December 1, 2018
"Admin," writes Emens, refers to the deluge of invisible labors that underlie our home and work lives without being a credited aspect of either, from sorting mail and scheduling doctors' visits to navigating government bureaucracy and coordinating the care of others. Emens takes a serious look at admin?what it is, how we approach it, and how to make it less of a struggle, even during the onslaught of life-defining moments?although her approach is lighthearted. Conducting brainstorming sessions and interviews for this book while raising her own children and navigating a divorce, Emens examines how privilege and gender affect admin, and she outlines ways to improve admin efficiency alone and in a relationship. She closes with suggestions for businesses and programs to reduce individuals' admin, and the appendixes include a quick-tips guide; a quiz to determine admin type (Super Doer, Reluctant Doer, Admin Denier, Admin Avoider); and lengthy notes. Going a long way to make the invisible visible and increase understanding for all, this fits well into conversations about emotional labor and time management in the digital era.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)