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Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You
We're told that to achieve more we need to work longer, focus harder, sacrifice more. But it's a lie.Because the secret to true productivity isn't graft. It's joy.In this revolutionary book, Ali Abdaal, Cambridge-educated doctor and the world's most-followed productivity expert, offers a scientifically proven way to get more done - by finding radical pleasure in everything you do. He starts by introducing the three 'energisers' that make work invigorating rather than draining - Power, Play and People. Then he delves into cutting-edge science that reveals how to integrate these forces into your daily routine - so you end every day feeling uplifted rather than exhausted.The result is a revolutionary way to get more done without stressing out, freaking out or burning out. It is the first productivity book that is 100% guaranteed to not ruin your life.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2023
About the author
Ali Abdaal
1 book37.5k followersAli Abdaal is a doctor, entrepreneur, amateur magician, and the world's most-followed productivity expert.
Ali became intrigued by the science of productivity while juggling the demands of medical training at Cambridge University and building his business on the side. While working as a doctor in the UK's National Health Service, Ali started to document his journey towards living a healthier, happier, more productive life on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms. To date, Ali’s evidence-based videos, podcasts and articles sharing insights into the human mind, have reached hundreds of millions of people all around the world.
In 2021, Ali took a break from his medical practice to focus full-time on his work popularising the science of human flourishing and high performance. In this book, he reveals everything he has learnt from a decade studying the secrets of feeling better and achieving more.
Ali became intrigued by the science of productivity while juggling the demands of medical training at Cambridge University and building his business on the side. While working as a doctor in the UK's National Health Service, Ali started to document his journey towards living a healthier, happier, more productive life on his YouTube channel and other social media platforms. To date, Ali’s evidence-based videos, podcasts and articles sharing insights into the human mind, have reached hundreds of millions of people all around the world.
In 2021, Ali took a break from his medical practice to focus full-time on his work popularising the science of human flourishing and high performance. In this book, he reveals everything he has learnt from a decade studying the secrets of feeling better and achieving more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 853 reviews
December 10, 2023
I'm probably not in the target audience for this book since I've already read most of the works the author cites, but the last 60 pages are filler (notes, references, about the author, etc), leaving 240 pages. I'd say half of that is borrowed content from other books. $20 for 120 pages of content that's already available on his youtube channel seems a bit unreasonable to me.
the writing was easily digestible and the concepts are well explained, I just wish this book had more oomph to it
2.5
the writing was easily digestible and the concepts are well explained, I just wish this book had more oomph to it
2.5
January 24, 2024
I agree that feeling good is vital for us to move on.
The book shows how to energise, unblock and sustain.
We can build and maintain our energy levels through activities like sleep, exercise, and play.
We can identify and overcome obstacles that prevent you from being productive, such as
distractions and procrastination.
We can also develop sustainable habits and routines that help you stay on track and motivated over the long term.
'I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."' quoted by Muhammad Ali.
The book shows how to energise, unblock and sustain.
We can build and maintain our energy levels through activities like sleep, exercise, and play.
We can identify and overcome obstacles that prevent you from being productive, such as
distractions and procrastination.
We can also develop sustainable habits and routines that help you stay on track and motivated over the long term.
'I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion."' quoted by Muhammad Ali.
October 24, 2023
Feel Good Productivity means well, both literally and figuratively.
Written by a popular YouTube productivity blogger, the book is touted as an antidote to the popular hustle-culture and life hack proponents. To that end, the book delivers: Ali Abdaal’s bright, cheerful encouragement to find the pockets of life which interest people works well.
However, the issue which plagues many a *book that should have stayed a few blog posts* is very evident here. Abdaal’s case is made on mostly anecdotal stories, which makes sense given the topic isn’t easily quantifiable. The sheer volume of padding makes for an exhausting read and rapidly becomes little more than skimming until the next point is made.
