Back when I was working in what I now realise was a pretty toxic job, I went through a phase where I felt completely stuck.
Work felt pointless, I was exhausted all the time, and even when things looked fine on the outside, I was still mentally checked out.
I didn’t have the words for what I was feeling back then (aka. burnt out, disconnected, numb, etc.), I just knew something was off.
And when I didn’t know what else to do, I started reading as a form of self-care.
Books have always been my safe space, but during that season, they became something more.
Some helped me escape into someone else’s world so I could get out of my own head and zone out for a while. Some helped me make sense of what was happening to me. And others gently pushed me to ask bigger, scarier questions about what I wanted and needed in order to feel more like myself again.
So I wanted to share them with you.
If you’re in a job that’s slowly draining the life out of you, or you’re stuck in that “meh” space between something needs to change and I have no idea what that is, then I hope this list gives you what it gave me: a little comfort, a few ‘aha’ moments, and the realisation that you’re not alone.
Here are the books that helped me survive the 9-to-5 grind, and even start dreaming beyond it…
P.S. If you’re new here, hey! I’m Thalia. I help 30-something girlies beat burnout and unf*ck their life through 1:1 coaching and self-paced tools. Every week(ish), I share content on burnout recovery, self-development, finding joy, and career growth. Subscribe here so you never miss a debrief.
What are the best books to read when you hate your job?
The biggest shift for me didn’t come from a career manual or self-help book.
It came from something way less expected—books that pulled at my heartstrings and stayed with me long after I finished them.
These weren’t books I read with a highlighter and a plan.
They were books I clung to when I didn’t know what else to do because they made me feel something when everything else made me feel numb (including the alcohol).
The books I still recommend to this day, if you’re totally over your job, are:
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
- The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
- Stay & Slay by Thalia-Maria Tourikis
P.S. I encourage you to save this post (like now!!) so you can come back to it whenever you need to.
1 | Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
What it’s about:
This book is basically THE blueprint for the “leave it all behind and go find yourself” era.
At 34 years old, Elizabeth Gilbert hits her breaking point. Her marriage falls apart, she’s miserable in her life, and instead of pushing through like we’re all taught to do, she takes off for a year.
She first heads to Italy for pleasure, then to India for healing and Bali for balance. It’s part travel journal, part therapy session, and part spiritual awakening, but told in a really human, funny, sometimes messy way.
She’s not pretending to have it together. She’s just figuring it out as she goes.
Why it worked for me back then:
I read Eat Pray Love when I was deep in burnout. I was stuck in a draining AF job that looked good on my CV but felt totally wrong in my body. I was constantly tired, emotionally exhausted, and quietly wondering if this was just how life was supposed to feel as an adult.
Reading Eat Pray Love gave me a weird kind of comfort.
It didn’t just make me question everything. It made me realise that I technically didn’t have to follow the conventional path if it didn’t feel right. (You know the one… the successful career, the house, the husband, etc.) I could choose something else.
It was the first time I truly considered that maybe I could rebuild my life around joy, not just survival. And not long after, I ended up travelling solo, chasing my own kind of freedom.
Why I still recommend it:
I know it’s cliché, but honestly, there’s a reason why Eat Pray Love is one of the most iconic books ever. And to this day, I still haven’t read anything else like it.
If you’re in a season where you feel like you’ve lost yourself, whether it’s because of burnout, a breakup, or a career that no longer feels aligned, this book will meet you there.
It won’t fix everything, but it will make you feel less crazy for wanting more. It’s your reminder that starting over doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’re finally listening to yourself.
“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it.”
Elizabeth Gilbert | Eat Pray Love
2 | Wild by Cheryl Strayed
What it’s about:
This is a memoir about grief, survival, and solo hiking the wilderness when you feel completely lost inside.
After losing her mum, Cheryl’s life unravels: her marriage ends (I’m starting to see a theme here), she makes some pretty self-destructive choices, and one day she decides to walk the Pacific Crest Trail. Alone. With no real training.
What starts as a “screw it” moment turns into one of the most iconic transformations I’ve ever read. It’s not a perfect “find yourself” journey. Cheryl gets blisters, breaks her boots, screams into the void, and doubts her capability, but through it all, she comes back home to herself.
Why it worked for me back then:
When I read Wild, I felt like I was carrying the emotional equivalent of an 18-kg backpack every day.
I was still working full-time, barely functioning outside of it, and constantly wondering if something was wrong with me for not being able to cope.
Cheryl’s story reminded me that healing doesn’t always look graceful. Sometimes it looks like crying alone in a tent, or taking the next step even when your feet are killing you.
I didn’t need a hike, I needed the reminder that you can be totally lost but still strong enough to keep moving forward.
