Book SummaryWorking Hard, Hardly Working, by Grace Beverley

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Working Hard, Hardly Working

The word “productivity” typically doesn’t bring to mind self-care behaviors such as sleeping in and enjoying a leisurely meal with friends. But in Working Hard, Hardly Working, entrepreneur and influencer Grace Beverley insists that self-care and productivity aren’t opposites—they actually require each other. She argues that you can improve your life and avoid burnout by recognizing that productive work leaves you with more time for self-care, and self-care boosts your productivity by energizing you.

(Shortform note: Beverley doesn’t explicitly define “self-care,” but we can infer from her descriptions throughout the book that she sees self-care as effectively meeting your physical and emotional needs. This view aligns with medical experts’ definition of self-care as supporting your body and mind, such as by regularly exercising, nurturing positive relationships, and scheduling...

Working Hard, Hardly Working Summary The Problem: Overwork and Burnout

According to Beverley, many Gen Zers and Millennials are burned out. (Shortform note: Some research supports Beverley’s claim: For instance, a 2023 poll that surveyed desk-based workers found that Gen Zers and Millennials (specifically young Millennials) reported higher rates of burnout than older generations did. However, burnout rates vary by profession. For example, one report reveals that Gen X physicians experience higher rates of burnout than their younger colleagues. This suggests that Beverley’s insights on burnout and how to overcome it may be relevant to some members of older generations, too.)

Beverley argues that three features of life today contribute to the problem of burnout among young people.

Feature 1: Our Culture of Overwork

Beverley says that our culture of overwork—which frames productivity as a measure of your value—**pressures young people to constantly earn money with “side gigs” instead of enjoying their...

Working Hard, Hardly Working Summary The Solution: Stop Seeing Self-Care and Productivity as Opposites

Beverley says that self-care is the antidote to overwork. You need to nurture your physical and mental health so productivity doesn’t burn you out. However, she acknowledges that engaging in self-care is often easier said than done. She emphasizes two common barriers to regularly engaging in self-care:

Barrier 1: Shame. We tend to feel ashamed about engaging in self-care due to our belief that it’s lazy and indulgent. Therefore, we avoid practicing self-care.

(Shortform note: According to one psychologist, this belief may stem from unmet childhood needs. If parents convey that their child should suppress their emotional needs to meet others’ needs, the child internalizes this message, making it an unconscious belief. Then, as an adult, the individual automatically thinks they should prioritize others’ needs over their own, contributing to their belief that self-care is lazy, shameful, and indulgent.)

Barrier 2: Limited time. It’s challenging to carve out time for self-care when we’re busy with work, chores, and other obligations.

(Shortform note: Our...

Working Hard, Hardly Working Summary Strategies for Improving Your Self-Care and Productivity

In this section, we’ll explore four of Beverley’s strategies for setting up cycles of productivity and self-care that support each other:

1. Make your work more enjoyable.
2. Meet your needs while you’re in flow (a state of enjoyable focus).
3. Engage in self-care-only time.
4. Use your work time wisely.

(Shortform note: The strategies Beverley proposes for overcoming overwork and burnout are specifically strategies for individuals to implement. By contrast, others argue that it’s primarily the responsibility of employers and organizations to solve the problems of overwork and burnout. It’s arguably in their best interests to do so, as employee burnout leads to issues that harm companies and organizations, such as high turnover. Experts recommend that leaders implement strategies such as allocating job responsibilities more fairly, reducing employee overtime, and [offering a four-day...

Shortform Exercise: Improve Your Self-Care and Productivity

In this exercise, you’ll make a plan for applying Beverley’s four strategies to your life.

How could you engage in self-care while working by making your work more enjoyable? (For example, list several fun warm-ups you could try next time you sit down to work. Alternatively, list one or more tasks you find satisfying, and then brainstorm how you might tweak your current work responsibilities to make them even more satisfying.)