As paperwork piles up on your desk and time seems to slip by faster and faster every day, catching up on work-related reading may rank low on your list of priorities. But on the rare occasions when you do have an extra moment or when you want to exercise your brain on the morning commute, it pays to be selective about what you read.
If you’re inclined to ponder questions about why we work the way we do, two current releases may give you some answers or least a little insight.
Joan Williams, a professor of law at American University’s Washington College of Law, examines how our society defines the concept of work in “UnBending Gender: Why Family and Work Conflict and What to Do About It” (Oxford University Press, $30).
According to Williams, the current American norm is “domesticity,” which is made up of two types of workers — the ideal worker (man or woman) who works full time and overtime, taking little or no time off for having or raising children, and who can move at the drop of a hat. The second is the marginalized worker, whose primary role is the family caregiver and is cut off from professional and social advancement. Williams maintains that when a woman decides to start her family, her career in the upwardly mobile work force frequently comes to a grinding halt.
To remedy the situation, Williams thinks the current marketplace needs to shift its priorities and that to function correctly, “society needs not only market work but also family work, and adults who do family work should not be marginalized.”
In a similar vein, author Joanne B. Ciulla offers a textured history of toil in “The Working Life” (Times Business, $25). Covering topics from family-friendly corporations to Dilbert and the concept of work in Aesop’s fables, Ciulla, a professor of leadership and ethics at the University of Richmond, provides history and context for current corporate trends. Although the book contains considerable research and data, the writing is accessible.
Both of those titles are good additions for any personal library. But if it’s driving you crazy just to go to work every day, and you can’t just bail, you’ll need quick, concise nuggets of advice.
Pick up a copy of “Since Strangling Isn’t An Option: Dealing with Difficult People–Common Problems and Uncommon Solutions,” by Sandra A. Crowe (Perigee, $13.95, paperback).
Although one of our co-workers questions the assumption of the title (“If a situation was really tedious, couldn’t we resort to it once in a while?”), we’ve all heard how hostility drags down your health and can stymie productivity.
So, if you keep butting heads with the same “difficult” people at work (or elsewhere for that matter), consider this: You might be as much to blame as they are.
From that premise the author suggests changing your own behavior–or your reaction to bad behavior–to stop the madness and offers tips to help you do it.
To start, examine whether co-workers work smoothly with someone who causes you fits, and consider modeling your approach to this person on theirs. Also, try to wipe the slate clean and make believe that you like the surly person. You may see a surprising shift–both in their behavior and your own opinion of the person. And, if all else fails, when you feel yourself starting to snap, let the person know your threshold is low.
Meanwhile, as more and more people choose to work outside of a traditional office setting, many will turn to books for help on managing the unique problems that crop up when you hang your shingle on your front door.
A good read in this category is “The Work at Home Balancing Act” (Avon, $12, paperback). Author Sandy Anderson combines psychology with business savvy in a practical guide to setting up shop at home. Interspersed with interviews and brief case studies, the book demonstrates a variety of successful approaches and pitfalls. For example, Anderson describes one woman who bought a phone headset so she could do household tasks while talking to clients.
And for the truly voracious reader, the choices continue. A few calls to local bookstores asking for their recommendations yielded this list:
– “When Mothers Work: Loving Our Children Without Sacrificing Ourselves” by Joan K. Peters (Perseus Books, $12, paperback) looks at the myths and assumptions of American parenthood.
– “Smart Women Finish Rich” by David Bach (Broadway Books, $13, paperback) is a guide to money management for women that incorporates both emotional and intellectual aspects of financial planning.
– “The Women’s Business Therapist” by Marcia Rosen (Chandler House Press, $23.50) offers help with eliminating mind blocks and road blocks to success.
