Books read — August 2017
I only managed to start a single book in July which I finished this month. I realised I spent too much time on social media which distracted me a lot and resulted in less reading time.
That’s why I decided to cut down on distractions by deleting both Twitter and Reddit (the main culprits) from my phone so that my Kindle became my main source of entertainment again.
This little social media diet worked out quite well as I began feeling more productive and intellectually stimulated than before just a couple days into it.
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Sometimes when I play basketball or write code I get into a “zone” where time flies and everything seems easy. Turns out this is better known as a flow experience. Basically your abilities increase when you accomplish tasks that are challenging yet within your reach and offer continuous feedback.
This book also made me re-evaluate how I choose to spend my free time. I’m trying to focus on more complex activities that challenge me instead of opting for the easy option like watching TV or playing games. Ironically I have to admit that I found it hard to get through the chapters at times because it required a fair amount of concentration to follow the author’s train of thought.
Get Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience on Amazon
Norse Mythology
As a big fan of Marvel’s Thor and the TV show Vikings this book was right up my alley. It was the first time I read something by Neil Gaiman and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. He narrates the stories of many characters in the nordic mythology and takes the reader on a fast-paced adventure to the end of the world.
Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business
I mainly read this one because I enjoyed Charles Duhigg’s previous book The Power of Habit and to be honest I enjoyed Smarter Faster Better even more. He uses examples from a variety of industries to illustrate how anyone can become more productive by changing your mindset and workflow just a little bit.
Get Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business on Amazon