Time Off

Discover the transformative power of leisure to recapture your calm and creativity.Are your busiest days really the ones that make you feel the most accomplished? It might be time to question whether 'busy' = 'productive'. After reaching breaking points in their careers, business coach John Fitch and AI researcher Max Frenzel learned the critical importance of taking time off. Now these former workaholics will help you revolutionize the way you get things done.History's greatest minds, as well as some of the most successful leaders, thinkers, and creatives of today, found success by practicing a more balanced approach to work and life. Embracing their insights on how constant hustle can be your worst enemy, you will realize that time off means much more than just taking a break. Rediscover a more fulfilled and versatile version of yourself and unlock your true creative potential.Through relatable personal anecdotes, historically sound approaches to downtime, and scientifically backed strategies for increasing your creativity, Time Off will reshape the way you think about work and leisure.In Time Off, you'll discover:- The most effective methods to reclaim leisure, while increasing productivity and creativity- Why having a rest ethic will be a key competitive advantage in the future of work- Tactics for getting away from the work without the dreaded guilt- How to thrive alongside AI and use technology to become more human- The many ways in which time off improves your leadership skills, and much, much more!

From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together

Have you ever thought about taking time off to • ride your bike across the United States? • conduct research in the Amazonian rain forest? • work on a presidential campaign? • build houses for the poor? Tens of thousands of students each year take a break before, or even during college to work, travel, volunteer, or do something just plain different. No matter what you may plan to do with your time away, Taking Time Off shows you how to make the most of it. Included are the inspiring stories of 26 students whose pursuits in their time away from school were fulfilling and enjoyable. You'll find practical advice on every aspect of planning a break, from researching your options and financing your leave to convincing your parents it's a worthy idea. This book's resources section also lists programs, jobs, and American and international organizations that can help you to plan your own time off.

When he's not delivering toys, Santa enjoys sailing, cooking, bowling, and other activities.

Have you ever fantasized about taking time away from your overworked life? Nights uninterrupted by email? Days to pursue set-aside dreams? Do you promise yourself that “someday” you will get a break? Mary Lou Quinlan had those “someday” thoughts. But her hard-earned job as CEO of a New York advertising agency claimed most of her waking hours. Exhausted and losing motivation, she was so desperate she perversely imagined breaking her leg to get some time alone. Then, she declared a brief timeout. During her time off, she slept late, took walks, danced the salsa, kept a journal and ultimately, uncovered the roots of a new business. In the process, she rediscovered herself. Time Off for Good Behavior is the result of listening to women like her, who realized enough was enough. Quinlan tells no-holds-barred stories of dozens of women who sacrificed their health, relationships, their good humor and a good night’s sleep until they found the courage to ask themselves if they were happy with the life they were living and made the decisions to take life-saving breaks. Mary Lou Quinlan explores the factors that compel you to work so hard and examines how to take back control of your life. She explores our unwillingness to give ourselves permission to rest so that we can re-imagine our futures. And she shows the powerful, self-fulfilling changes that can occur when we do decide to take that rest. Whether you contemplate leaving a career that took years to build or just need a long vacation to assess what you want next, you’ll find practical tools and bolstering advice throughout. Each chapter ends with provocative questions to help you plan your good behavior reprieve. Specific exercises on financial planning, advice for negotiating time off, and tools to uncover your passions make this a must-read for women who are ready for “someday.” Time off for Good Behavior ultimately shows that stepping away from everything—even for a short while—often means ending up with so much more.