BOOK REVIEW
Book Title: HBR Guide to Work-Life Balance
Author: Harvard Business Review
Publisher: HBR Publishing Corporation
List Price: $19.95
Format: Softcover, 272 pages
Publication Date: 2019
ISBN: 978-1-63369-712-6
Reviewer: Charlie Green, PMP
Review Date: October 2019
Introduction
These days we have many demands competing for our time and attention. Whether it is family, career, education, religion, social, health or other commitments. There are still only 24 hours in a day, and we are constantly trying to squeeze more and more into the available time. As a result, some commitments get dropped or delivered late or with less quality than desired or expected.
Harvard Business Review has compiled information from multiple contributing authors that are experts in the area of work / life balancing. These authors discuss tools, techniques and concepts that will help the reader if used to help manage priorities and expectations and establish boundaries and tradeoffs. They also discuss the importance of taking care of yourself.
Overview of Book’s Structure
The book is divided into five sections. Each section contains multiple chapters written by various experts that discuss and provide information and tools to consider when reviewing and addressing work/life balance issues in your life.
- Section One is “Taking Stock”. Here the author discusses identifying and assessing what is important to you.
-
- Chapter 1 – “Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life”
- Chapter 2 – “Assessment – Are You Focusing on What’s Important to You?”
- Section Two is “Make Decisions and Manage Your Time”, discusses assessing the demands on your time and setting priorities, trade-offs and when to say no.
-
- Chapter 3 – “No, You Can’t Have It All”
- Chapter 4 – “Make Room in Your Life for the Rest of Yourself”
- Chapter 5 – “Before You Agree to New Work, Ask Three Questions”
- Chapter 6 – “Stop Work Overloading by Setting These Boundaries”
- Chapter 7 – “Nine Practices to Help You Say No”
- Chapter 8 – “Why You Need an Untouchable Day Every Week”
- Chapter 9 – “How to Get the Most Out of a Day”
More…
To read entire Book Review, click here
About the Reviewer
Charlie Green
North Texas, USA
Charlie Green has worked as a project manager since 1985. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. Charlie obtained his Project Management Professional certification in 2010. His experience is managing software implementation projects in the Financial Services industry. He has also managed new product, business process improvement, business intelligence and system development projects in the financial, telecommunications, information technology industries and military. Charlie is retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve following a 26-year Air Force career. Charlie is a member of the Dallas, Texas PMI Chapter.
Charlie can be contacted at charlie.green01@gmail.com
Editor’s note: This book review was the result of a partnership between the publisher, PM World and the PMI Dallas Chapter. Authors and publishers provide the books to PM World; books are delivered to the PMI Dallas Chapter, where they are offered free to PMI members to review who agree to provide a review within 45 days; book reviews are published in the PM World Journal and PM World Library.
If you have read a good recently-published book related to managing programs, projects or teams of professionals, consider authoring a book review for publication in the PM World Journal. For our standard format or for more information, contact Editor@pmworldjournal.com or visit https://pmworldlibrary.net/book-review-program/
If you are an author or publisher of a project management-related book, and would like the book reviewed through this program, please contact Editor@pmworldjournal.com.
