Ah, summer vacation. The time to get away, relax, work on your tan, enjoy a fruity drink and enjoy the time away from work.
The time to book a flight, pack your suitcase, wait in the dreadful lines at security in the airport, find a seat at your assigned gate (if you can even find one), be cattle corralled into a plane with barely any arm or leg room (and possibly a very enthusiastic and talkative neighbor) … wait, this sounds oddly familiar to some peoples daily work travels, but let’s not get sidetracked … all while dreaming of your destination getaway that awaits you.
So what are you going to do to relax from the rigmarole of life and relax on that flight, whether it be long or short, to that magical destination we call vacation?
Some people read magazines, some listen to music and some people even watch the in-flight movie.
What do I do? I choose to read.
Whether the book takes you to a faraway land or informs and updates you on a subject to your liking, a book can make you forget about your journey and have you arriving at your destination that much quicker.
Now I know you are asking, what should I read? Good thing, because it just so happens you are in luck.
Now I know getting away from work on vacation is a good thing, but you wouldn’t be doing what you like for work if it didn’t somewhat interest you, so here is a list of the top five business and investing books, according to Amazon, that may spur some interest:
- Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
In Lean In, Sandberg, the CEO of Facebook, examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential. - StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
In the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, Gallup ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents. In StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, language of 34 themes and much more. - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
In this book, which has been a bestseller for some time now, Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service and human dignity — principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates. - Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
In the book, Kahneman, the renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, takes us on a groundbreaking tour of the mind and explains the two systems that drive the way we think. He reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He also offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives — and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble. - Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW
In Daring Greatly, Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on 12 years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement and meaningful connection.
So kick back, relax and enjoy your summer reading!
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Denise DeChaine is special projects editor at Institutional Real Estate, Inc.
