The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you have the potential to become a leader at work? What does it take to be a role model for your co-workers? Managers are typically expected to create healthy work environments, but employees can contribute as well. In The Fearless Organization, Amy C. Edmondson says that despite what your role is at work, you too can make a difference. Here’s how to become a leader at work by making co-workers feel psychologically safe.
Why is it so hard to focus? What are you missing when you get distracted? How is attention like a muscle? Daniel Goleman believes that you can improve your attention—by strengthening it with training and restoring it when it’s fatigued. First, you must understand what weakens and disrupts your attention in the first place. Continue reading to learn why it’s so hard to focus, especially these days.
What’s fueling the social divide in education in the U.S.? How does education inequality affect society? David Graeber’s book Bullshit Jobs describes how jobs that serve no purpose in society create deep social divides. According to him, pointless jobs foster resentment between college-educated “white-collar” workers and non-college-educated “blue-collar” workers. Read on to learn about the social divide in education and its connection to pointless jobs, according to Graeber.
Are you feeling unhappy at work? What are the warning signs of a toxic job? What’s a “bullshit” job? In Bullshit Jobs, author David Graeber found that many jobs in contemporary societies are, in fact, pointless. He claims that pointless jobs proliferate because Western cultures traditionally understand work as something that’s supposed to be unpleasant, if not downright miserable. If you’re feeling unhappy at work, read on to learn the four warning signs of working a bullshit job, according to Graeber.
Are digital games good or bad for you? What’s an effective way to monitor your own thoughts? Focus can be trained. In his book Focus, Daniel Goleman discusses two practical (even enjoyable) ways to strengthen your various attention skills. In particular, he shows how digital games and meditation can lead to sharper focus. Continue reading for some practical advice on how to train your focus.
Is universal basic income (UBI) a good idea for ending pointless jobs? Why are pointless jobs harmful? David Graeber wrote Bullshit Jobs to explain how jobs that don’t serve a purpose are not only inefficient, but are also harmful to society and workers. According to him, we can combat the proliferation of pointless jobs in society by introducing a universal basic income program. Read on to learn why universal basic income is a good idea to end pointless jobs, according to Graeber.
Why did Jeff Bezos ban PowerPoint presentations at Amazon? Was that a good idea? Jeff Bezos famously booted PowerPoint out of the presentation room at Amazon. In The Bezos Blueprint, Carmine Gallo explains why. Keep reading to learn about Jeff Bezos, PowerPoint, and the beauty of stories in communication.
How do sick days work in the U.S.? Why doesn’t the U.S. have paid sick leave? The U.S. is the only nation among 22 top-wealth countries that doesn’t require employers to provide workers paid sick leave. Experts agree on the benefits of paid sick days but disagree about who should fund them. Read on to learn more about the current state of the U.S. sick leave policy.
Should you edit your own writing before someone else does? What’s the difference between developmental and line editing? After you’ve gotten your ideas down on paper in your first draft, it’s time to move on to the editing stage. Ann Handley, in her book Everybody Writes, explains how to use developmental editing and line editing to move your draft from rough to decent. Continue reading to learn how to edit your own writing.
How do you feel at the end of your typical day? Do you feel proud of what you’ve achieved or disappointed, thinking you could’ve done more? Do you wish you could be more productive? As the day begins drawing to a close, many people feel guilty for not having made the most of it. They can’t help getting distracted, postponing important tasks, and spending excessive amounts of time on unproductive activities such as chatting with co-workers or scrolling through social media. If you’re serious about getting a grip on the way you spend your time and want to learn how