Like most people living in late-stage capitalism, I’m interested in productivity and the way to balance inner satisfaction and outer results. For readers who have not already tackled the big bestsellers in the career self-help space, then Feel Good Productivity may contain new and useful information. If you are like me, it reads like a repackaging of other often superior books with little to recommend that is new or novel.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Celedon Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date Dec 26th, 2023.
Written by a popular YouTube productivity blogger, the book is touted as an antidote to the popular hustle-culture and life hack proponents. To that end, the book delivers: Ali Abdaal’s bright, cheerful encouragement to find the pockets of life which interest people works well.
However, the issue which plagues many a *book that should have stayed a few blog posts* is very evident here. Abdaal’s case is made on mostly anecdotal stories, which makes sense given the topic isn’t easily quantifiable. The sheer volume of padding makes for an exhausting read and rapidly becomes little more than skimming until the next point is made.
Like most people living in late-stage capitalism, I’m interested in productivity and the way to balance inner satisfaction and outer results. For readers who have not already tackled the big bestsellers in the career self-help space, then Feel Good Productivity may contain new and useful information. If you are like me, it reads like a repackaging of other often superior books with little to recommend that is new or novel.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Celedon Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date Dec 26th, 2023.
January 17, 2024
2.5 - closer to 2 than 3
Wanted to love it because I do enjoy Ali’s online presence but just couldn’t get there. I had already found the topic to be a bit nebulous and bland, but wanted to give it a shot. It seems rather obvious that yes, do stuff you enjoy doing and skirt the rest. Do we really need a book on this?
For the book itself, it borrows a lot from the current meta of self-help giants; Atomic Habits, Psychology of Money, etc. Things like: actionable tips, summarization at the end of chapter, ~10 pages chapters, lots of anecdotal stories and studies to fit the narrative. Not a lot of new ideas though. This is what happens when imitation and inspiration don’t lead to innovation.
I think there is too much juxtaposition from this book to what Ali has preached in the past; which is productivity and optimization. Ironically, this book touts how to enjoy the productivity and do things that make you happy (personal rant: can we please stop calling it “play” as adults; there’s got to be a better word that evokes less off-putting feeling), while his channel is primarily built off of the notion of making every hour more effective and efficient for output. Perhaps I just haven’t shifted with him as he’s grown, but it seems as if things have become contradictory now that hustle culture fell out of favour but there is still a void to fill for content.
I also think that there is an innate privilege in Ali’s life that seems to be glossed over for the masses - as sometimes people HAVE to do things they don’t want to do and must find ways to enjoy. Ali has some good reframing and coping mechanisms there to help, but ultimately, I don’t believe he practices what is preached as he’d just rather abandon anything remotely difficult for the alternative option. This of course is fine…if you’re not trying to tell the general public how to cope. Absolutely, I would love to just do things that I enjoy. Sadly, the reality is that I can’t just hire that personal chef or weekly cleaner.
I’m sure this will be the first book of many and it is a valiant first attempt. Just didn’t resonate compared to the other stalwarts in the genre. Ali borrows a lot from other books or authors before him, which begs the question as to why we need more of the same rehashed ideas in the first place.
There are some actionable things to use but not much different than what you can find online already.
TL;DR: if you are someone new to the self-help/productivity space (or even Ali’s content) this will be a breath of fresh air with a lot of actionable tips. For anyone else, you may just be productively procrastinating by reading this. If it wasn’t for Ali’s name attached - I wouldn’t have bought and would have been unlikely to read.
Wanted to love it because I do enjoy Ali’s online presence but just couldn’t get there. I had already found the topic to be a bit nebulous and bland, but wanted to give it a shot. It seems rather obvious that yes, do stuff you enjoy doing and skirt the rest. Do we really need a book on this?
For the book itself, it borrows a lot from the current meta of self-help giants; Atomic Habits, Psychology of Money, etc. Things like: actionable tips, summarization at the end of chapter, ~10 pages chapters, lots of anecdotal stories and studies to fit the narrative. Not a lot of new ideas though. This is what happens when imitation and inspiration don’t lead to innovation.
