Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace

Given that a “dream job” may be unlikely for most adults, influential American Buddhist teacher and author Salzberg (Real Happiness) presents “pragmatic tools… for becoming more productive, satisfied, and peaceful at work.” While her fundamental advice—meditate—is a given, non-practitioners will find many useful strategies to shift inner attitudes towards common challenges. Using as a framework eight “pillars” such as balance, compassion, resilience, and integrity, Salzberg explores how Buddhist principles can be applied to the workplace. Richly detailed testimonies illustrate the ways in which individuals—police officers, business executives, and many others—have found ways to change their experiences on the job; observations are supported by current findings in science and psychology. In addition to detailed meditation practices, Salzberg includes quick “stealth meditations,” such as reading an email twice before responding, or focusing on just one task at a time. This wise guide offers hope that employees can find meaning in even the most mundane jobs, learn to start over, and have a positive impact, however small. Among the many books that apply Buddhism to everyday life, this is a standout. (Jan.)