Thriving in 24/7: Sally Helgesen’s Six Strategies for Taming the New World of Work
In a world that rewards immediacy and efficiency at work, Thriving in 24/7 (published in Spanish as Abierto las 24 horas) treats time as a finite resource: something to devote to what matters most, and to the things that fulfil us, so that we can lead a full life.
Author: Sally Helgesen
Title: Thriving in 24/7: Six Strategies for Taming the New World of Work (2001)
Format: English paperback (Nicholas Brealey), 272 pages
Scope: Career and time management
Amazon: www.amazon.es/dp/1857883071 (ASIN 1857883071)
A Survival Guide
The book is a survival guide for professionals in the twenty-first century: prioritise meaningful tasks without neglecting everyday obligations.
Six Strategies
It sets out six strategies for navigating working life:
1. Start at the beginning.
2. Learn to zigzag: adapt to change.
3. Create your own job.
4. Weave an active web of inclusion.
5. Build a distinctive brand.
6. Practise the rhythm of renewal.
Live in the Present
The conclusion is that the best way to avoid anxiety and make the most of every moment is to learn to enjoy the present, what we have now, and not to fret about things that have not happened yet.
Sally Helgesen
Sally Helgesen is an American author, speaker and leadership consultant best known for her work on women in leadership. Her first major book, The Female Advantage (1990), studied how women leaders organise their work, and The Web of Inclusion (1995) described flatter, more connected forms of organisation. Later she co-wrote How Women Rise with the executive coach Marshall Goldsmith. Thriving in 24/7 applies her research to a broader question: how anyone can build a satisfying career in a world where work never stops.
The New World of Work
Written around 2000, the book describes changes that were just becoming visible: the end of jobs for life, constant connectivity through email and mobile phones, global competition and companies reorganising again and again. Helgesen argues that the old idea of a career as a ladder climbed inside one organisation no longer works, and that people need to take charge of their own working lives.
Webs and Brands
Two of her strategies stand out. The "web of inclusion" is about building a wide network of relationships across and beyond your organisation, so that you hear about opportunities and can draw on others’ support. Building a "distinctive brand" means becoming known for particular strengths and values, rather than just a job title. Both ideas have since become common in career advice, which shows how far ahead of its time the book was.
Renewal
The final strategy, practising the rhythm of renewal, may be the most important today. Helgesen argues that in a world that never switches off, people must build their own periods of rest, reflection and learning, or risk burnout.
It is advice that has only grown more urgent since the book appeared.
Rest, she insists, is part of the work.
Reading It Today
Two decades on, much of what Helgesen predicted has come true: remote work, portfolio careers, personal branding and the blurring of work and home life are now everyday realities. Some of her examples, drawn from the early days of the internet, have dated, but her central argument has not: in an unstable working world, security comes less from any one employer than from your own skills, relationships and reputation. Readers starting out in their careers, or rethinking them in mid-life, will find practical encouragement here.
Who Is It For?
Professionals who feel their job has swallowed their life, and anyone trying to build a career in an always-on world. Written at the dawn of the smartphone age, its advice has only become more relevant.
As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Part of the reading recommendations featured on books.sapiensverbum.com.
