10 books like In Praise of Slow

This book helped me understand why I could never talk myself out of my self-sabotage, especially the inability to stand up for myself and set boundaries.

I learned that my trauma responses are stored in my body (the nervous system) and that’s why logic and reason don’t heal them. Positive self-talk and behavior modification are nothing in the face of an unhealed nervous system.

“One of the most common mistakes that people make in relation to managing their emotional and mental health is waiting until there is a crisis before they act,” says Watson, a nutrition-trained chartered psychologist, in the introduction of her book and she’s absolutely right. Being observant and informed about what can impact our mental health can help us avoid a crisis like burnout. This really comprehensive and accessible book is also excellent at explaining how the brain works and what it needs, from nutrition to exercise and sleep, and how we can make the improvements necessary to take better care of ourselves and avoid or manage a crisis like burnout that, in turn, can contribute to other problems.

Originally published in 2002, the author took a revolutionary approach to burnout, suggesting that burnout could be an opportunity for making overdue changes rather than a reason to panic. Ignoring the warning signs of burnout, feeling exhausted, frustrated, empty, disconnected, spent, or cynical will ultimately lead to a state of collapse, but listening to the message of burnout and exploring life alternatives will enable you to make beneficial changes. One of the founders of Skyros Holistic Holidays in Greece, psychotherapist and imagework practitioner Glouberman promotes alternative ways of living and being that actively promote psychological health.

I heard about Burnout by sisters Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA, on a recent Brené Brown Unlocking Us podcast episode, and it was a happy surprise to learn that we share a literary agent! I listened to the audiobook and found I got something out of every single chapter. The book is aiming high: it wants to end the cycle of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. I’ve been asked for book recs to help with shaky feelings from my fellow beautiful voyagers, and I often mention Burnout since it delves into how emotions can affect our bodies without us even knowing it’s happening. The book explores some of the core reasons women may be facing the kinds of symptoms described above, and works to systematically break them down.

Nobody really knows what the “American Dream” is. The term was only coined in the 1930s and is used in many different lights. Perhaps it has to do with opportunity and success, perhaps with space and private property, perhaps with just having more stuff. By revisiting the writings of some of America’s founders and greatest 18th-19th-century intellectuals, Hunnicutt comes up with a surprising hypothesis: that the original dream was for people to have free time to spend in creative community activities. Goals relating to material advancement were only means to an end. It was time that early Americans considered as the greatest gift but we, their descendants, have been too busy to notice.

Flight attendant, Ava, finds herself in the most amazing destination ever because of a layover. She embarks on more than most people accomplish on a layover. This is such a fun book and a little on the Rom-com cliche side, but some perspectives are original because the author is a real flight attendant. 

You will never look at (or wear) a kimono the same way after reading Amy Sueyoshi’s ingenious investigation into the making of an American leisure culture awash in stereotypes of Japanese and Chinese sexuality. With a focus on San Francisco, Sueyoshi’s book reveals how Anglo-European Americans appropriated “Oriental” dress and design aesthetics, even as the white press and legal system displayed overt hostility toward people of Asian descent. This book is one of my very favorites among a growing body of work that centers on the making of racial identities within histories of sexuality. Sueyoshi is a superb writer, and in this book, she excels at honoring the humanity of Asian-descended people within a white leisure culture that insisted on their inferiority.

The subtitle of Four Thousand Weeks, Time Management for Mortals caught my eye. I wanted more ideas about time management and assumed that’s what I’d find here. I didn’t think about the word “mortal”—a big mistake! Be prepared for the perspectives this book puts on your “finitude,” i.e., the finiteness of your life. “Time management is all life is.”

The title of Burkeman’s book refers to the 80 years (rounded) that, on average, we are granted to live our lives. As I write this, I am somewhere in my 4,270th week or so. So, this concept has more meaning when one is past that 4,000 number. Our mortality is what this book is really about and how you should live your life in that context.

Two key points stood out to me as important principles for serving advisors clients in the second half of life, and also for advisors who… show more.

Your morning matters and wasting it is criminal. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to create the best version of themselves, with actionables on how to spend your first waking hours and develop the habits you need to become an effective leader and reach your goals. After reading this book, I become more productive, achieving far more with my working hours. The format is a relatable story, so the messages are clear without it being preachy. Whether or not you choose to wake up at 5AM after reading this book, you will see the benefit for the rest of your day.

This book came to me at a perfect time. I had at least 12 projects (which are anything to which you will give energy to) rolling around in my head and none of them were being moved forward. Gilkey’s process of helping me narrow down my choices and then prioritize my projects helped me get the clarity I needed and I was able to get two done in just two weeks!!!