REST ETHIC

A brief manual for getting more out of doing less.

Orr’s slim nonfiction debut seeks to liberate readers from what he calls the “never-ending treadmill” of the always-on lifestyle that’s encouraged by social media. His specific aim is to foster recognition of how a “24/7/365 existence is killing us.” In a series of concise but sharply focused chapters, Orr, a chiropractor, explains that he doesn’t intend the latter assertion as hyperbole: A hypercharged social atmosphere creates strain and exhaustion across many aspects of people’s lives, and the author addresses many of these—not merely by highlighting economic overwork, but also spiritual, social, physical dissipation. For each, Orr lays out a broad outline of essential points, and each chapter concludes with “Action Steps” that are designed to help the reader focus on remedies. In a chapter on achieving “financial rest,” for example, the author lays out what he terms “Baby Steps,” beginning with “Save $1,000 in an emergency fund” and concluding with the concept of building wealth and giving to those in need. Interestingly, other parts of the book that aren’t specifically centered on finances often touch on money, anyway, as when he addresses clothing in his “Lifestyle” chapter: “Buy the best clothes that you can afford and that make you look great and feel good,” he writes. “It isn’t vanity; it’s valuing yourself. Consider it your wrapping paper!” Orr’s ultimate intention is to reacquaint his readers with the natural rhythms of their own lives, and his clear prose will help them to grasp this larger point. His strategies are designed to help readers “recharge” in various ways, and more than a few are likely to find his simple, straightforward, and direct approach intensely useful.

A companionable and fittingly concise guide to stripping life down to its essentials.