The World's Best Book Summaries
Is your workspace cluttered? Does it make you feel anxious and stressed? In their book Joy at Work, tidying expert Marie Kondo and organizational psychologist Scott Sonenshein reveal how decluttering your workspace can dramatically boost your productivity and happiness. By teaching you to keep only what “sparks joy,” they help you reclaim meaning and control. Continue reading for decluttering tips that can help you spark joy at work.
How many times per day do you reach for your phone? Do you want to regain power over your attention? In The Sirens’ Call, MSNBC host Chris Hayes demystifies the mechanics of an economy built to commandeer your attention. He reveals how our attention has become a commodity seized and controlled by media platforms and advertisers for their profit. Here is Chris Hayes’s advice for how individuals and society can reclaim their attention.
Is bravery something we’re born with, or can we actually learn to become more courageous? What if the moments that require the most courage aren’t the dramatic ones we see in movies? How We Learn to Be Brave by Mariann Edgar Budde offers a fresh perspective on developing courage. The Episcopal bishop argues that bravery isn’t a rare gift reserved for heroes—it’s a skill anyone can develop through practice and intentional choices. Read more to discover how small daily decisions build the foundation for life-changing courage and why being brave might be more accessible than you think.
Are you drowning in a sea of workspace clutter, endless emails, and back-to-back meetings? How can you find meaning in your work? In Joy at Work, tidying expert Marie Kondo and organizational psychologist Scott Sonenshein reveal how decluttering your workspace can dramatically boost your productivity and happiness. They help you eliminate distractions, reclaim control over your workday, and rediscover meaning in your professional life. Continue reading for an overview of the book, complete with practical exercises.
Have you ever felt weighed down by old habits, emotional reactions, and ways of living that just aren’t working anymore? What’s Lighter by Yung Pueblo about? In Lighter, Yung Pueblo draws from his journey as a former activist who turned to meditation to overcome addiction, offering a revolutionary perspective on personal and social transformation. He argues that by healing ourselves, we simultaneously contribute to healing the world. Read below for a brief overview of Pueblo’s Lighter.
What’s The Let Them Theory about? Do you have a need to control everything? There’s a simple, but powerful framework for reclaiming your time and mental energy: Stop trying to control other people. In Mel Robbins’s The Let Them Theory, she explains how accepting others as they are while taking responsibility for your own actions can transform your relationships, reduce stress, and help you build the life you want. Read more in our brief overview of The Let Them Theory.
Do you often feel like you’re wasting energy on things? What is the Let Them Theory? Mel Robbins’s Let Them Theory teaches us to detach from situations and behaviors that are outside our sphere of influence. It involves shifting your mindset to take control of what you do and how you spend your time and energy. If you want to put your energy in the right place, read more about Robbins’s theory below.
How do you react to a person’s comment that just isn’t worth the battle? What if there were a way you could win the battle without even fighting it? To escape the trap of trying to control what other people do and say, Mel Robbins contends you have to acknowledge that you can’t manage everyone else’s opinions, judgments, and feelings and redirect your energy and focus to what you can control. She explains that to do that, you can use two simple phrases: “Let Them” and “Let Me.” Discover how to use these phrases in everyday situations.
Do you have trouble accepting reality? How can you stop influencing what other people say or do? Underlying the Let Them Theory is the idea that you have to accept reality as it is, without judging it, without resisting it, and without wanting to change it into something that it’s not. Mel Robbins points out that your time and energy are precious resources that you need to invest wisely. Keep reading to learn how to invest yourself wisely by accepting the way things are.
Do you want to know how to take accountability in relationships? How can you adapt to ever-changing friendships over time? Although relationships involve multiple people, it’s ultimately up to you to create the relationships you want in your life. Mel Robbins uses the Let Them Theory to show a way you can both release control and set boundaries in romantic and platonic relationships. Get ready to build the relationships you deserve by using the simple phrases, “Let Them” and “Let Me.”