Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life [Hardcover]

Brigid Schulte is a vital voice on the future of work, and her carefully researched book lights the way to fewer hours, less stress, and more meaning.
Adam Grant, #1New York Timesbestselling author ofThink AgainandHidden Potential, and host of the podcast WorkLife

From theNew York Timesbestselling author ofOverwhelmed, a deeply reported exploration of why American work isnt working and how our lives can be made more meaningful

FollowingOverwhelmed, Brigid Schultes groundbreaking examination of time management and stress, the prizewinning journalist now turns her attention to the greatest culprit in Americas quality-of-life crisis: the way our economy and culture conceive of work. Americans across all demographics, industries, and socioeconomic levels report exhaustion, burnout, and the wish for more meaningful lives. This full-system failure in our structure of work affects everything from gender inequality to domestic stability, and it even shortens our lifespans.

Drawing on years of research, Schulte traces the arc of our discontent from a time before the 1980s, when work was compatible with well-being and allowed a single earner to support a family, until today, with millions of people working multiple hourly jobs or in white-collar positions where no hours are ever off duty.

She casts a wide net in search of solutions, exploring the movement to institute a four-day workweek, introducing Japans Housewives Brigadewhich demands legal protection for family timeand embedding with CEOs who are making the business case for humane conditions. And she demonstrates the power of a collective and creative demand for change, showing that work can be organized in an infinite number of ways that are good for humansandfor business.

Fiercely argued and vividly told, rich with stories and informed by deep investigation,Over Worklays out a clear vision for ending our pulSO