Win at Work and Succeed at Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself from the Cult of Overwork Paperback – 20 April 2021

This looks like a business book so why am I recommending it to my lovely ladies coping with a breast cancer diagnosis? I was very lucky to get a preview copy of this book so though my hard copy was just delivered today, I’ve already read the book cover to cover and made so many notes on my kindle.I loved it, it’s so relevant to me setting the tone in my family and in my business.It doesn’t just speak to the cult of overwork that we shouldn’t be perpetuating, it speaks to how we spend our time in a world where everything is 24/7. Technology is advancing faster than we can evolve. This book is filled with practical solutions to the problems we face.The case studies and examples Michael and Megan shared in the book bring it alive. Because I’m into science, I appreciated also having references to studies that I could follow up.Favourite sections were on setting and taking ownership of boundaries for your time. That’s essential when you have the additional strains of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our time is so precious yet we aren’t taught to stop and assess what we really want to spend our time on and how we fit that in with all we ‘should’ or ‘must’ do.Self-care is also covered because actually, we are better, more productive people when we do take care of our own heartfelt needs. This is an ideal book to learn how to put you into your schedule before anything else. When we make living well a priority, everything else falls into place naturally.

This is well written book where Michael and Megan openly talk about how their driven and ambitious tendencies led to serious health implications, burnout and breakdown in relationships.This is done to help the reader really appreciate how easy it is to fall into the trap of overwork. It can be viscous cycle which can be difficult to get out of and in many cases people in this situation do not even seem to realise they have this problem.The book does a good job of defining this issue, through anecdotes and brings to life the key reasons why people behave this way, why they are so driven and it uses questions to help the reader appreciate what could be the reasons for this behaviour.The book then provides practical tips of what you can do based on the 5 principles in the book to get what they refer to as a Double Win.Having been through a phase where I have overworked, I could completely relate to what is shared and this book can be an enabler to help support people in this situation.If you are a high achiever and you realise that your driven nature is creating an imbalance in your work life balance then this is a good book to review and use the 5 principles to enable you to Win at Work but not at the expense of your life.

I'm reading this at a time when life is full on. The reminder that work is important, but work is not EVERYTHING, is valuable. Common sense, but perhaps not our common practice? One insight which struck me is that one of the reasons we give so much of our lives to work is that we 1) are good at our jobs and 2) enjoy them 3) get clear metrics of success. Other parts of our lives are equally important, but success in family, hobbies and rest is less easy to quantify. These less tangible, less quantifiable areas of our life add great value and meaning, and require and deserve as much focus as our work.

I love pretty much everything that comes out of the Hyatt stable, and this book is no exception. Indeed, I think the fact that Megan Hyatt Miller is a co-author makes it even better than it would have been. We live in a world where people wear the 'busy' badge with misguided pride, but then wonder why their home life and relationships suffer. The biggest take aways for me are the research that shows that longer work hours decrease our productivity and shorter work hours helps us be more focussed and efficient. Some of this is counter intuitive, but there's also a lot of common sense in the book - like the advice to get enough sleep! This book was published was very timely for me, and I highly recommend it to you too!

Another excellent offering from Michael, who continues to offer wise and valuable life insights for those seeking to sharpen up their personal effectiveness in a highly balanced and life-giving way. Great work once again Michael and Megan!

Until I read this book, I didn’t know that I was in a ‘cult.’ I routinely worked well in excess of a traditional 40-hour work week. I thought doing so made me more productive. I was so deeply entrenched in my weekly pattern, I didn’t realize how deluded I was in my thinking. Nor had I realized how it had impacted both my health and relationships. Once I picked up this book, I couldn’t put it down. I consumed its contents from cover to cover in just a few hours.In Win At Work and Succeed At Life, Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller share the principle of the Double Win. Through real world examples, the authors demonstrate that work and life don’t have to be in opposition, but can actually be in partnership. They make a compelling case that succeeding at life promotes a clear mind, creativity, and a rested body.Putting the five principles into practice helps secure three areas that are non-negotiable: self-care, relational priorities, and professional results. Putting these principles into practice isn’t one size fits all. I have to be clear on what the Double Win looks like for me. That’s going to be different from what the Double Win looks like for the authors and the clients. But, this book gave me the framework I needed to communicate what I want. I’m already seeing the benefit of liberation through limits (chapter 4). By adjusting my schedule, I’ve seen those constraints foster productivity, creativity, and freedom (principle 2. I’ve seen my productivity increase as the number of hours I’m working decreased. I’m using my time more efficiently, and I feel a weight off my shoulders.You don’t have to remain in the cult of overwork. If you take responsibility for the choices that led to that situation, you can begin to create, experience, and enjoy a different future.

