Book Description

In today's world, yesterday's methods just don't work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen's premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how to:

€ Apply the "do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it" rule to get your in-box to empty
€ Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations
€ Plan projects as well as get them unstuck
€ Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed
€ Feel fine about what you're not doing

From core principles to proven tricks, Getting Things Done can transform the way you work, showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Time Tested Principals
I attended one of David's seminars in 1986. As a result, I was able to successfully manage 101 concurrent projects, finishing on time and under budget. Fast forward to 2001. I keep this book by my side at all times (David publish it in Ebook form so it's easier to carry!). The company I'm with now wonders how I get the "impossible" projects done. Using David's techniques in the book, it seems like I can complete a full work day in fewer hours because I know what all my "next actions" are, and do them promptly. Gives me a lot of worry free time.

This is a book you "DO" not just read. Be prepared to work when you start out, but when the initial work is done, that's when the fun begins.

I cleaned my inbox and email box of 300 items in less than 15 minutes, filtering out the junk, the things that needed immediate attention, and the "someday maybe" things (like buying my first Harley).

This works for my personal life too. No more missed anniversaries, birthdays, phone calls, errands, etc.

Do you ever think about work projects at home? Do you ever think about home projects when you're at the office? Ever worry about that phone call you need to make or that errand you need to run? Forget it! Get the book. It's awesome. Get the book - period. If you don't, you deserve your stress.

Truly the guide to stress-free productivity
I manage a team of twenty, in a very stress-filled IT environment. We juggle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines all the time. This book taught me far more than the well known time management guides and gurus. I learned to put EVERYTHING - my work life, personal life, dream life (to be a millionaire without being the weakest link or swallowing bugs!) into one place, and organize it all based on me - my life, current job, etc. I also used it to help my team. We now breeze through our deadlines, with lots of productivity and very little stress. We are able to work long hours when needed, and take time off when needed. Hopefully, future releases will bring a companion workbook and this book unabridged on tape or CD. FYI - Mr. Allen has a wonderful web site ... where you can sign up for his free weekly newsletter and continue to learn and grow. He also lists lots more helpful tips, etc. on the web site that you can download and share with your peers and staff members. I urge anyone who is feeling overwhelmed in their life and career to give this process a try. You will be very glad you did.

DAM! (David Allen Method).
The real gist of this book is this;

First, tangibly ALL your thoughts to do something must be somewhere in order for you to PHYSICALLY apply it. Hence, you must write them down or put them all (stuff) somewhere, notes, post-it, napkins, etc., ANYTHING, just make it physically tangible. This is the only way for us to now LOGICALLY apply it. Because we are physical creatures, we must see our thoughts physically also. Down one.

Number two: when all of this is done, get the little ones out of the way, hence the "two-minute rule". Anything under two minutes DO IT NOW. DAM! (David Allen Method) yeah!!!

That's basically the "d.a.m." (pardon the pun) method. For details and even a better understanding buy or borrow the book.

When you think about it, it's all about logic. Delineate the process, divide, then conquer. Sort of like eating a big steak, you have to cut it to make it chewable, then taste, and decide to swallow, chew, or just spit it out, and before you know it, it's gone! It's funny we never applied this logic to our business, maybe below will explain why!

One thing that bugs me is that if something takes 2 minutes and we now need to do it now, there is one section about a guy going through 800 e-mails. If each one took two minutes, the e-mail "project" then took more than 26 hours!!! He didn't mention that in the book! Should he then delegate it, defer it, dump it, or simply call the waiter??? Note: vomiting is NOT an option!

Works, I'm Using it.
I have read both books first from the library and only bought the paperback of Allens second book, Ready for Anything.

I am now buying the hardcover edition for this book because I plan to use it over and over. I have been a student of effective work flow for 15 years and this is one of the best methods I have found to clear your work surfaces and your mind to get down to creative, fun productive activities.

I looked like I was OK but my cupboards were full of junk
I was one of those people who looked like I had things under control, and wasn't far from it, but my cupboards, drawers and email files were full of junk and felt like a ball and chain. I heard about this book at an Optimal Thinking seminar and decided to buy it. I knew it was in my best interest to clean up the junk and proceeded with Dave Allen's system. If anything took less than two minutes to resolve, I did it on the spot. I have to say that almost everything is in place now. I feel free of a huge load and am proud that I took control of it. This is a terrific book. I recommend it if you want a simple system to get things done. If you want to learn how to make the most of your thinking to achieve emotional mastery and get the most from every situation, read Optimal Thinking-How To Be Your Best Self too. ... Read more

Book Description

As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate in their groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. Their Full Engagement Training System is grounded in twenty-five years of working with great athletes -- tennis champ Monica Seles and speed-skating gold medalist Dan Jansen, to name just two -- to help them perform more effectively under brutal competitive pressures. Now this powerful, step-by-step program will help you to:

· Mobilize four key sources of energy

· Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal

· Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do

· Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals

The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully. It provides a clear road map to becoming more physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned -- both on and off the job. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Well worth the time
I work as a stress management trainer for humanitarian relief and development workers around the world, so I've read a lot of self-help books in my time. This is one of the best I've read. Beautifully structured, it's finely balanced between research, anecdotes and application. It kept my attention throughout, and most pages now have highlighter on them. It's well worth the time to read and will challenge you gently, but firmly, to assess your priorities and how you are living your life. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide offers computer users who suffer from repetitive strain injury an effective program for self-care. It explains the symptoms, prevention, and treatment of RSIs and also addresses the often-overlooked root causes of RSIs. This holistic program treats the entire upper body with ergonomics, exercise, and hands-on therapy, increasing the likelihood that surgery and drugs may be avoided. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

The best book out there on RSI!
This book is excellent! As a long time RSI sufferer, I found this book to be a great source of information and hope. It is very well written, and it is clear that the authors have an extremely thorough understanding of repetitive strain injuries. The book describes a theory of how RSI develops, and how it can be treated most effectively. I also learned quite a bit from the case studies of six RSI patients, and was heartened by their successful recovery. Most importantly, the authors outline a very practical and understandable treatment approach. I am now following this suggested treatment, and am very optimistic that I will recover from my four-year battle with RSI. If you have a computer-related injury, I recommend that you buy this book now!

