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A review by victorfrank
How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life by Caroline Webb
5.0
This book should be called “how to be an effective adult.” Although nominally it’s about how to have a good day at work, it covers a whole lot more. The book revolves around three themes:
1. The brain’s activity is split across System 1 (deliberate and controlled) and System 2 (automatic and instinctive).
2. The discover-defend axis: Our brains function best when it’s in discovery mode instead of defending against perceived threats.
3. Mind and body are deeply entwined. Simple physical interventions can immediately boost our intellectual performance, emotional resilience, and personal confidence.
Webb then applies these themes to seven main areas: Priorities, Productivity, Relationships, Thinking, Influence, Resilience, and Energy. For each of these, she gives practical, scientifically-sound principles that I’m sure have been tested up and down the halls of her famously meticulous consulting firm McKinsey & Co.
For example, to boost your energy, do these six things: think about three good things; engage in random kindness; find something interesting; give yourself a quick win; make time for human connection; find the personal purpose; and smile. To beat back procrastination, use implementation intentions, e.g. “When I first sit at my desk, I will write for 15min.” Intrinsic motivation works better than extrinsic motivation, so find your inner why. Boost your brainpower by scheduling blocks of deep thinking time, engineering your environment, prioritizing your sleep (HUGE!) and doing a short burst of aerobic exercise.
This one book is more like a summary of 12 books on productivity and self-management, boiled down to their most useful essence and presented in a highly structured, user-friendly package. Each chapter has a one-page summary, and there are three appendices at the end for mastering meetings, email, and reinvigorating your routine.
This is a superb guide and reference for getting life right. 10/10
-- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil., Happiness Engineer and author of [b: The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible|33977456|The Tao of Dating The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible|Ali Binazir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485248157s/33977456.jpg|13580088], the highest-rated dating book on Amazon for 4 years, and [b: Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine|34099644|Should I Go to Medical School An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine|Ali Binazir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486004834s/34099644.jpg|55119946]
1. The brain’s activity is split across System 1 (deliberate and controlled) and System 2 (automatic and instinctive).
2. The discover-defend axis: Our brains function best when it’s in discovery mode instead of defending against perceived threats.
3. Mind and body are deeply entwined. Simple physical interventions can immediately boost our intellectual performance, emotional resilience, and personal confidence.
Webb then applies these themes to seven main areas: Priorities, Productivity, Relationships, Thinking, Influence, Resilience, and Energy. For each of these, she gives practical, scientifically-sound principles that I’m sure have been tested up and down the halls of her famously meticulous consulting firm McKinsey & Co.
For example, to boost your energy, do these six things: think about three good things; engage in random kindness; find something interesting; give yourself a quick win; make time for human connection; find the personal purpose; and smile. To beat back procrastination, use implementation intentions, e.g. “When I first sit at my desk, I will write for 15min.” Intrinsic motivation works better than extrinsic motivation, so find your inner why. Boost your brainpower by scheduling blocks of deep thinking time, engineering your environment, prioritizing your sleep (HUGE!) and doing a short burst of aerobic exercise.
This one book is more like a summary of 12 books on productivity and self-management, boiled down to their most useful essence and presented in a highly structured, user-friendly package. Each chapter has a one-page summary, and there are three appendices at the end for mastering meetings, email, and reinvigorating your routine.
This is a superb guide and reference for getting life right. 10/10
-- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil., Happiness Engineer and author of [b: The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible|33977456|The Tao of Dating The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible|Ali Binazir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485248157s/33977456.jpg|13580088], the highest-rated dating book on Amazon for 4 years, and [b: Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine|34099644|Should I Go to Medical School An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine|Ali Binazir|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486004834s/34099644.jpg|55119946]