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Working. Parenting. Being Healthy. Why does it feel impossible?
“Christine Beckman and Melissa Mazmanian embarked on an ambitious project to understand how technology shapes our lives and wound up producing an intimate and urgent portrait of American families stretched to the breaking point. This important work busts some potent myths and makes a compelling argument for large-scale changes necessary in public policy and our overworked workplace cultures to enable American families time to breathe, and thrive at work and at home.”
— Brigid Schulte, New York Times-bestselling author of Overwhelmed
“We cannot see what we cannot name. Beckman and Mazmanian cover the familiar terrain of work-family pressures by following real families and telling their stories. In the process, they make much that is invisible visible, naming and defining different kinds of work and introducing the important new concept of scaffolding. They allow us to see society not as individuals making choices and decisions, but as webs of vital but under-appreciated and under-nourished relationships. I learned a great deal from this book; it’s an easy read with a lot to say.”
— Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America
Advance Praise
"What makes this book unique is its tough love message. Left to its own devices, technology makes us more likely to buy into myths of our perfectibility. The way out begins with our deep understanding of our vulnerability. From there, these savvy and humanistic researchers can help you design a customized plan for individuals and organizations. But it's going to be a plan, not a gimmick."
—Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together
“Beckman and Mazmanian capture timeless and essential truths about blending parenting and employment. This is a book about cooperation and dependence – dependence on both earning an income and being an involved parent; dependence on our children for their cooperation in the shared endeavor; dependence on our family and friends for their engagement and care; dependence on caregivers who provide the scaffolding that makes each unique work-family blend possible.”
—Kathleen L. McGinn, Harvard Business School
“Work-life balance might be a myth, but the evidence that better rhythm is possible is very real. In this thoughtful, readable book, two experts share what they’ve learned about how to prioritize work, family, health, and relationships without making yourself insane.”
—Adam Grant, host of TED podcast “WorkLife”
"This marvelous book captures the contemporary experience of nine families, allowing them to speak for themselves about their dreams and how they cope with everyday life. Uniquely, it celebrates the fact that it is the dense web of social connections or scaffolding that enables family life to thrive in the digital age."
—Judy Wajcman, London School of Economics
“This wonderfully intriguing book reveals how invisible and undervalued support from extended family members, friends, neighbors, and communities is the scaffolding that makes survival and success possible. The example-rich writing is delightful and the informative endnotes fully cover a wide range of literature. This book is eye-opening and a must-read for all.”
—Lotte Bailyn, MIT Sloan School of Management
“In their excellent new book, Beckman and Mazmanian explore the Herculean task today’s families face as they strive to live up to the unrealistic expectation of doing everything perfectly while also being bombarded by ‘helpful technologies.’ Their in-depth look at different family configurations frames the challenges—and potential solutions—that today’s unique families need to understand in order to thrive in these changing times.”
—Brad Harrington, lead author of The New Dad research series
“Beckman and Mazmanian show the stakes in everyday life as we pursue perfection. Whether being the best parent and worker or having a perfect body, we try achieving the unattainable by working hard and efficiently to do more and do it better. Dreams of the Overworked explores the internal work that fills our days as we navigate life, simultaneously alone and in a crowd.”
—Chuck Darrah, San Jose State University