Booklife Review

Kemp offers up actionable advice for women in the workforce to work less while increasing productivity in this motivating debut. Through personal and client anecdotes, drawing from over 20 years as a strategic coach and business owner, Kemp shares ways to welcome diverse perspectives, “see your own genius,” and learn that "you can't outwork your thought habits.” She explores the habits that drive mindset, encouraging self-care along the way, and offers readers functional advice—including exercises and journaling prompts—to empower women to increase their income while decreasing their working hours.

The writing is inviting and personable, reminiscent of an exclusive session with a knowledgeable life coach, as Kemp challenges readers to create structured work routines while providing room for leisure time and rest. She delves into societal norms that many women face, such as working outside of the home while simultaneously working unpaid hours in the home, exploring the guilt and exhaustion women can feel when attempting to balance work, home, and a safe space for themselves. "The change must start from within you," Kemp declares, recommending readers set healthy boundaries, create a daily checklist, and, above all, “[take] care of yourself.”

Kemp’s fresh narrative will inspire readers to reevaluate how they spend their time, as she urges them to “work less and play more”—and that more should include more energy, more income, and more free time, according to Kemp. Self-assessments make the material applicable and clear, as do the hands-on tools scattered throughout (Kemp shares her own “Six Most Important Things List” to up productivity without sacrificing more time, and reflection questions get the ball rolling on restructuring boundaries and priorities). Readers—especially women—will be inspired to embrace their needs, confront the pressures of balancing work and home, and “liv[e] now, not only after all of their work is completed.”

Takeaway: Empowering guide for women to balance work and play.

Comparable Titles: Jen Sincero's You Are A Badass, Suzanne Brown’s The Mompowerment Guide to Work-Life Balance.

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A