Flex : reinventing work for a smarter, happier life

"The recent coronavirus outbreak has proven what Annie Auerbach has long championed: working 9-5 in an office doesn't work for most us. It's time to change the rules. We can be efficient and productive when we're allowed the freedom of flexibility-to meet deadlines working during the hours and in the places we choose. But before the coronavirus pandemic, only 47 percent of American workers had access to flexible working options. Annie Auerbach advises major corporations, including Nike, Google, Unilever, and Pepsico. She understands work culture and the needs of employees. The world is changing for working women, but until the recent pandemic, companies turned a blind eye. Now, it's time to make this change routine. Auerbach reiterates the importance of leaving the office cubicle behind and explores the realities many women experience working from home and the changes to their daily lives, including the trickle-down effects, from emotional labor to balancing childcare and education with work, to even biohacking the female body's unique rhythms. What happens when women embrace the concept of flex? We become more creative, more strategic with our time and energy, and more engaged with our personal lives. As Auerbach makes clear, we reject "our toxic culture of presenteeism, time-pressure, and ultimately burnout. It helps us escape the army of octopus lady jugglers, crazed with the exhaustion of "having it all." It allows us to live longer lives more sustainably. It gives us self-worth."