How to Have a Good Day

Caroline Webb is a management consultant and executive coach who spent 15 years at McKinsey and now runs her own company. In this practical and highly useful book, she draws on findings from behavioural economics, psychology and neuroscience as well as personal interviews and experiences to help readers transform their working lives. From psychology she takes a greater focus on well-being, from economics more realism in theories of behaviour, and from neuroscience more sophisticated measurement of brain activity. Three main themes run through every chapter: the two systems brain - one deliberate and controlled, the other automatic and instinctive; the discover-defend axis where discovery is oriented towards reward and defence against threats; finally, the mind-body loop, which is much more tightly coupled than we previously realised. In these ways, a change of intention leads to a change of filters and therefore interpretation of a particular situation.

The seven chapters cover priorities, productivity, relationships, thinking, influence, resilience and energy. The principles are clearly explained with practical examples of everyday situations, and excellent summaries at the end of each chapter. Among the helpful recommendations are writing things down as soon as they come to mind so as not to waste the brain's precious working memory, identifying the very next thing to do in terms of each project, focusing on one thing at once and batching tasks, realising when one is in a defensive or avoidance mode and knowing how to transform this. It is also useful to know how the brain processes information, not only for oneself, but also for one's communications. The advice on business relationships is very constructive, as is the section on resolving tensions. Then we all need to learn how to be resilient, move on and conserve our energy and enjoyment. One of the appendices contains an excellent chart on how to reinvigorate your routine, summarising much of the key material. A highly informative users' manual for making the most of the working day in terms of thinking, feeling and doing.