Non-Fiction Books I enjoyed reading as a Psychologist
Do you love reading? I know I do! I read every day and usually also listen to audiobooks at least once per day. I read before I go to sleep, in breaks between work and listen to audiobooks while walking my dogs. This means I get through a fair number of books each year. More specifically, I have read more than 100 books each year for the past three years (I just finished my 103rd book of 2021 today).
The following are my favorite non-fiction books that I read in 2021. I organized them from what I thought was the best and most influential to the least influential for me. That is not to say that the final book was not good. It was great actually! So read along and see if you can spot any that you have read and whether some of my choices will make it onto your “to-read” list next year.
This book was definitely the most influential one of this year, if not the most impactful for the years to come. The Bullet Journal method is a unique productivity and “un-overwhelm” tool that I immediately started benefitting from the moment I started using it. It is easy to use but very effective, because it allows me to remember all the smaller and bigger tasks I want to accomplish without having them clutter up my mind. For anyone who wants to feel in more control over their lives and get more things done, this book could be an absolute game-changer.
Why I read it: Anybody who knows me knows that I am all about to-do lists and self-organization. I get a lot of stuff done, because I take my self-management tools seriously. This book filled a gap in my system and has improved my productivity and life-satisfaction. Right after I finished the book I started using the bullet journal method. I am happy to say that it has really improved my productivity and also my satisfaction in life. I even wrote a blog post about it here.
This was a big one. David Allen is well known for this book in the productivity and self-improvement world. I only happened to find out about it this year, but man oh man. The author is known for his uniquely simple and thereby revolutionary approach to productivity. He discusses topics such as the 2-minute rule, lists (I love lists!), having a simple system that really works for you and his so-called “tickler-system”, to name just a few.
Why I read it: You don’t have to experience a jolt of excitement whenever you encounter a new self-organizing idea, like me, to enjoy this book. After finishing this read I have gone on and on about being “actionable” with the tasks on to-do lists and to boil the time-management system down until it is as effective and least time–consuming as possible.
Daniel J. Levitin is a big name in the non-fiction and neuroscience landscape. He is that for a reason. His expertise and his infallible capability to explain difficult neuroscientific subjects in a way that is understandable and entertaining is well-known. This was the second or third book I read of his and again I had a lot of “aha-moments” in the progress.
Levitin does not offer a secret solution to stop the aging process from happening, but he offers evidence-based data that may help to understand the process of aging and avoid common mistakes of the older generation that make their own lives more difficult and painful.
Why I read it: During my bachelor’s I first encountered neuroscience and found it a stressful and unrewarding subject to study. Levitin has shown me that neuroscience does not have to be a negative experience, but may instead be practical and eye-opening. I also work with individuals who are themselves getting older or are experiencing their parents or grandparents grow older. This book allowed me to understand them better and even offer helpful advice. I wrote a blog post on the topic of better sleep in old age that is mostly based on what I learned from the book. You can read it here.
This book was one of the last ones I listened to this year. In it Adrienne Herbert shares her technique of setting aside one hour every day in the morning to work on passion projects and improve her life. By now the power hour was successfully implemented by thousands of individuals and has allowed them to positively change their lives. While I am not at all an early bird (most days I get up around 9 am) I believe that setting aside intentional time to work on projects that are dear to your heart can have extremely positive influences on your life.
Why I read it: I love learning about new ways to improve productivity without losing out on the good life has to offer. I had heard of the phrase “power hour” before and was intrigued when I stumbled over the title in my library’s audiobook selection.
- Dare to Lead Brené Brown
Brené Brown is somewhat of a compassion and motivational guru. She uses her experience and expertise to offer individuals of all walks of life guidance. What distinguishes her from other “gurus” is that her advice is actionable and down-to-earth. In this book she offers advice to leaders on how to lead with compassion and integrity. Open-mindedness and distancing oneself from the cliché of the strong leader who knows it all and never shows weakness.
Why I read it: While I am certainly not a leader myself, I work with a lot of them. During my sessions I am often confronted with the issues, worries and growing pains of new and experienced leaders. This book helped me to help them.
The author and Ex-FBI agent has developed impressive skills to de-cypher body language. In this book he is describing some of his learnings and may help you to read other people’s body language as well.
Why I read it: I believe that a great understanding of my clients will allow me to support them better. I don’t mean to imply that my clients are purposely trying to hide things from me. If they want to do that, they are of course free to do so. Nobody is forced to tell the truth during sessions! However, I believe that I am able to work better with my clients if I am able to gain as much insight into their thought processes as possible.
Many experience the feeling that time is only spent well when it is used well to do something productive. Manoush Zomorodi disagrees with this mindset and proposes that doing nothing or even being bored is essential to the creative process. A relaxed mind has time to get creative and may allow individuals to change their lives.
Why I read it: As a relaxation therapist and psychologist I often work with clients who struggle to find time to relax and especially with doing “nothing”. The book “Bored and Brilliant” was a fascinating read (or should I say listen) because it addresses exactly that topic.
This book was gifted to me and was a very happy surprise. Matt Haig compiled a variety of short stories, poems, quotes and even recipes in this book. The overarching theme of the book is comfort and that is exactly what it provides. The author himself has suffered from mental illness and uses his experience to give the reader what he needed when he was sick.
Why I read it: I did not know about the book before I held it in my hands, but it was absolutely worth my time. The small bites of comfort we… comforting and helped me to add new perspectives and ideas into my work. I definitely recommend it!
Lindy West is a feminist and social advocate. In this book she dives into all things feminism and how the far right of America (and probably the rest of the world) tries to discredit the movement. Lindy has a canny way of portraying sad and infuriating realities but lightens the mood with occasional anecdotes out of her own life. The book could be considered a crash-course of feministic topics of our current times (or the time when Trump was America’s president). Highly recommend it!
Why I read it: For those who know me this doesn’t come as a surprise, I am a Feminist and outspoken about it. In my work I often encounter the stories of individuals who are suffering indirectly or very much directly from the effects of patriarchy and toxic masculinity. Personally, I am constantly looking to learn more to help me become a better psychologist.
Elizabeth Gilbert shares her insights into where inspiration comes from and how everyone is eligible to hold on to it and let it help us create. The book is inspiring, interesting and it opens up a new perspective on creative living that goes beyond that of the martyred artist who has to constantly suffer for their art. The book is lovely mix of experiential and scientific facts surrounding the creative process as well as a more whimsical perspective on the nature of inspiration.
Why I read it: While I enjoy writing as a form of expressing myself, I definitely do not see myself as an artist. So this is why I was not immediately taken in by the title of the book. I stood corrected. Elizabeth Gilbert’s book is inspiring in a way that would be helpful not just for the artists around us. With her keen eye and colorful language she was able to change my narrow view of art as for those who are “gifted” and widen it to see the bravery that artists represent by displaying their art to the world.
This blog is very different to my usual posts, but I wanted to share a different important part of my life here nevertheless. I hope you enjoyed reading it and perhaps found a book on the list that you want to read in the future. If you would like to see what other (93) books I read in 2021, you can connect with me on goodreads here. I wish you a lovely start into the New Year 2022!
What books would you have added to the list? Is there a book that I should read?
Let me know in the comments.
Photo by Matias North on Unsplash
Margaretha Madoures 