Book Reviews: Ikigai and How to Not Always be Working

Ikigai is a book about the art of always staying busy in an attempt to increase your longevity. The book describes the relevance of finding meaning and passion in living a healthy life. The concept revolves around the case study of an island with the most number of centenarians, Okinawa in Japan. The book emphasises that meaning and passion will be different for each individual, as will be the process of finding passion. It is important to note that the various processes that are documented have certain commonalities. Most of these seem to involve a level of self reflection that can be achieved through observing one’s breath and reveling in silence.  The book also talks about the habits and lifestyles of people at Okinawa, including maintaining a balanced diet. The book also presents stories of people who have lived a long life. Some of the other theoretical formulations and practices, including Frankl’s logotherapy, have also been explored. 


In sharp contrast to the concept of Ikigai, or the idea of never retiring from work, is the position of Marlee Grace. She presents the need to stay away from work. How we define work has been left to the individual though. Her approach focuses on finding equanimity through finding moments of peace through scheduling, everyday rituals and making time for taking breaks from work. 


In my understanding, the variation is in the approach being more oriental in Ikigai in comparison to Grace’s approach of being away from work. Although Grace also advocates for meditative practices, these seem to be more with the focus of calming down in the face of anxiety and being busy. Ikigai is more focussed on finding ways of enjoying each moment of what you do. Grace’s book is more specific and action orientation while Mitsuhashi’s writing is directed towards life philosophy. I found Mistuhashi’s book enjoyable and more meaningful but I could see that Grace’s book holds strong merit for anyone dealing with anxiety issues, and a feeling of being overwhelmed with the buzzing noise of work and life.