I think there is too much juxtaposition from this book to what Ali has preached in the past; which is productivity and optimization. Ironically, this book touts how to enjoy the productivity and do things that make you happy (personal rant: can we please stop calling it “play” as adults; there’s got to be a better word that evokes less off-putting feeling), while his channel is primarily built off of the notion of making every hour more effective and efficient for output. Perhaps I just haven’t shifted with him as he’s grown, but it seems as if things have become contradictory now that hustle culture fell out of favour but there is still a void to fill for content.
I also think that there is an innate privilege in Ali’s life that seems to be glossed over for the masses - as sometimes people HAVE to do things they don’t want to do and must find ways to enjoy. Ali has some good reframing and coping mechanisms there to help, but ultimately, I don’t believe he practices what is preached as he’d just rather abandon anything remotely difficult for the alternative option. This of course is fine…if you’re not trying to tell the general public how to cope. Absolutely, I would love to just do things that I enjoy. Sadly, the reality is that I can’t just hire that personal chef or weekly cleaner.
I’m sure this will be the first book of many and it is a valiant first attempt. Just didn’t resonate compared to the other stalwarts in the genre. Ali borrows a lot from other books or authors before him, which begs the question as to why we need more of the same rehashed ideas in the first place.
There are some actionable things to use but not much different than what you can find online already.
TL;DR: if you are someone new to the self-help/productivity space (or even Ali’s content) this will be a breath of fresh air with a lot of actionable tips. For anyone else, you may just be productively procrastinating by reading this. If it wasn’t for Ali’s name attached - I wouldn’t have bought and would have been unlikely to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2024
Everyone should read this book. I have never been so fascinated by psychology before. The writing was so brilliant and brought a collection of psychology facts and cases without making me feel like I was in psych class.
There were references to things we all know and love - such as The Office and Pirates of the Caribbean - while making you think beyond the scene or phrase.
I don't usually write in my books, but I was highlighting things left and right because I was so fascinated and wanted to come back and re-read things. Tiny little moments that I've felt in my life (and though no one else did either) were unpacked in this book and created such a deeper level of understanding.
The book has an overarching theme of productivity but covers everything from mindset changes to setting goals and so much more. I genuinely will be recommending this book to everyone I talk to now.
There were references to things we all know and love - such as The Office and Pirates of the Caribbean - while making you think beyond the scene or phrase.
I don't usually write in my books, but I was highlighting things left and right because I was so fascinated and wanted to come back and re-read things. Tiny little moments that I've felt in my life (and though no one else did either) were unpacked in this book and created such a deeper level of understanding.
The book has an overarching theme of productivity but covers everything from mindset changes to setting goals and so much more. I genuinely will be recommending this book to everyone I talk to now.
February 11, 2024
Goodreads post before reading:
"I'm really excited for Ali Abdaal's book. For years, I've watched his YouTube channel and have high expectations for Feel Good Productivity."
I was initially excited for Ali Abdaal's new productivity book. For years, I've watched his YouTube channel and had high expectations for Feel Good Productivity.
Perhaps that was the problem.
I've read dozens of productivity books. And unfortunately, this felt like a dragged-out YouTube video.
Most chapters followed a similar structure and were somewhat formulaic. Ali introduced a study/piece of research, provided a few anecdotes, and then moved onto the next chapter.
To be clear, Feel Good Productivity isn't a bad book. It's perfectly fine - especially if you don't read a lot of productivity/self-help. But for the seasoned reader who has read a lot of productivity books (which I suspect is most of Ali's audience), it reads like a repackaging of other popular books.
Three stars.
"I'm really excited for Ali Abdaal's book. For years, I've watched his YouTube channel and have high expectations for Feel Good Productivity."
I was initially excited for Ali Abdaal's new productivity book. For years, I've watched his YouTube channel and had high expectations for Feel Good Productivity.
Perhaps that was the problem.
