A New Year’s Resolution to Reject Over Work — A Book Talk with Brigid Schulte

A key piece of the American dream is that hard work leads to economic success. Yet in recent years, many people seem to be working harder while reaping fewer rewards.

Moreover, even people who are successful in economic terms often feel compelled to participate in overwork. In her new book “Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life,” author Brigid Schulte dismantles the pervasive idea that overwork guarantees success, happiness, or economic security.

Drawing on her experience as a journalist and director of New America’s Better Life Lab, Schulte reframes the conversation about work in the United States. Using real-life stories, data, and ideas from leading thinkers and activists, she challenges readers to rethink their conceptions about time use and productivity, to envision new and healthier relationships to work and to advocate for bold policy changes, like paid family leave, that would support better work and better lives. Schulte makes a compelling case that rejecting a culture of overwork can  reduce burnout, promote fairness, and contribute to a more stable economy and a future rooted in shared prosperity, well-being, and dignity.

Schulte’s work is a call to action for policymakers, employers, and individuals to rethink what it means to lead a fulfilling life and the role work should play in that. By confronting the glorification of overwork and advancing practical, people-centered policies, “Over Work” offers a roadmap toward a balanced and better life for all.

Join the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program for a virtual book talk with Schulte — Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 2 to 3 p.m. EST, on Zoom.