Important Buy for *ALL* Computer Users
As a computer professional for the last 15 years or so I have come to understand, first hand, the concepts presented in this book. Presented here is a method to repair and prevent damage caused by repetitive strain injuries in the work place that involves no drugs or surgery! This book is a must read for anyone who works with computers on a regular basis, whether they are currently feeling painful symptoms or not. The simple stretching and ergonomic suggestions in the book will help keep the strain injuries away, and the comprehensive diagrams for self administering many of the muscle based massage technics can be quite helpful to those with pain who do not have the time for regular Physical Therapy visits for similar or even less effective treatments. Once the pain is gone, the previous ergonomic and stretching methods can be used to help keep one relatively pain free depending. of course on one's future vigilance. As someone who relies solidly on my hands and ability to perform detailed work each day for my profession and my hobbies, this book is a godsend. When my own painful symptoms began appearing, my fears of surgery and possible loss of mobility were left behind by this new method to resolve problems that many computer users face. To go one step even further, It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is written in language that does not require a medical degree to understand and gain benefit from it. Did I mention that no surgery is involved? :) All in all an excellent resource.

best book I've seen, in years of lookin'
This is a terrific book. I've been an RSI sufferer for eight years and it's the best I ever read. Damany & Bellis stay humble about the things they don't know.

They provide just enough structural and physiological information to help the reader anchor themselves in a real understanding what's going on. A lot of the books spew out a lot of muscle names and nerve names kind as a way of groping for credibility, without really making sure that information is something the person can use.

They're open to the ambiguity, and lay out alternative explanations, for some of the big imponderables in RSI -- such as why some people get injured others don't, or why some recover and others don't.

They have pretty darn good descriptions of the nerve glides and stretches and so forth that a person needs to do. One of my great frustrations with even skilled physical therapists is that they describe a stretch and then walk away, without giving the patient good instructions that that they can follow when they get home.

The most important thing of all is this: the book seems honest and clearheaded and genuine, and it's clear that they're really interested in helping to move the ball forward in understanding RSI.

best book out there
I've just finished reading It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!, and I'd like to congratulate you on an immensely readable, reasonable, and informative book.

I've been coping with computer-related repetitive strain injury for over ten years, with this progression of diagnoses: bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, epicondylitis, and thoracic outlet syndrome. I've also recently been diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture (more in the right hand than the left). Only voice-recognition software has allowed me to continue in my work as editor and writer.

I helped start an RSI discussion group at the university where I work some years ago, though it's no longer active. It was quite a mix of people, both faculty and staff, all bright people, and all pretty seriously affected by RSI. Hands down, we felt Pascarelli and Quilter's book Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide was the best source of information we had. How I wish we'd also had It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome! back then, too. It's the first book I recommend now.

Again, thank you so much for your fine book.

Detailed Reality About the Overall Problem
I really enjoyed the voice and details of this book. It conveyed a much better understanding of the underlying problems to all the pain I was going through, repeatedly. Simply understanding the fact that I have to maintain my body, do things to help it repair itself from the damage I do to it on an everyday basis really helped me figure out what I had to do to be pain free.

This book offers very clear, respectful advise and case studies. It shows that the symptoms can vary according to the severity of the cause and how people's bodies are built. No Instant Cure, no promises, but it does give a very useful, general approach to how to understand and manage the overall problems. ... Read more

Book Description

Why do Americans' vacations range from "none" to "not much" when other industrialized nations mandate breaks of four to six weeks or more? More importantly, what can you do about it? The founder of the Work to Live Campaign strives to set all Americans on the path towards a happy, healthy balance between work and life-and in this lively book, he offers tips on...

€ Breaking out of the burnout trap
€ Increasing vacation time (it can be done!)
€ Working fewer hours
€ Dumping that work guilt
€ and Getting a Life! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Read this book!
I decided last year that I would like to learn the Spanish language. Like many such wishes, this one has fallen victim to a lack of time... But now there is a wonderful motivational book on making time for such things -- and for our families and communities. Joe Robinson's "Work to Live: The Guide to Getting a Life" ... pulls out all the stops, from the stories to the numbers, in making the case for less work and more time, tells us how to do this personally, and ends with a roadmap for achieving legislation making a few weeks of vacation each year a right. Much of the writing is very funny, and some of the stories of folks who 'saved' their vacations for periods of years only to lose them in a corporate takeover, or due to ill health, are heartwrenching. My favorite stories involved those courageous souls who did go to the boss and ask for some time off, either in the form of a reduced workweek or for that most unAmerican of events, the month-long vacation. These stories are inspiring; indeed, I now have Joe's suggested list of "things I'm going to do before it's all over" on the refrigerator (and, yes, it starts with "learn Spanish" :-). Great stuff, and many thanks to Joe for writing the book! See the ...worktolive...web site for more.

Work to Live
Take time off work and read this book. It will change your life!

Work to Live Works
At a time when the relentless drive of the corporate profite-imperative has swept up so many of us in a mindless labor habitrail-whose only reward seems to be more and faster-paced work-Joe Robinson has done some hard thinking and insightful research and come up with a number of unique solutions to help us break the dysfunctional employer-worker relationship that's quickly eroding life in this country. (If you're the type who blames MTV and other red herrings on societal woes, stop and think how much time away from family mothers and fathers are forced to spend these days just to hang on to their paychecks.) It's interesting to me that an author calling for basic rights in the workplace-things that labor unions supposedly won for the work force decades ago-can be viewed in some quarters as an extremist. I've read some of the reviews that equate Robinson's ideas with socialism or that accuse him of somehow being oposed to "the American way." This is knee-jerk reaction at its worst: "Robinson wants fairness so be must be socialist!" "Robinson enjoys vacations so he must hate work!" Granted, debate in this country has become dangerously polarized, Still, it's depressing to see how easily people can twist nuanced, reasoned argument into black and white polemic. I can't say I agree with everything Robinson says in this book, but I do recognize much of what he describes in the fact that I work harder than my father ever did, with far less time off, and probably a slightly lower overall quality of life. I certainly live in a smaller house and spend less time with my family than he did. Americans are fond of believing we have "the highest standard of living in the world." Guess what? We don't, even though we now work more and have less time off than even the famously workaholic Japanese. Check the health stats-this country's human machines are breaking down. And if you think our current obesity problem is simply a lack of self-control and an insidious fast-food industry, ask yourself when the last time you said, "I'd love to get in shape, jog every night after work, but I just don't have the time." That's the point. Fewer and fewer of us have the time any more to take care of our basic human needs for mental and physical and spiritual rest and improvement. Robinson doesn't want a life of vacation. He doesn't advocate the end of capitalism. He just wants us to fix the machine, so we can improve our lives, keep our economy strong before our own ignorance and insatiable demands for more, more, more break it down completely. This is an important book, a step toward a more prosperous and fulfilling United States.

