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How to Get Away: Finding Balance in Our Overworked, Overcrowded, Always-On World
In How to Get Away , Jon Staff and Pete Davis consider our troubled relationship with technology, urbanization, and work. When and why have we become so dependent on our cell phones? How do green spaces—and the lack of them—affect our minds, bodies, and relationships? Why is it so hard for us to set aside our work and take a real vacation? Blending cultural history with contemporary research and insights from scholars and trend-watchers, Staff and Davis present a compelling case for restoring balance between technology and disconnection, city and nature, and work and leisure. Along the way, the authors draw on their own experience, the lives of pioneers and innovators like landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and conservationist Margaret Murie, lifestyle trends like homesteading and hygge, and the wisdom of philosophers, poets, and scientists ranging from Aristotle to Oliver Sacks. How to Get Away offers a nuanced perspective on our past, a call to action for our present, and a hopeful vision for a more balanced future.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
248 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2019
9 people are currently reading
440 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 9, 2021
When your @getawayhouse comes stocked with a book about how to get away by the creators of Getaway, you read it! 😂
Loved this one— a great, easy read that blended stories and science and information and inspiration, and totally convinced me that getaways are essential.
Definitely worth a read if you’re feeling burned out and in need of refreshment and better balance in your life!
Loved this one— a great, easy read that blended stories and science and information and inspiration, and totally convinced me that getaways are essential.
Definitely worth a read if you’re feeling burned out and in need of refreshment and better balance in your life!
May 23, 2019
this was in my Getaway House... I almost booked two more days after reading but I locked my phone away.
August 10, 2019
I bought How to get away because I’ve been fascinated with www.getaway.house since the very first time I heard about the concept. If you don’t know, Getaway Houses are tiny houses in the woods available to rent. The concept, not surprisingly, is to get away, to turn off, unplug, unwind, you get the idea. I was immediately drawn to these cabins in the woods with the big window next to comfy beds overlooking trees and not much else. [Thankfully, my curiosity was recently quelled by an actual visit to a Getaway house.]
How to get away was written by the cofounders of Getaway, Jon Staff and Pete Davis. I’ll admit, I anticipated a semi-promotional, jargon, commercial tract, but I simply had to buy it anyway.
Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. How to get away is a well-researched and very thoughtfully considered look at modern-day leisure. The book covers the history of leisure and the concept of getting away from it all, including the start of the National Parks System and those who originally advocated for nature retreats, open spaces, and public green spaces.
The second half of the book casts a close eye on the way work. They point to data that shows how much more we work, how we don’t take all or sometimes any of our vacation, and the ways work has spilled over to our personal lives. We are stressed out and overworked.
Staff and Davis are modern day advocates for taking a break, whether that’s a break in the work day, a long weekend, or more vacation time. They point to research that shows we will work better, harder, and more creatively if we only have and take more leisure time. They go so far as to slam the modern-day ideal of productivity that seeks not only to fit more into every unit of work, but also uses any potential gains for, you guessed it, more work.
This book is a must-read. I fully expect to buy more copies to give to graduates, people I know who are stressed, and really anyone who needs a break. It’s well written and gives you a whole lot to think about.
How to get away was written by the cofounders of Getaway, Jon Staff and Pete Davis. I’ll admit, I anticipated a semi-promotional, jargon, commercial tract, but I simply had to buy it anyway.
Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. How to get away is a well-researched and very thoughtfully considered look at modern-day leisure. The book covers the history of leisure and the concept of getting away from it all, including the start of the National Parks System and those who originally advocated for nature retreats, open spaces, and public green spaces.
The second half of the book casts a close eye on the way work. They point to data that shows how much more we work, how we don’t take all or sometimes any of our vacation, and the ways work has spilled over to our personal lives. We are stressed out and overworked.
Staff and Davis are modern day advocates for taking a break, whether that’s a break in the work day, a long weekend, or more vacation time. They point to research that shows we will work better, harder, and more creatively if we only have and take more leisure time. They go so far as to slam the modern-day ideal of productivity that seeks not only to fit more into every unit of work, but also uses any potential gains for, you guessed it, more work.
This book is a must-read. I fully expect to buy more copies to give to graduates, people I know who are stressed, and really anyone who needs a break. It’s well written and gives you a whole lot to think about.
April 9, 2022
Found this in the pile of books in my Getaway Cabin and read it cover to cover in the course of a day. The nerd I am took notes - on the practical tips, on further reading, and on points and phrases that jumped out at me as especially poignant.
