Is there a stack of work-related articles, books or professional journals grabbing dust instead of your attention? Could they indicate how disengaged you feel about your career and hint of a change you need to make; or do they indicate healthy work and life boundaries?

What you choose to do in your off-work time says something important about you, your priorities and your interests.

Imagine you were out and with an afternoon all to yourself. If you wandered into a fabulous bookstore, where would you roam in the course of a few hours? What section of books would get your attention and which topics would you take with you to an overstuffed chair for a relaxing or stimulating read?

If you imagined yourself in the bookstore with the New York Times bestsellers, Steven King's latest thriller or books on home improvement, it could be a sign of a healthy work life balance, rather than an indication of a need for a new job. However, if anything remotely work-related makes you cringe, consider what's behind your response.

What if you were as eager to know the latest in your career field as much as you were to read the favored books on your nightstand?

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Barbara is currently accepting applications for her ninth annual Women's Retreat in Provence. Click on the link for photos and more details!
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Barbara and Heart At Work associate, Amy Jaffe, will co-present a workshop:
"Averting Quarterlife and Midlife Crises in Your Workplace: 5 Key Retention Strategies" at the 2008 Annual Human Resources Convention in Rockport, Maine on May 8.

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