There’s always a calm before the storm, a day or two when you think, “Hey, I’m really on top of things!” And then you get slammed with the deluge of emails, the big project, the extra favors for your boss—all at once.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed at work right now, first of all, remember that this, too, shall pass. And secondly, we recommend checking out the seven motivating and illuminating books below. (After your to-do list has shrunk a bit, of course.)
Download the Next Big Idea App for “Book Bite” summaries of hundreds of new nonfiction books like these.
Beyond Collaboration Overload: How to Work Smarter, Get Ahead, and Restore Your Well-Being
By Rob Cross
A Babson professor shows how top performers who thrive at work are distinguished by the efficiency and intentionality of their collaboration—not the size of their network or the length of their workday. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Rob Cross, in the Next Big Idea App
Choosing Courage: The Everyday Guide to Being Brave at Work
By Jim Detert
Doing for courage what Angela Duckworth has done for grit and Brené Brown for vulnerability, a University of Virginia business professor explains that courage isn’t a character trait that only a few possess; it’s a virtue developed through practice. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Jim Detert, in the Next Big Idea App
Acting with Power: Why We Are More Powerful Than We Believe
By Deborah Gruenfeld
We tend to believe that power belongs to the person with the loudest voice or the highest salary. But in Acting with Power, a Stanford psychologist shows how we can all discover our own power, and how to use it wisely. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Deborah Gruenfeld, in the Next Big Idea App
The Most Powerful You: 7 Bravery-Boosting Paths to Career Bliss
By Kathy Caprino
An acclaimed leadership coach helps women identify the seven most damaging power gaps that are holding them back from success, outlining the key steps you can take to become the true author of your life and reach your highest goals. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Kathy Caprino, in the Next Big Idea App
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life
By Nir Eyal, with Julie Li
A Stanford lecturer lays bare the secret of finally doing what you say you will do with a four-step, research-backed model. Indistractable reveals the key to getting the best out of technology, without letting it get the best of us. View on Amazon
Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most
By Greg McKeown
We’ve been conditioned to believe that if we want to overachieve, we have to overexert, overthink, and overdo. That if we aren’t perpetually exhausted, we’re not doing enough. But Effortless proposes a better, healthier way forward, one in which it’s easier than ever to do the things that really matter. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Greg McKeown, in the Next Big Idea App
Beating Burnout at Work: Why Teams Hold the Secret to Well-Being and Resilience
By Paula Davis
The founder of the Stress & Resilience Institute has written a research-driven and actionable book, the first of its kind to explore a new solution to the burnout problem at work: a comprehensive approach focused on building the resilience of teams of all sizes. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Paula Davis, in the Next Big Idea App
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