Work to Live
This is a fabulous, must read book that shows what you can do to make changes in your own life so that you've actually got one. "Work To Live" offers specific ways to create hope and freedom for dazed,confused and burnt out Americans. Highly recommended.

Rather work than Hunt
Whatever happened to personal responsibility and self-determination? The reason people work so much is because they feel that it is a means to satisfy their wants. In a voluntary society, people exchange their resources because they see themselves better off afterward. I have a socialist friend that says he is a slave because he has to work. I fail to see how working in America is harder than trying to "live off the land." We have the highest standard of living in the world because we've earned it. I will continue to work and enjoy the fruits of my labor. I want the freedom to be able to work overtime if I need more money. I don't want the government limiting the amount of work that I'm "allowed" to do. This is my life and your life is yours. Make your own choices and decisions, and take responsibility for the results. Peace Out ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's about time! Julie Morgenstern has written an organizing book that covers a new way of looking at the task of organizing effectively without labeling or blaming the person behind the lack of organization. Rather, she says, people who don't organize just never learned how to organize, through no fault of their own--after all, it's not a skill that's taught in school. That said, she gets down to work helping you figure out an organizing system that will really work for you, not a system based on cookie-cutter filing concepts or special storage units.

Morgenstern's "from the inside out" system begins by laying out the possible reasons for a failure of organization: technical errors (like having a complex organizing system that breaks down), external realities (like not enough space for your belongings), and psychological obstacles (like fear of failure--or success). Then, her Analyze and Strategize steps help create a plan of action based on your needs and goals, and the brief chapter called "Attack: Getting the Job Done" offers basic ideas for making space. The largest section of the book, "Applying What You've Learned," addresses the specifics of organizing workspaces, home offices, living spaces, and storage areas. Each section has a "How Long Will It Take?" box that gives a realistic time estimate, and Morgenstern's "Julie's No-Brainer Toss List" for each area gives the permission and encouragement that most of us have been waiting for to get rid of things we'll never use again. The section at the end, "Tackling Time and Technology," is worth its weight in DayTimers and PalmPilots. Whatever your organizing issues are, you're not a hopeless case, and you don't need special equipment--just a little understanding of the problem and a willingness to plan before diving in. ... Read more

Reviews (129)

A sure time investment.
The author helps readers become more organized by "analyzing, strategizing, and attacking."She covers organization of some of the spaces mentioned in Fifty Ways such as workplace, home, home office, and garage.Her estimate of the hours readers will need to invest to accomplish specific chapter goals is daunting.

A Lifesaver!
Julie Morgenstern's personalized approach to organizing is a breath of fresh air.Most organizing books out there tell you what works for them, the author.Ms. Morgenstern teaches her readers how to find out what will work for us!Reading this book and putting these methods into practice has changed the way I deal with the "stuff" in my life and my house has never looked, felt, or worked better.

good/informative...
i've read a handful of outlines in this vien. this guide should b considered with other guides. it's not a guide onto itself.

Must have, only place to start, don't organize without it
I got this book a few years ago and I continue to use the ideas not just to unclutter but to create a lasting improvement in the way my life runs and in the way that our space is organized for the whole family.I was beyond disorganized and could easily compete with some of the worst-case scenarios mentioned in this book or in any other organizing/decluttering book.I was also feeling bad at why so many common methods that seemed to work so easily for others just didn't work for me.The premise of this book is priceless -there is no single right way to do things - it all depends on your needs and your personality.Forget "typical" ways of doing something or "shoulds" or what other's do or what works for others or anything else along those lines.Forget trite rules such as "if you haven't worn it in 2 years, throw it out" or feelings that you can't have your collections or hobbies the way you want them or that you even need to get rid of items that you love even though you don't have room to display them.This book starts with figuring out what you like, whatyou want, what you need in your life, and most importantly what yourhabits and skills and personality are like and then using all those to accomodate your "stuff".For example, you don't have to always walk in the door walk over to the coat closet and hang your coat in the closet.Just because that makes sense and you may feel (or other's might keep tellingyou) that it's really not that much work - a few extra steps, not even an extra minute.If that's not you, then there's no point in berating yourself or finally giving up because you can't do it.Figure out where you do end up putting your coat (e.g. on the floor right near the door when you walk in or or on the banisters) and go with that - put up a hook or a coat stand.One of my favorite examples in the book which I think really exemplifies the approach is one of her clients who alwayshad shoes piling up next toher bed.Instead of saying put a shoe rack in the closet or some other typical place and learn to use it, this book's approach is to accept that for that person,her habits and behavior patterns require her to have her shoes near her bed.Any organizational tool or idea that puts her shoes anywhere else is eventually going to fail because it goes against this person's natural habits.Solution:put something next to the bed, where she is naturally placing the shoes anyway.This may sound simple but if you follow the whole book it really willhelp you to achieve organization in your life that is sustainable because it goes with your habits instead of telling you that you need to change and setting you up for failure when you can't do what you're "supposed to do."And yes, there's a lot about taking a look at your possessions but not at the expense of anything that you want (and no judgments about what you want vs. what you need - it's all about your personal, subjective wishes, recognizing that no two people are the same).Rest assured that if you want to keep something, you can - without having to justify it's value or make sacrifices.

