جالب و هیجان انگیز. نگاه نو نویسندگان به زندگی که در آن زندگی را به ماشینی شبیه می داند که ما راننده ها مجهز به 5 دنده (یا بهتر بگویم شش دنده با لحاظ کردن دنده عقب) هستیم و در موقعیت های مختلف طبق دستورالعمل این کتاب انرژی و توان و تمرکز خودمان را برای امور شخصی خانوادگی و اجتماعی استفاده کنیم.
حتمت حتما توصیه می شود.
in this vision you must think to your life as a car and use 5 gear (better i say 6 gear by adding reverse gear) to managing your lifetime between self and family and work and so on. i recommended this book for every one.
بعد از مدتها یک کتاب جالب و هیجان انگیز. نگاه نو نویسندگان به زندگی که در آن زندگی را به ماشینی شبیه می داند که ما راننده ها مجهز به 5 دنده (یا بهتر بگویم شش دنده با لحاظ کردن دنده عقب) هستیم و در موقعیت های مختلف طبق دستورالعمل این کتاب انرژی و توان و تمرکز خودمان را برای امور شخصی خانوادگی و اجتماعی استفاده کنیم.
حتمت حتما توصیه می شود.
September 8, 2015
The 5 Gears resource is a tool for anyone who desires to improve one’s relationships and quality of life. As an avid reader of leadership books, I have never seen such a powerful tool that is yet so simple to understand. That being said, I have found 5 Gears extremely challenging to implement in my own life. As an introvert, I crave 1st gear, which I previously viewed as extremely healthy. However, what I did not realize when I looked at the other side of me was that I was retreating to 1st gear, especially when stressed. I falsely believed I was “recharging� but I was in fact, “escaping.� 5 Gears helped me begin to view this from the perspective of others, namely my wife. I soon humbly realized that I was avoiding connecting with others in social settings (3rd gear) and that as a result, I was suffocating my wife who craved 3rd gear time with me. Many books have challenged me over the years but none more so than 5 Gears. I have instantly implemented what I learned, resulting in my newfound ability to actually enjoy interacting with others in social settings. As the authors noted, this is truly “applied leadership learning.�
September 17, 2018
Interesting analogy, but not very enlightening in my opinion.
November 9, 2018
5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time by Jeremie Kubicek was chosen by as one of the .
THE SOUNDVIEW OVERVIEW:
Would you like to be present and connect more effectively, all while being as productive as possible? 5 Gears introduces you to the five different gears, or mindsets, that carry you through various facets of your day, and teaches you to shift into the right gear at the right time so that you can grow in your relational intelligence and increase your influence.
All too often people go through life without truly connecting and can, as a result, miss out on experiences and relationships that have the power to bring them great joy. By understanding how the five gears work, you can improve your ability to connect with the world around you; explore why some people stay disconnected from the people and events around them and why others always seem to have a deep connection to their friends, family and surroundings; learn how to set triggers and markers that help you shift into the right gears at the right time, which will increase your relational dynamics and make you more productive; create positive change in the dynamics of your relationships; and improve your respect and influence.
5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to live and lead connected.
Soundview's in-depth, 8-page Executive Summary of 5 Gears is
THE SOUNDVIEW OVERVIEW:
Would you like to be present and connect more effectively, all while being as productive as possible? 5 Gears introduces you to the five different gears, or mindsets, that carry you through various facets of your day, and teaches you to shift into the right gear at the right time so that you can grow in your relational intelligence and increase your influence.
All too often people go through life without truly connecting and can, as a result, miss out on experiences and relationships that have the power to bring them great joy. By understanding how the five gears work, you can improve your ability to connect with the world around you; explore why some people stay disconnected from the people and events around them and why others always seem to have a deep connection to their friends, family and surroundings; learn how to set triggers and markers that help you shift into the right gears at the right time, which will increase your relational dynamics and make you more productive; create positive change in the dynamics of your relationships; and improve your respect and influence.
5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There Is Never Enough Time is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to live and lead connected.
Soundview's in-depth, 8-page Executive Summary of 5 Gears is
March 28, 2025
I liked this one. Initially I thought it was going to be hokey, but it was actually pretty interesting.
5 gears = 5 operating modes for humans. Sometimes we are running in the wrong gear at the wrong time, and sometimes we nail it. Sometimes we skip gears. All this damages our engines and relationships.
