Is your career built on outrunning your own exhaustion?If success has started to feel like survival - constant self-criticism, the fear of falling short, a quiet dread every Monday morning - ACT at Work offers a different way forward.Grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a research-supported approach used by psychologists worldwide, this book gives high-pressure professionals in law, medicine, consulting, finance, technology, and beyond practical tools to loosen the grip of perfectionism, quiet the inner critic, and build a sustainable relationship with a demanding career.This is not another book telling you to want less or work less hard. It is a psychoeducational guide that helps you keep your ambition while changing how you relate to the stress, self-doubt, and fear of failure that come with it.What's inside:- The "struggle switch": why fighting stress makes it worse, and how to turn it off- Cognitive defusion techniques to unhook from the perfectionist inner critic- A step-by-step framework for rebuilding a healthier relationship with "good enough"- Present-moment tools for staying focused instead of running on autopilot- The "observing self": separating who you are from your last performance review- A values-clarification process to reconnect with what actually matters in your career- Committed-action planning that survives real, demanding weeks, not just calm ones- Clear guidance on boundaries, recovery, and when to seek additional professional support- A structured four-week practice plan and a quick-reference guide for real-time useEvery chapter includes a fully worked, real-world example, not a blank worksheet, so you can see exactly how each skill applies to an actual workday.