Why I still recommend it:
This book is for anyone who feels like they’ve hit rock bottom but are still expected to show up to work with a smile.
It won’t give you a five-step plan to change your life, but it will give you permission to feel all of it—the pain, the fear, the hope.
And it shows you that even when you feel like a mess, you’re still capable of moving forward.
“I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.”
Cheryl Strayed | Wild
3 | A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
What it’s about:
A Little Life is heavy.
It’s a long, intense, devastating novel that follows four friends—Willem, JB, Malcolm, and Jude—as they grow up, move to New York, chase careers, build friendships, and carry their own secrets.
But the story slowly centres on Jude, who has survived unthinkable trauma and spends his adult life trying to function while carrying that weight. It’s about pain, survival, and love in all its forms—how people hold each other up, and how sometimes they can’t.
Why it worked for me back then:
When I first read this, I felt numb. Nothing excited me anymore, and even though I was still working full-time and trying to keep it together on the outside, I felt completely disconnected from the things that used to matter.
I think part of me needed a book that was as emotionally messy as I was.
And this one did that. Jude’s story broke me, but in doing so, it opened something. It reminded me that pain doesn’t mean you’re weak, and survival isn’t just about pushing through. It’s about letting people love you even when you feel unlovable.
That hit deep.
Why I still recommend it:
This isn’t the kind of book I’d suggest if you’re already on edge, as it’s incredibly heavy and full of triggers. But if you’re in that space where you just need to feel something, this book shows you just how messy and painful being human can be.
It reminds you that life can be brutal and beautiful at the same time. That healing isn’t linear. And that you are never, ever the only one carrying something heavy.
“Things get broken, and sometimes they get repaired, and in most cases, you realize that no matter what gets damaged, life rearranges itself to compensate for your loss, sometimes wonderfully.”
Hanya Yanagihara | A Little Life
4 | The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
What it’s about:
The Alchemist is a modern fable. It follows Santiago, a young shepherd boy who keeps having this dream about treasure buried near the Egyptian pyramids. So, he sets off on a journey to find it.
Along the way, Santiago meets all sorts of characters—mentors, scammers, soulmates—and ends up learning that the “treasure” he was looking for might not be what he thought.
It’s a book full of metaphors, spiritual themes, and those one-liners that make you stop and really think.
Why it worked for me back then:
I read The Alchemist when I was seriously questioning what the hell I was doing with my life. I’d just quit my job, had no plan, and felt like I’d lost the version of me who used to have it all figured out.
This book didn’t give me the answers, but it did remind me that maybe I didn’t need them yet. That maybe feeling “lost” was all part of the process.
Why I still recommend it:
If you’re feeling burnt out and unsure of what to do next, this book helps you take a step back.
It’s not a guide, but a gentle reminder to check in with yourself, especially if you’re the type of person who needs a plan or freaks TF out when things feel uncertain.
The Alchemist will gently remind you that maybe you already know what you need—you just haven’t given yourself the space to hear it yet.
“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
Paulo Coelho | The Alchemist
5 | The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort
What it’s about:
The Wolf of Wall Street is the real-life memoir of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who built a multi-million dollar empire through shady deals, wild sales tactics, and a drug-fuelled lifestyle that eventually landed him in prison.
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll know the vibe: yachts, strippers, FBI raids, and a whole lot of chaos. It’s loud, ridiculous, and honestly, kind of unrealistic at times, but that’s also what makes it hard to put down.
Why it worked for me back then:
I know it sounds a bit weird, but The Wolf of Wall Street inspired me to stop playing small.
Even though I didn’t agree with how Jordan did things, there was something about his energy—how unapologetically bold he was—that made me want more for myself. More freedom, more confidence, more ambition.
It made me realise that I’d been playing it safe for way too long in a stable job, and I needed to get out of my comfort zone.
Why I still recommend it:
If you know you’re meant for more, this book will either entertain the hell out of you or wake something up in you.
It’s messy and outrageous, but underneath all the chaos, it’ll make you ask: what would my life look like if I stopped holding back? What would happen if I let myself want more?
“I want you to back yourself into a corner. Give yourself no choice but to succeed. Let the consequences of failure become so dire and so unthinkable that you’ll have no choice but to do whatever it takes to succeed.”
Jordan Belfort | The Wolf of Wall Street
6 | Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
What it’s about:
Into Thin Air is a first-hand account of the 1996 Everest disaster, written by journalist Jon Krakauer, who was on the mountain when it all went wrong.
A storm hits, climbers get stranded, there’s a devastating avalanche, and some climbers don’t make it back down at all.
