By Lauren Emily Whalen
A Year of Nothing, from UK-based bestselling author Emma Gannon, is in every way a “little” book: 130 pages from a small press, and lots of “white space” around its words. However, this part-memoir, part self-help book, with a foreword by The Artist’s Way author Julia Cameron, can resonate with those who are bogged down by hustle culture, a punishing news cycle, and a loss of perspective.
Namely, A Year of Nothing resonated with me.
“My burnout episode started unexpectedly during a relaxing spa weekend,” writes Gannon. In late 2022, friends remarked that she seemed a shell of her former self. Enter Gannon’s self-proclaimed “year of nothing”, during which she took a lot of walks, explored alternative treatments like reflexology and craniosacral therapy, and “borrowed” pets via an app, in the hopes of regaining her sense of self.
It wants better content.
What a year of nothing actually looks like
A Year of Nothing doesn’t downplay Gannon’s privilege or make huge promises to its readers. Still, it offers gentle questions (“How does having pets or being around animals slow you down?”) and discusses concepts like “dopamine dressing,” or wearing clothes in colors and styles that boost your own energy. While not a substitute for traditional therapy or medication, the book is an accessible companion to a personal journey, encouraging the simple pleasures in life.
As a type-A eldest daughter and Capricorn rising who writes quickly, juggles multiple side hustles and a day job, and struggles to find balance after one too many burnouts, I especially related to Gannon’s observations of the COVID lockdown period (“I liked having a smaller life. I found relief in having so many cancellations”) as well as her disappointment that when society reopened, she felt the need to make up for lost time and overloaded her calendar as a result.
A Year of Nothing isn’t anything revolutionary, but it’s not written for that. Instead, it’s a small but sweet reminder to reflect, to pet a dog, to look at the sky, even when life seems its most overwhelming.
Fast facts: ‘A Year of Nothing’
A gentle, self-aware reflection on burnout, rest, and choosing less in a culture obsessed with more.
- A Year of Nothing by Emma Gordon
- Publish date: January 22, 2026
- 130 pages
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