I've read dozens of productivity books. And unfortunately, this felt like a dragged-out YouTube video.
Most chapters followed a similar structure and were somewhat formulaic. Ali introduced a study/piece of research, provided a few anecdotes, and then moved onto the next chapter.
To be clear, Feel Good Productivity isn't a bad book. It's perfectly fine - especially if you don't read a lot of productivity/self-help. But for the seasoned reader who has read a lot of productivity books (which I suspect is most of Ali's audience), it reads like a repackaging of other popular books.
Three stars.
January 1, 2024
Disappointed to hear within the beginning of the book that they misattributed the discovery of DNA helix structure to Watson and Crick. It was Rosalind Franklin who discovered the helical structure, they obtained her lab reports without her knowledge and got all the credit. This book was marketed as having 3 other editors to double check the science, and this going unnoticed is disappointing. I really enjoy the content of the book and giving suggestions beyond relying on discipline but I do hope at some point they acknowledge it. Too much women's work and contributions are erased in history, we don't need more of it.
November 13, 2023
**Note: I was able to read an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. I have an interest in self-help, productivity, mindset, and psychology so this book was recommended to me and offered in an advance eBook edition in exchange for my honest review. **
As a subscriber of Ali Abdaal’s “Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal” Youtube channel I knew his book was launching soon and had it on my list to purchase. I love Abdaal’s videos and have been watching his content for some time. I find him intelligent, affable, gentle, and disciplined. He’s a great voice in the crowded Youtube self-help space because he appears comfortable on camera showing up as his full self, with a beginner’s mind and a sense of earnestness that you don’t always see in other male self-help YouTubers. (PS: If you want to check his videos out some of my favorites are these two: (1. How to Not Die Alone: A Dating Expert’s Guide and 2. Change Your Brain: The Power of Neuroplasticity and Braincare with Dr. Tara Swart)
“Feel-Good Productivity” was a breezy and quick read full of actionable ideas and tactics for improving your output while also feeling and being fully human.
If you read psychology, self-help, and motivational books frequently the studies and phenomena Abdaal references won’t be brand new, but that’s the point. This book gives you the best of the best in productivity, mindset, and feeling-good positive psychology hacks so you don’t have to wade through a morass of podcasts, books, articles, and research studies. Abdaal did the hard work of gathering that info for you through his years of independent study and distilled them into memorable, actionable tips.
What sets Abdaal’s book apart is his philosophy. When you make it a focus to feel good, you become more effective. Our culture is so output-obsessed and Abdaal’s counter-culture advice to “do less in order to be more” feels refreshing. We all know from experience that when we feel good life has a productive flow to it that’s hard to describe, but when it comes to living out our daily lives we forget this state of ease we can tap into and start thinking we need to push and grind in order to succeed. Abdaal’s book is an argument against this type-a attitude that’s so celebrated in our culture and instead encourages us to have a more gentle, inquisitive, and exploratory relationship towards goal-setting and work that will hopefully have us moving closer towards our ideal life whilst experiencing a lot more ease.
My favorite chapters by far were the chapters on how to avoid and recover from burn-out. Abdaal posits that appropriate conservation of our energy while working towards our goals is one of the top productivity-zapping phenomena. The last third of his book focuses on how to conserve your mental and physical energy by preventing and/or treating burn-out. I found these tips alone worth the purchase.
My favorite takeaway from the chapters on preventing burnout was Abdaal’s theory that burnout isn’t always caused by how many hours you’re putting in, but more so how you feel when you’re putting in those hours. Mainly, that most of the time you have to feel good while working to avoid burnout. He further broke burnout down into three main types: over-exertion burnout (doing too much), depletion burnout (not enough physical or emotional recovery time), and misalignment burnout (doing too much of the wrong things).
I’m a huge believer in the importance of making time for rest, play, and finding meaning in our days, so Abdaal’s chapters on preventing burnout through incorporating more rest, breaks, energizing distractions and values-based decision-making resonated with me. I especially loved the idea of “doing less to unlock more.”
