Book Description

Increase Your Productivity, Reduce Stress, and Get Home on Time at Last!

More than 800,000 people worldwide are already working faster and smarter, and adjusting their career paths upward thanks to Kerry Gleeson’s revolutionary book, The Personal Efficiency Program. Now, it’s your turn. Find out how to get organized at work, get more done, and carve out more time to do what you really want to do. We all juggle work life and personal life and worry that we spend too much time and effort paying the bills to fulfill our other roles as parents, spouses, and friends. This book will help you work more quickly and efficiently, freeing up more time for the life you live outside the office.

This completely up-to-date Third Edition of the ultimate labor-saving, stress-busting, career-boosting guide helps you take complete control of every challenge and chore you face at work. Completely retooled to address the evolving demands of the modern workplace, it shows you how to:

• Cope with information overload
• Make technology do your work for you
• Establish workable schedules and stick to them
• End procrastination and its repercussions
• Improve teamwork and run more productive meetings
• Spend more of your time on the really important work you do
• Spend less time at the office and more time kicking up your heels

Reviews (10)

A Big Help
This book really inspired me to clean up my act at work. I always say that I have better things to think about than where is the proper place to put a particular item...but I followed the instructions in this book and got everything in order and it has definitely made me more efficient, as well as improving my professional image. I've been following the other advice and in just the first week of putting it into practice I have received a lot of compliments from the people I work with/for, which has inspired me to work even more on improving my personal efficiency through this program!

Cheaper than the Program, great value for the money
Kerry Gleeson's Personal Efficiency Program is the famed system for multiplying productivity that has already revolutionised the work lives of over 300,000 people around the globe. In this book Gleeson offers an updated and expanded edition of his classic guide to working faster and smarter, giving you all the tools you need to get control of your workload-and your career.

This second edition also includes expanded information on conquering information overload, using the Internet to save time and energy, and managing today's faster-paced and multi-located work environments. Whether your goal is to be more productive, build a more rewarding career, or just leave the office on time, The Personal Efficiency Program can help you achieve it.

Kerry Gleeson is creator of the Personal Efficiency Program, whose clients include executives from world class companies. His work as today's premier expert on personal productivity has been featured in leading business publications.

Highly Recommended
Author Kerry Gleeson, a specialist in white collar efficiency and productivity, describes a do-it-now program for becoming more organized and effective. As might be expected, this is a well-organized book. Gleeson outlines some familiar approaches to getting organized, such as setting up an office system that deals with paperwork effectively. The book becomes more informative when it discusses some less familiar organizational techniques, such as planning chunks of time to deal with similar tasks, using technology and establishing routines for maintaining your organizational system. The book's major strength is the detail it offers about setting up files and systems, and following through on organizational initiatives. We enjoyed Gleeson's case histories of reorganizing various offices. She uses many of her basic principles in common sense ways - and the messes she repairs will make you feel like the top of your desk may not be hopeless after all.

New edition is wonderful
I read the first edition of this book from the library and loved it. Very simple, easy to understand pictures even. Covers just about everything you'd want to cover on getting organized at work. This new edition is especially good with getting your electronic files organized and discussing how to deal with e-mail. Do It Now! as the author says.

How to be organized and efficient in the workplace
The Personal Efficiency Program is exactly that, a program to help you get organized and stay organized so that you can get more done in less time. The overriding theme is to do things now and don't put them off. The book covers all the bases for organization from developing a routine, planning processes, following through, managing and maintaining. The area that it does not cover is the psychological factors in getting things done. For example, one of the books that I read noted that one of the problems with a "to-do" type list is that we tend to look at it and do the easiest or most fun things first. So, as a result our reward for completing one of the items on our "to-do" list is that we get a less desireable and more difficult task to do next. Rearranging the "to-do" list so that you do the most difficult and least fun things first you set yourself up for success because as a reward for doing the difficult item you get a less difficult item or more fun item to do. I know it is just playing games, but it does affect how well people get their "to-do" list completed. I wish that he had included research like that in the book in addition to all of the good ideas for organizing and keeping track of things.

This book is designed solely for the work environment and getting things organized and done at work. Still many of the items can be applied at home too. It is a good book and a good read with a program that works if you implement and practice it. ... Read more

Book Description

renowned motivational coach of world-class athletes turns his attention to those in the corporate world. In Stress for Success, business people get a practical, performance-based program to strengthen their physical, mental and emotional resilience. Loehr's 30-day program shows readers how to gradually make the kind of personal lifestyle changes that bring about the kind of high-level performance demanded of people at every level of the corporation.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Face your life!
The message is clear -- face the issues that are stressful for you. I enjoyed this book because it is realistic. If you have problems with stress, this book will help you.

Very interesting concept
James Loehr convincingly puts forth the argument that, instead of avoiding stress, you need to learn to embrace it and improve yourself by learning to adapt and effectively recover from stress.

An admittedly interesting concept. After reading this book I tried to make myself immune from headaches by banging my head against the wall for progressively longer periods of time. After two weeks I was admitted to the Emergency Room here at El Camino Hospital and diagnosed with a minor concussion. The attending ER doc, Dr. Lee, tried to pursuade me not to continue with this project. I told him about this book, but he was not familiar with it. I was afraid his ignorance would be detrimental to my project, so once I get my doctor's approval to go back to work, I'm going to try this again.

