Was not able to view before title was archived. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

I didn't finish this book. It was not holding my attention and the quality of the ARC file made it difficult to read on my Kobo. I'm giving it two stars here before I think if I had been able to complete it, it would have been at least 2.5 stars.

My initial impression as I started to read was "I don't think this is going to teach me anything new." I was reminded of Zomorodi's Bored and Brilliant, and a bunch of mindfulness books. But on the other hand, as books in the genre of mindfulness in a digital age go, this one is short, accessible, and a fun read. It's full of personal stories and exercises, and while the stories are distinctly white suburban middle class (with several "capitalism isn't evil!" caveats that made me sideeye), they do provide some insight into the concepts.

Crook started out anti-tech, but is open to possibilities for how tech can be used mindfully (with purpose). She doesn't directly address disability (and occasionally uses ableist terms like "lazy"), but does provide a framework for using tech meaningfully, and a reminder that we can't be all things to all people online or off.

My biggest takeaway was around the idea of a joyful burden that your "ship" is meant to carry. Readers are encouraged to dig into the metaphor of a ship (drawing on the etymology of "burden") to think honestly about purpose and capacity, and I love this exercise! I've been thinking a lot about how effort isn't necessarily bad. As Crook writes:

"It is in these great effortful pursuits that we experience not only the outer reaches of our abilities but our limits, requiring us to rely on others and in turn deepening our love of the people and projects that mean the most to us. They're good burdens."

There's a lot about presence, beating FOMO, and being intentional about information (and not overreliant on online feedback!) Spaciousness, curiosity, and purpose are embedded throughout Crook's recommendations. Creating local communities of care is also a central theme, emphasizing deeper everyday connections, though also a little depressing in COVID. I found myself excited to go make connections... in five years. When it's safe.

While I tend to steer away from any kind of well-being/self-help title, Good Burdens is an amazing exception. In the age of technology, learning to take a deep breath and enjoy fresh air is important.

This is an intriguing book, part self-help, part memoir.
I found it very thought-provoking and will be reflecting on this book for a while.

[I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]