Thrive! Book club for Sustainability professionals

I host a book club for sustainability professionals who want to talk more about how to save the world without burning out. 

Reading the whole book is optional, please come along and use it as an opportunity to meet others who are working in this sector.

You're not alone with these challenges :) Send me a message at katherine@ellsworthkrebs.com with the book you want to join and I’ll add you to the calendar invite.

January, February, March we'll be reading short books (under 6 hours as an audiobook options)l in the self-help genre that will give us a launch pad to discuss personal care and resilience. 

The first series connects to step one of my Group Coaching Programme Catalyst:

1/ embrace doing less, changing narratives

Fridays at 1pm GMT:

24 January - Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

In Slow Productivity, Cal Newport calls for a shift toward working at a natural pace—acknowledging that big, meaningful changes often take time.

This is particularly true for sustainability and CSR, considering the goal is long-term, systemic impact.

Newport encourages us to stop rushing through tasks and accept that our biggest achievements might take decades to fully materialize.

Now, I know what you're thinking—"It’s easy to talk about taking things slow, but I’ve got sustainability reports, compliance deadlines, and stakeholders to meet."

Yet do you ever feel like you’re focusing on surface-level tasks—like churning out reports or answering emails—that feel productive in the short term but don’t lead to true, long-lasting impact?

Cal Newport’s book aims to offer some ways to slow down and make more space for a few high-leverage projects that could create real, large-scale change.

By shifting your focus to these high-priority tasks, you give yourself the time and space to deeply engage with the most important aspects of your CSR mission.

You probably have felt overwhelmed at times by the small, often bureaucratic tasks, that can encroach on getting to do the work that got you into this sector in the first place – like organising an event that led to a room full of strangers also talking excitedly about climate activist!

I’m not gonna say it’s effortless, or even easy, to let go of the never-ending urgent to-do list, but if you want to start having that conversation join us on Friday to discuss Cal Newport’s latest book. Even if you haven’t read it, you can likely join in as it brings up some basic (potentially controversial) topics that most people can wax lyrical about… For instance:

1. The Slow Revolution: Is It Possible?

Cal Newport argues that slowing down can actually make us more productive. Does this idea feel radical or refreshing to you?

2. The Deep Work Dilemma

Newport emphasizes deep work as the key to meaningful achievement. In a world full of distractions, how can we carve out time for focus?

3. Rest as a Superpower

We’re conditioned to push through exhaustion, but Newport suggests rest is an essential productivity tool. Have you experienced moments where rest actually boosted your performance?

21 February - Do Less by Kate Northup

“How can I do as little as possible today?”

That was a question my coach offered in 2021 when I read Do Less by Kate Northup – this month’s book club pick.

That question may bring up some judgement in you about yourself or others who might start their day with this query.

Some of you are probably thinking “that sounds lazy!”

Like it’s a bad thing!

But like last month’s book by Cal Newport – Slow Productivity – argues... what if doing less is the way to accomplish the tasks that are most important to you?

So what does Do Less bring to the discussion of productivity and rest?

Do Less is written for women and moms, but I think anyone can take something from it.

Why it feels like it's written for women and moms is because Kate Northrup spends a lot of time talking about the menstrual cycle and productivity.

This was revolutionary to me in recognizing another aspect of living in a patriarchal society and an expectation that every day can be the same. Men don't have this monthly calendar, but for people who are menstruating just based on your hormones, you won't feel capable of doing the same things every day.

Having permission to say “I don't have to do all the things all the time. I can do more reflection at one period of the month”

Or

“I don't have to be outgoing, every week or every day, these things can come in cycles”

was novel for me... does it seem challenging to you?

So one of the biggest shifts that I got from Do Less was that it helped me to see approach my life in cycles or seasons.

For instance, Kate Northup talks through the four phases of the menstrual cycle and connects these to the four seasons, which makes it easier to remember:

The follicular phase is when you're primed to plan and initiate new projects. That’s spring energy.

Then when you ovulate, that's summer = when you're articulate and magnetic. You want to get out and be around people. Your hormones are literally trying to get you to meet new people and procreate.

The luteal phase is autumn. You turn inward and complete projects. And this is actually one of the longer phases, about 12 to 14 days.

When you’re bleeding is winter. This is when you rest and you reflect and you're more logical and intuitive.

So to put this into connecting to the ways you work... Take a moment and notice if you are someone who is more often in that spring energy–always starting projects and not necessarily finishing them?

This tendency can be softened by playing with connecting your month plans to the four seasons. I've especially found it can really help with flow and not trying to do too many things:

- You know when you’re willing to take on new projects (roughly a week in your ‘spring,’ although this is also a time when if you’re like me you have a lot of energy and may agree to too many things! So caution is also useful in the spring energy)

- When you’re willing to load up networking events (your summer week)

- And more importantly you know when you’re going to say “No” to new project or presentations because if it’s outside of that cycle (e.g., in your autumn and winter you’re wrapping things up and holding space to be intentional about what you want to accomplish in your next cycle).

This may sound too restrictive, I know it did to me at first. But through a book club and a committed group to trying to save the world without burning out, I found Do Less was one of those books that changed my life in really good ways.

Every day or week does not have to be the same, you can listen to your body and find rhythms that suit you.

21 March - Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

​What Tricia Hershey brings to the conversation critiquing the idea that doing more, makes us more worthy is a historical reminder:

The ultimate hustle culture is where humans are dehumanised and treated as machines… in other words… plantations, slavery, white supremacy.

In that context, slowing down and resting is an act of resistance.

Tricia Hershey sets out 4 tenets for her Nap Ministry:

1. Rest is a form of resistance because it pushes back and disrupts white supremacy and capitalism.

2. Our bodies are a site of liberation. And that brings into the somatics the idea that wherever our bodies are, we can find rest.

3. Naps provide a portal to imagine, invent and heal.

4. Our dream space has been stolen, and we want it back. We will reclaim it via rest.

In this context, rest is not done to be more productive… as much wellness advice may imply. Tricia Hershey reminds us that rest is a divine right of all humans. You do not have to feel guilty or shamed because you need rest,:

“You are not a failure, inadequate or unworthy because you are tired and want rest.”

What we're doing to our bodies when we're exhausted, when we're burnt out over a long time is killing us. It is causing more disease to take root in our bodies. It's not allowing us to live to our full potential.

The CDC has named sleep deprivation as a public health crisis.

When we aren't sleeping, our organs don't have a chance to regenerate. Our brain doesn’t function as well because sleep helps your creativity, memory retention, and removing waste products.

“We're not resting to get ourselves more riled up to be on capitalism's clock. We are resting simply because it is our divine and human right to do so.”