😔 Over Work: Transforming the Daily Grind in the Quest for a Better Life - Brigid Schulte

Over Work examines the pervasive culture of overwork in Canada and its detrimental effects on workers, families, and society. It highlights the lack of work-life balance, especially for women and caregivers, and how current economic models fail to value unpaid labour. Schulte showcases potential solutions such as shorter workweeks, fair labour practices, and a re-evaluation of societal values to prioritise worker well-being over mere economic output. It criticises the prevailing "fiduciary absolutism," which prioritises shareholders over worker welfare and emphasises the need for systemic changes—including government policies and corporate practices—to address work-related stress and burnout. The tbook explores examples from other countries, such as Japan's karoshi culture and Iceland's short work hours experiment, to illustrate alternative approaches to work. Ultimately, it calls for a shift towards "responsible capitalism" that values human capital and promotes shared prosperity.