Is Your Work Worth It?

How To Think About Meaningful Work

Christopher Wong Michaelson & Jennifer Tosti-Kharas | Now available! | Order here

Order your copy of Is Your Work Worth It? today!

What is work that’s worth doing in a life worth living? A revealing exploration of the questions we ask and the stories we tell about our work.

According to recent studies, barely a third of American workers feel “engaged” at work, and for many people around the world, happiness is lowest when earning power is highest. After a global pandemic that changed why, how, and what people do for a living, many workers find themselves wondering what makes their daily routine worthwhile.

In Is Your Work Worth It?, two professors – a philosopher and organizational psychologist – investigate the purpose of work and its value in our lives. The book explores vital questions, such as:

Should you work for love or money?
When and how much should you work?
What would make life worth living in a world without work?
What kind of mark will your work leave on the world?

This essential book combines inspiring and harrowing stories of real people with recent scholarship, ancient wisdom, arts, and literature to help us clarify what worthy work looks like, what tradeoffs are acceptable to pursue it, and what our work can contribute to society.

Media coverage and events related to Is Your Work Worth It?

Minnesota Women's Economic Roundtable, Minneapolis, MN, May 2025
Yale School of Management, New Haven, CT, April 2025
NYU Initiative on Purpose and Flourishing conference, New York, NY, March 2025
University of Delaware Research Summit, Newark, DE, March 2025
Kertzman & Weil Client Appreciation Event, Boston, MA, March 2025
University of St. Thomas First-Generation Students retreat, Maple Plain, MN, March 2025
University of St. Thomas GHR Fellows, St. Paul, MN, March 2025
Society for Personality and Social Psychology "Meaning in Life and Work" Workshop, Denver, CO, February 2025
Time magazine on government buyouts, February 2025
Business Talk book interview, February 2025
Lake Minnetonka Rotary Club book talk, Excelsior, MN, February 2025
Bentley University book talk, Waltham, MA, February 2025
Akamai Technologies Monthly Global Services Cool Stuff Meeting, virtual, January 2025
University of St. Thomas Student Affairs retreat, St. Paul, MN, January 2025
Magers & Quinn book event, Minneapolis, MN, January 2025
MPR News with Angela Davis book interview, November 2024
Barnes & Noble book interview, Edina, MN, November 2024
Working on Purpose book interview, November 2024
University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis, MN, November 2024
Authors & Innovators Business Ideas Festival, Watertown, MA, October 2024
Life's Dirty Little Secrets book interview, October 2024
Welcome to Self book interview, October 2024
Ethics and Compliance Initiative Impact conference, Orlando, FL, October 2024
University of Arizona School of Government and Public Policy book interview, virtual, October 2024
Northwestern University Alumni Association book talk, virtual, October 2024
Navigate Forward book talk, Minneapolis, MN, October 2024
University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, October 2024
University of Notre Dame Virtues and Vocations on generosity, Fall 2024
University of St. Thomas Racial Justice Initiative After Class, Minneapolis, MN, September 2024
Behavioral Grooves book interviews, Part 1 and Part 2, September 2024
Summit of Minds “Literature Live” conversation, Chamonix, France, September 2024
Library Foundation of Needham Author Series, Needham, MA, September 2024
College of Charleston Business Etc. book talk, Charleston, SC, September 2024
College of Charleston Biz-eWerk book interview, September 2024
Conversations with Authors and Innovators, Boston, MA, September 2024
Brainy Business book interview, September 2024
Babson Parents President's Society, Babson Park, MA, September 2024
Babson Alumni Career Talk Series, Babson Park, MA, September 2024
Babson Women's Leadership Scholars, Babson Park, MA, September 2024
Fortune on the perils of finding work that you love, August 2024
Boston Business Journal book review, July 2024
Marketwatch on “quiet vacationing,” July 2024
Twin Cities Business book interview, June/July 2024
Something You Should Know book interview, June 2024
Annie Duke book interview, June 2024
Hubert Joly “The 7 books I have endorsed so far this year,” June 2024
Marketwatch on “mouse jigglers,” June 2024
Next Big Idea Club book bite using soap opera titles, June 2024
Second City Works Getting to ‘Yes And’ book interview, June 2024
Behavioral Scientist “Summer Book List 2024,” June 2024
Forbes on legacy, June 2024
Success on purpose, June 2024
“Something You Should Know” book interview, June 2024
Wellesley Bookstore book signing, Wellesley, MA, June 2024
Barnes & Noble book signing, Minneapolis, MN, June 2024
Guthrie Theatre and University of St. Thomas Skeleton Crew panel, June 2024
University of Notre Dame “Purpose, Work, and Well-Being” panel, June 2024
Fast Company on technological unemployment, May 2024
NPR’s Academic Minute on work worth loving, May 2024
KERA Think book interview, May 2024
The Conversation on new college graduates, May 2024
“Psychologists Off The Clock” book interview, May 2024
Porchlight Books book interview, May 2024
Twin Cities Business book preview, April/May 2024
University of St. Thomas Delta Sigma Pi keynote, April 2024
Temple University Dental School ethics symposium keynote, April 2024
University of South Florida “Life Worth Living” initiative keynote, April 2024
WCCO TV book interview, April 2024
WCCO radio book interview, April 2024
Business Insider on the shape of happiness, March 2024
Publishers Weekly book review, March 2024
Next Big Idea Club, “May 2024 Must-Read Books,” March 2024
Nature on science careers, February 2024
University of Notre Dame Law School conference paper, February 2024
King's Business School on wealth or work, June 2023