Awake At Work

Awake at Work: 35 Practical Buddhist Principles for Discovering Clarity and Balance in the Midst of Work's Chaos by Michael Carroll. 2006. Shambhala Publications.

Since my work with many of you is geared toward helping you recover from the trauma (physical and/or emotional) of your grueling workday, I thought I would share this book that landed on my desk recently...

Over the past few years, the business world has been giving "mindfulness" practices increased attention; a growing part of the business sector is seeing the numbers and knows that how we work and do business matters. Michael Carroll's Awake at Work reminds us that the practice of mindfulness (a technique for learning to live in the present moment) can help individuals gain clarity, reduce stress, optimize performance, and develop a greater sense of well-being -- all increasingly documented by scientific research. With chapters such as "Work is a Mess" and "Welcome the Tyrant, " Carroll offers helpful insights into the mess many of us find ourselves in as we drudge, race or panic through our workday. While in some ways this book reads like any Buddhist inspired text, "be present in the here and now," Carroll's long career in human resources for various companies offers a specific take on mindfulness in the workplace -- power struggles with overbearing individuals; constant overwhelming chaos of pressing deadlines; fear in the face of uncertainty and potential job loss; and untangling our egos from our job titles. This book is not going to offer you a 5-step program for controlling and taming the chaos, but rather an approach to mindfulness at work that encourages us to transform the common anxieties and hassles of the workplace so that our daily lives are more fulfilling and engaging.

Comments

[Clarissa]

sounds like the book I need to read, but I am too distracted panicking..