Catchfire

Having applied sports principles to business in Mentally Tough, McLaughlin now offers a method for adapting to today's ""relentless pace of change"" and for staying ""energized, focused, and fun in the midst of chaos"" in the workplace. Based on the idea that many people's jobs ""are making them unhealthy, discouraged, angry, and unproductive,"" McLaughlin suggests that readers ""concentrate on the other side of the equation and change yourself."" His program includes practicing self-awareness, eating ""strategically,"" exercise, enjoying rest and relaxation, ""learning to love problems,"" using humor and designing optimal workplace environments. This all seems like good advice, backed up by a great deal of research and history, which the author includes. Many readers may be looking for more specific counsel than simply being told to adopt ""an optimistic disposition"" or ""enliven your sense of humor,"" however, and McLaughlin ignores the problem of inappropriate humor and its attendant issues of sexual harassment and ethnic insensitivity. Still, much of what he presents should help most readers get at least a little closer to what he calls the ""energy zone."" (Jan.)