The Joy of Not Working: 21st Century Edition-A Book for the Retired, Unemployed, and Overworked [Paperback]

An odd mix of amateur psychology and self-help is offered by this engineer happily and creatively unemployed for 14 years. His clear-as-a-bell message is that making the most of leisure involves knowing yourself inside and outside of work. And that, for most overworked and undersatisfied Americans, amounts to an overwhelming task. To some extent, Zelinski tames the process with a combination of humor, cartoons, quotes from the famous (and the not so), fan mail excerpts, and a host of exercises to try. Explored in depth are the nature of boredom (complaining is one sure sign), the value of work, inner passions and goals, and the potential maleficence of money. None of these thoughts are new; Abraham Maslow, for one, advocated the stages toward healthy humanity. Nor are the statistics, remarks, or observations unique. But the notion of how to enjoy free time is finally geared to a mass market. Barbara Jacobs --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

"The message is that leisure, not work, is critical to happiness. . . . Zelinski points out that no one'¬?s dying words have ever included, '¬´I wish I had worked more.'¬? "-Financial Post"Ernie Zelinski helps others find time to live."-Boston Herald"[Is the] key to success and keeping life meaningful."-Contra Costa Times

Ernie Zelinski could change your view of the world forever. He has already taught more than 150,000 people what THE JOY OF NOT WORKING is all about: learning to live every part of your life-employment, unemployment, retirement, and leisure time alike-to the fullest. With this completely revised and expanded edition, you too can join the thousands of converts and learn to thrive at both work and at play. Illustrated by eye-opening exercises, thought-provoking diagrams, and lively cartoons and quotations, THE JOY OF NOT WORKING will guide you to:Be more productive at work by working less.Discover and pursue your life'¬?s passions.Gain the courage to leave your corporate job if it is draining life out of you.Pursue interesting leisure activities that make a difference in your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.Vanquish any guilt you may have about not working long and hard hours.Be financially independent with less money.Plus, new to this edition are inspiring letters from readers detailing how the book helped them improve the variety, tone, and quality of their lives.A revised and updated edition of the classic guide to living life to its fullest.Previous editions have sold more than 150,000 copies in 14 languages.

ERNIE J. ZELINSKI has an Engineering degree and an MBA from the University of Alberta. Because he is truly organizationally averse, he has not had a real job for over twenty-five years. Ernie speaks professionally on the subjects of real success, retirement, and applying creativity to business and leisure.