2020 was rough, but it did give me a bunch of time to do some reading. Here are a few of the books that I liked the most, and I think had (and will have) the most impact for 2021 (and beyond).

• Deep Work by Cal Newport. A book about how to do difficult, cognitively demanding work and why it’s important to make the time to do it.
• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. Social media has grown far beyond its original purpose and is often a source for distraction and anxiety. In this book, Cal makes a case for why you should be more intentional about how you engage with social media, and offers a process to regain control over your feed(s).
• 10% Happier by Dan Harris. One of the most compelling books about meditation and mindfulness I’ve read. It’s hard to quantify how much this book has helped me (and those around me), but if your stressed or anxious and a meditation skeptic, this book is where I’d begin.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear. Although it may seem like it, habits don’t just happen, they are created. Knowing how to create useful habits, and undo destructive habits is a (small) superpower!
• The Practice by Seth Godin. I wrote a bit about this book late last year. The ideas in it aren’t new, but Seth presents them in short, easily-digestible chapters that are equal parts motivation and instruction. If you’re making anything, I can’t recommend this book enough.

These aren’t the only books I read last year (some other nonfiction I enjoyed was John Hodgman’s Vacationland and Jon Krauker’s Into the Wild), but I think these five are a great place to start if you’re wanting to get a jump on 2021.