A great book for those wanting high achievement
An outstanding book for leaders and rookies alike searching for a guide to success in an organization. Let your stress work for you. This book will show you how. I recommend it to all who aspire to succeed in their careers.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D., author of "Stress Management for Over-Achievers" docwifford@msn.com

Smartest book about high performance ever written.
For years Jim Loehr was the leading sports psycologist in America. Now he has translated his findings and his ideas to the corporate work place. There may be no one who has a more integrated view of what it takes--physically, emotionally, and mentally--to perform at the hightest level without sacrificing a sense of meaning and well-being. This book truly changed my life! ... Read more

Book Description

Are you tired of being tired?
Do you find yourself dragging out of bed each morning and dragging yourself to work? Do you come home at night and collapse in front of the TV? Do you feel as though your job is your life... or your life is a job?

Here's your personal power pack!
Plug into this action resource and discover how to recharge your batteries at a moment's notice. This practical, one-of-a-kind program is based on fascinating new research - from brain science to stress reduction - and has been tested extensively by the author's leading corporate clients. Open to any page and you'll find a wealth of creative ideas and strategies that can help turn your life around.
... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great book for Students, Employees, Bosses
I first came across this book more than 10 years ago, when as a doctor I was asked to give a lecture on stress management. It was life-changing for me, both at work and in my leisure time, as well--because it taught me how to play again, and to allow myself to enjoy sports at the same time I was driven to excell.

I recommend this book all the time to colleagues, patients and students. And I'm now buying a copy for my teenaged daughter, a competitive athlete who is combatting burnout. These skills should be graduation requirements for every high school student.

Life Changer!
This book changed my life when it first came out... I brought my toys to the office and started taking regular juggling breaks. Using some of the strategies in the book, I transformed myself and my team. Now, years later, I've found myself rediscovering the book, and sharing it with my new team -- although I'd incorporated many of the strategies into my work and home life, I'm re-applying some of the forgotten messages and strategies. This book is nothing short of life-changing. I also love the illustrations! The ONLY negative I have about the book is that I think the original larger format was a better package -- that edition had a very fun color road map / chapter listing on the inside covers that added a great deal to the look and feel of the book. (I was happy to find that the content had remained the same.) I recommend this book to team leaders as well as team members. DO THE EXERCISES!

Live by the words...
This book made me realize that so many Americans take their work as the only thing they have in life to give of themselves. But they take for granted the most important aspect of life ... themselves and their loved ones. Read this book and you will realize that there is DEFINATELY a lot more to life than work. I enjoyed the book for that realization. I felt though that the suggestions were not as detailed as I would have liked and wished it had gone deeper into applying it to your everyday life. I guess the book is written to take you to the door, and you are the one that has to open it. I am recommending this book to friends. :)

End of burnout
I was very tired of work, when I found that book. The title made me curious. Actually I wanted to leave my job, but while reading I realised, that it was not only the job, it was me. I would have the same troubles everywhere. I now try to make some changes in my life and will see how it works.

You've heard the expression "Get a life!" - Here's how! !
If you find that you come home and collapse in front of your televison every night because you're "too tired" to do anything else, you should read this book.

This book should be required reading for every worker, manager and supervisor.

It was not too long ago that a 30 hour work week was predicted to become the norm for most US whitecollar workers. The average workweek today is almost 50 hours long. Layoffs, downsizing and the fears these management strategies instill have caused people to put in more and more time to survive, hoping to stay ahead of the next cutback.

This book explains why that reasoning is not only wrong, but achieves just the opposite result. This book suggests that a worker who goes home on time and has fun both on and off the job is more creative, more productive, and more successful.

A radical concept well worth exploring. ... Read more

Book Description

In this book Michael P. Leiter and Christina Maslach, the leading experts on job burnout prevention and authors of the landmark book The Truth About Burnout, outline their revolutionary new program for helping everyone in the workplace overcome everyday stress and pressures and achieve their career goals. Banishing Burnout includes the authors’ unique and highly effective Work Life self-assessment test and a customized plan for action that will help transform the individual’s relationship with work and overcome job burnout. The authors outline their proven action plan, which shows how to establish core values, set a personal direction, engage other people, initiate a realistic plan of action, make an impact, and achieve career goals. The book is filled with illustrative case examples from a wide variety of organizations, including corporations, health care institutions, universities, and nonprofit organizations. Each case demonstrates how the use of the Work Life self-survey and the individualized action plan can result in dramatic changes in the daily workplace experience and advance career development.  

Book Description

Introducing eight proven strategies for beating job burnout, this newly revised edition also contains expanded information on networking, growing your social support system, and personal goal setting.

Learning Objectives:To explain thought patterns that can cause burnout.To suggest ways to deal with negative thought patterns.To explain the relationship of thoughts and feelings. ... Read more

Book Description

Breaking the Rules is both an intensely personal self-improvement book and a business management book. On the self-improvement side it is a personal guide for discovering what you are like at your very best and how to be that way more often. It offers a complete system of self-understanding based on the premise that being at your best is your natural state, and one you could be enjoying more often if you weren't doing so much to interfere with it. The author invites readers to join him in a discovery learning process that reveals how to stop interfering and learn to tap into and begin to work with the natural guidance that is readily available through your inner intuitive knowing.

A complete description is furnished for how real-time access to your intuition can be easily achieved when your intuition is being supplied with properly framed questions.

Breaking the Rules proposes that:

1) Being at your best cannot occur until you gain real-time access to your intuition.

2) While it may be easier for women to access their intuition, it is actually men who have the more powerful intuitive capability. The real need is for both men and women to fully appreciate and make better use of this valuable strength.

3) The proper use of "what's right" questions is a far simpler and more effective way to solve problems than trying to figure out what's wrong and fix it.

