Overwhelmed Summary

Summary of Overwhelmed Book by Brigid Schulte

Name: Overwhelmed
Rating: 4.4 (405 reviews)
Author: Brigid Schulte

4.4 . 405 reviews

Short summary

Overwhelmed explores people's relationship with time; it describes how we are all occupied with one thing or the other to the extent that we have no time for leisure or our health. Brigid Schulte takes us on a journey of her personal experience and shares stories of others who feel overwhelmed daily. She shows us that you need to learn to combine work, love, and play to live a balanced life. Award-winning journalist and writer Brigid Schulte has been writing for the Washington Post and Washington Post Magazine for almost 17 years. She is also the director of the Better Life Lab at New America, a think-tank that focuses on political issues like gender, national security, and education. “What often matters more than the activity we're doing at a moment in time is how we feel about it.” ~ Brigid Schulte

13 min

7 key points

6 insights

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Table of content

Summary of Overwhelmed
About the author
What is Overwhelmed about?
Who should read Overwhelmed
Topics in Overwhelmed

first key point

A healthy, balanced life involves lowering stress and enjoying the moment

Listen the first key point

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Brigid Schulte was part of an internal group at the Washington Post that researched why only a few women read the newspapers. Their study revealed that only women in retirement have time to read the papers. In contrast, women between the ages of 18 and 49 seemed to be so encumbered with many things like house chores, taking care of the kids, and trying to meet deadlines at work that a newspaper subscription wasn’t a priority.

Schulte was also responsible for gathering data on how women used their time to reveal how busy they were. She started her research by Google searching “time busy women,” and John Robinson's name popped up. Robinson happened to be a sociologist who had spent about 50 years studying the way people spend their time.

Schulte called Robinson and told him that she felt women were too busy to read the papers. He replied in the negative, asserting that women have a minimum of 30 hours of free time weekly. This came as a shock to Schulte, as she recalled all the stress she went through on a typical day, days when she felt so overwhelmed, she could hardly breathe. Sometimes, she stayed up late to finish her son’s school project, bake valentine cakes, or write stories. Other times, she had held official interviews while sitting on the floor outside her kids’ dentist’s office, in the teachers’ bathroom at school functions, and in her car. Robinson later invited her to go on a time study with him, and this invitation led to many discoveries and insights into how people spend their time. The study revealed how men and women need to create time for leisure if they desire to live their best lives.

Take time out to catch a breath amid the hustle and bustle of work for the sake of your mental health.

This summary aims to teach you how much you have devalued your leisure time by burying yourself in work to the extent that you no longer value time alone. You will learn that it’s okay not to be perfect but ensure you always give your best and do the little things that count.

Time is the coin of your life. You spend it. Do not allow others to spend it for you. ~ Carl Sandburg

second key point

Excessive busyness prevents you from enjoying the moment and taking time for yourself

Brigid Schulte was reluctant to accept John Robinson’s offer to go on a time study. She felt she could prove that women didn’t have 30 hours of free time in a week. But then, she remembered that she hadn’t been a good time manager since childhood. Schulte recalled when she constantly ran out the door with shoes and a toothbrush in hand to get to school or church on time; working and being a mother also seemed to be a time-consuming task.

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third key point

Making time for rest is a decision, and it is the key to a good life

fourth key point

Being a mother is not a disease; know your rights as a woman and don’t settle for less in the workplace

fifth key point

The best workplaces allow people to give their best to work and be themselves

sixth key point

Despite your busy schedule, learn to do what you are passionate about

seventh key point

Conclusion

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What is Overwhelmed about?

"Overwhelmed" explores the modern epidemic of busyness and its impact on our work, relationships, and personal well-being. Brigid Schulte delves into the societal pressures that drive us to constantly fill our schedules, leaving little time for rest and leisure. Through personal anecdotes, research, and interviews, she offers insights and strategies to reclaim our time, find balance, and prioritize what truly matters in our lives.

Who should read Overwhelmed

Busy professionals seeking strategies to balance work and personal life.
Parents struggling to find time for themselves amidst family responsibilities.
Individuals interested in understanding the societal pressures of time.

Topics in Overwhelmed

Work-Life Balance Time Management Stress Management Productivity Self-Help Personal Development Women Empowerment Parenting Relationships Psychology Sociology Gender Studies Feminism Social Issues

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What are the benefits of books summary?

Do you find yourself staring at your computer for long minutes, unaware of time slipping by? Do you enter a room and suddenly cannot remember why you stepped in the first place? Is it a herculean task for you to sit through ten pages of a book without reaching for your phone? If yes, your focus needs some work and fast.

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