It’s an intense and super detailed book—a mix of survival storytelling and a look at how things like ambition, ego and pressure can mess with your decision-making when everything’s on the line.
Why it worked for me back then:
This might sound a little farfetched, but when I read Into Thin Air while working my 9-to-5, I kept thinking… we’re all just climbing our own mountain.
Sure, I wasn’t in freezing cold temperatures or fighting for oxygen, but I was pushing past my boundaries, ignoring what my body was telling me, and pretending I could handle it.
It made me think how real resilience isn’t just about pushing through. It’s knowing when something isn’t worth it anymore.
Why I still recommend it:
If you’re the kind of high-achieving person who keeps pushing through and says, “I’ll rest when things calm down,” this book hits hard.
It shows you what can happen when you ignore your capacity and just keep going. It’s not soft or inspiring, it’s intense. But it will definitely make you slow down and think about what really matters.
“I quickly came to understand that climbing Everest was primarily about enduring pain. And in subjecting ourselves to week after week of toil, tedium, and suffering, it struck me that most of us were probably seeking, above all else, something like a state of grace.”
Jon Krakauer | Into Thin Air
7 | Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
What it’s about:
Everything I Know About Love is basically a long, slightly chaotic voice note from your funniest, most self-aware friend.
Dolly walks us through her twenties—messy house shares, tragic dating stories, BFF breakups, therapy, hangovers, and big, beautiful lessons on love in all its forms.
It’s not about careers or burnout directly, but it’s about figuring out who you are when everything around you keeps shifting.
It’s warm, sharp, and painfully relatable—especially if you’ve ever felt like you’re meant to have your life together and instead… don’t.
Why it worked for me back then:
When I first started building a business, I got sucked into the hustle culture, and slowly started to hate everything about the online business world. This book reminded me of all the parts of life I’d been neglecting just to “keep up.”
I’d stopped making plans, stopped calling friends, stopped having fun. Everything was about work—how I was performing, what I was achieving, and whether I looked like I had it together or not.
Reading Everything I Know About Love helped me realise that my friendships and day-to-day moments mattered—probably more than any career ever does.
It made me laugh, cry, and weirdly grieve the version of me I’d put on hold to be seen as “professional.”
Why I still recommend it:
If you’re stuck in the loop of working, sleeping, and wondering when things got so serious, this book is a much-needed reminder that love, connection, and your own joy deserve to be prioritised.
It’s especially great if you’re trying to navigate adulthood without a clear roadmap, which—let’s be real—is most of us.
It won’t give you the answers to all your problems, but it might reconnect you with the parts of yourself that you miss.
“I was grateful for understanding in that moment that life can really be as simple as just breathing in and out.”
Dolly Alderton | Everything I Know About Love
Bonus | Stay & Slay: How To Beat Burnout Without Quitting Your Job
What it’s about:
Stay & Slay is your no-BS guide to breaking the burnout cycle, reclaiming your energy, and thriving in and out of the office.
It walks you through my 3-Part Anti-Burnout Framework (alignment, mindset, self-care), and shows you how to:
- Understand what’s really burning you out (hint: it’s not just the workload)
- Set boundaries that stick without the guilt
- Rewire the perfectionism and people-pleasing keeping you stuck
- Build habits that actually support your energy (not just your productivity)
- Feel even more confident asking for what you need
Why I recommend it:
This is the book I wish I had when I was deep in burnout and thought the only way out was quitting.
Don’t get me wrong, my job was toxic, and I knew I couldn’t stay. But after walking away, it took me another few years to figure out how to recover from burnout and build a career that actually feels good.
This book is everything I learnt along the way (minus all the trial and error).
If you’re feeling stuck, exhausted, or just want a more sustainable way to work (and live), I honestly think you’ll find something in here that helps.
“It will get better. You will experience better things, meet better people and step into a job (and life) that feels better. You will become better, stronger, and more aligned with who you’re meant to be. Trust the process, because the best is yet to come.”
Thalia-Maria Tourikis | Stay & Slay
Final thoughts
If you’ve made it this far, I hope you’ve found a book (or two) that speaks to whatever season you’re in right now.
Sure, not all of them are about burnout (you’ll want to read Stay & Slay for that) or work, but they got me through.
They helped me feel seen when I couldn’t quite explain what I was feeling. They made me cry, reflect, laugh, and slowly piece myself back together.
So if you’re currently feeling stuck, drained, or just not like yourself anymore, I hope one of these books gives you what it gave me: space to feel, space to think, and maybe even a tiny spark of clarity about what needs to shift.
You don’t need to have it all figured out right now. You just need one small place to start.
And maybe it’s here:
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
- The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
- Stay & Slay by Thalia-Maria Tourikis
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
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