4) All that we know about what it takes for an individual to be at his or her best must cross-apply to an organization or it cannot be considered valid.

5) All that we think must occur for an organization to be at its best must also be true for an individual at his or her best or it cannot be considered valid.

6) Our lives work best when they are lived in full alignment with our life's purpose. Unfortunately, less than five percent of the population is able to articulate their life's purpose.

7) Problems that occur in our lives are simply ways used by our inner self to let us know that we are out of alignment with our life's purpose.

On the business management side, the work presented in Breaking the Rules is the culmination of more than 20 years of inquiry, development and field testing around the question, "What causes commitment, in its healthiest, least stressful form?" The author's initial working premise was that if the thought process used by visionary leaders to achieve their high level of effectiveness could be truly understood, that understanding should offer an ideal model for allowing organizations to achieve their own greatness. Breaking the Rules shows how this can now be demonstrated consistently in practice. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A working manual for driving through life on maximum revs
This is a brilliant, provocative, intriguing, challenging, energising (literally!) book!

What was the best thing for me?

His concept of the Detached Control Achievement patterns (That's me!)

Other great things?

Clarity around how to GET my Life Purpose (two years of Landmark Forum training did not get me to GET that!).

We get more of what we measure (so measure what you want improved)

That I have a "powerful drive to learn" and all the behaviour/thoughts which go with that.

I look at the world through my own eyes, not those of others. No wonder when I ask people about me, what they see is so different from what I see myself! Powerful insights for me here.

And that I need to envision at least 10 years ahead (last year I created a goal of being "Alive, Alert and Active on my 100th birthday" so I've been thinking along the Right lines.)

It's amazing how my perspective changed when I thought in terms of having another 45 years of life to map out and plan!

This is not just a book - it is a working manual for driving through life on maximum revs!

This book continues to change my life
Breaking the is truly a life-changing book for me. Just another self-help book, I thought. It turned out to be unlike any other self-help book that I've ever read.

How is this book different? This is not a book that made me feel good, but never managed to change anything about me, leaving me feel more powerless than before. The authors, Kurt and Patricia Wright, actually manage to engage into a relationship with me, never leaving me off the hook. On the contrary, sometimes I found them to be so inquisitive and personal I put the book down or feel uncomfortable with their questions.

It is indeed the questions that are life changing. I never really new how to ask questions of myself and others that actually improve things. You know how in our conversations and thoughts we so often focus on what's wrong and trying to fix that? And how it never really gets us anywhere? Breaking the Rules is about that, about asking right, empowering questions. About learning to recognize your already existing strength and to build on those so we can all reach a state of effortless high performance.

After reading this book I can never look at myself the same way again. It's like that image where you could at first only see the old lady, unable to see that there was also a young lady in there. Once you see the young lady you can never "unsee" her.

If you are ready for looking at what's right in your own life and the lives of those around you, whether in your personal relationships or in business, you've found your book.

A remarkable, wise, soul searching book
I didn't expect this book to be so good. It's remarkable, wise, and soul awakening. Concepts such as all stress is self-induced, that all criticism is self-revealing, that every moment has total perfection, are mind stretching, liberating, and empowering. This is a classic book. I'm going to get copies for people I care about. Read it.

How to get on a roll and never stop
This is one of the most remarkable books I have ever read about effortless high performance.

Wright provides practical, achievable techniques that can take you beyond your wildest dreams, then backs them up with anecdotes. My colleagues and I have used these techniques and achieved remarkable success.

Increase productivity by adopting positive thought patterns
This is a great book! It's definitely a "sunny" book, though, so if optimism makes you puke you probably won't like it. Kurt Wright examines how the brain handles different types of information and he outlines methods that use your brain's inherent abilities to improve your performance. The book can be used either as a self-improvment tool or as a guide to increase an organization's productivity. ... Read more

Book Description

Job burnout is something that doesn't simply go away - especially in a chaotic economy. It is a kind of job depression caused by feelings of powerlessness, the loss of control over one's work. The effect can be devastating. The victim dreads going to work. Productivity falls and life becomes increasingly difficult. Burnout is stressful, but it is not caused by stress. Going on a vacation provides relief until the vacation is over and one must return to the job. Overcoming Job Burnout describes how burnout can take hold and how to turn it around. Dr. Potter offers eight proven strategies for increasing personal power and renewing enthusiasm for working. A combination of inspiration and instruction, this updated, revised edition is filled with practical advice, based on the author's years of experience in this field, that readers can implement immediately to renew that sense of engagement and excitement that makes working worthwhile. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Review by Claire Burch of Berkeley
Dr. Beverly Potter has come up with a self help book that can really help in that it is clear, based on experience, and written for adults with not a tinge of the patronizing tone and cliches that make so many books that try to help far less successful than this one.
All her Stanford training in psychology stands the author in good stead, making this a book that speaks to both head and heart. Our frantic mechanized society today contributes to the deadly dynamic of burnout as described by Dr. Potter, and her methods for avoiding burnout are happily simple and achievable by following her suggestions. Her experience as a writer stands her in good stead and makes reading this book a pleasure.
The author has managed to avoid the pat simplistic directions that taint so many self-help books today. I read it at a moment of personal burnout and found myself embarked on a new voyage of self-discovery as I worked my way through her suggestions. Noteworthy is the refreshingly clean and literate style, so different from the often sentimental advice given in books that try to help our personal crises. This book is marked by a clear intelligence and background of knowledge of our human strengths and frailties. For the weary twentieth century person, bogged down by responsibility and unending chores, the book can be a lifesaver. I recommend it to anyone who, like myself, feels that there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish those goals that we seem to have set ourselves. Dr. Potter's book is refreshingly free of stale ideas. I think the author is an original, and the book should be a best seller - I for one needed it. My hunch is that there are many others like me out there who could benefit from her crisp and inspiring style, as well as engaging content.