If you’re looking for an approachable, positive, and uplifting book on personal productivity and self-improvement, this is a great one to pick up in advance of the new year. Heading into 2024 with a healthy balance of goal-based striving and whole-person health is a great way to start off a new chapter in your life.
As a subscriber of Ali Abdaal’s “Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal” Youtube channel I knew his book was launching soon and had it on my list to purchase. I love Abdaal’s videos and have been watching his content for some time. I find him intelligent, affable, gentle, and disciplined. He’s a great voice in the crowded Youtube self-help space because he appears comfortable on camera showing up as his full self, with a beginner’s mind and a sense of earnestness that you don’t always see in other male self-help YouTubers. (PS: If you want to check his videos out some of my favorites are these two: (1. How to Not Die Alone: A Dating Expert’s Guide and 2. Change Your Brain: The Power of Neuroplasticity and Braincare with Dr. Tara Swart)
“Feel-Good Productivity” was a breezy and quick read full of actionable ideas and tactics for improving your output while also feeling and being fully human.
If you read psychology, self-help, and motivational books frequently the studies and phenomena Abdaal references won’t be brand new, but that’s the point. This book gives you the best of the best in productivity, mindset, and feeling-good positive psychology hacks so you don’t have to wade through a morass of podcasts, books, articles, and research studies. Abdaal did the hard work of gathering that info for you through his years of independent study and distilled them into memorable, actionable tips.
What sets Abdaal’s book apart is his philosophy. When you make it a focus to feel good, you become more effective. Our culture is so output-obsessed and Abdaal’s counter-culture advice to “do less in order to be more” feels refreshing. We all know from experience that when we feel good life has a productive flow to it that’s hard to describe, but when it comes to living out our daily lives we forget this state of ease we can tap into and start thinking we need to push and grind in order to succeed. Abdaal’s book is an argument against this type-a attitude that’s so celebrated in our culture and instead encourages us to have a more gentle, inquisitive, and exploratory relationship towards goal-setting and work that will hopefully have us moving closer towards our ideal life whilst experiencing a lot more ease.
My favorite chapters by far were the chapters on how to avoid and recover from burn-out. Abdaal posits that appropriate conservation of our energy while working towards our goals is one of the top productivity-zapping phenomena. The last third of his book focuses on how to conserve your mental and physical energy by preventing and/or treating burn-out. I found these tips alone worth the purchase.
My favorite takeaway from the chapters on preventing burnout was Abdaal’s theory that burnout isn’t always caused by how many hours you’re putting in, but more so how you feel when you’re putting in those hours. Mainly, that most of the time you have to feel good while working to avoid burnout. He further broke burnout down into three main types: over-exertion burnout (doing too much), depletion burnout (not enough physical or emotional recovery time), and misalignment burnout (doing too much of the wrong things).
I’m a huge believer in the importance of making time for rest, play, and finding meaning in our days, so Abdaal’s chapters on preventing burnout through incorporating more rest, breaks, energizing distractions and values-based decision-making resonated with me. I especially loved the idea of “doing less to unlock more.”
If you’re looking for an approachable, positive, and uplifting book on personal productivity and self-improvement, this is a great one to pick up in advance of the new year. Heading into 2024 with a healthy balance of goal-based striving and whole-person health is a great way to start off a new chapter in your life.
December 13, 2023
Ali Abdaal's 'Feel-Good Productivity' is a wonderful revelation in the world of productivity books. It's not just a guide; it's a journey into redefining success and happiness in our work and personal lives. Abdaal's fresh perspective on harnessing positivity to fuel productivity is refreshing. The idea that feeling good leads to success, rather than vice versa, resonates deeply. Each chapter blends insightful research and practical tips, making it an engaging and transformative read. This book is a must-have for anyone seeking to infuse joy into their productivity journey. I wasn't familiar with him as a YouTube creator before, but definitely will be checking out his channel now!
