This book title has to be one of the best titles ever, since it captures so perfectly what many people wrestle with. Being overworked and overwhelmed are the biggest challenges of the 21st century for many, and this book shares just how hard people are trying to cram it all into a 24 hour day or a work week. And no matter how hard they try, they just can’t get it done.
Overworked and Overwhelmed
This book aims to help you find a better life-work rhythm (I love that the author uses the word rhythm by the way and not the word balance—balance suggests a perfect and static equilibrium and that rarely happens) and the key word is mindfulness. The author describes mindfulness as awareness and intention. In other words: mindfulness means being fully aware of what is happening in the present and then intentionally making a choice to act a certain way. So in case you were a little worried that the book is all fluttery and vague, the concept of mindfulness is a solid one.
The way mindfulness operates is to create space between action ad reaction, between anything happening and your reaction to it. I’ve reviewed books on this concept before, like One Second Ahead, which is based on the same principle. In comparison, Overworked and Overwhelmed is a lot more practical. It offers concrete strategies to get a clear picture of what ‘peak performance’ looks like for instance. I really liked the ‘Life GPS’ approach the author developed for this and will definitely experiment with that a bit.
There’s also advice on developing the right habits, like eating well, exercising, building healthy relationships, etc. None of it is earth-shattering in novelty, but it’s solid advice, especially for those who truly are overworked and overwhelmed. That used to be me by the way, but I’ve made huge progress and have a healthy work-life rhythm going on.
For those of you who have an allergy to new age stuff and yoga in particular, there’s a solid dose of the latter especially. The author has a clear fondness for yoga, but he’s not preaching it as the only solution and gives plenty of room for other views.
If the title describes you, pick up this book. It will truly help you get a new perspective on what really matters in life. Hint: it’s not working 60+ hours a week.
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