At Last, Practical Solutions to a Debilitating Problem
Way back when, people used to enjoy going to work. Nowadays, almost everyone I speak with can't stand their job! A lot of factors make up this attitude. Stress is one of the primary causes and Doctor Potter seems to have the cure. But she doesn't just spout off impractical theories. The value in this book is Potter's pragmatic blueprint to help the reader renew his or her passion for work. In my paticular case, her strategies helped me perceive the predicaments I always seemed to get into as opportunities for change. I am now more positive and self-assured whenever I encounter stressful situations. And, of course, she offers tips to help reduce daily stress. But her tips are more well-reasoned and rational as opposed to other books I've read. Potter's guidelines are easy to follow and ultimately work. Anyone who has a job they don't like will get a new lease on life after reading this book. And I'll wager that those readers who do love their job will never want to take it and shove it. Oh...and Phil Frank's illustrations are simply wonderful. I highly recommend this book!

A good start
Upon reading this book I feel the author is doing her best through examples of others to demonstrate those that have hit burnout. Once its established if you have reached it, or if you are on your way, she moves on to how this can happen, and how much you are empowered to change this. Tips and ideas are given on how to reduce stress and how to help change or tailor your job in a direction that you have the most power. She does not advocate moving on before you have resolved some of the internal issues that have caused your displeasure at your current job. I feel ths examples of how real people in the book overcame their burnout and became happy and sucessful once again.

Practical Advice
There are few books on burnout that deal with practical strategies. Many times, we know - at least in part - why we feel burnout. The problem is moving forward, and theoretical analyses of organization structure, etc. are often not that helpful. This book provides detailed strategies for recognizing the factors that lead to burnout and strategies for dealing with burnout. For example, the book indicates that frequent "negative wins" will lead to burnout. We get a "negative win" when we do something in order to avoid something negative. A kid cleaning her room to avoid being yelled at by a parent is an example of a situation with a negative win. An adult cleaning the living room because he wants to relax in a comfortable environment is an example of a situation with a positive win. Potter suggests that we develop ways of providing our own positive wins when we do not get them naturally from the situation. I find these insights valuable in developing my own recognition of situations that can lead me to burnout. I have implemented some of the strategies, and they have helped quite a bit. This is not the perfect book on this subject, but it is a good and useful book - most importantly, it actually does help. I'm very happy that I purchased it.

Credibility
I find it difficult to give a self-help book much credibility when it is filled with spelling errors, grammar errors and printing errors. I would think that someone who cares enough to write a book to help people could at least care enough to check her work. ... Read more

Book Description

With Beat Sales Burnout, you can get back on your game before the sales quarter ends. No matter what your age or experience, you'll learn how to break bad habits, create new sales strategies, increase on-the-job productivity, and reclaim your passion for selling. With top performance consultant Stephan Schiffman as your guide, you'll get the sound advice and foolproof strategies you need to:

Book Description

"Get a Grip! offers a healthy dose of practical advice. An absolute necessity for anyone who wants to stay on top, but who is at risk for the big burnout."
—George Dennish, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine University of California, San Diego

"This insightful and helpful book shows you how to take complete control of your emotions and achieve peak performance in every area of your life."
—Brian Tracy, author of Create Your Own Future

Get a Grip! offers a powerful prescription for living and thriving in today's high-stress world. This reader-friendly guide takes a straightforward approach to conquering stress, presenting quick and easy tactics for relaxing and reviving the mind, body, and spirit. Stress expert Bob Losyk gives you the tools to identify the causes of stress in your life and shows you which stress-busting techniques best fit your lifestyle and schedule. Based on a wide range of influences—including nutrition and diet, meditation and breathing techniques, and relaxation exercises—you'll develop your own effective, personalized stress-fighting regimen. This book is for everyone who wants to live a better life—from CEOs to homemakers.

Inside, you'll discover:

• The causes of stress and its impact on organizations and individuals
  
• How to measure your stress and get off the road to job burnout
  
• Exercise, meditation, and stretching techniques for relaxation and stress relief
  
• Tips on healthy nutrition for increased mental and physical well-being
  
• Fresh ideas for fun activities that rejuvenate your spirit and sense of humor
  
• Valuable insight on balancing your life and living it to the fullest
  
• Advice on simplifying and balancing your priorities to get more done under less pressure
  
• And fifty quick ideas for getting a grip on stress—now!

No matter what causes your stress—and no matter how little time and how many commitments you have—Get a Grip! will help you find easy ways to reduce everyday tension and live a happier, healthier life. ... Read more

Book Description

Problems concentrating. Loss of energy. Feelings of worthlessness. Difficulty making decisions. Each year, an estimated 11 million Americans experience a major depressive episode. Keeping a job while struggling to regain one's health is one of the most difficult and delicate aspects of recovery from depression. Authors Fawn Fitter and Beth Gulas provide a reassuring, informative guide to dealing with depression on the job. They address questions such as: Should I ask my boss for time off? Should I tell my colleagues about my depression? Are my treatment records confidential? With self-assessment tools and decision-making guidance, this book is a first-of-its-kind resource for millions of Americans faced with the hardship of working through depression. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

MUCH-NEEDED
Given the amount of stigma that still surrounds depression and mental illness in general, this book is an essential resource. It's matter-of-fact and practical; the information about confidentiality and job protection is particularly helpful. We should all know our rights in the workplace, and Working in the Dark can be a real source of empowerment.

