Are You Fully Charged?

by Tom Rath

Silicon Guild    2015

239 pages     Self Help

The Shortlist

I once heard my nephew being asked how his job was going. His response was: "Working for the weekend; just working for the weekend."

Although I had never read any books by Tom Rath, I knew about his work from helping business students with their coursework, particularly the Strengthsfinder 2.0 assessment, an assessment tool that many university students take as they are deciding on a career path.  Are you Fully Charged? is the latest of several books Rath has written about life and work. This book has a feature-length movie, an app, and a website. There are self-assessments, resources, and discussion guides included.   

Rath looks at the motivation behind work through several lenses. He believes that people enjoy their life's work more when they are engaged in their work; when their interactions are positive, and when they have the energy to fulfill their obligations. His advice is sound, and although somewhat obvious, it apparently must be said again and again. Rath uses examples from his own life, which has been fraught with illness, to illustrate the points he makes about finding happiness in daily life and work.

Rath believes that the meaningfulness of work is more important than happiness at work. Workers can put up with a lot if they believe that their work is doing good for the world. The current research shows that more than any generation, the Millennials are looking for meaningful work.  

Some of the best advice includes putting purpose before busyness. My husband came from his office late in the evening, telling me that he had just finished reading 150+ emails. It's a common story. The problem of busyness plagues today's workers. It is very difficult to get away from work. I read recently that the average person checks their smart phone 150 times a day. 

One reviewer says that Are You Fully Charged? will help you take your life back. The section on energy is particularly useful because I believe many people are running on empty when it comes to energy. His advice on exercise, food, and sleep, while tried-and-true, need to be read again and again.

Later today I will take a look at Rath's children's book The Rechargeables which will be published soon and deals with energy.

If you enjoyed this book, you will also enjoy The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

A review on the Small Business Trends website.

Tom Rath's website.