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Feeling stuck at work? Read these 5 books for a fresh perspective
We all experience the occasional slump at work when everything feels like a pointless drag. Fortunately, there are some books that can offer insight and advice to get you out of that funk. Here are my top picks of psychology books that offer more than empty self-help promises.
Jeff Haden: The Motivation Myth
Feeling de-motivated? Motivation may be less important than you think. This book has been recommended by several productivity bloggers that I follow. As the title suggests, the main idea of the book is that motivation is not the main driver of productivity and is also not necessary. Instead, several alternatives views are put forward and supported by interviews with successful athletes, business people, and writers. There is also a lot of practical advice. For instance, I liked the idea of planning an extremely productive day (EPD) by breaking with the regular routine and avoiding the typical excuses that make us quit work prematurely. The book is an easy and quick read that made me feel more motivated at work. I also helped me to optimise my work process a bit more.
Angela Duckworth: Grit
Grit has become a hot topic in psychology and education. The term describes people’s passion and perseverance in pursuit of a particular goal or endeavour. It turns out that this character trait is more predictive of success than IQ, no matter if you want to make it through an elite military academy or if you want to win the national spelling bee competition. The author illustrates the concept with her own experience working as a researcher, management consultant, and teacher. She also interviewed successful people from the arts, sciences, and industry to illustrate how grit helped them in their careers. For those of use who may be feeling in a bit of a slump, the book can help to get a new perspective. For example, it can help to discover how the everyday efforts can contribute…