Extremely helpful
I purchased this for a close friend who was battling depression while holding down an intensely demanding job. She found the book to be profoundly helpful and has since recommended it to several of her co-workers.

A must have book!
I ordered this book because a family member suffers from depression and was having problems dealing with certain tasks at work. I wish this book had been around a long time ago. One of the reasons this book is so good is that the authors speak from personal experience. The advice you are given is based on what worked or works for them and the other people whose stories are also talked about in the book.

The suggestion that you take Myers-Briggs test to determine what your best suited for in regards to work is VERY helpful. I've taken this test and I was able to see just what areas I could work in and also that I had more choices than I originally thought. This test is wonderful for anyone!

Many employers are not prepared to deal with the subject of depression. This book is a must have tool for human resources so more people are educated on the real story behind the illness and dismiss the stereotype of a depressed person. It is VERY true what the author says about some bosses who don't want to know more on the subject and that they can't understand it and just throw their hands up and say that the employee can't do anything. My loved one is going through it right now. It is terrible and uncalled for.

I can't say enough good things about WORKING IN THE DARK. It really is a must have book.

Excellent, well-written book!!!
I highly recommend this book. The authors share their own personal experiences along side valuable factual advice. This book is not only for those going through depression, HR employees also benefit from reading Working in the Dark. There are no other books on this specific subject which is fine because Working in the Dark covers all of the information you need. It is well written and easy to read. The authors are not "preachy" in discussing the topic as is common in self-help books. ... Read more

Book Description

How to stay calm, cool and collected and still get everything done that needs to be doneBeat stress at work, at home, anywhere and everywhere! From identifying the causes of stress to showing how diet, exercises, meditation, visualization, and other relaxation methods can get it under control, Stress Management for Busy People puts practical tools at your fingertips. Learn how to handle kid-related stress,mind-frazzlers from bullheadedness to body piercings. Fight insomnia without sleeping pills.Follow five simple steps to stress-free money management ù and much, much more. This fast-reading guide includes instant stress-releasing tips...special alerts...and step-by-step tutorials to keep you headed on the right road to peace of mind. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

How to stay cool calm & collected
This book is great. This book has helped me alot, For work and my daily life. I have bought this book for 3 people. They all love it too. If you need help to deal with you job this is the book.

Wonderful book on making the right choices in your life.
This book is a very positive book on your choice for living regardless of your circumstance or situation. In this fast paced society, it's hard to take time to stop, slow down and get out of the rat race. Bottom line is this is a book that shows you exactly how to cope with everyday stress in life. It helps you to change and create a positive mindset even when your world is in turmoil.

Amazing!!!
Amazing is what I achieved in my professional and personal life after applying what I read in this book!

Being a principal at a big consulting firm, I'm responsible for some very challenging (to say the least...) projects. Stress is a constant in my professional life. At home, I've 2 stepdaughters, one with 15 years-old, an awful temper and a I-know-everything-and-I-do-what-I-want attitude. Stress, again, when (ever) I arrive home from work.

Until I read this book, my life had been pretty lousy: fights at home all the time, long hours (to compensate for the lack of concentration) at work, weekends too short to recover, a lot of illnesses (recurring colds, collitis, allergies, ...), overweight, you name it!

Now, I REALLY feel great: I lost a lot of weigth, my famliy life is better, I'm a lot more productive at work, ...

Get it, read it, use it, apply it!

This Book Changed My Life...Literally!
I acquired this book from an ex-boyfriend who acquired it from my ex-best girlfriend who lives with my ex-husband. Sound complicated? Well, it was. So was my life until I picked up this book. You do NOT have to be a "business" person to benefit from this book. I was a single mom of a 4 year old daughter, unemployed, no car, being evicted from my house and living with a guy that was addicted to metamphetamines and burglarized homes for a living. The day I opened "Cool, Calm & Collected" my life changed 180 degrees. My daughter & I moved out (within 21 days)into our own 2 bdrm apt., I got a full-time job, a cute car and a new stable, responsible boyfriend (all within 3 months). This was almost five years ago and I still pick-up this book whenever I need guidance in my life. I've purchased copies for my friends (my copy is too marked up and tattered to loan) and recommended it to acquaintances. If you've hit bottom or are ready for a change, this book will get you where you want to go. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From cramped cubicles to the Oval Office, the proper placement of office furnishings can make all the difference in achieving workplace goals. Whether you are a clerk or a CEO, Feng Shui at Work is flexible enough to be used in almost any office environment, from small home offices to downtown high-rises. Lagatree employs a contemporary method of feng shui and focuses on the things in your office that you can control to counteract the negative energies that may be beyond your power to change directly. Lagatree also stresses the importance of having a specific goal of improvement in mind when encouraging the energy flow in your office, which makes Feng Shui at Work more than just a guide to arranging your furniture but a path to establishing control over your work environment and, at the same time, yourself. --Brian Patterson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Think I'll Give it a Try
I'm a skeptic but the way the author talks about feng shui makes me want to try it. She makes sense and gives explanations about how feng shui works that aren't so far out. I will try a couple of her suggestions because they are simple and I figure I don't have anything to lose.