Going Beneath The [Cluttered] Surface
At first I didn't like the premise of this book -- I wanted to get working and have a clean, organized home office, not think about the "purpose" of the rooms/areas. I love buying organizational and storage equipment, hoping that I'll find the perfect solution to my clutter issues. Eventually, I go back to my old habits and move on to something else.

This book taught me that you need to make it easy on yourself. When you lose your keys constantly, you need to make a place for them as soon as you walk in the house. If you hate mopping your floors all of the time, then make a nice place for shoes right by the back door. The premise is good... I need to re-read this book and motivate myself to work on other areas of my house! ... Read more

Book Description

Jay gives you a treasury of ideas to help you overcome obstacles and achieve excellence.You'll learn how to live the "No Excuse" lifestyle built on a solid foundation of self-responsibility, purpose, and integrity.Then you'll discover the secrets of the THESAURUS Factor-twelve key principles for personal and professional success.This book is jam-packed with anecdotes to clarify key points, while its inspirational messages will touch your soul and lift your spirits.Every chapter wraps-up with an Action Plan for easy reference and application.Jay's knowledge, energy, and sincerity "flow" from the pages and into your mind and heart. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Heavy on the military references but a good book
nevertheless. I found myself unable to relate to a lot of the military examples but the lessons taught are powerful. Good book but I think my husband would enjoy it more then I.

Now, more than ever!
Jay's message needs to be heard and read by everyone, NO EXCUSE! I wish he would write another -- there MUST be more he has to say!

A MUST READ FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS
After seeing Jay Rifenbary at a recent conference in Newport Beach, and crying through the entire speech, I purchased the book. This is the most exceptional man and he will change your life by the words in this book. I no longer will live my life with excuses for every bad moment and blame everyone else for what I alone created. This is a must read for professionals and families. No Excuse! Buy this book!

Awesome-should be required reading for teenagers!
This is a book with solid ideas, ideas that have worked for others and will work for you. If your into self-betterment, Read This Book, it is the only one you'll need. I've read it once and I'm reading it again.

A "change your life" type of book!
This book has given me a new look at life. I am realizing changes that need to be made to ensure excellence and productivity in my life. This book makes good sense -- it's one I'll probably read once a year just to remind myself of the good points made ... Read more

Book Description

Using a computer doesn't have to hurt.

Prevent or reverse repetitive stress injuries
Cure carpal tunnel syndrome
End chronic wrist, shoulder, and neck pain
Ease eyestrain
Avoid surgery, drugs, and wrist braces


Using a computer should challenge your mind, not your body.

As computers become a larger part of our daily lives both at work and at home, complaints of painful wrists, sore shoulders, stiff necks, and blurry vision associated with computer use continue to soar.

But the good news is that this chronic pain can easily be prevented or cured without surgery or drugs--or expensive "ergonomic" equipment. There's no need to move your monitor, wear wrist braces, or sit in a specially designed chair.

Instead, Pete Egoscue, using the techniques and principles developed at his renowned clinic, shows you how to keep pointing and clicking for hours--pain free.

You'll learn how to:

Avoid or treat common but debilitating repetitive stress injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome
Recognize and remedy problems in posture and movement before they cause pain
Do easy-to-perform exercises at your desk to eliminate chronic hand, wrist, shoulder, back, and neck pain
Quickly and easily correct damaging patterns of motion
And much more
... Read more

Reviews (7)

It Works
For 4 months, I've had a "pinched nerve" in my neck that caused chronic pain in my right arm (enough to wake me up in the night, every night) and a sort of "numb" feeling in my right index finger. I've been helped some by my chiropractor, some by massage, and gotten prescription pain relief from my M.D. However, after 3 weeks of this book's daily exercise routine for "power PC users," my right arm has been pain free (with no medication). Regardless of grammer (another reviewer's gripe), what this book says is true and it works.

Fantastic!
This book alleviated my lower back pain in 2 days. It's fantastic! Allan Morris who did an earlier review (above) obviously didn't give it a try and should not be in a position to criticise anyone's grammar, looking at his posting.

Worth every penny.

What a Revelation!
So-called experts would have us believe that the workplace, including offices, are dangerous to people since repetitive motions such as typing are the cause of carpal tunnel syndrome and other painful conditions. That's ridiculous, says author Pete Egosgue, who offers simple and effective exercises to cure those pains and improve our health. This is one of the most valuable books I have ever read.

Back to school !!!!
Ok....where do I start! This book contains the worst grammar I've ever seen. The content is average, if your over 10 years old I'm sure you will have seen the exersises else where.

Back to the grammar!!!! The book uses annoying ------ everywhere.. What's the deal with that? The author tries to be hip 'n cool by referencing techincal software, if you don't know what it is then don't write about it! What the hell is Visual C+++ Basic?

The book is split into 3 sections, the first for a person who uses a computer not so often, the second for the average user and thirdly for "Super" users. Being the latter I found the book telling me that half of the content was not applicable to me. Skipping half a book I just purchased does not make me happy. I'm sure that these guy's know alot about pain but please, please, please get someone else to write a book for you. I found myself in more pain after reading a chapter of this book!

FINALLY pain free!
I bought this book because I was developing wrist problems. The program has definately helped but more imporant to me - as a side benefit I am headache free for the first time in almost 10 years!

I HIGHLY recommend this book ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive work on avoiding burnout, written by the psychologist who is the leading specialist on the issue. An illuminating and useful book for anyone coping with the pressures of work.

In Reclaiming the Fire, Dr. Steven Berglas analyzes the rises and falls of corporate executives, middle managers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and others as they struggle to handle the trappings of successful careers. How does one deal with encore anxiety, the monotony of having to use talents that are no longer psychologically rewarding? Why is it that our national obsession with wealth traps people in careers that often lead them to wonder, "Is that all there is?" And why do highly successful people often set themselves up for disastrous falls?

Dr. Berglas answers all these questions and many more in this groundbreaking book by discussing real people whose careers have left them feeling pressured, burdened, and jaded.

