Synopses & Reviews
Thriving in 24/7 is a guide to navigating a new world of work in which all the rules have changed.
In the 24/7 world, home can seem like a branch office. E-mail beckons at 3 A.M.; we work not nine-to-five but across multiple time zones; beeper messages interrupt private moments. Whether we're planning a vacation, choosing health insurance, or buying a car, we are flooded with so many options that our personal lives feel like second jobs. Even the pleasures that should refresh us -- Thanksgiving dinner or lunch with a close friend -- too often seem like tasks on an infinite to-do list. How, asks Sally Helgesen, do we keep from being swallowed up by a world that is fundamentally out of sync with human nature?
Helgesen, a premier thinker on the role of work in the knowledge economy, offers readers six powerful strategies for achieving and maintaining equilibrium in this new world. Drawing upon dozens of interviews with men and women adept at navigating life in 24/7, she urges us to:
START AT THE CORE: We can move more nimbly in a complex world if we confront personal history, locate our inner voice, get comfortable in the neutral zone, and take inventory on a regular basis.
LEARN TO ZIGZAG: We can master the art of improvisation if we learn from the youngest generation, think in terms of "gigs," plan to keep learning all our lives, rework our definitions of loyalty, and internalize optimism.
CREATE OUR OWN WORK: We can do this (even if we stay in our present jobs) by articulating our value, integrating our passions, identifying our market, running our own shop, and targeting multiple centers of gravity.
WEAVE A STRONG WEB OF INCLUSION: We can build the support we need if we learn to go deep fast, understand the strength of weak ties, grab the spotlight, and master the simple art of looking people up.
BUILD A CLEAR BRAND: We can brand ourselves unforgettably by becoming highly conscious of our practice, our materials, our design, and the symbols that we use.
PRACTICE THE RHYTHM OF RENEWAL: We can find true refreshment if we learn to connect with timeless rhythms, identify the true sources of our joy, practice mindfulness, and cultivate the elements of Slow.
Writing with simple eloquence and piercing intelligence, Sally Helgesen shows us that bucking up or burning out aren't the only choices if we want to get ahead. This indispensable handbook offers an imaginative, sometimes radical, blueprint for achieving balance in an unbalanced world.
Review
Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.D.
author of If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules
For any cutting-edge executive or passionate entrepreneur, Thriving in 24/7 is an essential survival manual for the twenty-first century!
Review
Nancy K. Austin
coauthor of A Passion for Excellence
In this age of rampant confusion, choice, and complexity, Sally Helgesen has written an immensely reassuring book for anyone who's ever wondered how to get a foothold in a world that goes full tilt all the time. As always, her advice is right on and absolutely practical. I loved it.
Review
Joel A. Barker
author of Paradigms
Explaining how to function in the 24/7 world of work is an enormous challenge. Sally Helgesen has written a clear and directive book on how to do that and still live the good life. It is filled with excellent recommendations, some of which I am instituting right now.
About the Author
Sally Helgesen delivers keynotes, runs workshops, and consults for organizations all over the world. Articles on her work have appeared in
Fortune, BusinessWeek, and
Fast Company, and her previous books include
The Web of Inclusion and
Everyday Revolutionaries, as well as the business classic
The Female Advantage. She is a participant in the Financial Times Leadership Dialogue and a member of The Learning Network. She lives in New York City.
Table of Contents
ContentsAcknowledgmentsAuthor's Note
Introduction: New Rules for a New Game
Part One: The Challenge of Living in 24/7
- When Work Invades Life
- When Life Itself Becomes Incredibly Complex
Part Two: Six Strategies for Thriving in 24/7
- Strategy One: Start at the Core
- Strategy Two: Learn to Zigzag
- Strategy Three: Create Your Own Work (Even If You Stay in Your Job)
- Strategy Four: Weave a Strong Web of Inclusion
- Strategy Five: Build a Clear Brand
- Strategy Six: Practice the Rhythm of Renewal
Conclusion: The Tao of Now