A Year of Nothing: The inspiring Observer Book Club pick

by Emma Gannon

Foreword by JULIA CAMERON, author of THE ARTIST'S WAY

After years of writing about work, wellness and productivity, Emma Gannon hit a chronic burnout left her unable to get out of bed. Something had to change.

A Year of Nothing follows Emma's quiet rebellion against the cult of doing. Over four seasons, she steps away from the noise and rediscovers joy in life's simplest pleasures, from dog borrowing and dopamine dressing to relearning how to swim and embracing a child-free life.

This is a gentle, hopeful guide to what happens when you stop trying to fix everything and choose to feel instead.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Self Help

130 pages, Paperback

Published January 22, 2026

About the author

Emma Gannon is the Sunday Times bestselling author of eight books, including ‘A Year of Nothing‘ and ‘Olive’, her debut novel, which was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award. Her second novel, ‘Table for One’, published in 2025 with HarperCollins. Emma also runs the popular Substack newsletter, ‘The Hyphen’, which has thousands of paid subscribers. She also hosts creativity retreats all over the world and was a judge for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book about the author's 'Year of nothing' after a burnout is split into monthly journal-like sections. I really liked the useful, accessible and practical ideas at the end of each month, from cheerful dressing to readdressing your relationship to alcohol, these were really easy for you to take and try to implement them in your own life. But I wanted to know more about how she couldn't function and the depth of what she was feeling and thinking was lacking. The title for me also doesn't quite fit, as she does an awful lot from expensive retreats, holidays and alternative therapies in her year of nothing. It's also comes from a very privileged position of being able to take a year off work and having lots of financial/family/friend support. While I loved the positive practical elements the depth, truth and honesty in a small book about burnout recovery was missing for you to be able to trust and want to listen to and take her advice. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc for my honest opinion.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has written a gorgeous memoir of the year she suffered a breakdown, which she now calls a "breakthrough," and invites us on her journey of recovery. I loved it and so will readers longing for a break from their own too stressful lives. Recommended!

[Eline Pullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a gentle read on burnout and recovery and the road to finding who you are. I liked the fact that the author mentioned all kind of books in this memoir. Added a lot of titles to my reading stack. Also loved the fact that she writes about the healing aspects of writing, and after every chapter there are some questions to write or journal about yourself.

Here and there I would’ve loved to read a little bit more nuanced or in depth about some of the subjects in the book. While reading the question: “how could it be possible for the average person to take a year off work and do so much traveling and searching as the author did in this novel?” Kept spinning in my mind. I would have loved to read more about that part of the journey.

[bookswithanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so personal, and that's precisely why it had such a profound effect on me.
More and more often, I came across the idea of finding joy in simple things. A YouTuber I used to watch a lot always said, “Celebrate mundanity.” and I loved that mindset!
I found the book very emotional and also loved the questions for reflection after each month. A definite recommendation.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

[Emily Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This chronicles Emma Gannon’s year of burnout in diary entries. Despite liking the writing style, it wasn’t what I hoped for. The writing felt quite surface-level, and I kept wanting more depth and vulnerability in how she explored her emotions. While that may have been an intentional choice to protect her privacy, I didn’t connect with this book in the way I hoped to.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es hat sie wie einen Schlag getroffen, als plötzlich nichts mehr ging. Direkt nach der Veröffentlichung ihres letzten Buchs konnte Emma Gannon nicht mehr. Der Burnout fesselte sie für ein Jahr ans Bett und obwohl sie wusste, dass er irgendwann vorbei sein würde, beängstigte sie die Vorstellung, dass sie nicht wusste, wann ihr Leben endlich wieder normal verlaufen würde.

Ausgerechnet bei einem Wochenende in einem luxuriösen Hotel mit Freundinnen rief ihr Körper Emma Gannon zur Ordnung. Für sie kam ihr Zusammenbruch unerwartet, nicht so für ihre Freunde und Familie. Die bemerkten sehr wohl, dass Emma immer schmaler wurde, dachten aber dass es mit der Arbeit an dem neuen Buch zusammenhängen würde. Für sie war Emma immer Superwoman, bis sie es dann plötzlich nicht mehr war. Das mag einer der Gründe sein, warum sie so verständnisvoll waren. Auf der anderen Seite ist es aber auch das, was gute Freundschaften ausmacht: dass man in jeder Lebenslage füreinander da ist.