In his most progressive and striking contribution to the literature on career success, Dr. Berglas debunks the persistent myth that women suffer more stress and burnout than men. He disproves the common claim that women involved both in careers and in family life suffer from trying to have it all, and he demonstrates how the drive to form close interpersonal ties a drive that is intrinsic to women can actually prevent both men and women from experiencing burnout. In a related analysis of the mentoring process, Dr. Berglas shows why it is more important for careerists to build legacies for future generations (a process he terms generativity) than to become obsessed with their own personal success. He proves that the process not only benefits the student but provides the mentor with psychological satisfaction and even improved physical health.

Reclaiming the Fire uses the working world not the psychiatric couch as a venue for understanding the psychological and emotional burdens of success. It is the first comprehensive account of how to balance self-esteem and ambition while maintaining challenge and stimulation throughout your career.


Reclaiming the Fire provides insight into:

*Why baby boomers are currently suffering an epidemic of career dissatisfaction

*Why women are uniquely suited to cope with the pressures that cause men to suffer burnout, and what men can learn from them

*How to escape golden handcuffs: the workaholic devotion to a job that is no longer emotionally satisfying

*How to cope with anger that threatens to sabotage your career

*How all professionals can identify the passions that will allow them to sustain and enjoy success throughout their lives
... Read more

Reviews (9)

An exceptional read - insightful, clear, and well-written
Dr. Berglas has written an exceptional book that I would recommend to those who are facing workplace issues such as burnout and "Isn't there more than this?" questioning. While I believe his research is relevant for all audiences - I would highly recommend it for people in large corporate settings - as well as those in supervisory roles. Personally, I picked up the book hoping to find some answers regarding the "dead ends" and the boredom I was starting to feel at my corporate job - and I found Dr. Berglas' book to be insightful and solutions-oriented for people like me... While the book is well-researched and deals with complex issues, it is clear and concise and should be easily understandable for all audiences to grasp... If this book is calling out to you for some reason, I highly recommend you read it.

Excellent contents - Not easy to apply
This book deals with the phenomenon of people who have or have had extraordinary succesful careers and nevertheless found themselves to be extremely unhappy - partially up to the point of self-destruction. This also defines the audience for this book: the people described above or those who take a keen interest in such people.

The book has been written by an adjunct faculty member at Harvard Medical school. The academic level is - as far as I can judge - impeccable. The author quotes on many occasions from actual patient-cases which are common enough that many a reader will recognize some of his or her own headaches. One notices that an effort has been made to write a book that is accessible to the general public. However, the book does maintain a certain academic tone that will be off-putting to some people. There are no exercises, questionaires, or the like that would involve the reader a bit more with the subject matter.

Whoever thinks that reading this book and applying a few quick-fix exercises here and mental readjustments there is going to enable them to continue like before, just happier, is extremely mistaken. Dr. Berglas points out that a lot of the misery discussed is a direct result of some deeply engrained characteristics of our culture. For most people, following up on Dr. Berglas' suggestions will imply a drastic (but doable) change in lifestyle.

Being somewhat of an academic myself with a keen interest in psychological issues, I found the book extremely valuable. The value to you depends on how you personally feel about the above. However, my advice: if in doubt, buy it!

The Revenge of Generation X
Dr. Berglas expertly chronicles the psychological dilemmas affecting many hard-driving, successful Baby Boomers who come to the realization: "Is that all there is?" Generation Xers must be laughing to see the Baby Boomers crash so hard.

The book is an easy read and offers good advice for those who still have the psyche to listen and act. But the disturbing point is that many of the example patients discussed in the book are unable to pull out of their funk. Will this psychological malaise become an epidemic among boomers?

The book is definitely worth reading. "Self-handicapping" and "overextension" are significant concepts developed by the author. The book would be better with fewer cute terms such as "Supernova Burnout" "Goldilocks dilemma" and "sundae fallacy."

A remarkable book...
"Reclaiming the Fire is a remarkable book. Few people are as gifted as Steve Berglas at getting into the psyche of businesspeople and unveiling it layer by layer so that the rest of us can begin to comprehend how they think and act."
-Jeffrey L. Seglin, author of The Good, the Bad, and Your Business: Choosing Right When Ethical Dilemmas Pull You Apart (Wiley)

Comfortable, Erudite, but a little short on solutions
Berglas is good. His topic hits right at the center of what I'm experiencing. I kept saying "Boy, that's me!" as I read. His case study stories are engaging and pertinent. Once in a while I had to slow wa-a-a-ay down to digest all the psychological principles he drifts into, but patience pays, because those principles, too, are pertinent. I felt that the last chapter of the book ended up being a receptacle for everything else he hadn't mentioned yet, and I had to read the last two chapters twice to see exactly what his proposed solutions were for what he terms "Supernova Burnout". The only reason I didn't give this book a "5" is that while he develops the syndrome's charactersitics very well, and shores up his analysis with sound psychological principle, his proposals for dealing with it, and turning it around, lacked clear direction. I would've liked to have seen more. ... Read more

Book Description

A practical guide to coping at work

Making Work Work for the Highly Sensitive Person builds on Elaine Aron's groundbreaking bestseller The Highly Sensitive Person.

This new book, which includes a Foreword by Aron, gives highly sensitive persons (HSPs) strategies to build confidence, combat stress, and find work that is emotionally, financially, and creatively rewarding.

Based on cutting-edge medical and scientific research, this fresh perspective on how readers can secure satisfying careers includes strategies to:

• Detect jobs that are not right for HSPs
• Make their opinions heard and valued
• Control good personal internal boundaries
• Defend themselves from bullies in the workplace
• Move out of a job that feels like drudgery, and into a job that supports career goals and dreams

Reviews (5)

Reassuring, but not a definitive how-to guide
This book is touted as being a guide for the highly sensitive person looking for meaningful work. While it offers excellent practical advice for dealing with difficult people (wish I'd had this book two jobs ago), the majority of the book simply describes what the ideal workplace for an HSP would be like. The author's conclusion is that HSPs are best suited for self-employment in a creative field. OK, great. Where Ms. Jaeger falls short is in providing practical advice for how to find or create that type of work situation. Obviously she conducted multiple interviews to get the personal stories that are sprinkled through the chapters. Most interview subjects are creative professionals, yet the most they say is something like, "I really love my job. Now I feel like I'm doing the work I was born for!" NO ONE talks about what they did to establish themselves (classes? training? trust fund? luck?), or how they stay in business (for instance, as an introvert, how do you effectively market your services/products to new clients?). Being an HSP who's considering self-employment, I found it frustrating to read a so-called "career guide" that in essence told me things I already know. Yes, I know I'd work best in an enviroment where I pick my own hours, have soothing lighting, and friendly coworkers. And sure, I want to find my Calling. But simply telling me to "keep working on yourself, and eventually you'll find your true Calling" really doesn't do much for me. Would have enjoyed this book more if the author had included a chapter in which her interview subjects shared personal stories of the steps (esoteric as well as practical) that they took to find their Callings.

