The Best Books to Help You Find Work-Life Balance

An easy way to figure out if you’re balancing work-life is to ask yourself, “If I wanted to read a book, would I have the time?” Okay, that’s a bit simplistic – and a little too specific, because maybe what you really want to do is join a recreational softball league, go to a show, or take a good nap. However, for a better work-life balance, you may need a book, but not just any book. You may find it helpful to read a book on work-life balance.

Here are some of the best, from books to help you stop overworking to books to actually help you find that elusive job satisfaction .

Books that will help you not to overwork

First, try a few books that are designed to help you stop overworking and begin to relax, however that may seem to you. Here are some of them:

• Doing Nothing: How to End Overwork, Overwork, and Lack of Life . Celeste Headley ($13.19) This book is Headley’s call to action—or, in fact, to inaction. She advocates a global shift in thinking that will make us all wonder why we work so hard and are so miserable at the same time. She thinks that we are looking for external solutions to internal problems that really need to be solved by taking time for ourselves. She does this with historical and scientific evidence, pointing out that the obsession with working too hard is fairly recent, at least in terms of relative human history, meaning it can be overcome.
• Burnout: The Secret to Breaking the Cycle of Stress by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski ($9.61) Readers love this New York Times bestseller because it contains real-world strategies for dealing with overwork and its inevitable burnout. The authors try to define the terms they use to refer to problems in our individual lives, linking burnout to external causes, helping readers understand what they need to do to stop the external influence on their inner world. They offer the concept of a “stress cycle” to complete and give detailed advice on how to do it without getting overwhelmed.
• Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Job Doesn’t Work for You by Amy O’Hana ($10.81) Let’s just say this book is actually quite spiritual – the whole point of O’Hana is that she combines her mental health background with faith – so be aware that it gets a little religious. However, it’s extremely positive, with even reviewers who were surprised by the faith-based approach calling it “perfect” for combating their work-related slump.
• Chained to a Desk in a Hybrid World by Bryan Robinson ($19.79) Robinson has published three editions of Chained to a Desk before, but his latest iteration tackles a unique, contemporary issue of hybrid work, helping you let go of the urge (or expectation) to be “on” 24/7, be it your home computer or mobile phone. It’s hard to balance work and personal life when your work is always in your pocket, but Robinson is a staunch advocate of workaholism and shares tips on how to recognize when you’re going too far and need to back off so you don’t burn out. outside.

Books to help you find job satisfaction

When we think about work-life balance, we think of free time to enjoy what we do, but we don’t always remember the “work” part of the equation. You will probably still have to work even if your personal life is fulfilling, so you should enjoy this element too. It’s all part of the balance. Here are some books to help you with this:

• How to Work Without Going Crazy by Kate Sevilla ($11.48) Sevilla is currently the editor-in-chief of HuffPost UK but has also worked for tech giants such as Google and Microsoft. It all sounds stressful, so her advice on how to get through the drudgery of a challenging job is all the more welcome. The book covers topics such as dealing with overbearing superiors as well as how to deal with bereavement and grief while continuing to work, offering practical advice on how to stay on top of your real emotions and responsibilities while still doing good, meaningful work. .
• out of balance; Breaking the myth of work-life balance to personal and professional satisfaction, by Matthew Kelly ($11.95) The premise of Kelly’s book is simple: you think you want “balance” but you want satisfaction, and that satisfaction must be there in your life. in all areas of your life, including work. He outlines which cultural practices actually harm our personal pursuits of all-round satisfaction, but outlines clear steps to set aside enough energy for work and play and to prioritize what should and can be done in both areas. Reviewers say the book does a great job of capturing the reality that work and life are not entirely separate things and cannot be seen that way, so you can rethink your point of view to find joy in both.
• Love It or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work by Samantha Clark ($24.29) Clark is an expert on happiness at work, which means this book is full of practical advice on how to find joy at work. work so you can be happy from 9 to 5—and stay happy when you’re down. You won’t enjoy your personal time if you’re afraid of your hours at work, which is why Clarke advocates either figuring out how to be satisfied and happy at work or get the hell out of here. She explains how to do both, so either way you’ll be more motivated and satisfied.