Auch wenn der Burnout ein gravierender Einschnitt in ihrem Leben ist, sieht ihn Emma Gannon auch als Chance. Sie nimmt sich die Zeit, sich zurückzuziehen und auf ihren Körper zu hören. Zu ihrer Heilung gehört auch der Rückzug aus der Öffentlichkeit. Für jemand, zu dessen Beruf es gerade gehört, sich in der Öffentlichkeit zu bewegen, kann es das Ende der Karriere bedeuten. Aber wie auch bei Familie und Freunden kann Emma auf eine Gruppe Menschen zurückgreifen, die hinter ihr stehen und sie auch in dieser Situation nicht im Stich lassen.

Mich hat überrascht, wie reflektiert Emma Gannon über ihren Zusammenbruch schreibt. Es war für sie eine schwere Zeit, aber sie sieht sie auch als Chance. Das Jahr des Nichts, wie sie es nennt, ist kein verschwendetes Jahr. Durch zuerst erzwungene Ruhe nimmt sie Dinge anders war. Plötzlich sieht sie bewusst, worüber sie früher hinweggesehen hat. Sie erlebt die Natur und den Wechsel der Jahreszeiten anders und lässt ihre LeserInnen daran teilhaben. Immer wieder stellt sie kleine Aufgaben und regt zum Nachdenken an. Gerade das hat mir gut gefallen, denn so war die Lektüre keine einseitige Angelegenheit mehr.

Emma Gannon zeigt mit ihrer Geschichte, wie wichtig es ist, dass man auf sich achtgibt. Aber sie zeigt auch, dass in allem eine Chance steckt, man muss sie nur ergreifen

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

How funny that this book ended up being the one that helped me rediscover the joy of reading a British author. I usually avoid books that lean heavily into despair or emotional heaviness, and yet A Year of Nothing surprised me in the best possible way.

After years of writing about work, wellness, and productivity, Emma Gannon reaches a point of chronic burnout that leaves her unable to keep going as before. While this is a serious and painful experience, she writes about it in a way that feels hopeful, reflective, and quietly positive rather than overwhelming. The tone is gentle and honest, never sensationalised.

I especially appreciated reading about what helped her during this season, as well as what didn’t. She explores a range of ideas and natural or alternative remedies with openness, without turning the book into a prescriptive self-help manual. While I didn’t personally relate to chronic burnout, I deeply related to her desire to slow down — to stop and “smell the roses,” to journal, to travel not for ticking off destinations but simply to notice, see, and enjoy beauty.

The seasonal structure of the book added to its charm, giving it a natural rhythm and a sense of time passing gently rather than urgently. I also enjoyed how Emma weaves in other authors she was reading at the time without it feeling like a long or overwhelming reading list.

There is a light-heartedness throughout — even in something as simple as her sometimes very modest to-do lists — that quietly reminds the reader not to take life, or ourselves, quite so seriously. I also liked the “Over to you” sections at the end of chapters, where she invites the reader to pause and reflect in their own way.

This is a memoir, and I didn’t relate to everything — but it doesn’t need to be universally relatable to be meaningful. A Year of Nothing feels like a comfortable, companionable read: the kind of book best enjoyed in winter, with a cup of tea and a cosy blanket. And who knows — you may find yourself gently inspired to adopt one or two small ideas from it.

One final note I appreciated: unlike many contemporary British books, this one contains very little swearing, which made the reading experience all the more pleasant for me.

A thoughtful, calming, and quietly encouraging book about rest, reflection, and learning to live at a different pace.

[Dee Hancocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Year of Nothing is certainly way more than that. This is a life laid bare, a year of self-discovery and breaking from expectations. Luckily the author was able to take time off and go on the kind of retreats others will only be able to dream of, but the lessons learnt are shared in a thoughtful manner. My main take away was that most of the work was internal. The questions that are put to you the reader are there for consideration and to give space.
I really liked this as this took the book beyond a memoir and instead a sharing of learning. The author explains her reasons for calling the memoir A Year of Nothing, which I liked it was about releasing that pressure internally and externally and just being. Hopefully others that read this will find comfort, wisdom and inspiration like I did. Thank by you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is how bad we are at the concept of ‘doing nothing’: it has to be packaged up and sold.”

I’ve been a fan of Emma Gannon’s for a while — I used to listen to her podcast Ctrl Alt Delete and I really enjoyed her book The Multi-Hyphen Method — but I haven’t kept up with her work in the last few years. This book is a chronicle of one of those years, a year in which she had a burnout breakdown and spent the following twelve months finding her way back to herself.

For a book called A Year of Nothing, she actually has quite a bit going on, and I’m going to start by saying that most of this is not accessible to us average busy gals. The privilege to take a year out from work, to travel to luxury destinations and healing retreats, etc. etc. is not something most of us can do to cope with the pressures of modern life.

That being said, this privilege does not go unacknowledged in Gannon’s book; she’s not touting her methods as things that anyone can and should be able to do to battle burnout. This is a journal of *her* journey, and in some ways it’s a good reminder that burnout and mental stress can affect anyone, even if obviously it has different results and treatments for people in different socioeconomic situations.

Where she offers prescriptions, her recommendations are universal. Regardless of your wealth or status, whether high or low, we can all benefit from slowing down, focusing on small joys, and reflecting on and evaluating the aspects of our life that could benefit from attention or change.

There’s a lot to relate to in this memoir, such as the moment when she finds herself tearing up reading the positive affirmations graffitied onto a restroom door, who among us has not found ourselves in a similar position on a low-mental-health day.

Two chapters that I particularly enjoyed were the section about her relationship to clothing and the one about her relationship to alcohol. I appreciate that she expressed her care for her physical appearance in terms of her hair and clothing without speaking about it as a measure of her self-worth, but only as an opportunity to celebrate an aspect of her life that she can control and enjoy.

And I liked that she wrote about her desire and decision to drink less while also making it clear that she was not coming from a place of alcoholism — I think many of us could stand to have a more positive, less frequent relationship with alcohol without it being a problem of dependency, and is isn’t usually reflected in the self-help or personal wellness sphere.

Each chapter of A Year of Nothing ends with questions for the reader, and while they are fairly broad and basic they provided some nice open-ended guidance for thinking about my own feelings and goals for finding balance.

Overall, I enjoyed this; as I said, I haven’t really kept up with Emma Gannon’s work lately but this definitely makes me want to go back and read her novels and her other recent nonfiction.

I received an ARC of A Year Of Nothing from Whitefox Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Whitefox Publishing for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

We are always told we should keep busy, keep productive, don't be lazy. But sometimes it is important that we do take that step back and relax, do nothing, read, watch telly, go for a walk, buy a new candle. We don't have to be on the go all the time, and we shouldn't feel guilty about taking time to rest. We shouldn't have to wait until our body forces us to rest, before we do.

I have one of Emma's novels and one of her non-fiction books but am yet to read them so this was my first foray into her work, and I really enjoyed it.

As someone who has had her fair share of mental health difficulties, I find it difficult to fully explain how it makes me feel, so I'm always in awe of people who manage to do so.

This is a short but beautiful book and I think it could be really helpful. I didn't have a breakdown per se, but my illness got too much for me and in 2024 I took an overdose, something I still think about from time to time, not with regret but with a longing to have succeeded. It was the lowest I have ever been and I think sometimes we need to reach that point in order to rise up again, and Emma has pitched this perfectly.

I won't go into depth about the things she's written about because you need to read it for yourself, but one bit I really related to was how she talks about her strolls through cemeteries and graveyards to clear her head. When I was in better physical health and was still allowed to drive, I would often drive to the crematorium (where my Nan, Granddad, and Dad are) and just walk. There is a small lake at the bottom of the crematorium and I would frequently go down there with a book or a notepad, sit on the bench by the water and read or write, listening to the wind in the trees, and the birds, and the fish in the water. I found it so relaxing but I've never found someone who feels that way instead of thinking it's just morbid.

It's a small book but a powerful one, and I read it in a few hours, and once I finished I just had to contact her myself to express my thanks.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not entirely sure what drew me to this novel. Perhaps it was the idea of stepping away from life for a year, which is an intriguing concept, although one that most of us can’t realistically afford. In a world where finances, responsibilities, and obligations weigh heavily, the luxury of pressing pause feels out of reach. As Thoreau wrote, many of us live lives of quiet desperation, and while the author’s journey may be more dramatic than that, it still sits on the same spectrum.

I opened the book knowing I’d likely find myself talking back to the author. Gannon’s reflections aren’t extraordinary; they echo the rhythms of everyday life, except hers are cushioned by privileges many readers don’t share. She writes of breakdowns and recovery, but always with the safety net of supportive friends, family, a husband, and the financial freedom to attend retreats, travel, and recalibration. For those without such resources, her words feel distant and perhaps even hollow.

As I read further, I couldn’t help but think about those teetering on the edge of depression or midlife crisis without resources. For those, this narrative might sting. It’s not that Gannon’s struggles aren’t real, but they’re framed within a context of comfort that most readers can only imagine. And yet, people without Gannon’s luxuries still manage to rise each morning, go to work, care for children, and keep moving forward.

The book straddles genres: part memoir, part self-help, with exercises meant to guide readers through their own journey. But I wouldn’t call it sad, or motivational, or even a traditional self-help manual. Instead, it feels like peering through a window, watching someone navigate hardship with support systems firmly in place, while recognizing that resilience looks very different when you don’t have those same cushions.

[Aga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Emma Gannon, Whitefox Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC.

A Year of Nothing immediately draws the reader in with its cover - peaceful, serene, and reflective of the tone within. The book sits somewhere between memoir and self-help, and that blurred positioning ultimately shapes the reading experience.

Writing about personal mental health journeys is complex, and it’s difficult to evaluate someone else’s experience without oversimplifying it. That said, I found myself wanting deeper insight into the mental health aspects of the story. One recurring issue for me was the lack of acknowledgement of privilege. Being able to take a year away from work without financial pressure, travel freely, access multiple therapies, and rely on a strong support system is simply not an option for most people, and this context isn’t fully addressed.

On a positive note, I appreciated the author’s honesty about choosing not to medicate and instead exploring alternative approaches to healing. That aspect felt thoughtful and sincere. Overall, however, the book never quite commits to a single direction. It is neither a fully immersive memoir with deeper psychological insight nor a clear self-help guide with defined takeaways. I believe it would have benefited from choosing one lane - either leaning more fully into personal reflection or offering clearer guidance on what worked for her.

A reflective and decent read, though somewhat caught between genres. I’m rating this between 3 and 3.5 stars.

[Sara Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

💬 My Bookish Thoughts
I’m a strong advocate for listening to 'Experts by Experience', so this memoir immediately resonated with me. Emma Gannon writes candidly about hitting burnout and choosing to step away from the cult of productivity in order to rest, reflect, and recalibrate.

This is very much Emma’s personal journey. She was able to fund travel, retreats, and alternative therapies, supported by a strong network, privileges she openly acknowledges. That context matters. What stops the book from feeling prescriptive are the “Over To You” sections at the end of each chapter, which offer gentle prompts for self-reflection rather than instructions.

As a very part-time, self-employed worker with a supportive partner, some aspects felt accessible to me, even if the retreats and travel didn’t. For others, it may feel less so, but this is a memoir, not a manual. Within that, there are thoughtful insights about slowing down, unlearning busyness, and rediscovering joy outside productivity.

For me, it prompted reflection on my own experiences of burnout and reminded me why I’ve taken up crocheting, to spend less time on my phone, embrace mindful creativity, and share that joy with others.

This is a gentle, affirming book that now has a place in my mental health toolkit, a reminder of what can happen when we stop trying to fix everything and allow ourselves to feel instead.

✨ Three words: Gentle 🌿 Reflective 💭 Affirming 🕯️

🙏🏼 Huge thanks to @netgalley, @whitefoxpublishing and @emmagannonuk for the gifted digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Whitefox Publishing and Emma Gannon in return for an honest, independent review.
 
From the very first page, Emma Gannon draws you into her experiment of doing… well, nothing. After experiencing burnout and the constant pressure to achieve, she deliberately steps off the endless treadmill of "doing" for a year, allowing herself space to breathe, reflect, and simply be.
 
What I loved most was how honest and relatable Gannon is. She doesn't sugarcoat the struggle, but shows the beauty of letting life unfold at its own pace. Whether it's borrowing a dog, learning to swim again, or simply enjoying small, everyday moments, there's a quiet joy in every page.
 
Reading this also made me pause and reflect – I realised that, at times over the last year, I've been quite close to burnout, throwing myself into work as a way to cope with grief. Gannon's experiment with doing nothing felt like permission to slow down, even just a little.
 
The book isn't preachy or self-helpy; it's thoughtful, warm, and full of gentle reminders that rest, reflection, and presence are not indulgences – they're essential. Reading it felt like a breath of fresh air, a moment to pause and appreciate the simple things.
 
A Year of Nothing is inspiring, comforting, and the kind of read that stays with you long after you've finished it.

[Ann T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you White Fox Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Perfectionist, podcaster, author. And now in her latest book, Emma Gannon shares her unravelling, her breakdown which as she shares was horrible but necessary.

This brave, honest and down to earth memoir began as a collection of journal entries Emma wrote leading up to, during and through her breakdown. The end result is the collation of memories of these and adapted into the book we now hold detailing Emma’s “Year of Nothing”, a year where she puts everything on hold to metamorphosis into a more grounded, softer, relaxed yet integrated version of herself.

I really enjoyed accompanying Emma on her journey and was inspired by the honesty and rawness she shared.
Part of her “Year of Nothing” was exploring any healing modalities she could and I enjoyed reading about her experiences with them. I also really loved the day she wore her Dungarees and was absolutely intrigued by the concept of Dopamine Dressing. I’m sure we all have done / do it so a certain extent but this really stuck with me.

I highly recommend this memoir.

Thank you White Fox, Emma Gannon and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this and provide my honest review .

[Katy Wheatley]

What happens when the life you know stops abruptly? What happens when all the victories of your life turn to ashes in your mouth? Emma Gannon, a hugely successful author and broadcaster was forced to reassess her life when she found she simply couldn't make her mind and body carry on in the way she had always done. The break comes, as it so often does, at an event that was supposed to be a beautiful celebration, which turned into a nightmare that took Emma a year of gently considering her life to get out of. We follow her through the seasons of her burn out as she begins to figure out a different way of being. This is deeply touching and powerful in its simplicity. There is a raw, personal tenderness that allows Emma's vulnerability to shine through and which makes this something to be savoured. I loved the questions at the end of each section in which Emma invites us as the readers to think about our relationship to the things she is saying. There is no judgment or sense of demand here, just a gentle curiosity that asks us to spend a few moments considering our own lives.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading @emmagannonuk upcoming book/memoir “A Year of Nothing” and I absolutely adored it.

The memoir is coming out on the 22nd January and I implore you to read it!! 📚

‘A Year of Nothing’ made me actually sit back and answer the questions Emma is asking throughout and I really really loved that. It’s been a long time since I read a book that made me do that. It made me think about the small things in life that can make a huge difference to what makes life simple, easy & brighter.

For example, dopamine dressing is such a fun way to brighten your day but also others. I love wearing funky pieces that make myself smile but also other people around me. Something so simple, but so affective.

Throughout Emma is extremely candid with her personal experiences and how she decided to take a step back, reflect & take matters into her own hands after burnout.

I truly loved this & I am very grateful to have been able to read it before publication later this month 🥰

Thank you for the arc & for giving me the chance to review 😗✨ @netgalley

[Niamh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very kindly given an e-ARC copy of this book via Netgalley and Whitefox Publishing.

I think if I'd had this during my nervous breakdown, I might have gotten out of it a bit quicker. Particularly as I probably needed to do a year of nothing to recover from it, but I was 20 and at university and just high-functioning enough to do some damage. I enjoyed Gannon's insights into how she supported the healing process from her own burnout. On something like this, I struggle to pass critique or judgement because it's clearly a significant moment in a person's life, but I did find it a little wanting in the writing style in places. Ultimately, I hope this gets into the hands of the people who need it, because it can help.

'A Year of Nothing' by Emma Gannon will be available in this format in January 2026.

[kellymross · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard to review someone’s personal breakdown and ultimate triumph without sounding judgmental, so let me be clear: I am deeply glad Emma found so much to learn and rebuild after her crisis.

However, as a memoir, the narrative execution missed the mark for me. The account felt rushed, particularly during the moments of profound breakthrough and recovery. I sensed a powerful journey, but the emotional weight needed more space to breathe and fully land with this reader. This memoir felt more like a brisk summary than an immersive, detailed reflection. Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for everyone in today’s society where it’s constant tasks and commitments. One woman’s breakdown can teach us many lessons. I feel so inspired now to take back my life and my time. Every part of this book was so relatable. There are plenty of takeaways and so much motivation to slow down, rest, and really just live in the moment. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Danielle James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

Burnout seems to be a universal experience for millennial women. This short but poignant memoir of the author’s year of healing from her own burnout was accessible, gentle, and practical. There was a level of privilege that wasn’t completely acknowledged in this text about having the money, support, and access needed to have such intentional time off, but the overall message was well executed.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well it’s only January and I’ve read the best book of the year, it felt like I was sat having a coffee with Emma whilst she told me stories of her year and I feel so seen. Her writing is beautiful and evocative, I chuckled in place and felt sad for her and for past me in others.
Thank you thank you for a beautifully honest account.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I really connected to Emma’s story of burnout and breakdown and the steps she took to heal. I’m usually a slow (and easily distracted) reader but I read this in book in one day and now have a list of things I can’t wait to try. This is a beautifully cathartic book for anyone going through, or has personally experienced, a difficult time.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and gentle summary of how burnout recovery takes time and you can’t rush it. Some nice questions throughout to have a think about in your own life. Very reassuring book for burned out people.

[Elaine Mullane || Elaine and the Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Lydia Silverthorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read it in one sitting - a lovely little read

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me.
It left me wondering what those who have few or no resources do to cope with this kind of burn-out.

[S Launchbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[The Mad Mad Madeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great idea, very entitled lens that made it hard to find her likable.

Some good nuggets to consider, which is why it isn’t one star.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars