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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Work Life Well-Lived summary
Kelly Mackin
The Motives Met Pathway to No-B.S. Well-Being at Work
16 mins
Brief summary
Work Life Well-Lived offers guidance on achieving a harmonious balance between professional and personal fulfillment. Kelly Mackin emphasizes mindful practices and actionable strategies to navigate work challenges while enhancing overall well-being.
Table of Contents
Work Life Well-Lived
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
Are you thriving?
Kelly Mackin was exhausted. Not just physically tired, but soul-tired. Burned out. While she for so long had prided herself on being a workaholic, the creative agency environment was slowly sucking the life out of her. The stress, the pressure, the lack of sleep, the drinking culture… it was taking its toll. At one stage, Mackin was dependent on Adderall and sleeping pills. She even started to suffer from panic attacks.
It would take years to recover, through a change of career, a change of mindset, and some much-needed help from therapy and meditation.
Now, when Mackin reflects on this difficult period of her life, she’s struck by how normal it seemed to her at the time. All the stress and anxiety – well, that was what you had to put up with if you wanted to be successful at work.
But actually, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it shouldn’t be that way. On average, a third of our lives is spent at work – pretty incredible, when you think about it. In the words of the author Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Your work life is your life.
Mackin is now the CEO of an organization that helps people to live their best work lives. According to the research, only 16% of people actually feel that they’re thriving at work. So even if you’re not as unhappy as Mackin once was, ask yourself – are you thriving? Chances are, you’re not.
But like so many people in the world right now, you’re probably feeling ready for a change. The COVID-19 pandemic shook things up, transforming the world of work, and making us re-evaluate our priorities. Health is important. Well-being is important. And we can prioritize these things while also thriving in our careers.
Of course, there’s no quick fix – no easy, one-size-fits-all solution. But there are practical steps you can take to make positive, lasting changes in your life. Mackin and her team have done the research, and come up with a five-step framework that anyone can use.
Whether you’re on the brink of burnout, or you just know that things could be better, these steps will help you transform your work life. So let’s go through them, one by one.
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What is Work Life Well-Lived about?
Work Life Well-Lived (2024) rethinks workplace fulfillment by introducing the Motives Met framework, which focuses on aligning work with individual psychological, emotional, and social needs. Through a practical five-step approach, this method helps both individuals and organizations build environments where employees don’t just work – they thrive.
Who should read Work Life Well-Lived?
- Anyone who feels dissatisfied with their work life
- People who want to take a more proactive approach to their career
- Those who know they could benefit from some self-reflection
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