Download Free The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition

The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition

Author: Visit Amazon's Ernie J. Zelinski Page | Language: English | ISBN: 1580085520 | Format: EPUB

The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked- 21st Century Edition Description

From Booklist

An odd mix of amateur psychology and self-help is offered by this engineer happily and creatively unemployed for 14 years. His clear-as-a-bell message is that making the most of leisure involves knowing yourself inside and outside of work. And that, for most overworked and undersatisfied Americans, amounts to an overwhelming task. To some extent, Zelinski tames the process with a combination of humor, cartoons, quotes from the famous (and the not so), fan mail excerpts, and a host of exercises to try. Explored in depth are the nature of boredom (complaining is one sure sign), the value of work, inner passions and goals, and the potential maleficence of money. None of these thoughts are new; Abraham Maslow, for one, advocated the stages toward healthy humanity. Nor are the statistics, remarks, or observations unique. But the notion of how to enjoy free time is finally geared to a mass market. Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Ernie Zelinski helps others find time to live.
-- Fawn Fitter, Career Writer, Boston Herald

"In The Joy Of Not Working, Zelinski explains how to
combat boredom, develop motivation, live for today, rethink
the terms of financial independence, and redefine
the meaning of fulfillment."
-- Don Oldenburg, Career Writer, Washington Post

"For all the time we spend craving leisure time,
discussing it, dreaming about it and planning for
it, few among us use it well . . . This is
where Ernie J. Zelinski comes in."
-- Carol Smith, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"The message is that leisure, not work, is critical to happiness. . . . Zelinski points out that no one'¬?s dying words have ever included, '¬´I wish I had worked more.'¬? "-Financial Post"Ernie Zelinski helps others find time to live."-Boston Herald"[Is the] key to success and keeping life meaningful."-Contra Costa Times

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Product Details
Table of Contents
Reviews

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 2 edition (September 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580085520
ISBN-13: 978-1580085526
Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

"The Joy of Not Working" is a welcome antidote to the workaholic mentality. A former engineer, Mr. Zelinski dropped out of the corporate rat race in favor of "The Life of Riley." He does what he loves (consulting, speaking, and writing) to make a living, and indulges in leisure the rest of the time. That doesn't mean he loafs around all day watching TV or playing video games. He discourages such empty distractions in favor of well-rounded activities like learning another language and volunteering at a homeless shelter.

Mr. Zelinski makes an excellent case for living a full life free of regret. I liked his positive attitude and constant motivation towards discovering and embracing my passions. His examples of persons who left a dreary job in favor of pursuing their dream occupation might be just the prodding some folks need to make their own leap (a similar book had that effect on me, and earned my eternal gratitude). Overall, the book's lighthearted tone and numerous applicable quotes were uplifting, and every chapter brightened up a break or lunchtime at work (although displaying a book with this title on your desk might upset a Bill Lumbergh-type manager). My favorite part was his short section on becoming an author. Every aspiring or discouraged writer should keep it handy as a pick-me-up.

However, the Life of Riley is a subjective thing, and finding your version of it might take some time and testing. Yes, it would be ideal to immediately discover and make a living in one's passion twenty hours a week. However, it may take awhile to actually discern your calling and develop it into a viable occupation. Until then, having a decent job that provides time and funds for investigating potential passions off-hours doesn't suck.

Believe it or not, I have the soul of a lazy person. I have enjoyed time off from 6 weeks to a year. I've enjoyed freedom in my work, especially now. So I totally understand the joy of Not Working.

Zelinski's book has many things going for it. For example:

(a) Too many of us are workaholics.

(b) We need structure, purpose and a sense of community, with or without a job.

(c) Work smart, not hard ("peak performance").

(d) The checklist on page 54 can be a wake-up call.

(e) We can gain several hours a week if we give up television.

But as a career consultant I am concerned about the book's core advice. Page 55: "The first day your job does not nourish and enthuse you is the day you should consider leaving. Indeed, I advise you to quit."

Pretty strong stuff! In my experience, few jobs provide daily nourishment and enthusiasm every day or even every week. I would say, "If you've outgrown your job, begin a search for alternatives. Don't do anything until you have a plan."

People do miss their jobs - even jobs they hated. I have never seen statistics, but my experience suggests at least 50% of those who quit without another job regretted the decision. One discussion list posted a note from a 40-something woman who had chosen enjoyable, low-paying jobs in the personal growth field. Now she was ready to move on, with no nest egg to fund a career transition.

Job dissatisfaction actually can be a misleading signal. Many people who seek a career change actually need to relocate geographically or work on relationships.

My biggest criticism of the book is the potentially misleading presentation of information.

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