Jessica N. Turner

I once had a boss who said the way to measure whether or not it had been worth going to a conference was if at the end you walked away with even just one really good idea to put into practice. That's how I'll measure "The Fringe Hours."

The premise of the book centers on the notion that mothers MUST make time for their own pursuits and self-care, lest they completely burn-out. For some people this might be a revelation, but most of my contemporaries (and their partners) are on-board with this philosophy. Turner addresses the need to let go of perfectionism, why you can't say "yes" to every volunteer request that comes your way, why you need to "good-bye" to guilt, etc. She talks about different seasons of life, and the legitimacy of paying or bartering for help in order to free up time (without feeling guilty about it).

We each have our strengths, and areas where we could use help. Turner admittedly has a messy kitchen, but loves planning birthday parties for her kids. My kitchen is clean, but the thought of planning an at-home birthday party for my kids gives me nightmares! Thankfully, Turner's book offers plenty of suggestions across the spectrum no matter where your "challenge spot" might be. This meets my "one good idea" threshold and made it a worthwhile (and quick) read for me.… (plus d'informations)

A fitting self-help novel to round out my hellish year. I can’t say I learned much, as it is very much geared towards working mothers of younger children, and I am not that. It did confirm some things about my work situation about which I was already taking action. I found most of what Ms. Turner has to say as nothing more than common sense, but sometimes you need to hear it from someone else. Being a working mother is difficult, and if this is a book that can help you, then I suggest you read it for the chance to assess your values and goals and find ways to make motherhood a bit easier.… (plus d'informations)

The Short of It:

Geared towards working moms but really any mom, whether working inside the home or out, can find some useful takeaways.

The Rest of It:

At the end of 2018 I was wrecked. I was tired, utterly depleted in mental capacity and physically hurting ALL OVER. Over the holidays I had a good three weeks off but that first week, oh my goodness, that first week was spent healing. I had all the things to do (shop for holiday parties, meals, gifts) but I could not function. I finally told myself that it had to wait and wait it did.

I slept, It helped but didn’t fix me like I thought it would. It actually took days of rest, careful eating, and a lot of vitamins to feel somewhat normal. That’s why at the beginning of the year, I picked up Stretched Too Thin. A podcast I was listening to mentioned the book and then I decided to following Jessica Turner on Instagram. This book called to me, for obvious reasons.

Now, a little about the book. It’s short and simple and hits on all the trouble spots that us moms fall into. Working too much, over scheduling ourselves, not building in time for self-care and the like. Each chapter covers a specific area of focus, and then includes a workbook portion where you write down responses and begin to pick apart how you’ve been living and what you can do better.

I will say this, Stretched Too Thin did not tell me anything new but it gave me permission to focus on myself for once. I would have preferred to have the workbook portions at the end of the book so that I could have focused on each short chapter without having to stop to answer questions. I felt that the format made it a little choppy but I liked the voice behind the message. Ms. Turner is very genuine and real. She has lived the “stretched too thin” life and doesn’t want anyone else to fall into that trap.

I think this is an important book because it really does remind you that life can be lived a different way. You do not have to run from appointment to appointment. You have choices. This is where I am now. I’ve been changing some things around to make my life more serene and less chaotic and besides this week of the show, I’ve been improving and tweaking and even allowing myself time to investigate other passions.

For more reviews, visit my blog: Book Chatter.… (plus d'informations)

Stretched Too Thin is the “self-help” book every female needs! I don’t care if you are a mother or childless, spouse or single, home owner or living with your parents - Turner offers sage advice, relatable experiences and achievable solutions. From friendship to self-care, work, parenting and home every page had me nodding my head in agreement and jotting down notes for positive changes to make in my own life. Anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed or guilty will relate to this book.

As a working female, or adult in general, I often feel overwhelmed in all that needs to be accomplished and the minimal hours in my day. I feel frustrated that many of the books I read on overwhelmed feelings offer stories with no solutions or workable advice. Stretched Too Thin provides relatable experiences and attainable action items to better yourself. It also provides important reminders that every human needs to hear again and again. Each chapter wraps up with several pages of prompts and activities to help the reader both become self-aware and resolve the concepts broached in each chapter.

This is absolutely a book I will be picking up again and again! For any female, mother, adult or employee, do yourself a favor and read this book.

For the full review visit: https://fortheloveofthepageblog.wordpress.com/

*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher; all opinions are my own.… (plus d'informations)