Review by
Marlene Engel
As the assistant to Katherine Whitney, a COO at a
multibillion dollar health and wellness company and author of a popular women’s
self-help book about having it all, Lucy is having a hard time balancing all
that is going on in her life. Ironically,
Katherine’s book dictates how one can easily find balance in their work-life,
but Lucy and Katherine’s lives are anything but in balance. Although the book has been a success, their lives
have been more stressful than ever. And
it’s Lucy who is the glue that’s been trying to hold Katherine’s life
together. But as she remains the loyal
assistant to Katherine, Lucy’s own life and relationship with her longtime
boyfriend, Nick, starts to unravel. But
the last straw is when Katherine does something to sabotage Lucy’s dream. It’s at this point that Lucy has the
difficult decision to either remain loyal to Katherine despite the way she’s
been treating her, or set off to fulfill her own dreams.
As a woman who feels like she’s constantly getting pulled in
a million different directions, I could totally relate to how Lucy felt
throughout this book. Just like Lucy, I’m
a people pleaser and tend to wear myself thin for other peoples’ happiness. This book helped me to realize that it’s okay
if we don’t get everything done or aren’t 100% perfect at all times. We can still have it all. And, by all, I mean defining what your personal
“all” is. For me it’s being an overall
good person (wife, daughter, mother, sister, friend) and being the best version
of me that I can be. I may not check off
everything on my to-do list, and that’s okay.
But balancing the important things in life and being happy with the
person you are are the most important things in my opinion!
Purchase this book at:
About the Author:
In addition to writing
fiction, I also write for magazines and websites, mostly about family
life, health, and wellness. My writing has been published by The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Times of India, The Nest, Glamour, Mind Body Green, Westchester
Magazine, Serendipity, and others.
Throughout my career I’ve done marketing, communications, and
writing work for magazines, Internet companies, nonprofit organizations, and
advertising and PR agencies in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and San Francisco.
Connect
with the author at:
BookSparks is giving one lucky winner a print copy of
The Balance Project by Susie Orman Schnall
US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Even though I don't work, I like to keep schedules. I have certain days for different areas of cleaning and laundry. It helps me get everything done without having to feel rushed to do it all at the same time. I even schedule an afternoon nap each day as my way of unwinding.
ReplyDeleteI am a single mom with three kids who works full-time. I am also going to school for my Master's. I just try to relax, read, do yoga at times, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has us on a budget, which I call the "cutthroat budget" because it's so strict. I keep a meal schedule to help me organize my grocery shopping list this way I don't buy items I don't need. I don't have a meal schedule per say just more like a meal plan. I make sure I have all the food items I need to prepare our meals throughout the week. It keeps us all balanced.
ReplyDeleteI try and make sure that there is time I give to my family and then also to my husband and time for myself to do what I feel makes me a good person.
ReplyDeletei think the balance comes when you come home and leave your behind and just relax with your family
ReplyDeleteI try to leave work at work and just enjoy the family at home,
ReplyDeleteAlways take some time for your self and ask for help if you need it.
ReplyDeleteTo have a good balance in life would be to do something good for myself. I'm always helping others; so, I find it important to set aside some me time.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to have time to devote to your self, walks, reading, and relaxing. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLet's face it. Women are the ones who have to keep things going at home and when they have a job outside the home too, the responsibilities double. I think you have to remember to keep your two different jobs separate. Leave the office at the office and home at home. During my career, I always had lists in the back of my head that helped me remember chores that needed to be done and I always kept the house clean and the yard work done. I was never at a loss as to what to have to dinner. I kept myself disciplined to keep a couple of casseroles in the freezer to pop one out in the morning and leave to thaw. Other nights, I made sure I have meat or fish thawing in the refrigerator and an idea of what sides I would be having. Was it easy? No. But the key word here is responsibilities and I took each and every one of them seriously. Now that I'm retired, I still have my routine of housework and I always fix a nice dinner every evening for my husband and myself.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how women do it! What works for me is trying to stick to a budget and not eating out very often.
ReplyDeleteI guess you just have to accept that there are some things you can't do. You have to make time for the important things.
ReplyDeleteSomething we need to remember - you can't do it all and you don't have to.
ReplyDeleteA very powerful message and something we all related to! A great review, Marlene.
ReplyDeleteA day planner is the one ways can balance things...and mandatory me time every night to read-it's like resetting my brain!
ReplyDeleteit is good to balance your life so you can actually enjoy it and not be stressed all the time. not every scenario works for every person, so it is best to find out what works for you. do the best you can with what you have & know.
ReplyDeleteget other people to help
ReplyDeleteOrganize, organize, organized...
ReplyDelete