Making Work Work for the Highly Sensitive Person Paperback – May 5, 2005

If you are an HSP, this book is required reading. It's that good.This has been a life-changing book for me. There is so much good information and advice here. This book describes me exactly, and the advice it gives seems right on. I am now working on implementing the author's advice in my life. This book has given me great understanding and hope. I can't recommend this highly enough.Unfortunately, I originally ignored this book because of a review I saw here where someone said the book boiled down to just "HSPs need to work for themselves." This person could not have read this book. This books is much more than that. It shows you how to grow toward finding work that you like, and even love.Looking back again over the reviews here, it seems to me many of the negative reviewers did not understand the main points in this book. There is no quick fix, although this book does give invaluable guidance. The author's point is that you need to grow in order to progress from Drudgery, to Craft, to Calling. This book explains the areas you will need to grow in, especially areas particular to HSPs, in order to progress to finding work that works for you.I sense that many HSPs have almost given up on finding work that works for them. I can completely understand this, I've been there. But I think if HSPs will give this book a chance, it can provide a framework to build on. There is hope. You can find your path in this world that works for you.

I find most self-help books not very helpful, because they're either lengthy expositions of extensive erudite findings, or else they're filled with sing-song dialogs with composite characters who purportedly achieved miraculous results, that you can too -- if you happen to be a composite character. Barrie's book is a refreshing change. I identified strongly with most aspects of being an HSP, and it helped me to understand why I'd been banging my head against a wall, assuming I was just like everyone around me, only not coping as effectively. I helped me to see patterns in my behaviour, and gave me a clear understanding of why they occur, and what I can do about them. While the definition of an HSP is quite broad, and somewhat unproven, Barrie takes the approach that the actual 'fit' of the profile is irrelevant, as long as the information is helpful. The techniques offered are mostly about entitlement, legitimacy, expressing anger in a healthy way, speaking up for yourself, and dealing with difficult people. These basic assertiveness skills can help you, even if you don't entirely fit the profile of the HSP. If you dread going to work because you'll feel awful when so-and-so does such-and-such, this book will illuminate your life tremendously.

This is a wonderful book for those that need a different point of view about work, engaging in meaningful work that matters, and is sustainable. Learning about HSP and the work setting that is discussed in this book, has made a world of difference fir me; giving hope and awareness that I can make a contribution and earn a viable salary in my field.

I've struggled in the workplace for years. I've intuitively taken steps to keep myself from becoming overwhelmed by work. I figured that I was a slacker but after reading this book I realized that these steps helped to shield me from a world that was sometimes overwhelming and seemed morally wrong to me. I had numerous ah-ha moments while reading this book. I'm not so strange after all. Suddenly I have been given coping skills for dealing with the overwhelming stimulation I sometimes receive from the workplace.

Barrie is a fine writer and writes from a life of analysis and education. She did a fine job. The book is worth reading and discussing.

tl;dr - Jaeger compares the conditions of slavery, prostitution, prisons, mines, and factories of centuries ago to modern day entry-level office jobs. This is so comical and tone-deaf that I had to put the book down immediately and return it. I would give 0 stars if an option."Historically, slavery, prostitution, prisons, mines, and factories qualify as Drudgery institutions. Today we have sweatshops and entry level jobs...These modern jobs might be less physically brutal than institutions of the past, but the same archaic mentality runs these organizations." - pages 41, 42The key here is that Jaeger dismisses the physical conditions (slavery working conditions != entry level job), but equates the mentality of these organizations and management as being equal. The culture and management of entry-level jobs isn't the best, but in no way is it comparable to the mentality of slave owners who quite literally owned, traded, and worked to death their "property" for their benefit. Shameful and disappointing from author, publisher, and the foreword author.

Getting past the cultural stigma attatched to the word sensitive, this is a Great book - for people who sense emotional situations and for those who find themselves learning to adjust to different personalities

I read Elaine Aron's The Highly Sensitive Person, and I was looking for more info (already read other Aron books in this line). While Jaeger has a good idea, she is not a great writer, and her editor did not push enough to make this a well written work. Instead, it jumps around, leaves much unsaid, and in general leaves me frustrated. There is some good info in here. The presentation is not great. I keep thinking back to Grade 9 English class when I was taught how to write a report; wish Jaeger had taken that course and followed it, as she has the info, it is just not presented well.