Thrive by Arianna Huffington

Thrive by Arianna Huffington

Time to Read: There are lots of subchapters to make this book easy to pick up and put down. It is eminently readable. On audiobook it is 9 hours and 58 minutes.

£7.99 from Amazon

Why

Ideal for those running existing businesses rather than start-ups, this tells the story of how Huffington nearly had a nervous breakdown and lost everything, and how she got her life back on track.

What

The book is soundly evidence-based, which is enjoyable. The appendix is very helpful as it lists tools, apps and resources to help keep focused. Her biggest tip – find a way to get 30 minutes more sleep per night than you do today.

Fans of Steven Covey and his Seven Habits will recognise many “Sharpen the Saw” type traits in the book – the idea that only when we look after our mental, physical, spiritual and social/emotional needs, will we achieve any of the so called balance many of us chase after. To do this, we have to be crystal clear on what aims and intentions we have with our lives: “And every day, the world will drag you by the hand, yelling, “This is important! And this is important! And this is important! You need to worry about this! And this! And this!” And each day, it’s up to you to yank your hand back, put it on your heart and say, “No. This is what’s important.”.

The chapter on Giving and making it something that is a strong part of your working and home life, was highly researched. Recent study showing how 75% of employees who volunteered felt heathier and less stressed, 90% felt in a better mood. Unsurprisingly this links with another recent study showing that those who give back are more likely to collaborate with other employees – backing up Adam Grant’s “Give and Take” research that givers are the highest (and the lowest – need to be the right type of giver!) performers in organisations.

How

Huffington is known as the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, from which she has recently departed.

This book needs a small warning – the reader needs not to mind the slightly smug tone of the multimillionaire talking about certain challenges, and look beyond the tone because there are really good suggestions and thoughts inside. It is probably more suited to those running businesses than those being run – she understandably pitches the book from her own experience.

“We may not be able to witness our own eulogy, but we’re actually writing it all the time, every day.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EjzdqDzqK4

Random Fiction Suggestion:

‘Bonjour Tristesse’ by Francoise Sagan. Described by The Times as ‘funny, immoral and thoroughly French’, this was written when Sagan was just 18 – though clearly a precocious 18. The story evocatively captures a summer in the south of France, through the eyes Cecile, the daughter of a widowed father, who despite such a state, is a romancing ladies’ man. I felt like I was in the Riviera reading it, though my life as an 18-year-old was not a patch on the casinos, fast cars and Paris-and-Riviera lifestyle portrayed here. And as it just about stretches to 100 pages, it is not a book to suck your time away.

Please note, this book review is available as a pdf on request.