Books that cleanse the soul
We have known for a long while that snuggling up on the sofa with a good book is a sure fire way to wind down, but now a psychologist has taken this a step further and has compiled a ”reading list for the soul” which aims to help stressed out workers deal with the stresses and strains of life.
Dr Mary Brown has selected five books which she believes will help people to cope with the pressures of work and relationships. The titles range from classic murder mystery novels to books of love poetry and Brown hopes they will help people to cope with stressful life issues such as job uncertainty, pressure in relationships and long working hours.
The booklist is part of Dr Brown’s research ”Work ‘Til We Drop” a project which set out to examine the reasons people decide to take or not take sickness leave during the recession.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) say sickness levels have decreased for the third year in a row. Perhaps indicating that many individuals still fear their jobs are not secure.
Dr Brown explained how her research revealed that there is a need among people for a boost in their self esteem and self-respect when they were in a job they could not risk leaving. Brown did find that counselling held lots of benefits for this but books can be opened at any time and provide a more private release.
“These books are inspiring and address people’s issues, giving them subtle hints on how to resolve them without preaching at them. They will give them the confidence it’s not them at fault, it’s the workplace and that there are ways of bringing meaning to your life without packing in your job.” She said.
The books chosen are: The Long Good-bye by Raymond Chandler, Love Poems by Carol Ann Duffy, A Complete Guide to the Soul by Patrick Harpur, What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.
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