For far too many years, I bought into the doctrine that the more I hustled, the harder I worked, the more I focused on my career, the more success I would achieve and the happier I would be. Always the first one in the office and the last one to leave, I pushed myself to attain that feeling inside that "I'd done it!" In the process, all too often, I chose work over family and self. I sacrificed sleep to keep all the balls in the air -- house, career, family, further education. And it worked -- until it didn't.As I rejoin the corporate world after stepping away for a few years, Win at Work and Succeed at Life couldn't have hit the shelves with better timing. Within its pages, the Father-Daughter team, Hyatt and Miller, provide a workable and achievable alternative to approaching work and life. They call this the "Double Win." The key takeaway from this book is that while you can never do everything, you can do everything that matters if you make it a priority. Each of the 5 principles explained within the book is followed up with actionable takeaways you can implement right away to gain margin in your day for what matters most to you.

I can’t say there were a ton of ideas I had not read or heard before (including from Hyatt’s podcast)… BUT they were framed in this book in such a way that it made me realize I CAN make changes to my life so life-balance moves from a myth to a reality. A very manageable read with some important ideas that can change our lives. I really appreciated reading the personal stories because if the authors can do this with their intense high profile roles, i can too. Looking forward to making my personal life and health more of a priority!

What would it look like to have success in both your personal and business life? Many people wrestle with attempts to balance their time and energy between multiple priorities: career, family, hobbies, personal growth, and friendships. Many things constantly pull for our attention, energy, and time. With limited resources in all these areas, we must be wise in strategically approaching our priorities.In Win at Work and Succeed at Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself from the Cult of Overwork, authors Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller present the idea of the double win- winning at both work and life. Championing a message running polar opposite of the hustle approaches embraced by many successful entrepreneurs, Michael and Megan write 5 principles they have sought to live personally that allowed them to win in the most important areas of life and career.Win and Work and Succeed at Life defines the following principles alongside corresponding practices that lead to a double win:1. Work Is Only One of Many Ways to Orient Your Life2. Constraints Foster Productivity, Creativity, and Freedom3. Work-Life Balance Is Truly Possible4. There's Incredible Power in Nonachievement5. Rest Is the Foundation of Meaningful, Productive WorkThrough the pandemic and beyond, Michael and Megan have introduced the culture of the 6 hour work day in their company proving that the principles of this book work not only for them but for their company as well.If you are seeking balance in your life and career, struggling with priorities and goals, or simply seeking some practical ideas on how to maximize your schedule to pursue excellence, Win at Work and Succeed at Life is a great resource for you. Michael Hyatt and Megan Hyatt Miller have created yet another extremely practical resource that should be on every leader's bookshelf and applied in everyone's daily life.

Have you ever heard, "be the first to arrive and the last to leave"? I was trained in such an environment and I didn't understand how to care for my life without feeling guilty or anxious. It's as if the state of overwhelm was a badge of honour. As part of the pre-launch group, I've employed the teaching of this book for the over the past month. I now work less, accomplish more meaningful work, and feel more connected with my wife. We connect every evening knowing we can be fully present with each other. Now she is asking me to help her accomplish more with less time! I was anxious to put hard limits on my workday at first, but… it's true… constrains lead to innovation and generate free time! I can't recommend this book enough for anyone who is a knowledge worker and entrepreneur and is struggling to understand how to balance their work life and home life. Michael and Megan speak from experience and authority.