He spends a good chunk of the book describing the 5 gears and reverse. And then the last third of the book is about how to "diagnose" yourself. Where I felt it was lacking is determining how much time is too much or too little in a gear. He sort of mentions it with extroverts vs introverts... and how hitting gear 5 can be challenging in today's world. But, how do I know if I'm spending too much time in Gear 2 vs Gear 3? I am borderline extrovert/introvert. I need my alone time. But, I don't like being the center of attention or in crowds. I like my connections deep and meaningful. So, the "niceties" of gear 3, I spend little time there and instead invest more in gear 2 for that deeper connection I crave. Is that a bad thing? Maybe? If I jump into gear 2 too quickly with someone that should be/ is in gear 3?
I feel like I'm in a pretty decent balance in my life right now, but gear 5 is still pretty elusive for me. But, I have kids and a corporate wfh job. So, gear 4 is definitely predominate. But, I've established some good boundaries for gear 1 time. And I do invest more time in gear 2 than gear 3, but I don't feel like I'm not getting enough social interaction.
5 gears = 5 operating modes for humans. Sometimes we are running in the wrong gear at the wrong time, and sometimes we nail it. Sometimes we skip gears. All this damages our engines and relationships.
He spends a good chunk of the book describing the 5 gears and reverse. And then the last third of the book is about how to "diagnose" yourself. Where I felt it was lacking is determining how much time is too much or too little in a gear. He sort of mentions it with extroverts vs introverts... and how hitting gear 5 can be challenging in today's world. But, how do I know if I'm spending too much time in Gear 2 vs Gear 3? I am borderline extrovert/introvert. I need my alone time. But, I don't like being the center of attention or in crowds. I like my connections deep and meaningful. So, the "niceties" of gear 3, I spend little time there and instead invest more in gear 2 for that deeper connection I crave. Is that a bad thing? Maybe? If I jump into gear 2 too quickly with someone that should be/ is in gear 3?
I feel like I'm in a pretty decent balance in my life right now, but gear 5 is still pretty elusive for me. But, I have kids and a corporate wfh job. So, gear 4 is definitely predominate. But, I've established some good boundaries for gear 1 time. And I do invest more time in gear 2 than gear 3, but I don't feel like I'm not getting enough social interaction.
April 14, 2023
I seriously think this book should be one that is read and implemented by the entire world! I would literally put it above five stars... definitely will be a book I read yearly now!!!
I'm so overwhelmed (in a good way) at how implementing the gears in my own life during reading has changed my life for the better.
When I started reading The 5 Gears, I felt like I didn't even want to try at life anymore... I now feel like I can tackle anything I want, so long as I shift myself appropriately! 🤸♀�
The stories, tips, ideas, and writing prompts Jeremie and Steve provided for us are absolutely incredible and truly help you step back to evaluate yourself and how other people view you.
Are you operating in a way that is intentionally nourishing for yourself, your family, your friends, and your work? Or are you running on autopilot all day everyday?
I'm so overwhelmed (in a good way) at how implementing the gears in my own life during reading has changed my life for the better.
When I started reading The 5 Gears, I felt like I didn't even want to try at life anymore... I now feel like I can tackle anything I want, so long as I shift myself appropriately! 🤸♀�
The stories, tips, ideas, and writing prompts Jeremie and Steve provided for us are absolutely incredible and truly help you step back to evaluate yourself and how other people view you.
Are you operating in a way that is intentionally nourishing for yourself, your family, your friends, and your work? Or are you running on autopilot all day everyday?
September 23, 2018
Easy read and incredible tool that everyone who is a part of any type of team, organization, work environment or family unit should utilize (so basically everyone). This book explains a concept that all leaders should implement on their teams. The 5 Gears is a tool that allows a way of communicating and functioning that frees us to connect more with each other, helps us understand ourselves and each other more is a very simple way and helps us get things done more efficiently. My favorite chapter personally is chapter 9 where the authors explain operating in “reverse�. In my opinion, this book could be shrunk down to about a third of the size it is, but overall it’s an easy read that is worth it.
January 7, 2019
Key message -
Many of us are stuck in one mode, but this isn’t enough. Understanding each of the 5 Gears and when best to use them is the key to being present in every part of your life. From the high focus of fifth gear to multitasking in fourth, socializing in third, connecting with your loved ones in second or taking time for yourself in first, each gear has a right and wrong time and place, even reverse! So long as you know which gears you lean on and which you avoid, you can start to apply the correct one to each part of your day, until you’re fully present in each situation.
Actionable advice -
Incorporate the language into your office or family.