What I appreciated the most about this book is that it's not about Getaway the company, but about the challenges and ethos that drew them to develop the company. We're spending less time in nature, we're stressed out, and it's impacting our health, relationships, and happiness. I loved the history lessons, scientific research, and the practical tips for everyday life.
I have a feeling I'll return to my notes on this a lot.
What I appreciated the most about this book is that it's not about Getaway the company, but about the challenges and ethos that drew them to develop the company. We're spending less time in nature, we're stressed out, and it's impacting our health, relationships, and happiness. I loved the history lessons, scientific research, and the practical tips for everyday life.
I have a feeling I'll return to my notes on this a lot.
April 27, 2022
I started reading this while staying in a Getaway cabin outside of Portland. When I got home I tried to find it online to buy but there were only a few outrageously priced copies available on Ebay. I emailed Getaway asking how I could obtain a copy and they asked for my address and sent it to me free of charge. This speaks volumes about the culture of Getaway. I enjoyed reading the book and it makes me take pause to analyze how technology affects my life. I found all the statistics interesting as well.
May 1, 2024
Found it at the Getaway cabin where we were staying at. Such a pleasant surprise. I really wish my boss could read it too, to get his priorities straight and to see things from his employees’ perspective, since it seems like he has lost sight of it lately. Maybe I will just slide it on his desk when I am ready to leave the job. 😄
December 11, 2018
Pete Davis and Jon Staff began an idea, known as Getaway, which allows people to retreat to the forest, even if just for a bit, and disconnect from the hustle of city life.
In How to Get Away: they present their passion for finding balance between work and life, technology and disconnect, and city and nature. Some of us might have a negative outlook on work, or tech, or city life, but Jon and Pete understand that many of these things are inevitable results of civilization, and will only continue to create stressful lives unless we find a way of striking balance.
Through research, fact, and historical analysis, we are given a book that offers guidance and options for leading our own futures, and not letting technology, work and stress take hold of it instead..
In How to Get Away: they present their passion for finding balance between work and life, technology and disconnect, and city and nature. Some of us might have a negative outlook on work, or tech, or city life, but Jon and Pete understand that many of these things are inevitable results of civilization, and will only continue to create stressful lives unless we find a way of striking balance.
Through research, fact, and historical analysis, we are given a book that offers guidance and options for leading our own futures, and not letting technology, work and stress take hold of it instead..
January 19, 2019
Ms. Huffington was on point; this book truly is a clarion call of our modern, technological time. I found the historical perspective and scientific studies provided a rich background for the authors’ aspirational vision of balance. Plus, the tools shared were practical and I’ve already found ways to implement them in my everyday life. Highly recommend and look forward to my next Getaway!
December 20, 2018
A perfect way to set the tone for my Getaway adventure in Epsom, NH
May 2, 2019
A must-read book for the modern-day adult.
March 31, 2022
A perfect book to be reading on a day off in a Getaway house in the woods! It is especially eye-opening in 2022 to realize the importance of disconnecting from technology to get back to nature and get back to leisure. I also appreciate the use of sources cited at the end, further proving the importance of viable facts and data to be found in the digital age, versus everything that is posted on the Internet and labeled as “science.” I look forward to trying a digital detox in whatever form it may take.
April 30, 2025
Everyone should read this - especially Americans. Especially people-leaders. Especially anyone who is exhausted. This not only gives solutions & alternatives but backs every point up with so much history and credited research. It was great seeing how history has turned the tides & put things into perspective.
April 19, 2023
Finished this book in one day. HIGHLY suggest reading this, especially if you are feeling the burnout of life! Then.. immediately go book a Getaway cabin and start making some changes. You’re welcome!
February 16, 2020
Helps to look at your separation of work and leisure and focus on what matters most to you.
August 1, 2021
This book was in my getAway house while camping in Michigan so I picked it up and devoured it in one day while in front of the campfire. Love it and so much tang true!
October 7, 2021
I was able to read this in my Getaway cabin. It helped me gain a better understanding of how leisure is important and learned a few tidbits.
October 7, 2021
I wanted to hate this book, but I actually really enjoyed it. It's well researched, balanced, and makes you rethink your approach to an always on culture.
August 26, 2022
Not typically a fan of non-fiction, but I loved this! It was really well researched.
March 24, 2025
How to Get Away by the founders of The Getaway Company is a lovely read that offers great insights on the importance of slowing down and taking a Sabbath. It’s a perfect companion for anyone looking to disconnect and recharge.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews