The Chief of Engineers is reading... Life Matters

Life Matters: Creating a Dynamic Balance of Work, Family, Time, and Money
A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill

This books is about examining the assumptions and social pressures on your life in order to discover what you find most satisfying. This husband and wife writing team share personal anecdotes throughout this book to illustrate their points. Their concept of a balanced life includes choices about how you see your work and how you relate to your family that they believe are inherently intertwined. They also discuss at great length how individuals use and schedule their time, including their assertion that some priority must be given for self, family, and activities that generate inner happiness. Finally, they discuss individual and family finance, not only discussing spending patterns and the accumulation of "stuff," but also the timing of purchases and how money is used. While making numerous recommendations, this book primarily emphasizes being conscious about how you conduct your life every day and how these daily decisions affect you long term.