Book Smart

As a follow-up to episodes 14 & 15, Parts 1 & 2 on Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport, Melissa and Em discuss their personal takeaways from the book, and talk though a few of Em’s questions about the right “rules” to put in place for her own 30-day Digital Declutter. Plus, stay tuned for a big announcement at the end of the episode!

Em and Melissa discuss the essential practices of the digital minimalist—how to put in action the subtitle of Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism: “choosing a focused life in a noisy world.” To learn what Digital Minimalism is, what its foundational principles are, and how to begin your own digital decluttering, check out last week’s episode, Part 1.

Minimalism is the art of knowing how much is just enough. Digital minimalism applies this idea to our personal technology. It's the key to living a focused life in an increasingly noisy world. In this timely and enlightening book, bestselling author Cal Newport introduces a philosophy for technology that can be put to use to support your goals and values—rather than letting technology use you.

As a follow-up to episode 12, "The 5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman, Melissa and Em try to determine Melissa's primary love language—plus discuss the term they hated from this book. They also revisit episode 5, "Designing Your Life" to check in on Em's progress with adding more play into her life.

In the #1 New York Times bestseller, "The 5 Love Languages," you’ll discover the secret that's transformed millions of relationships worldwide. Whether you’re single, or your relationship is flourishing or failing, Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with future partners or your significant other—starting today.

As a follow-up to episode 10, "The Power of Moments" by Chip & Dan Heath, in this episode Em and Melissa talk about how they’ve begun thinking differently about the most memorable moments of their lives, and started creating more defining moments for themselves and others.  They also revisit episodes 6 & 7 on Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done to find out if one listener was motivated by Jon Acuff’s advice to get to the finish line of a big deadline.

In "The Power of Moments," New York Times bestselling authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath explore why certain brief experiences can jolt us, elevate us, and change us — and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our life and work.

As a follow-up to episode 8, "Joyful" by Ingrid Fetell Lee, in this episode Em and Melissa talk about whether this book actually made them joyful, and what elements, if any, they’ve incorporated into their daily lives. They also revisit episode 1, "The Four Tendencies" to discuss Melissa’s personal identity crisis over her previously labeled tendency as an Obliger. It turns out, she may have been misdiagnosed.

In Joyful, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee explores how the seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, she explains why one setting makes us feel anxious or competitive, while another fosters acceptance and delight -- and, most importantly, she reveals how we can harness the power of our surroundings to live fuller, healthier, and truly joyful lives.

As a follow-up to episode 6, "Finish" by Jon Acuff, in this episode Em and Melissa discuss how they’ve personally started taking the action items from "Finish" and put them into practice in their own daily lives. They also revisit episode 4, "Atomic Habits," to learn if one listener benefitted from James Clear’s advice — and check in on Em's progress with a problem she identified in her own life after reading "Atomic Habits."

Have you ever noticed that’s it’s easy to start a project or goal, but hard to finish? In the best-seller Finish, author Jon Acuff, reveals something surprising: it’s not that we’re lazy or don’t try hard enough. It turns out the most effective exercises are not those that push people to work harder. The ones that get people to the finish line do just the opposite—they take the pressure off. It turns out the sneakiest obstacle to meeting your goals is not laziness, but perfectionism.

In Designing Your Life, authors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans — educators in Stanford University’s Design Program — show us how “design thinking” can help us create a life that is both meaningful and fulfilling, regardless of who we are, what we do for a living, or how young or old we are. The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and a life of fulfillment and joy, a life that is constantly creative and productive.

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework to help you make little improvements every day. James Clear is one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, and in this New York Times bestseller, he reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

In The Art of Gathering, Priya Parker argues that the gatherings in our lives are lackluster and unproductive--which they don't have to be. We rely too much on routine and the conventions of gatherings when we should focus on distinctiveness and the people involved. At a time when coming together is more important than ever, Parker sets forth a human-centered approach to gathering that will help everyone create meaningful, memorable experiences, large and small, for work and for play.

In The Big Leap, New York Times bestselling author Gay Hendricks reveals a simple yet comprehensive program for overcoming our one barrier to happiness and fulfillment, providing a clear path for achieving our true potential and attaining not only financial success but also success in love and life.

There’s no magic, one-size-fits-all answer for building a happier, healthier, more productive life. In her book, The Four Tendencies, Gretchen Rubin reveals the one simple question that will transform what you do at home, at work, and in life.