“The book is written for the layperson, for people with stress symptoms, or perhaps simply for individuals in our fast-paced, performance-driven society. It is not an academic book, but professionals working with people affected by stress may find inspiration in its hands-on approach and easily digestible style.
If you place a live frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out. But if the water is cold and slowly heated, the change happens gradually, and the frog will not notice—it will not jump and will eventually be boiled! The frog in the pot is a fitting metaphor for what happens when people, driven by habit, become increasingly stressed without pausing to reflect.
Feeling stressed at times has almost become a fundamental condition of the society we live in, making this book highly relevant. “The Frog in the Pot” is written to help people avoid ending up like the frog and to give them a chance to start practising mindfulness.
The book stands out for its accessible language. It features colourful, humorous illustrations and charming quotes ranging from Kierkegaard to Garfield. It is written with humour and creativity. Its use of images, metaphors, repetition, and illustrations all help ensure that the message and advice reach the reader effectively and are easier to remember. As the author, Mette Balslev, herself writes: “The more stressed you are, the less you can absorb when reading and learning new information.” In this way, she truly meets the stressed reader where they are. This is something she does exceptionally well throughout the book.
The book’s lightness is both its strength and its weakness. At times, it takes a somewhat superficial and simplistic approach to a rather serious subject. At the same time, it avoids losing the reader in in-depth academic explanations, which is undeniably a risk factor for books aimed at those experiencing stress, as they often struggle with attention and concentration difficulties.
The book is packed with practical advice on managing daily life and regulating oneself in a performance-driven society—things we should be aware of, do differently, etc. These are the things we have simply become accustomed to, like the frog in the pot.
It is also a realistic book. The author repeatedly makes the reader aware of something that many other books on stress management and prevention tend to overlook—namely, that simply being told to slow down, practise mindfulness, or engage in other stress-preventing or reducing activities can, for someone already experiencing stress, be a source of frustration and additional stress.
And that is precisely where the book offers a good starting point. The author introduces psychoeducation on stress in a light and humorous way, making it easier for the reader to see themselves from an external perspective. At the same time, she creates a kind of “zone of proximal development.” Rather than losing the stressed reader halfway through the book by assigning tasks like practising mindfulness and other stress-reducing techniques, she acknowledges their situation and writes: “If you are under a lot of pressure, simply remembering to go to the toilet when you feel the need is something worth recognising.”
Alongside specific stress management techniques such as mindfulness, the author offers general advice on sleep, setting boundaries, scheduling personal time, and finding the right balance in life. She takes the reader by the hand and motivates them to start incorporating stress-reducing habits into their lives. However, as with all books on stress management, it is important to remember that making changes is easier said than done, especially for those experiencing stress. The book’s recommendations must therefore be accompanied by a good dose of motivation from the reader.
— Louise Holm Brøndum, Licensed Psychologist