Creating habits and routines is difficult. We are all different and need different things in life. So how do we make sure that our habits work well for us? Here are the top four books that will give you information as well as inspiration as to how to have the best habits and routines.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Written by a New York Times reporter, this book looks less at the step-by-step process of creating habits and more into how habits work. It argues that habits are one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal not just as individuals but as societies and businesses.
You won’t find a clear how-to guide in this book, but you will get a better understanding of how habits are formed, kept, and broken. This will help you make your own habits and analyze how your current habits work and whether they make your life better or worse.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
If you want a step-by-step book on how to make habits, this is it. Atomic Habits argues that lasting habits are achieved not so much through the change of oneself as much as through the change of one’s environment. Where other self-help books advise to pick lofty goals and rely on motivation to achieve them, this book instead describes the importance of changing slowly and with achievable goals by making good habits easy and bad habits difficult to do in your life.
Many people have been praising this book and for a good reason. It is a level-headed approach to changing the person you are. The book knows it won’t happen overnight and with this understanding, it is easier to approach your own life and change.
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
This book has been a staple of habit-changing for years. Most people have heard of this book before they even wanted to change anything about themselves. The book focuses not just on how to build habits but argues that some lead to more success than others.
The book has been criticized over the years as some say its approach of naming seven habits is too reductive, but there are still valuable lessons to learn from it. If you already have some knowledge about routines but want to see if you’re not missing something, this book is for you.
Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
This book is probably the kindest to its readers of all the books on this list. Tiny Habits tries to nudge people to take small steps that will lead to big changes over time. While other books argue you should make big changes fast, this book asks you to be kinder to yourself and stop judging yourself for small mistakes.
Similarly to Atomic Habits, the book says that big changes need to be broken down into smaller pieces to be even realistically achievable. If you struggle to keep routines and you feel easily overwhelmed by big changes, this book is for you.