Deeply thoughtful + practical approach to sensitive work
This is an excellent book, and the only one of its kind that I have seen. As a very sensitive person, I have struggled all my life to find work that I can enjoy, yet which does not overwhelm me. The realities of office politics, long hours, and other demands have drained my energy and left me feeling low or depressed about work in general.

In this book, Dr. Jaeger addresses all of this. What makes for a good job fit for YOU? How does one go about determining that? What does it mean to have a drudgery job, yet to feel that in some way, one has a "Calling"? Or, is your job one that is "okay", yet some aspect is not all you'd like it to be; and what might you do about that? What constitutes "balance" for a sensitive person? Is a regular job a waste, or should I try self-employment? How do I handle noise, bullying, and excessive demands on the job? And how do I take care of my sensitive self, even if I am not emotionally sensitive; so that I have energy and zest for work AND life?

I highly recommend this book. It has helped me to understand my needs & my situation a lot. It's one of the best out there for those of us who know we have gifts, but have had a hard time figuring out exactly how to share them with the world, in a way that works for us. I'm enriched for having read this book.

It works!
I liked this book because the author provides a useful framework for understanding our relationship to work. All jobs land somewhere on a continuum from drudgery to calling, with craft at the middle being a blend of the two. Moving upscale on the continuum requires personal growth, and that takes courage, intention, and [yes] hard work. But I also found tidbits that I could put to immediate use, like how our mistakes often sabotage us and land us in drudgery. In that regard, the author recounts her own experiences in pizza delivery after finishing work on her Ph.D., and how the work was neither easy nor restful. I waited a long time for this book. I only wish it was available years ago.

Creating Meaningful Work for HSPs, survival guide!!!
HSPs and non HSPs can benefit from this wonderfully written (hand)book on creating meaninful and soul enriching work...but it is, in my opinion, a must-read for HSPs. Considering that we spend the majority of our waking hours at work, where and how we spend this time is crucial for our happiness, and, yes, even survival. Dr. Jaeger's style is comfortable and encouraging, in a "journey" telling format that is full of practical advice and true-life stories. I truly envy the young HSPs having this insightful book available to help them make early career choices (and changes!!) to enrich their HSP souls. Thanks, Barrie! S.W.

HSP's are Not "Too Sensitive"!
Dr. Jaeger has provided a clear, concise and highly readable book for those who have been told they're "way too sensitive." As someone who heard these words my entire life, I found this book validating that my ability to be in-tune with those around me, creative, curious, and an information sponge interested in new things is NOT a fatal flaw. Rather, these attributes are strengths, and ones that the world of work can and does need from me. Dr. Jaeger's book helped me see specific techniques for thriving in a business world where my sensitivity is an asset. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Perfect for the Busy Executive!
If you work 50-75 hours a week, this book is a must-have! It teaches you to be more productive during the day, get your work done in less time, and get home to your life sooner. This is the most complete guidebook on personal productivity I have ever read. It's not just about time management or getting organized or life balance...it's a complete picture of all the things you need to do to improve output, lower stress, and save time at work and home.

Using the word "PRODUCTIVE" itself as a foundation, Stack devotes a chapter to each of the ten key productivity factors: Preparation, Reduction, Order, Discipline, Unease, Concentration, Time Mastery, Information, Vitality, and Equilibrium. Readers determine their own Productivity Quotient (PQ) ™ by answering ten questions per factor, resulting in a cumulative score out of 500 possible points.

I really like the way the book is organized. It's not designed to be read from beginning to end: Stack has used a great hyperlink concept that allows you to "jump" right to the chapter and section where you most need help and begin working on those skills. This modular format is really helping me improve my personal productivity, one habit at a time!

Stack is also collecting the results of the Productivity Quotient (PQ) on her website, so you can compare your performance to others in your industry, income, gender, job function, and age. Cool! You can also register for a FREE monthly follow-up email, which provides support and coaching on productivity concepts. You can sign up on her website at www.TheProductivityPro.com.

If you know someone who works too many hours or needs to improve performance, this will be a great gift...and a must-have addition to your personal library.

I Learned a Lot of Very Useful Tools
It is obvious Laura Stack has a lot of hands-on experience working with people like me who are not naturally organized. Her style is a wonderful mix of stories, examples, theory, practice and concrete tips. It's a great read, completely current and I took notes all through. I stopped from time to time to learn more about resources she mentions that I had never heard of. Naturally the book itself is masterfully organized. My only complaints are that she uses memory tools to help remember her steps that are too long for me to remember. Also there is no index. Get it anyway. I expect to return to this book again and again.

Superb Book
This is a superb book that will help you do your work and live your life with balance, focus, and congruence. Laura Stack shows us how to be extraordinary in business while also being wonderfully invested in the essence of family and community. Read these pages with the warmth of your heart and soul, not only with the intellect of your mind. You'll then live the width and depth of your life not merely the length of your years.

Nido Qubein, Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Company
Founder, National Speakers Association Foundation ... Read more

Book Description

Morale is down--spirits are low--the workload is mounting. Today's hard-working employees need a break! And nothing feels better than Care Packages for the Workplace from internationally known, lift-your-spirits author Barbara Glanz. This timely gift-book format provides the hard at work with dozens of simple ``brighten-your-day'' ideas such as: beautifying the work space in order to do what Tom Peters recommends--``Fight Bland Dullness!''; putting a personal signature on all work; sharing a joke-a-day, one month at a time; holding grapevine meetings where rumors are openly discussed; partaking in good news hours where positive news is shared; creating special awards for a job well done; scheduling lunches with management. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great IDEAS
This book provided a great deal of information and ideas to draw from. I enjoyed that I could read it quickly. I was able to apply some of the ideas or variations of them at work !

