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. In this virtual book talk — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on January 16, 2025 — Schulte challenges participants 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. Drawing on her experience as a journalist and director of New America’s Better Life Lab, she 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. For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/a-new-years-resolution-to-reject-over-work-a-book-talk-with-brigid-schulte/ For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to EOP’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AspenEOP Or subscribe to the “Opportunity in America” podcast to listen on the go: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aspeneop Join us February 26 on Zoom for our next event, “Re-Entry and Good Jobs: Building the Second Chances We All Believe In”: https://aspeninstitute.zoom.us/webinar/register/1217374960165/WN_nOV5449xRv6gTAugEPy1Cw