"Feel like you're on a treadmill that won't stop? Learn to step off and hit your stride. Not long ago Christine Carter, happiness expert at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, found herself caught up in the busyness of modern life: too many conflicting obligations and not enough time, energy, or patience to get everything done. She tried all the standard techniques--prioritizing, multitasking, delegating--but found that she needed a new approach, one that would allow her to live more in that zone we've all glimpsed but can never seem to hold on to: the sweet spot of expertise, efficiency, and ease. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the latest psychological, neurological, and biological science related to happiness, productivity, and elite performance, Carter put herself through the practical paces. Her goal was not to live a stress-free life, but rather to build stress resilience and find a quicker path to calm and confidence. Her trials and errors are our reward. Carter shares her combination of practices for attaining happiness without giving up success. How to take a brief recess, an inoculation against "The Overwhelm" and the key to converting stress into productive and creative energy. How to start daily micro-habits that free you up to focus on and enjoy more important things. How to unplug from seemingly time-saving gadgets that can sap our strength, and use technology more strategically prioritize our relationships. How to cultivate tolerance for a little discomfort while we build the skills that make hard things feel easy and develop the grit to bounce back from life's inevitable setbacks. This inspiring book lets us in on the possibilities for joy and freedom that comes when we stop trying to do everything right--and start doing the right things"--Provided by publisher.

Introduction: Stepping off the treadmill -- Take recess -- Switch autopilot on -- Unshackle yourself -- Cultivate relationships -- Tolerate some discomfort -- Conclusion: Making the final shift.