2022 was the year I started reading again, and my sabbatical really helped me with that one. One of the books that I read during my sabbatical was Atomic Habits by James Clear. I also happened to read The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg just before reading Atomic Habits.
I was familiar with the concept of how habits help people based on articles I had read and based on anecdotes from folks. However, the frameworks shared by both books (especially Atomic Habits) blew my mind! I was really sold by how picking up small habits and adding on to it can make a huge difference, and I started implementing my learnings immediately.
Six months pass, and I now have a solid system of at least six daily routines (which includes daily reading) – on a very interesting (and recursive) note, I finished reading Atomic Habits using the reading routine that the book taught me – how cool is that huh? 😉
If you are a person that is struggling with making changes in your life, and really want to learn about building small habits that can make a difference in the long run, I would give Atomic Habits a strong recommendation. Check out my reviews of Atomic Habits and The Power of Habit in Goodreads to know more on why I recommend both books!
Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James ClearMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this book right after reading The Power of Habit and hence was able to enjoy it a lot more than I thought. The book is basically a fun manual of some systems to cultivate new habits and to remove bad habits. I am already in the process of incorporating some of the ideas in my life and I am enjoying it!
It’s also one of the most practical self-help books that I’ve read in the recent past. If you are interested in tweaking your habits, this will an excellent (and fun) read!
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do and How to Change by Charles DuhiggMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Provides a fascinating insight into the world of habits. The book provides several anecdotes and real life incidents that showcase the importance of habits and how they matter – both in day to day life and in real-life scenarios. Even though it’s non-fiction, the book was a good and fun read (at least for me), it is enlightening and endearing.
So, which book are you going to read next? 🙂
This post was written as part of the Bloganuary challenge of WordPress.com. Bloganuary is a month-long challenge, where bloggers are challenged to write a new blog post every day, based on a daily writing prompt. You will need a WordPress.com account to get the prompts, but you can blog on any platform of your choice – OR even journal privately. Oh btw, there is no bloganuary police – so you can pick your own prompts if you wish to!
Hari Shanker R 
Hari, I *love* Atomic Habits. Both Desi and I took so much away from reading it, tactics that we still use on a daily basis (such as the concept of stacking habits). At some point I’d love to talk further with you about how it’s shaped your own practices. And I adore that recursive reading anecdote!
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Oooh, I never knew that you were an Atomic Habits fan! I love the concept of stacking habits – it is my favourite takeaway from the book. I can’t wait to learn about your habit journey – I have a feeling that I’ll probably learn a thing or two from you, Julia!
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Nice to hear you read my favorite book too!
Atomic Habits is an awesome book although since I was reading James Clear’s blog for many years prior to reading the book, I didn’t find any new concepts (nor was I hoping to).
I am glad James put together his awesome blog posts in a book that’s a pleasure to read and rehash!
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Ah, my friend – I would not have read Atomic Habits, had it not been for you. Actually YOU were one of the reasons why I got into it so much. Ever since we started talking in 2016, I’ve heard you share about habits and James Clear. You put Atomic Habits in my horizon for the first time, and the result has been nothing short of magical. So, I actually owe you a big thank you for that!
The next time we meet, I would love to chat with you more about this, catching up from our conversation in that hallway in a certain Denver CO hotel! 🙂
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