We say our schedules are too full to relax. That work is just crazy right now. We simply don’t have time for it. But more often than not, what really stops us from taking it easy is our own belief that we need to stay productive. So to give yourself permission to relax, we suggest sitting back with the five noteworthy readings below.
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Living well enough
By Avram Alpert
A Princeton University lecturer shows how our obsession with greatness results in stress and anxiety, damage to our relationships, widespread political and economic inequality and destruction of the natural world. He describes how to go beyond greatness to create a society where everyone thrives. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Avram Alpert, in the Next Big Idea app
I Didn’t Do It Today: Letting Go of Productivity Debt
By Madeleine Dore
An inspiring call to take productivity off its pedestal; by dismantling our comparison to others, ambitious routines and the unrealistic notions of what can be done in a day, we can finally embrace the joyful messiness and unpredictability of life. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Madeleine Dore, in the Next Big Idea app
The subtle art of not giving a f*ck: a counterintuitive approach to living the good life
By Mark Manson
A much-needed grab-by-the-shoulder-and-eyes-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining storytelling and profane, relentless humor, The subtle art of not giving a f*ck is a refreshing blow to a generation to help them live contented, grounded lives. Listen to our professionally read Book Bite summary in the Next Big Idea app
The Power of Pleasure: How to Feel Alive Again
By Catherine Price
If you’re not having fun, you’re not living fully. the author of How do you break up with your phone argues that fun, far from being frivolous, is actually crucial to our well-being – and shows us how we can have more of it. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Catherine Price, in the Next Big Idea app
Effortless: make it easier to do what matters most
By Greg McKeown
We have been conditioned to believe that if we want to surpass, we must exert ourselves, overthink, and exaggerate. That if we are not constantly exhausted, we are not doing enough. But Effortless proposes a better, healthier way forward, one in which it is 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
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