Stress Less, Accomplish More

Whoops, I actually finished this book like a week ago but forgot to post about it here.  I came across Emily Fletcher's Stress Less, Accomplish More last summer thanks to Betty Rocker (I don't think this was the actual post where I first heard about it, but this gives the just of what I read).  Since the library didn't have a copy, I bought it on my Kindle.  I planned on reading it sooner, but didn't actually get to it until the flight home from my vacation earlier this month.  I read most of the book then, but didn't actually finish it until a few days later (I actually should have finished it a day before I did - I stopped reading that night because I thought there was still like 80% of the book to go, but that turned out to be mostly notes and the index!)

So Stress Less, Accomplish More explains Fletcher's method of meditation (or at least the lite version of her Ziva Method).  She grounds the book in science, showing how meditating just twice a day for 15 minutes can be so good for you, helping you finally beat stress and start accomplishing all that you want to in life.  Many celebrities and successful business people (many of whom share their stories in the book) have used the Ziva method (or other forms of meditation) to do just that.

Now I'm not going to lie: the book gets a bit repetitive.  It takes until chapter 8 before it finally tells you the Ziva method (the other like 7 chapters just keep going on about all the health benefits; while this was good to read, it definitely hit the point where she could have just listed the rest and gotten to the point, rather than going into so much detail).  That being said though, the book is easy to read, even while being so heavily grounded in science (neuroscience in particular). 

I was personally interested in reading Stress Less, Accomplish More because I had started meditating after reading You Have Four Minutes to Change Your Life, but have since fallen out of the habit.  I was hoping that reading this book would help me get back into the habit.  I was a bit daunted at the thought of trying to fit in two fifteen minute sessions of meditation per day (

You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life: Simple 4-Minute Meditations for Inspiration, Transformation, and True Bliss

I've been interested in meditation for a few months now.  I went looking for a local class, but nothing I could find seemed to be at a good time for me.  Then I saw an interview with the author of Unplug: A Simple Guide to Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers.  While researching that book (I was hoping to get it from my local library, but it wasn't available), I stumbled on Rebekah Borucki's You Have 4 Minutes to Change Your Life.  It was rated better, AND it was available for free through Hoopla, the library streaming service.  Sounded like a win to me.

Now full disclosure: I didn't actually try most of the meditations.  Borucki includes 27 guided meditations.  I tried 2 so far. So even though I finished the book, I would not say I have a meditation practice at this point in time. But that's okay.  I'd say I'm on my way to getting one.  Especially since I bought a physical copy of the book for myself.  I really liked how Borucki approached meditation.  Anyone can fit in a few minutes in their day for a bit of self-reflection and calm.  She also shows you how meditation helped her in her life; it's very easy to see how it can help you in yours from her examples.  Some of the later chapters may be a bit of a turn-off to people who aren't overly religious (she talks a lot about divine purpose, etc), but I honestly think that even with this, you will still be able to get the basics of meditation; don't forget, meditation is all about trying to calm your mind and listen to your inner wisdom.  You don't need to believe in a higher power to enjoy these benefits.  So if you're interested in learning about meditation, I think this is a fabulous book to start with.