NEW YORK (September 23, 2025)—The Paris Paradox: Embracing the French Ideals of Leisure to Transform American Work–Life Balance by Shemin Nurmohamed is now available on Amazon and at major booksellers. The book is published with Forbes Books, the exclusive business book publishing imprint of Forbes.
In The Paris Paradox, Shemin Nurmohamed—technology leader and member of the exclusive executive support network, World Fifty Group—offers a bold reimagining of success for American professionals exhausted by hustle culture. Drawing from nearly two decades of life and leadership in France, she reveals how embracing French ideals—unhurried meals, restorative vacations, authentic conversations, and prioritizing life over work—can paradoxically lead to greater productivity and more meaningful fulfillment.
“The life–work French approach may even offer a solution to the remote work standoff we’re seeing in many companies,” Nurmohamed said. “Employees prefer remote work because they feel they lack the time to be with family and to live their lives. But work is less of a burden in France, where employees can expect long lunches, thirty-five-hour workweeks, five weeks off a year, and a strong communal experience in the office. Instead of struggling to see your spouse or your kids, you can be home for every dinner, have time every weekend, take long breaks to refresh yourself, and look forward to the strong relationships you’ve built in the office.”
Rather than urging readers to abandon ambition, Nurmohamed provides strategies that harmonize achievement with contentment. Through personal anecdotes and expert analysis, she demonstrates how slowing down can sharpen creativity, strengthen relationships, and prevent burnout—all while fostering higher work performance. Each chapter explores a principle that Americans can adopt without moving abroad, offering a blueprint for a more balanced, resilient, and joyful life.
Whether you’re an executive seeking to transform team culture, an entrepreneur craving sustainable success, or a professional yearning for deeper satisfaction, The Paris Paradox is a timely read to help you redefine what it means to thrive.
This release is posted on behalf of Forbes Books (operated by Advantage Media Group under license).
About the Author
Shemin Nurmohamed spent nearly two decades living and working in France, where she discovered a profoundly different approach to balancing life and work. Today, Shemin applies her leadership experience to help companies implement French-inspired principles to build stronger, more connected teams.
Born in Canada to immigrant parents and educated at Cornell University, Shemin brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to questions of work, family, and finding contentment in our busy modern lives. She shares these insights regularly as a speaker at conferences across the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Shemin lives with her husband Fayyaz and their two children in Connecticut.
About Forbes Books
Founded in 2016 in partnership with Advantage Media Group, Forbes Books is the exclusive book publishing imprint of Forbes Media. Forbes Books offers business and thought leaders a way to share their ideas and expertise with the world. Authors are carefully vetted to ensure their stories and insights align with the Forbes mission of driving success through innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. For more information, visit books.forbes.com.