One thing about social media: I log on for a quick check of notifications or statuses and think I am only taking a few moments, but suddenly 20 minutes have gone by. Social media has no end stop. The posts keep scrolling, so there is no clear cue to your brain to stop. When I look up and realize how much time I’ve lost, I think about how I may have better been able to spend that time.
(BTW — Here’s a great TED talk about the lack of stopping cues and “Why Our Screens Make Us Less Happy.”)
One thing at the top of my “how to better spend my time” list: Reading. I love to read and always have, but with work life and parenting, I don’t always prioritize time to read — even though I value that time and feel the difference in how it engages my brain and heart compared to digital interaction.
So this year I am working to be more intentional with my time and how I fuel myself, starting with making sure I always have a book with me to make the most of downtime.
If you are ready to read more in 2018 as well, here are a few recommendations from our team. Happy reading!
Jennifer O’Donley
Director, CatchPhrase Communications
by Lysa TerKeurst
Before reading this book, I prided myself in saying yes to nearly every opportunity and project that was asked of me. Which more often than not, left me feeling frazzled, stressed-out, and unfulfilled. This book offers practical advice on making intentional decisions and choosing the Best Yes to regain balance in everyday life.
Recommended by Alicia Burke-Aguero, graphic designer
by Grace Bonney
I loved this book the first time around, and it’s one I continue going back to any time I need to feel inspired. A compilation of 100+ interviews with successful women from a variety of creative fields, In the Company of Women shows the magic that can happen — and the success we can find — when we embrace our creative spirit and pursue the work that truly brings us joy.
Recommended by Katrina Tauchen, writer/copyeditor
by Ella Berthoud & Susan Elderkin
Have you ever read a book that meets you right where you are, speaking to the life experience you’re grappling with at that moment and changing your perspective? The Novel Cure, styled as a home remedy guide, matches you with those transformative books. It’s my go-to resource when I don’t know what to read next, or when I want a meaningful gift for a loved one.
Recommended by Anna Comfort, communications specialist
by Henry Cloud
I’ve read a number of books in the past couple of years that have been pivotal for me. The Power of the Other has helped me to think about who is in my life for what reasons, personally and professionally, and spurred me to think more intentionally about those who are in my corner and about which relationships to cultivate.
Recommended by Jenny O’Donley, director
by Gabrielle Burton
I have to include a book of fiction on this list, because reading fiction can help us to be better writers and understand others more. (Here’s a look at a study that shows how reading fiction improves empathy.) A couple of months ago, I picked up Impatient with Desire at random at the library, intrigued by the premise — it’s told through diary entries of Tamsen Donner, wife and mother of the leaders of the ill-fated Donner party in the 1800s. Burton does a great job of getting in Donner’s mind and heart and telling the story of a woman trapped and struggling to keep her family alive, while she is conscious of the decisions she and her husband made that led them to where they are.
Recommended by Jenny O’Donley, director