This is the newest book by the co-author of Driven To Distraction, John J. Ratey. I can’t say enough good things about this book! It begins with a description of a school district that has implemented a P.E. program that focuses on fitness over sports. The changes this has made in the schools is amazing. I am now gung-ho to get this program into the schools my children attend.
That, my friends, is just the beginning. Mr. Ratey explains how exercise can make your brain work better in very simple, engaging terms. The benefits of exercise exceed anything I’d ever imagined.
The second part of the book is where you might find the most relevant information for your life. There are specific sections on Stress, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD, Addiction, Hormonal Changes and Aging which are interesting to read but you can skip around to the area that most effects you. In the end, he sets out a training regimen that will best serve your brain and will get your body in shape at the same time.
If you needed a compelling reason to exercise, this book should motivate you to get off your fanny and stick to a regular fitness routine.
 If you’re interested in receiving an e-mail when I review a new book or have a book to recommend I read and review, please e-mail me allinorder@rcn.com.
 
Thanks for reading!
Anne Busse, Professional Organizer

I’m only writing here about books I find inspiring and useful, so you already know that I think this is a great book. Mr. Loehr and Mr. Schwartz have developed a system to make you a “corporate athlete.” If a book is too much to handle, they wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review titled “The Making of a Corporate Athlete” which gives you a very abridged idea of what their program is about.
For those who are stuck and want to make changes, get organized, or increase their productivity through better time management, this book gives you a roadmap on how to make lasting changes.
I enjoyed the book for a few reasons. First, they take into account the whole body. They talk about Mental, Physical, Emotional and Spiritual health as all necessary and important for performing your best. It’s rare to find a book that really brings all these together and doesn’t dwell on just one.
The second reason I liked this book is that it deals with the Spiritual domain in a way that is engaging without mention of religion and without new-agey language that turns many people off (myself included) to the idea of connecting with your core values. They also use so many real-life examples to show what they mean and the effect that developing your spiritual “muscle” can have. I was inspired to re-assess my values and write them down!
Third, they give you a plan of action. If you have a coach, great, they can help you with accountability and self-awareness as you develop and follow your plan. If you don’t have a coach, you can use it to work out your own values, your vision for yourself (personal and business), what’s standing in your way and what you are actually going to DO to make changes. They even have an accountability log so you can track your progress.
So, if you are trying to make some changes and have had trouble with how to do it, this book might make the difference. I don’t assume that any one method works for everyone, so if this book doesn’t work for you, keep checking back and I promise eventually I’ll get to a book that’s right for you!
If you’re interested in receiving an e-mail when I review a new book or have a book to recommend I read and review, please e-mail me allinorder@rcn.com.
 
Thanks for reading!
Anne Busse, Professional Organizer

This book gives you the research background as to why various “happiness” activities work. It also explains our happiness “set point” and claims that 40% of our happiness is within our control. I’ve never before seen happiness broken down this way with data to back it up.
As many of you know, I often challenge my clients to express gratitude for what they have and make subtle shifts to positive thinking. It turns out these are only a few of the ways to increase happiness and this book lists twelve activities that, if practiced regularly, can increase happiness. I am glad to have a larger group of activities to give my clients more options when they want to make changes to become happier.
The other interesting finding from Ms. Lyubomirsky’s book was how little time one needs to spend doing these happiness activities to see a benefit. For instance, it turns out you’re better off counting your blessings (listing a few things you’re grateful for in your life) once a week than daily. It’s a big relief for me to have some scientific data to help guide clients in these activities.
So, whether you’re working with a coach or on your own, The How of Happiness provides simple ways that you can become happier. Who doesn’t want that?
 If you’re interested in receiving an e-mail when I review a new book or have a book to recommend I read and review, please e-mail me allinorder@rcn.com.
 
Thanks for reading!
Anne Busse, Professional Organizer