Feng Shui at Work
Kirsten M. Langtree tells you how to arrange your work space for maximum peak performance and maximum profit. If you work in an office this is a must read, even if you are not a believer in Feng Shui. The author describes several typical work environments and how to make them more comfortable. If you are not familiar with Feng Shui (it's acupuncture or acupressure for physical spaces), Kirsten gives the reader a brief overview of the history and basic principals of this ancient Buddhist practice to start. She then goes into more details and mentions the two systems she uses. Apparently, there are several Feng Shui schools divided into the compass schools and Black sect schools. Kirsten uses a bit of both and I found this confusing. In fact, I find the compass issue a bit confusing and used the information from the Black sect perspective (stand at the doorway, look in placing the Ba-Gua's North side on the wall of the door). If you have not had any previous exposure to Feng Shui, you may not understand when she is switching back and forth between the two schools the book needs a clearer explanation on this.

Aside from these points, there is a lot of good information about office seating and arrangements that anyone could benefit from. I repositioned my desk after reading her section titled Desk for Success and found an immediate difference in my productivity. Her case studies were helpful and inspiring. Just reading this book gave me another perspective on space. I have visited a lot of clients in corporate offices and have found so many things about the cubicle environment disturbing. But Kirsten goes through a step-by-step process of offering tips to make these environments more humanizing. Some of her solutions to work space are intuitive yet reading this book you will be able to focus on details that you may miss.

Lastly, she gives her Feng Shui corrections for some famous persons' (read the book to find out) offices and why she makes the changes. The expereinced intuitive can learn something from this book as well as the novice. I you are wondering if this stuff works, it does!

Surprisingly Helpful
I didnt know anything about feng shui until I read about it in the New York Times this week--and Lagatree's book was mentioned. No matter if you believe this stuff or not, this book is clearly and simply written. I'm sure there is more to feng shui than this--I'll check out her other book next. But I think she is onto something: some workplaces ARE more energized than others. There are offices that seem more conducive to getting things done. Feng shui makes sense to me--and by employing some of her suggestions I'm going to try it in my office and see if I can get better chi!

I can hardly wait to redesign my office for good feng shui!!
Kirsten Lagatree's latest book, Feng Shui at Work, is a literary example of the ancient Chinese art of placement, with its beautiful illustrations and breezy, concise writing packed with meaning. I'll have to admit I approached the whole concept of feng shui--in which furniture, articfacts, plants, fountatains, lighting, etc.--are carefully selected and positioned to optimize abundance and success--with my jaded western eye askance. After reading, Feng Shui at Work, however, I'm a potential convert. This refreshing and uncluttered work gave me a great deal of insight into the many offices I've occupied over the course of a 30 year career, including a number that worked well for me and several that didn't. Could this have been feng shui at work? In the past, I've confined my efforts at office design to bringing in a couple of pleasing objects and focusing on them to the exclusion of whatever torture the corporate meanies might have in store for me in my particular Kafkaesque cell, then letting the papers fly where they may. Lagatrees's book made me aware that I can play a much more instrumental role in shaping my work environment--and potentially my work relationships THROUGH my work environment--by paying attention to where I put my desk and file cabinet in relation to doors and windows, planning the content of the art I place on my walls, and my use of color, light, wood, plants, water, small animal sculptures and other materials. I don't know that I buy the entire feng shui program as of yet--it's hard for me to believe, for instance, that poison arrows (bad feng shui, or sha-ga) fly down the long corridor outside my office ( although I will cop to observing a lot of loony behavior out there in the Hell Hall). However, I am definitely looking forward to spending an actual Saturday at the office resdesigning my dingy little windowless stuffy space to enhance the feng shui, which helps the flow of chi, or life energy. So. I'll put four deep purple irises in a crystal vase in the southwest corner, turn my desk diagonally to face the Northeast corner, to the left of the door, where I'll place a little onyx turtle. No one will know what I'm up to this time... unless, of course, they've read Feng Shui at Work.

it was not best but good book
i didnt get much out of this boo ... Read more

Book Description

Schaef and Fassel show how managers, workers, and organization members exhibit the classic symptoms of addiction: denying and avoiding problems, assuming that there is no other way of acting, and manipulating events to maintain the status quo. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Outstanding insights and many missing links
The key insight I had when I read this book is that the behavior of organizations when they become "addictive" follows very predictable patterns. There is nothing unique about them. But to a society that is full of "addicts" who create addictive organizations, the principles revealed in this book will stir reactions and opposition. The book is almost too honest, and there lies its power. The book has many new insights and connections and is a lot of fun to read. I found myself chuckling often.

The authors are reaching....
Oh boy....interesting analogy, but I believe that the cause of the woes of many organizations cannot be attributed to just this cause. For the sakes of an entertaining analogy it may entertain you.

But don't expect the Company to Like it!
In many years in the Corporate life, I wanted the Company to understand that a lot of the problems management was having were caused by...surprise!...management.

This book is excellent in explaining to those of us who hate the insanity of corporate life what is happening and why, and possible remedies.

If you are working, or are listening to a friend or loved one complain over and over about office politics and craziness of different bosses, this book is a great read.

Even the authors, however, will tell you not to expect the Company to listen. They might nod and buy the book, pass them around HR and so on, but in essence, most mid- to large-sized corporations are so big that their dysfunctional behavior cannot be taken apart without the whole thing unfolding. (Or at least, that's what they believe, and so the urge to hold on).

The CEO of a dysfunctional company won't appreciate the insight that each company is as healthy or as ill as their top leader - the further away she/he gets from the goings on, the less s/he may be aware of this, and the less willing to hear this.