Changing the way you look at work
Barbara Glantz has written a life altering book--at least a life at the workplace altering book. It is easy to read and filled with hundreds of big and little things that can change the way you spend 40 hours a week. Very positive, super ideas.

There are better books on the topic...
This book is just okay. There are a lot of examples of how to improve morale at work, but the writing isn't that great, and the book isn't very well organized. There are much better books on the topic...try Managing to Have Fun by Matt Weinstein or 1001 Ways to Energize Employees by Bob Nelson.

"Care Packages" changed the way I work
"Care Packages for the Workplace" is a fun, easy read that will change your attitude toward work and life. I can't recommend this book enough. It is filled with ways to make the workplace more humane on every level. Read it today...you'll go to work tomorrow a different person.

Very disappointing
This book was not at all what I expected. As a member of middle management I was looking for suggestions on motivating employees on more of an individual basis. Most of the ideas in this book I felt need to be implemented by upper management throughout the entire organization. As supervisor of a small department, I do not have the resources or authority to implement these types of changes. Also, most of the ideas would only work in businesses with high customer contact. For those of us that work only within the organization, most of these ideas are not applicable. ... Read more

Book Description

Yoga has gone completely mainstream. Sensible people everywhere are saying "Om" and doing postures once a week.Enter the worlds easiest yoga book for the place we need it most: work!Renowned teacher Darrin Zeer brings this ancient Indian art to the modern-day office with a fully illustrated, easy-to-use guide offering 75 stress-relieving stretches perfect for the cube environment.Unlike most yoga guides, Office Yoga offers a fun, accessilbe approach and is useful for both beginners and experts.Excercises are organized by time of day and for a variety of situations--walking stretches, commute exercises, on-the-phone and at-the-copy machine streches.Humorous and colorful illustrations by Micheal Klein enliven excerises that can be performed anywhere from the elevator to the conference room.This handy little book will fit nicely on any desktop, and makes a great gift for the workaholic in your life. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great little gift idea
I just bought this book and I love it. The style is simple and easy to use. Each page has a clear, concise yoga tip, and the inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout are a wonderful compliment to the highly practical content. One of the best things about this book is that it is elegant--a finely crafted hardbound book with unique illustrations and a small cozy size that feels fun to hold. The book can be easily tucked away anywhere in the office, or toted along in a briefcase or knapsack. This would make a perfect pick-me-up gift for a friend or office co-worker. "Office Yoga" would be just the thing to include in a stress relief care basket.

Exactly As The Title Says - Excellent Book!!!
My roommates purchased this book for me for the holidays, (hint hint - SLOW DOWN, you're way too stressed ~*lol*~). I now keep this handly little book at my office desk at all times!

This book is exactly what anyone with a job at all needs, not just office type jobs!

The stretches in this book are clear and easy to follow and do not require that you have any knowledge of yoga or anything else in order to do these stretches. Anyone can easily follow them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone!!

Perfect for folks who spend time at their desks
Sometimes, I'll come across a little book that will
surprise you . . . such was the case with OFFICE YOGA by
Darrin Zeer . . . though only 93 pages (in a smallish 4.5 x 6
binding), it nevertheless contained many useful techniques that
make it the perfect desk accessory for busy professionals.

I also liked the accompanying illustrations by Michael
Klein . . . they made it easy to follow Zeer's advice.

Among the ideas that caught my attention were the following:
* Red Light Rejuvenation

This also works on planes and trains.

Sit back, relax, and gently roll your head in circles.

Shrug your shoulders up and down, breathing in rhythm as you do.

Become on with the traffic flow.

* Antidote for road rage

Stop-and-go traffic make you nuts? Loosen up your windpipes
and sing your favorite song. Imitate an opera singer and
come from your belly with the sound.

* E-mail meditation

While you are reading your e-mail, remember to breathe slowly
and focus your attention on your breath. Make the out-breath
two times longer than the in-breath. This will immediately calm you.

You can do Yoga at work
This book is a great light introduction to Yoga. It breaks up activities for morning, work and after work. The work activities are not to difficult, time consuming or attention getting.

This book turned out to be quite helpful.
My previous office had desks that adjusted up and down (you could stand if you wanted to.) The bank and post office were also a 5 minute walk down the hill so I got some fresh air during the day many times. That was real luxury. Now I have a regular cubicle and the office is the only thing around for miles (hello, Dilbert.) At the end of the day I was surprise how sore and tired I was. This did not make sense, as I certainly was not doing any physical labor. The lack of movement turned out to be the source of the problem. The comfy chair just tempts me to sit and not move around. There's an exercise room, but who wants to change into shorts and a tee to get a breather? Not me.

So this book turned out to be rather helpful. In addition to stretches for fingers, wrists, hands and back, there are ones for the legs too. I find my hips get sore, and this helps a lot to do some simple stretching. The book is a nice, small format that you can hide in a drawer or leave on the desk without it taking up a lot of room.

There are some helpful hints, such as taking a break and walking outside if possible and drinking lots of water. Now I make sure NOT to eat my lunch in my cubicle, and I make water breaks to refill my mug and take a stroll now and then. It helps a lot at the end of the day. ... Read more

Book Description

Today's workforce is experiencing job burnout in epidemic proportions. Workers at all levels, both white- and blue-collar, feel stressed out, insecure, misunderstood, undervalued, and alienated at their workplace. This original and important book debunks the common myth that when workers suffer job burnout they are solely responsible for their fatigue, anger, and don't give a damn attitude. The book clearly shows where the accountability often belongs. . . .squarely on the shoulders of the organization.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Good Read!
Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter's groundbreaking book debunks myths about burnout and holds organizations accountable for this epidemic, which has swept the work world. The authors detail how organizations can treat and prevent burnout, and take a critical look at its deep-rooted causes, including lack of engagement and conflict between employees' values and their jobs. Conversationally and with great impact, the authors support their points and suggestions. We recommend this book to executives, managers and employees. Now go home and get some rest.

