WHY WE LOVE IT:

Hiding in the Bathroom is, on the surface, a book about tackling social anxiety as an introvert in an office environment. But it is also a book about how to handle “not fitting in.” Most of us, at some point in our lives, will discover that we are outsiders in some workplace. The only woman, the only person of a certain race, the only person who didn’t attend UMich, the only member of a different faith. You’re not “in with the in crowd,” and you’re not sure how to proceed. This book talks about how to make the workplace work for you. How to manage a work-life balance, how to set boundaries, and how to create goals for yourself, rather than measuring yourself by others’ expectations.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“This stopping of the movement outwards is not self-defense, but rather an effort to have the response come from within, from the deepest part of one’s being.” – Morra Aarons-Mele

“Data prove that even a small interaction with another person outside your family unit increases personal and group happiness (yes, even for introverts).” – Morra Aarons-Mele

“I’ve come to think my anxiety and I are actually in successful negotiation, and we’re trying to make this relationship work. Yes, anxiety can be a gift” – Morra Aarons-Mele

BOOK JACKET SUMMARY:

From the marketing guru and host of the popular podcast Hiding in the Bathroom, a breakthrough introverts’ guide that broadens the conversation sparked by Quiet and moves away from the “Lean In” approach, offering wisdom and practical tips to help readers build strong relationships and achieve their own definition of professional success.

Most ambitious people believe that reaching the peaks of success means being on 24/7—tirelessly networking, deal-making, and keynoting conferences. This is nonsense, says Morra Aarons-Mele. As an eminent entrepreneur with a flourishing business and a self-proclaimed introvert with lots of anxieties, Morra disagrees with the notion that there’s only one successful “type”: the intense, super social, sleep-deprived mover and shaker, the person who musters endless amounts of “grit.” Hiding in the Bathroom is her antidote for everyone who is fed up with feeling like they must always “lean in”—who prefer those moments of hiding in the bathroom to constantly climbing the ladder or working the room.

Morra knows what it takes to make your mark, and now, this entrepreneur who has boosted the online strategy of clients such as the Malala Fund, President Obama, the UN Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation shares the insights, tricks, and knowledge she’s learned. Filled with advice, exercises to help readers evaluate their own work/life fit and manage anxiety, valuable tools, and stories of countless successful people—entrepreneurs, academics, and novices just beginning their careers—Hiding in the Bathroom empowers professionals of all ages and levels to take control and build their own versions of success. Thoughtful and practical, it is a must-have handbook for building a fantastic, prosperous career and a balanced, happy life—on your own terms.