What should I read next? Book recommendations from Tess
Posted on July 15, 2024 by Tess Cheng
“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” -Jim Rohn
Taking steps towards a healthier lifestyle is so much more fun with a bunch of awesome tools in your wellness toolkit. Personally, I’ve found a daily reading habit to be a real gem in boosting my well-being. It’s become a ritual I genuinely love and highly recommend adding to your routine too. So, let’s make it a daily date! I’ve jazzed up my list with even more fantastic books – these are some of my favorites. They’re not just good reads; they’re like little nuggets of inspiration for your health journey. Check them out and let’s keep each other motivated on this wellness adventure!
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Outlive by Peter Attia |
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Outlive proves its value, standing out from numerous health, fitness, and diet resources by having a doctor as its author. Balancing in-depth scientific insights with a motivating tone, the author avoids succumbing to the trends of the day. Offering research-based, practical advice, the book guides readers towards a longer, happier, and healthier life. It goes beyond influencing my exercise routine, impacting myeating habits and overall approach to health. Without a doubt, this book serves as the motivation needed to adopt healthier eating and make exercise a daily staple. |
The Long Game by Dorie Clark |
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The Long Game by Dorie Clark offers strategies that, while aimed at business success, can also be effectively applied to adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Clark emphasizes long-term thinking and adapting to changes, crucial elements for sustained health. By being selective with your time, continuously developing yourself, and thinking in decades, you can implement lasting changes. Clark also identifies three keys to becoming a long-term thinker: independence, curiosity, and resilience. Staying true to your vision, exploring what fascinates you, and bouncing back from setbacks are essential for achieving lasting improvements in your health and overall well-being. |
The Distracted Mind by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen |
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Looking to make behavioral changes to improve your mental health? The Distracted Mind by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen is essential. The book explains why our brains aren’t built for media multitasking and how distractions lead to stress and anxiety. It offers practical strategies for balanced living with technology, emphasizing the importance of managing attention to enhance mental well-being and reduce stress. |
Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker |
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Why We Sleepimparts invaluable knowledge about the critical role of sleep, not just in memory and cognition but also in overall physical well-being. Dr. Walker substantiates his claims with global sleep studies, elucidating how insufficient sleep affects toxin elimination, impacts cellular health, and underscores the essential renewal processes during different sleep stages. The book highlights how neglecting adequate sleep significantly heightens susceptibility to mental illness, cancer, and illness. Reading this book years ago could have led to different lifestyle choices. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the profound impact of sleep on health. |
Tiny Habits by B J Fogg |
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Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg presents a research-driven method to build lasting habits by starting small. Fogg, a behavior scientist from Stanford, advises linking tiny actions to existing routines and celebrating immediately after to reinforce the habit. This celebration, or “Shine,” helps make the habit stick.
Especially useful for those looking to improve their health, the book emphasizes that motivation is unreliable and consistent small actions are key to change. With practical tips on expanding and adjusting habits, as well as breaking bad ones, “Tiny Habits” is a concise guide to sustainable personal growth. |
Solving the Procrastination Puzzle by Timothy Pychyl |
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Solving the Procrastination Puzzle by Timothy Pychyl is a concise, research-based guide that addresses why we often sabotage our best intentions and provides strategies to eliminate procrastination. Pychyl, a renowned psychologist, combines current psychological research with clear, actionable tips to help readers break free from self-destructive habits and achieve their goals.
For those looking to improve their health, this book offers numerous practical strategies to overcome procrastination and make lasting lifestyle changes. Pychyl’s insights bring clarity, supported by scientific studies and a touch of humor, making the quest to stop delaying and start living an inspired life accessible to all. |
Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter |
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The author skillfully explores the mechanics of cravings in a book that’s both easy to understand and engaging. With short, cliffhanger-style chapters and relatable anecdotes, Scarcity Braindelivers its points effectively. In today’s world of plenty, many grapple with self-imposed limitations impacting well-being. The book navigates this landscape, recognizing primal drives without assigning blame. It offers hope by showcasing that most individuals aren’t destined for addictive behaviors and suggests simple environmental changes. This book could become essential reading for leaders, inspiring transformative changes. Personally drawn to it for its insights, I’ve already found actionable tips for reassessing habits, paving the way for positive changes. |
Lifetime by Russell Foster |
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Russell Foster’s Life Time is a compelling exploration of the critical link between human-caused disasters and sleep deprivation. Delving into the intricate world of circadian rhythms, Foster illustrates how disruptions in sleep can lead to a myriad of health issues, from heart disease to cognitive performance. Despite some denser sections, the book offers valuable insights with anecdotes and humor, making it a must-read not only for night- shift workers but for anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of sleep and well-being. |
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg |
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If you’re trying to reach a goal, like losing weight or becoming healthier, you’ll need to establish good habits to achieve them. In The Power of Habit, you’ll find advice on how to ditch your old habits and incorporate new ones that’ll transform your life. First, the author explains how and why habits exist, then teaches readers how to create and implement habits to reach whatever goals they’ve set for themselves. |
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy |
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Individuals that desire more success and are looking for key principles to build momentum should read The Compound Effect. In his book, Darren Hardy explains how every choice we make has a compound effect, even our eating choices. If you add The Compound Effect to your repertoire, it’ll motivate you to become the best version of yourself. After all, there’s always room for improvement! |
Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith |
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Have you ever wondered why you react the way you do in certain situations? It turns out your reaction to things is based on your triggers, which the author explores in this book. If you don’t currently like how you respond in different situations and want to gain control of how you react, have better relationships, then Triggers is for you. The author explains how to change your behavior and hold yourself accountable. He even provides an example of how a young individual has been able to lose weight and transform her life based on his principles in one of the chapters! |
Atomic Habits by James Clear |
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In Atomic Habits, James Clear shows readers how to make time for new habits and overcome a lack of motivation and willpower. If you’ve ever tried to achieve any goal before, you’re familiar with how much willpower is required to make it happen and last. The strategies in this book will reshape how you implement new habits and limit distractions. You will also learn to focus on the system instead and design the environment to support your habits. |
Limitless by Jim Kwik |
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The world’s #1 brain coach, Jim Kwik, shares how the brain injury he sustained as a child led him to struggle in school in Limitless. However, he didn’t let that hold him back. His book shows you how to develop the mindset and motivation you need to reach your full potential. After reading this book, you’ll not only recognize how important brain health and good sleep are but also how to unlock the superpowers your brain already has inside. |
Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. |
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How you feel about your current skills and abilities may dictate how you accomplish your current goals. If you desire to become a better and healthier you, it requires a mindset that enables you to succeed. In Mindset, Dr. Dweck uncovers the power of mindset and how it shapes how we learn and achieve in life. |
Thank you! Indeed, reading makes us healthier in a lot of ways, reducing stress is definitely one! This is such a simple but great list to start with. 😊
How do you normally manage your time to do so every day? I have kids at home that hardly give me a break …
My pleasure, glad to hear that you enjoy reading too, it has so many benefits. Like the other health habits, I structure reading into my daily routine so it gets included into the list of things I want to accomplish. I find that audiobooks are good alternatives sometimes, especially when I’m getting ready in the morning or if I’m out going for a walk. With kids, I’m sure your days are packed with activities. I hope you will find time to incorporate reading into your busy days even if it is for a short while!