Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
by Emily Nagoski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I first heard about this book on the Smart Bitches podcast and thought it sounded interesting, so when I saw it on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. I burned out last year and ended up leaving my job. Anything that would help with my recovery would be most welcome.
This book made sense. A lot of the stuff you get told to do to protect your mental health – meditate, take ‘me time’, colour in etc – and that sometimes it can feel like yet another thing you have to do. The advice in this book felt different. It helped me make sense of how I was feeling and gave practical suggestions on what to do about it.
The book differentiates between the stress and the stressors. It teaches you how to handle the stress. It’s not a quick fix, but the suggestions do make sense. So far, I’ve tried a few things they’ve suggested and they have helped. Most of all, it’s reminded me not to judge myself too harshly. Turns out, that’s something I do a lot. It also turns out, I’m not along in that!
The book is aimed at women, but I’m going to buy a copy for my husband because I think it is useful for men too. There’s a lot about the patriarchy, but the definition of the patriarchy is such that it’s not about railing against individual men per se, but about the patriarchal society that has pushed us all into unrealistic roles.
I think this is one of the most important books I’ve read in years. Thank you Netgalley for the review copy. As I say, I will be buying a print copy of it anyway.
Rhoda Baxter 