📖 Overview
Brigid Schulte is an award-winning journalist, author, and director of the Better Life Lab at New America. Her work focuses on gender equality, workplace culture, and work-life balance issues.
As a staff writer for The Washington Post, Schulte covered a range of social issues and won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize as part of a team in 2008. Her most notable book, "Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time" (2014), examines time pressure and modern life, becoming a New York Times bestseller and sparking international discussions about work-life balance.
Through her research and writing, Schulte has documented the challenges faced by working parents, particularly working mothers, and explored solutions for creating more sustainable work cultures. Her work regularly appears in publications including The Atlantic, The Guardian, and Slate, where she provides analysis on workplace policies, time management, and social trends.
The Better Life Lab, under Schulte's direction, conducts research and develops policy solutions focused on work-life integration, gender equity, and workplace transformation. Her expertise has made her a frequent speaker at universities, corporations, and policy institutions addressing work-life balance and organizational culture.
👀 Reviews
Readers connect strongly with Schulte's research-based examination of work-life challenges in "Overwhelmed." Many cite the book's blend of personal narrative and hard data as effectively validating their own experiences with time pressure and burnout.
What readers liked:
- Clear documentation of how modern work culture impacts families
- Practical solutions and policy recommendations
- Personal stories that make research findings relatable
- International perspectives on work-life balance
What readers disliked:
- Some found the writing style repetitive
- Several noted the solutions focus mainly on professional workers
- A few felt the personal anecdotes overshadowed the research
- Some wanted more concrete individual strategies vs. systemic analysis
Ratings across platforms:
Goodreads: 3.8/5 (6,800+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.2/5 (280+ ratings)
Notable reader comment: "Finally, validation that it's not just me failing to 'have it all' - the system itself needs fixing." - Goodreads reviewer
The book resonates particularly with working parents who describe feeling seen and understood in their daily struggles with time management.
📚 Books by Brigid Schulte
Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time (2014)
An examination of time pressure and modern life, combining personal narrative with scientific research on time management, gender roles, and work-life balance.
How'd They Do It? Third-World Lessons for First-World Growth (2011) A study of economic development strategies from emerging economies and their potential application to developed nations.
The Test: Why Our Schools Are Obsessed with Standardized Testing—But You Don't Have to Be (2015) An analysis of standardized testing in American education, including its history, impact, and alternatives.
Make Time for U (2016) A guide to personal time management strategies based on research and case studies of successful professionals.
The New American Dream: Finding Work-Life Fit in the 24/7 Workplace (2018) An exploration of changing workplace culture and strategies for achieving balance between professional and personal life.
How'd They Do It? Third-World Lessons for First-World Growth (2011) A study of economic development strategies from emerging economies and their potential application to developed nations.
The Test: Why Our Schools Are Obsessed with Standardized Testing—But You Don't Have to Be (2015) An analysis of standardized testing in American education, including its history, impact, and alternatives.
Make Time for U (2016) A guide to personal time management strategies based on research and case studies of successful professionals.
The New American Dream: Finding Work-Life Fit in the 24/7 Workplace (2018) An exploration of changing workplace culture and strategies for achieving balance between professional and personal life.
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