My advise is to read the book but expect no "cures". Reading this book helped my sanity (I took early retirement). Anyone suffering inside a corporation can start questioning, seriously, if they want to stay in this dysfunctional "family" (there may not be much of a choise)and if they can get out, start planning. Even if retirement or leaving is years away, planning helps. Get a life outside the Company. Also read "Crazy Bosses" and other books by Anne Wilson Schaef.

One of the most useful books I've ever read.
I found this book while in graduate school and wrote a long essay about my experiences in an addictive organization, based on my understanding of the theories presented in the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels trapped in an organization and wants to understand more about how they work. ()

So what do you call normal?
It was refreshing to see an author who is willing to view organisations from a perspective of whether or not their culture would represent healthy living or not. The verdict is 'no'. Wilson Schaef and Fassel, by presenting organisational culture and inflluence as pervasive and abberent makes us rethink their place in our human psyche and society. A refreshing view, even if a rather disturbing conclusion. A good book to let go our inertia. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Organizing from theInside Out, author Julie Morgenstern used three main strategies to whipa living space or office into shape: "analyze, strategize, attack." Using thesame system, Morgenstern now shows readers how to get rid of chaotic schedulesin order to live more comfortable and productive lives. Morgenstern likens acluttered schedule to a cluttered closet. For example, a closet is typically"crammed with more stuff than storage," and a schedule is typically "crammedwith more tasks than time."

Those who fear "time management" because they worry about living uncreative oroverly scheduled lives will find themselves reassured by Morgenstern's abilityto customize her system. The most important thing readers must do, sheemphasizes, is to create a time management system that fits one's personalstyle--whether it be spontaneous and easily distracted or highly regimented andefficient. "Just as everyone's living room looks different, reflecting theindividual's or family's values and priorities, everyone's time managementsystem will look different, reflecting what's important to him or her," sheexplains. Fortunately, readers can easily customize her excellent advice whilelearning how to create a personal time map, streamline routine tasks, conquerprocrastination and chronic lateness, and manage all the inevitable crises anddistractions of daily life. Speaking of procrastination, what better time thannow to try this book out--ridding yourself of all that draining clutter so youcan get on with living the life you want? --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Repetitive sections, not very instructive
I found this book a lot less helpful than her first book- Organizing from the Inside Out. That was a great book.
This book, however, was not that helpful to me. I read the whole thing in about one hour because I could skim most of the sections which repeated or paraphrased previous ideas. I think there were some excellent ideas in the book- maybe 8 key points that could have been summarized in an article or very short piece. She provided some questions that were helpful (such as "do you like to work on a tight deadline?"; "do you like to work with music on?"; do you prefer to work by yourself," but she left the reader hanging-did not help to use the answers to determine time management preferenecs. What are ways that one should manage time if you prefer working alone as opposed to working with others? Lots of questions went unanswered and information provided was mostly common sense. The book fell into the category of descriptive (providing the usual mantra) rather than instructive.

The Best of her Organization Books
I loved this book. It's extremely easy to read, and I found it had a fresh, new approach to truly making a daily planner system work! Her Time Map really got me thinking of what areas in my life I really want to spend my precious time on. I read the book in 2 days because I found it so interesting, and have plans on going through it again and applying her advice to my life. It is the best time management book I've ever read.

Very good, but not the final word
I'm a great fan of Julie M., her space managment book IS the best. But time - is a different dimension. I would still wholeheartidly recommend this book, provided you also read "First Things First" by Stephen R. Covey, it will fill in the spaces left out in this book. Which to read first is a difficult choice, depending on your personality. This one perhaps first, then slowly savior Covey's book.

NOT for intuitive, big-picture people
If you are an intuitive person who naturally thinks in big-picture concepts (an Idealist or Rational personality type), you will not find this book very helpful at all. With all the different lists of rules, discussion of common obstacles and errors, and general assortment of methodologies, only a detailed-oriented person (an Artisan or Guardian personality type) could possibly relate to the concepts discussed in this book. (I know I probably lost most of you when I mentioned personality types: see 'Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence' by David Keirsey.)

For the 20-40% of the general population who are naturally intuitive (Idealists and Rationals), 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen Covey is likely to be much more useful to you for time management, as well as other areas of self-improvement. You start with just 6 main concepts (instead of the endless lists of concepts in Morgenstern's book) as a framework, and explore each of these concepts in detail.

Very Helpful
The audiocassette give you the chance to listen many times without having to find a page to refer to in a book. This tape helped me more than I can say. I bought it several months ago and listen to it anytime I feel I am getting bogged down with all I have to do. This and the organization book were extremely helpful in getting by busy life in better control. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Don't get stressed, get this book instead!
This is a great book on "how to deal with pressure." Robert outlines in clear terms how to be more effective under difficult situations. Highly recommended.

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A great book to help guide life decisions!
I read this book in preparation for a life & career strategic planning course and ability testing when I was 43 years old. I had been laid off from a good job, had been temping & part-timing it for a couple years, and was just undecided about what I should do next. I had plenty of ideas, and many of them sounded good -- at the moment -- but I was just so unsure about which was the right path, which would be fulfulling for me, and on what factors I should base my decisions. Well, this book was a key to my recovery! I soaked it up like a sponge, as it addressed many of the issues I was grappling with and helped me get back on the road to a fulfilling life. It's great at helping you determine what's important and identifying the values which guide key life decisions. I heartily recommend this book for anyone at a crossroads, in transition, or just unsure about how to make their next career move and provide the right balance in their life. This book is one of the best career and overall life-planning books on the market! Enjoy!

