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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I loved listening to this thought-provoking book on the role work plays in our lives!
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Meh. Liked the concept but didn’t really care for the book. Could have been an essay.
No conclusions here, but there was a consistent reminder that, without choosing your own values vis-a-vis work, your employer(s) will gladly choose them for you. A clarion call to individuals, but also a reminder that, without systemic changes to working conditions (healthcare, hello!), we're on our own for now and for the foreseeable future. Still, a well-timed reminder.
informative
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
I grabbed this from the library's New Year display. It had blurbs both by Anne Helen Petersen (loved her book Out of Office) and Oliver Burkeman (Four Thousand Weeks). I took 6 pages of notes. I'll only put one quote here: Devoting yourself to work might mean a lack of devotion to others meaningful aspects of your life. We should diversify our identities...It allows us to contribute to the world in different ways and to develop a sense of self-worth beyond the economic value we produce.
For listeners of "How I Built This" the book format reminded me of the same as each chapter is devoted to one person's story who figured out how to challenge the work/life relationship. There is a very good chapter about "vocational awe" meaning people who work at jobs that are good for the world and how that can be exploited (teachers, librarians, nurses, vets and zoo keepers, etc).
However, there isn't any discussion about working in an exploitative company or a company that may go against someone's values, but allows them to provide for their family. I felt this was missing in a big way considering multiple people featured worked in finance, tech and big corporate consulting firms. The stories dealt with burnout from long hours or a boredom with their work, but no mention of feeling dirty from their job's purpose. This is a common discussion with my friends so it's odd that the book never touches on it.
For listeners of "How I Built This" the book format reminded me of the same as each chapter is devoted to one person's story who figured out how to challenge the work/life relationship. There is a very good chapter about "vocational awe" meaning people who work at jobs that are good for the world and how that can be exploited (teachers, librarians, nurses, vets and zoo keepers, etc).
However, there isn't any discussion about working in an exploitative company or a company that may go against someone's values, but allows them to provide for their family. I felt this was missing in a big way considering multiple people featured worked in finance, tech and big corporate consulting firms. The stories dealt with burnout from long hours or a boredom with their work, but no mention of feeling dirty from their job's purpose. This is a common discussion with my friends so it's odd that the book never touches on it.