January is the perfect time for habit building books. Your New Year’s resolutions are still fresh in your mind. Your word of the year is still etched into the first page of your planner. You’re ready to make a change.

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The problem with the end of January is that you’re losing steam. You’ve made strides to achieve these resolutions, but if you’re like me, you don’t really have a long-term solution. That’s where these habit building books come in.

These habit building books are great for helping you think about the habits you’re trying to build and what you need to do to get where you’re going. And even though you may have taken a few steps in the right direction, I think these habit building books will solidify the routines you need to keep you going strong through the year.

These habit building books are great for helping you think about the habits you're trying to build and what you need to do to get where you're going. Click To Tweet

Habit Building Books

Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits — To Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life by Gretchen Rubin
I think by now everybody and their brother has read this one, but it’s good. I love Rubin’s style, and this book is definitely an easy read that makes you think about your own habits. One big takeaway I got from this is that I care too much about how others perceive me to allow myself to always do what’s best for me. This was incredibly eye-opening.

The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Too) by Gretchen Rubin
This book piggybacks off of Better than Before and helps you figure out what your personality type is when it comes to habits. I’m an obliger, so I tend to do stuff for others rather than for myself. Just having this information has been critical when it comes to finding out why I do what I do. If you’d like to figure out what your type is, you can take the quiz here.

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
This book is considered by many to be an essential manual for both business and living. Duhigg discusses why habits exist and how they can change. But he doesn’t just apply this information to losing weight or eating right. He shows how we can use this information to change our habits, how businesses run, and pretty much everything about our everyday lives.

The Achievement Habit: Stop Wishing, Start Doing, and Take Command of Your Life by Bernard Roth
I feel like every other week there’s a workshop offered to faculty about design thinking. I’ve attended a few, and I love the idea behind it. While I haven’t yet introduced design-based thinking into my course, I can definitely see how it would benefit the upper division courses where students are dealing with more abstract concepts. This book uses design-based thinking to basically change your life. It also includes a mindfulness component, so you know that I’m all about it.

168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam
I’ve read several reviews of this one, and have decided to finally pick it up. While I haven’t completed it yet, I’m excited to dig in. Janssen of Everyday Reading has sung its praises on more than one occasion, and I believe that Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy has reviewed it as well. Personally, I’m tired of feeling like there’s not enough time in the day to complete the tasks I want to complete. So I will be reading this one while simultaneously cutting out unnecessary stuff from my day.

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
So, if you’ve ever heard of morning pages (the pages you write first thing in the morning), they came from this book. While I think it’s all well and good to think of the science behind habits and our brain chemistry, I also think it’s hella important to think about how we approach things as artists. If you’re looking to go on a journey of self-discovery regarding your life’s purpose and what you should do to bolster your creativity, this is the book for you.

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What Are Your Favorite Habit Building Books?

What book did you read that changed your habits? What writer has made you rethink how you approach your daily routines? What habit building books would you recommend? Let me know in the comments!