Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving

Written by Celeste Headlee

Narrated by Celeste Headlee

“A welcome antidote to our toxic hustle culture of burnout.”—Arianna Huffington
“This book is so important and could truly save lives.”—Elizabeth Gilbert
“A clarion call to work smarter [and] accomplish more by doing less.”—Adam Grant
 
We work feverishly to make ourselves happy. So why are we so miserable?
 
Despite our constant search for new ways to optimize our bodies and minds for peak performance, human beings are working more instead of less, living harder not smarter, and becoming more lonely and anxious. We strive for the absolute best in every aspect of our lives, ignoring what we do well naturally and reaching for a bar that keeps rising higher and higher. Why do we measure our time in terms of efficiency instead of meaning? Why can’t we just take a break?
 
In Do Nothing, award-winning journalist Celeste Headlee illuminates a new path ahead, seeking to institute a global shift in our thinking so we can stop sabotaging our well-being, put work aside, and start living instead of doing. As it turns out, we’re searching for external solutions to an internal problem. We won’t find what we’re searching for in punishing diets, productivity apps, or the latest self-improvement schemes. Yet all is not lost—we just need to learn how to take time for ourselves, without agenda or profit, and redefine what is truly worthwhile.
 
Pulling together threads from history, neuroscience, social science, and even paleontology, Headlee examines long-held assumptions about time use, idleness, hard work, and even our ultimate goals. Her research reveals that the habits we cling to are doing us harm; they developed recently in human history, which means they are habits that can, and must, be broken. It’s time to reverse the trend that’s making us all sadder, sicker, and less productive, and return to a way of life that allows us to thrive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9780593164761

Celeste Headlee

Celeste Headlee is an internationally recognized journalist and radio host, professional speaker and author of bestselling book We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter, and Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. Her latest is Speaking of Race: Why Everyone Needs to Talk About Racism and How to Do It. Her TEDx Talk, 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation, has been viewed over 26 million times. In her 20-year career in public radio, Celeste has been the Executive Producer of On Second Thought at Georgia Public Broadcasting and anchored programs including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, Here and Now, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. She also served as co-host of the national morning news show, The Takeaway, from PRI and WNYC, and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel. Celeste is a regular guest host on NPR and American Public Media. She is the host of Newsweek’s “Debate” podcast, and hosts a podcast for the National Gallery of Art called “Sound Thoughts on Art.” She is also the host of “Women Amplified,” a podcast from the Conferences for Women, the largest network of women’s conferences in the nation, drawing more than 50,000 people to its annual events. Celeste is also the president and CEO of Headway DEI, a non-profit that works to bring racial justice and equity to journalism and media through targeted training and interventions. She is the granddaughter of composer William Grant Still, known as the Dean of Black American Composers and she is a trained operatic soprano. She lives in the DC area with her rescue dog, Samus.

[Vanessa Donino · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was a perfectly-timed read. I am digging myself out of deep burnout and work exploitation, and I needed to hear every word Headlee had to say. While I am anti-capitalist, this doesn't mean that I am above the trappings that capitalism has me in: Overworking myself in an exploitative job and living in constant survival mode to make ends meet simply for basic needs. I know that the US systems were never designed to benefit workers, and have learned not to internalise my financial shortcomings because they do not define me, they are simply a symptom of living within structures made to profit from out time and labour.

That being said, this book was refreshing and inspiring—and I politely told my job *I* will not be renewing my contract with *them*. I'm sure that was a first for them. I'm empowered and, reminded of my worth, I am exploring better opportunities that are more aligned to my core values—and pay more. ??

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Our cult of business makes no sense on the surface. We have every convenience, microwaves, fast food, washing machines, and cell phones, but instead of having more time, consumerism increased in a parallel rise and so people worked longer hours just to pay for things they didn't need. We are in constant contact through social media, but we don't have time to meet friends for coffee, much less devote hours to a quilting circle or community club. It's a strange paradox and one that is leading to increased loneliness and suicide. The idea that multitasking is bad for you was so interesting. It's horrible for you brain because you're not giving anything your full attention. And women are taught that they should be "good" at it, so we work harder to constantly split our focus.

On tech creators like Steve Jobs not allowing his own children to use iPads, "Would you eat a meal that the chef wouldn't serve to his own family?"

[natalieriley · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I feel misled by the title of this book, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underlining. I thought I was going to read a book offering tools and ideas on HOW to make changes in my life regarding work. I found it disappointing, and at times boring, on WHY we overwork and under live. This audiobook is 7 hours and 41 minutes in length. The author Celeste Headlee didn’t get to the HOW until there were less than two hours remaining of the audiobook.

Celeste opens the book by thoroughly explaining the history of work beginning in the late 19th century. She talked about daily routines, how people define work, work ethic, and the development of our dedication to over working. My interest was not held well during this portion of the book. My expectations were quickly going down hill and disappointment began to settle in.

Once Celeste explored the various ways in which we misperceive the purpose of working, my interest in this book improved. Threaded throughout the chapters she consistently points out how and why we overwork ourselves and put work ahead of more important areas of our lives. She talked about our desire to work more, in order to earn more money, so we can spend more. We perceive idleness as being lazy, and hobbies as activities we don’t have time for. Since this was truly the bulk of the book; why we work so much and fail at enjoying our lives, Celeste covered A LOT of topics. She made some good points I found relevant to my work/life habits and some of her points were of the “I’ve heard that before” variety.

Celeste talked about our tendency to work extraordinarily long hours, continuing our work day at home by checking and responding to email 24/7. Our current work lifestyle has us always being available for work tasks or communications. She exposes gender differences to work. Men are usually done for the day when their work day ends. Most of their tasks are seasonal or occasional. For women the work is constant. A full day at work and then housework, kids, and more work when they get home. Celeste stresses the importance of...

I have photos, videos, and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog

[bridgettes-104215 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a must read for all of us going ninety miles a minute day after day. The author stresses that you can be the best and accomplish all sort of things - if you just learn to slow down. the author has done her research, well, in fact, and provides great suggestions and solutions to lead a very productive, relaxing life. Highly recommend!

[johnxlibris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I wish everyone where I work would read this book. Our culture of "always being on" isn't helpful to our creativity or our mission. People should learn to have lives outside of their job. That is what this book tackles: the need to cultivate a life and identity that is separate from your job. Headlee's prose is engaging, well supported by research, and thought provoking.

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very thought provoking read about working too much and what that’s doing to us. It’s unfortunate that I figured out most of it through burnout at my job, but at least now I have researched reasons. I’m going to continue to refer back to it.

[nmarun-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My best takeaway from this book is time perception - being aware of what you're doing and for how long. Personally, I've been under the impression that I'm overworking, but on an average, I've only put on about 50 hrs per week. This alone helped me not be tired on a Monday morning.

The author talks about women and multitasking and how perception is far from reality. Rapidly switching between tasks is our form of multitasking. Though women have an edge in switching quickly between tasks, it hurts them equally when things go south during "multitasking".

Knowing about Dunbar number and research-based evidence that our close friends are shrinking was very surprising. I did take pride in having a high number of LinkedIn followers, guess that's going to change for me.

"Buying time promotes happiness" - this was something that I was aware of and felt reinforced.

There's a guide-list provided towards the end of the chapter that might help readers.