Many of us are stuck in one mode, but this isn’t enough. Understanding each of the 5 Gears and when best to use them is the key to being present in every part of your life. From the high focus of fifth gear to multitasking in fourth, socializing in third, connecting with your loved ones in second or taking time for yourself in first, each gear has a right and wrong time and place, even reverse! So long as you know which gears you lean on and which you avoid, you can start to apply the correct one to each part of your day, until you’re fully present in each situation.
Actionable advice -
Incorporate the language into your office or family.
October 20, 2018
About 20% of this book was actually helpful. The other 80% was superfluous restatements of the same things or the same stories (said in a slightly different way), over and over again. It almost felt like one of those scam websites where you keep scrolling and reading success story after success story, all the while waiting to find out what the actual product is and what is the cost. The authors could have benefitted from a stronger editor. All this to say, this book can be helpful for a quick skim...find the main points and don’t bother with the rest.
January 7, 2019
Interesting methodology to adapt your attitude to your environment, like a car going on different speeds, without bumping into chaos. The first gear is for individual recharge; second gear is connecting with friends/family; third is for casual socializing; fourth gear is getting multiple tasks done; fifth is fully focusing on a single project. They can be very useful if we understand when to use them, to be present in each situation in the proper way.
May 8, 2019
This book is basically about emotional intelligence. Using driving as a metaphor, it describes our levels of productivity. But, it also interjects "presence" as a means to discuss relationships and connections. There are several useful insights such as working from your rest, not resting from your work. And, the thought that drama comes from subjective comments that feel like criticism and create defensiveness. Definitely worth a read and some thought!
March 22, 2021
First half of the book was great and applicable, especially for workaholics like myself. Great perspectives and a helpful metaphor. However, the second half seemed to be an advertisement on how the metaphor and lessons has helped others and why I should tell everyone about this book and system. I understand how helpful it is for some but the delivery felt more like a shameless plug than applicable examples
March 17, 2017
It has a lot of good fundamentals about shared language and communication. Unfortunately, I feel it offers a lot of calls to action without a lot of evidence or logic, and leans heavily on anecdotes to make its point. There's a lot to take away, but I feel it could be framed better for bridging the aisle to evidence-based thinking.
March 21, 2019
This book would be great for someone who is a workaholic and is just now having a wake up call from their spouse/kids. The book is surface level and I struggled to finish the book. Also, the book speaks on the �5th Gear� which is referred to as Flow. There are plenty of books on it. Two stars for this book is generous in my opinion.
December 22, 2020
Interesting concept.
1 = time for yourself
2 = connecting with loved ones
3 = socializing
4 = multitasking
5 = high focus
The author argues that there's a time and place for each gear, and that starting your day by slowly shifting from 1-4 or 1-5 will make for a more pleasant experience than jumping all over the place.
1 = time for yourself
2 = connecting with loved ones
3 = socializing
4 = multitasking
5 = high focus
The author argues that there's a time and place for each gear, and that starting your day by slowly shifting from 1-4 or 1-5 will make for a more pleasant experience than jumping all over the place.
January 19, 2024
Great book. Understood the message of being in “gears� when appropriate. Has given me tools to balance my time and interactions.
I didn’t like the push to use the gear levels in everyday language. Instead of saying “I’m focusing on this, come back�, say “I’m in 5th gear�. Not a big fan of that. If this approach wasn’t repeated so much in book, I would have rated 5 stars.
I didn’t like the push to use the gear levels in everyday language. Instead of saying “I’m focusing on this, come back�, say “I’m in 5th gear�. Not a big fan of that. If this approach wasn’t repeated so much in book, I would have rated 5 stars.
September 10, 2019
While it made me think about how I use my time and transition from one type of work to another, the success of this method requires an entire team to use it. I don’t like this book well enough to ask my team members to read it.
December 6, 2017
A useful and practical framework to raise awareness about where attention and focus is - and should be - in various situations and times of the day. Recommended.
December 17, 2017
I was asked to do a review of this book for SAIS, which is online at
January 8, 2019
The idea of gear is good and necessary. Whether you categorize your gears into the 5 gears the book presented is up to you.
May 18, 2019
Great book for perfecting your interpersonal skills in the workplace or at home.
May 4, 2020
A simple concept and a nice Metapher. I like it a lot and enjoy the reading because I remember the concept.
September 17, 2020
Great concept, but it felt like it could have been a 10 page monograph rather than a full book.
May 17, 2021
Good reminder to be self-aware and understand how your prevailing frame of mind can add to or detract from a situation or relationship.
October 1, 2021
Cute concept but too broad. Not a full book’s worth of information. But, super important to know your tendencies.
November 21, 2021
A good metaphor the authors explain well... and then spend half the book congratulating themselves for it.
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