A REAL CURE FOR A MODERN DAY PYCHOLOGICAL EPEDEMIC
In the Truth About Burnout Drs. Maslach and Leiter propose the first real cure for burnout and the key to releasing peak potential in the workforce.

Much of the past advice on the topic of burnout focuses on how to help people cope with burnout. These techniques are useful and come in handy, but unfortunately they do not position or fortify people to reach higher levels of performance. Simply treating the symptoms of burnout is like giving someone a medicine that provides temporary relief from external signs that they have a cold. After the medication wears off, they still have a virus raging through their body that's slowing them down. Likewise the "virus" that causes burnout is disengagement with work and no matter what temporary relief solution we provide to ease the pain, in the form of workshops on how to cope and "employee assistance programs" at the end of the day the "virus of disengagement" is still alive and well and impairing performance.

This book is for anyone manager or individual contributor who has decided to stop coping and "sugar-coating" and instead seek a real and practical solution to burnout. I highly recommend it.

Joe Santana,
Co-author Manage IT

Best resource!
I currently teach a graduate-level course on Burnout in the Helping Professions. This book serves as the "bible" on burnout and prevention strategies from both organizational and personal perspectives. Use it fopr academic purposes as well as personal reasons. You'll be glad you did!

the truth about burnout
I read this book in my local libary and found it very interesting. It also applies to government which have become infected with consultants and "reform" fads. Another good book was "The Witch Doctors, making sense of management gurus. WE already survived TQM, and now are going throug"reinvention" which was supposed to be all done in 3 to 5 years. Now 7 1/2 years later it takes 2x the number of people to do half the work in twice the time. This is is causing burnout in a lot of people. I'll buy the book when it comes out in paperback.

A Great Organizational Perspective
THE TRUTH ABOUT BURNOUT is that it is not an imperfection of the individual employee. Burn-out is a symptom of an organization in trouble.

Christina Maslach is Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and the creator of The Maslach Burnout Inventory. Michael P. Leiter is Dean of the Faculty at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The traditional perspective about burnout is that it is an individual problem. The natural solutions to this perspective focuses on providing courses on stress management, bringing in Employee Assistance Programs, and doing a better job of selecting in people who can handle stress.

The authors argue that these interventions are positive but incomplete.

If employee burnout really is a symptom of an organization in trouble, then the interventions need to be organizational in context. They begin by analyzing job-person fit from the following dimensions: workload, control, rewards, community, fairness, a! nd values. There is a case description of a 750 bed hospital which illustrates these concepts in practice.

As it stands, the book makes its case well and provides concrete suggestions. The Maslach Burnout Inventory would appear to be an excellent tool for use in organization development interventions. The authors clearly have a solid grasp of their subject.

The limitations of this book are that I don't think the authors provide a convincing case for CEOs to take employee burnout seriously.

For CEOs to take employee burnout as seriously as Maslach and Leiter would like, we think there needs to be some recognition at the Board of Directors level that this is an important issue.

In our work with Boards of Directors, we seldom see that recognition.

Future editions of THE TRUTH ABOUT BURNOUT would benefit from more discussion about how burnout effects share holder value. Only five pages out of 178 focus on how burnout impacts the financial performance of a company.

To ! get CEOs to take burnout seriously, the Compensation Commit! tee of Boards would have to add that a percentage of each CEO's bonus pay be determined by positive or negative deviation from some desired employee turn-over statistic or some desired customer satisfaction statistic.

As it currently stands in North America, few companies even bother to collect employee turnover and customer satisfaction statistics. Few companies bother to collect the true costs of recruiting/training new employees.

If it is not important enough for the Board of Directors to measure, then why should the CEO assume that it counts?

That's a problem we would love to see Maslach and Leiter address.

Fortunately for them, a model exists. When a Board is serious enough to count diversity as a component of a CEO's variable compensation, suddenly companies seem to take diversity seriously!

And if the Board does not count it important enough to be part of the variable compensation system, then the company is apt to engage in more talk and training than! action. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the story of a One Minute Manager who was so successful in every way that he forgot one important thing: He forgot to stay physically fit. He was so much in demand that he ate on the run, didn't take time to exercise, and all the while saw his weight balloon and his breath grow shorter. He soon discovered success in business was endangering his health. His life was out of balance.For all those busy, achieving people with overcrowded schedules, here is a useful blueprint that shows how to manage stress and make a lifetime commitment to fitness and well-being. By following four important strategies for balancing a complicated life, everyone can get their bodies back into shape and their lives into proper perspective. The One Minute Manager Balances Work and Life offers a way to achieve not only a new, healthier style of living but increased productivity as well. For the millions of readers of Ken Blanchard's bestselling books--including Raving Fans and Gung Ho!--here's invaluable advice for getting the most out of life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The One Minute Manager Takes Care of Himself!
This book was originally published under the title "The One Minute Manager Gets Fit." An even better title would have been "The One Minute Manager Takes Care of Himself." The entire volume emphasizes the importance of taking of oneself so that effectiveness in all other areas of life will be at a maximum.

There are four components presented here to insure a fit, healthy life: autonomy, connectedness, perspective and tone. Autonomy pertains to getting control of one's personal schedule so that there is enough time for self-care. Connectedness refers to having a strong, interpersonal support network to keep on track with proper fitness, nutrition, etc. Perspective pertains to how well one views his own life. Tone refers to the actual physical condition and health of a person's body, mind and emotions.

This title should be at the top of the list for "One Minute" fans. The format is the same as all the other books in the series and the principles are life-changing. For some persons, this book may even be life-saving!

Setting the tone
For a change, the One Minute Manager is a student in this book. Despite his professional success and fame, he realizes that he has neglected his own physical well being over the years. Then comes a professor who teaches him to put physical fitness first.

There is a simple questionnaire (The Professor's dozen) that the one minute manager needs to answer. It applies to all of us. Depending on the score on this, one may decide the true state of ones "Tone", the word that is used to describe the physical well being of the individual. The four parameters (or moderators that prevent stress) responsible for sustained success in work and life are:

1. Autonomy : The availability of many choices that give good control in life
2. Connectedness : Strong positive relationship at home, at work and in the community