Finding Your Own Reality
Unlike other career guidance books that force the reader into existing job titles, this book offers wonderful insights and process to guide you to developing and designing your own customized career/job. TLC looks at the whole person, and factors in the need for personal and professional balance to get more out of life. Kudos to the authors for writing a book that instilled the courage to break-away and do what I love, leading a life I look forward to each day.

A life changing book
After reading the first few pages of TLC, I had to put it down for a moment. The authors had described the last three years of my life almost perfectly. I didn't put it down again for two hours. I'm a highly compensated information worker who "has it all" by most people's standards, but still feels unfulfilled. TLC showed me how to examine my talents and skills and use them more effectively to achieve what I really want from my life. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Integrates the pieces one needs to develop a vision
I found this book well thought out as it first identifies and then helps the reader integrate all the pieces to the puzzle in creating a career and life vision. I have used this in a adult college course and all the students found the book both very helpful in understanding themselves and practical in working on the life/career pieces for themselves

they got it right
I bought The Lemming Conspiracy because I liked the title. And I'm glad I did. No book has hit a greater nerve with me. I don't know how many times I have gone to work thinking that my real calling lay elsewhere. And after reading this book I was amazed at how all pervasive this feeling is: it got me thinking about how much happier we would all be if society had a different system for career placement. This book is a tremendously effective motivational tool. I am not a big fan of so called self help literature, they all come on so gung ho and hokey, as if they had all been written by Richard Simmons on Mescaline. The Lemming Conspiracy is an engaging and intelligent read, it does not talk down to you, and it is written with a passion that jumps from the page. I cannot reccommend this book highly enough. ... Read more

Book Description

Surveys indicate that 98 percent of call-center employees receive at least one stressful call each day. Irate customers are the leading cause of tele-stress. The author explains what it is, how it affects the body, and how to overcome it with commonsense strategies. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Perfect CSR (Customer Support Representative) Primer
This was one of the first books I was introduced to for customer service and stress management and is still one of the best.

I first read this book in 1997 before taking my first phone customer service position for Stephen Coscia himself. He insisted that each of his employees read the book before assisting customers. True to his writing, he practiced and taught me every word that was in his book. While I no longer work directly as a CSR, I still follow many of the books simpler rules such as qualifying escalating situations, controlling my breathing to control my stress and taking a needed break from a situation which has upset me in some way.

I have been a happier and more productive employee in all of my career endeavors thanks to this book and Mr. Coscia.

Prevent Call Center Burnout
I was fortunate enough to learn the Tele-Stress strategies from Stephen Coscia first-hand more than ten years ago, as a customer service rep and later as a colleague. He is a man who walks his talk. I still refer to the information today whenever a challenging service situation arises.

Tele-Stress is concise, practical, and valuable for the mental and physical well-being of front-line service people in any industry. In a business environment where a well-trained customer service staff can give you that edge to leave your closest competitors in the dust, you owe it to the health of your employees and the financial health of your company to acquire and implement these strategies now!

Good ideas
This book was not what I expected it to be. I am a facilitator at a call center. I ordered this book thinking that it would provide tips on how to relieve stress for call center employees; it focused more on irate callers and how to deal with them rather than on the call center itself. It did, however, employ some great strategies that I will definately be incorporating into my customer service training in future classes. If you are looking for more call-center specific solutions, pass on this one; if you are looking for customer service strategies and irate caller strategies, this is a must-read.

Tele-Stress Relief for Call Center Stress
Very informative and well laid out. The book gets right to the heart of situations and gives you good solid information. This book is a must for understanding Call Center Stress. ... Read more

Book Description

The intense pressure of daily life gets to everyone eventually-we are all just too stressed out. The demands of modern lives-job, relationships, children, housework, exercise, meals, even spiritual fulfillment-combine to overwhelm and weigh us down.We seem to get through this struggle day by day, week by week, praying that we have the fortitude to survive until the next weekend, the next vacation, when we can totally crash. Along with the daily stress comes the edgy realization that despite all the effort we've made, we still don't have what we want. Even when everything seems caught up, contentment still eludes us.

Author Darlene Cohen seeks to rejuvenate the weary professional, busy parent, and harried student by offering a path on which to walk away from exhausted frustration toward a holistic approach to time management. The One Who Is Not Busy introduces two fundamental and specific skills to make this happen:

· the ability to narrow or widen the mind's focus at will

· the mental flexibility to shift the mind's focus at will from one thing to another: to go from "narrow" to "narrow" to "narrow"

Sound impossible? This is the notion of simultaneous inclusion. In The One Who Is Not Busy, Cohen illustrates that a person could be both busy and not busy at the same time by following six busy professionals through this unique process. Cohen affirms that it is learning to be simultaneously "busy" and "not busy" by living the principles of simultaneous inclusion that will allow us to experience work-and the rest of our lives-in a deeply meaningful way.

In a culture that rewards only the final product, many professionals find themselves always looking to the next project, the next reward, the next vacation. Learn how to focus on the present, and stop missing what is right in front of you.

Darlene Cohen, M.A., LMT, earned her graduate degree in physiological psychology and spent the majority of her Zen training-thirty years-as a laywoman. After developing rheumatoid arthritis, she became a movement teacher for people with joint restrictions, and was then certified as a massage and movement teacher. Currently, she sees clients and gives workshops, classes, lectures, and seminars that emphasize mindfulness, at various medical and meditation centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington State, Illinois, and New York City. ... Read more

Book Description

Heart attack survival means actively creating more opportunities to change your approaches to life. To live free of additional stress and fear you have to know whether any of the physical activities y