The Good Enough Job
What We Gain When We Don’t Put Work First
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The Good Enough Job
Narrated by:
Simone Stolzoff
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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Simone Stolzoff
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By:
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Simone Stolzoff
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
The Good Enough Job reminds us that the biggest goal of all is to live a life we are happy with, and in which work is but one of the multitude of facets that make us who we are. An antidote to the toxic #hustle movement convincing us all we need to find fulfilment in the office, it denounces the dangers of burnout linked to those of us who cannot answer the question: beyond work, what's left?
Conversations of burnout have bubbled to the top of the cultural zeitgeist as the line between work and not-work continues to blur. Burnout and workaholism are symptoms of a deeper root cause: a lack of separation between who we are and what we do. This book is not a credo against looking to work for fulfilment, nor is it in favour of treating work as a necessary evil. It is a guide to developing a healthier relationship to work through the stories of people who have successfully done so. These are stories that invite us to re-evaluate what makes us happy, and how we can work to live, rather than the other way round.
'An incredibly propulsive read. It will absolutely challenge you, in the best way possible, to change the way you think about work.' Anne Helen Petersen
'A sharp analysis of modern work culture.' Vauhini Vara
©2023 Simone Stolzoff (P)2023 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews
The Good Enough Job is an incredibly propulsive read, filled with characters whose stories will be at once familiar and astonishing - and it will absolutely challenge you, in the best way possible, to change the way you think about work. This isn't a book about burnout, or addiction to a certain type of work - at least not precisely. It's a book about how so many people have come to root their entire sense of value in the work that they do for pay - and what happens when that strategy begins to sour.
Simone Stolzoff provides an important corrective to the modern impulse to either villainize or lionize our jobs, arguing that it's okay for our work to be just one element among many that contribute to a life well-lived.
I couldn't stop reading The Good Enough Job. It's packed with sharp analysis about modern work culture and vivid, surprising, page-turning stories of people who have sought - often clumsily, always bravely - to detach their sense of meaning and self-worth from their productivity as workers. In this timely dissection of what our overworked culture is doing to our psyches, I was startled to recognize myself. You will, too.
The Good Enough Job is a thorough, insightful, and much-needed reminder that we are not what we do at work. Weaving his own experiences with surprising stories and research, Simone reveals why the modern world makes it so easy to fall under workism's spell-and how we can finally disentangle ourselves from its clutches.
The Good Enough Job is a super helpful guide for anyone looking to renegotiate their relationship with work and to better fit their career goals into a happier, more fulfilling life.
Simone’s stories resonated with me. Each of the stories takes you through an individual, their situation, and what forced them to reevaluate their choice, circumstances, and the value of their work as it pertains to their whole self.
The Kickstarter story resonated in particular with me. It helped me realize that I am the only person that will look out for me at work.
I took lots of notes while listening and I’d recommend you do too. I want to look back at them as I make decisions about my life/work balance and how I have the ultimate say in that decision.
This is the book for you if you need to reset life/work balance
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Life changing
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A Narrative Based Approach
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Simone Stolzoff has created a cracker with this one.
Ah, the Endless Pursuit of Dream Jobs.
Simone highlights the futility of constantly chasing the elusive "dream job", suggesting instead a focus on finding a role that is "good enough".
This doesn't mean settling for mediocrity, but rather separating self-worth from work output and valuing sufficiency over perfection.
Stolzoff emphasises that work is an important part of who we are, but it shouldn't encompass our entire identity.
He also suggests that to develop sources of identity and meaning outside of work, we must invest energy in activities beyond our jobs.
As a chilli-growing, chilli-cooking, plasma-donating, running / walking / cycling Concept2, Inc. fanboy, this struck home.
The risk of a work-centric existence is that jobs can consume not only our time but also our best energy, leaving the leftovers for other aspects of life.
This creates an imbalance that may limit personal growth and overall well-being.
Instead of perpetually seeking an ideal job that may never materialise, consider finding a role that is "good enough".
This can provide a healthier sense of fulfilment, contributing to both professional and personal growth.
Energy, like time, is a limited resource.
If we devote our best energy solely to work, we risk neglecting other areas of our lives.
Therefore, consciously allocate energy to other aspects of life to foster a more balanced existence.
This not only prevents burnout but also encourages personal growth and a fuller life.
I need to read it again as I'm sure I've missed as much as I've gained.
By defining ourselves solely by our jobs, we risk losing sight of who we are outside of work.
Engaging in diverse activities and interests can provide a more balanced, holistic sense of self.
Stolzoff has created a cracker with this one.
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thought provoking
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