Author: Bob Losyk

ISBN 0-471-65949-5

The following review was contributed by: Roger E. Herman & click to view Roger E. Herman's Reviews 

Twenty-five years ago, when “burnout” was just being recognized as a high-stress, hit-the-wall phenomenon, I was there. I went through that experience, and recovered. I still have vivid memories of living a great number of the symptoms that are included in the classic definitions of job burnout. It’s not pretty. Everyone in the world of work is advised to learn the warning signs, the avoidance techniques, and the secrets to leading a happy life with stress under control.

Bob Losyk’s book will tell you how.

With my intimate knowledge of the field of stress, from living the out-of-control side to managing it well today, I found this book to be the most thorough on the topic. Losyk explains stress, stressors, and symptoms with a breadth and depth that covers everything the reader needs to know. I was pleasantly surprised by the volume of information he managed to squeeze into these pages. Even with anecdotes to illustrate his themes, there are few wasted words in this book. And that’s important: people with stress problems have little patience with rambling!

The book is comprehensive, addressing meditation, diet, exercise, time management, and so much more. His “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Stressors” is filled with practical advice. Challenged readers could even start there and be ready for instant progress. Just thumbing through the book and looking at the boxes with assessments, action plans, and capsulized knowledge will be a valuable experience.

The book might have benefited from an index, but the table of contents is detailed enough the help the reader find specific information easily.

With the pressures of work, career, and questions about whether to stay or go, this book offers powerful support for management and non-management workers alike. As lead author of “Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People,” I’m keenly aware of what is happening—and what will be happening—in the workplace. Losyk’s  book will be a vital tool (perhaps a life-saver) for a lot of people.