Want to read
July 19, 2023I'm interested in a review of this book i didn't read it 🧐
January 1, 2024
I listened to the audiobook and that is a rather quick listen.
If you are familiar with his Youtube content you will have heard most of the ideas before, but it was really nice to have them combined in one place.
What stood out ot me was the burnout content as that was so much more helpful to me than other stuff I read.
Overall it was also a nice reminder to myself to prioritize doing the things that make me feel better.
If you are familiar with his Youtube content you will have heard most of the ideas before, but it was really nice to have them combined in one place.
What stood out ot me was the burnout content as that was so much more helpful to me than other stuff I read.
Overall it was also a nice reminder to myself to prioritize doing the things that make me feel better.
Want to read
October 6, 2023Ali I'm so thrilled to hear about your upcoming book! I can't wait to dive into it and learn more from you. Your content has been such a source of inspiration for me, and I know your book will be no different. Thank you for all the amazing work you do! May Allah subhan watalah make it the best-selling book ever!
January 26, 2024
Play is our first energiser. Life is stressful. Play makes it fun. If we can integrate the spirit of play into our lives, we’ll feel better – and do more too.This book could have been a blog post or video. It essentially summarizes the most popular productivity books such as Atomic Habits, Deep Work, The Power of Habit, The One Thing, Getting Things Done and others while sprinkling in personal anecdotes and pop-culture tidbits. While this approach is fine, it doesn't provide much value for those seeking an in-depth exploration.
I was previously a subscriber to his channel but lost interest when it devolved into a content farm. Reading this book only served to reinforce my decision to disengage from any more of his content. The book follows the same pattern as his channel, and it's clear that its main purpose is to generate passive income.
November 22, 2023
ARC provided by the publisher through Edelweiss!
January 31, 2024
not exactly ground breaking but definitely helpful
January 31, 2024
Tolles Buch zu einem Thema, von dem ich bislang wenig Ahnung hatte.
Ali Abdaal stellt unglaublich viele Strategien vor, mit deren Hilfe es gelingen soll, mehr Sinn/Spaß/Balance/Erfüllung bei seinen täglichen Aufgaben zu erleben.
Alle Strategien umzusetzen ist weder möglich noch hilfreich, das schreibt er selbst. Ein paar davon habe ich herausgepickt, mal sehen, ob ich mich damit weniger gestresst und ausgelaugt fühle und auch weniger prokrastiniere (die Kapieren dazu haben mir übrigens am meisten gefallen).
Alles in allem ein super Buch, angenehm geschrieben (also toll übersetzt) und empfehlenswert für alle, die nicht einfach nur blind vor sich hinarbeiten möchten, sondern ihrer Arbeit und damit ein Stück weit auch dem Leben ein bisschen mehr Bedeutung geben möchte.
Ali Abdaal stellt unglaublich viele Strategien vor, mit deren Hilfe es gelingen soll, mehr Sinn/Spaß/Balance/Erfüllung bei seinen täglichen Aufgaben zu erleben.
Alle Strategien umzusetzen ist weder möglich noch hilfreich, das schreibt er selbst. Ein paar davon habe ich herausgepickt, mal sehen, ob ich mich damit weniger gestresst und ausgelaugt fühle und auch weniger prokrastiniere (die Kapieren dazu haben mir übrigens am meisten gefallen).
Alles in allem ein super Buch, angenehm geschrieben (also toll übersetzt) und empfehlenswert für alle, die nicht einfach nur blind vor sich hinarbeiten möchten, sondern ihrer Arbeit und damit ein Stück weit auch dem Leben ein bisschen mehr Bedeutung geben möchte.
January 1, 2024
Nothing new in this book if you have read bunch of self-help and/or productivity books. The author just summed it up and rewrite the “feel-good” part from those references.
March 27, 2024
I loved this book!!! It was excellent on all levels and a well written book. It’s a fun romp into the world of productivity. I enjoyed every page and each moment. The last time I read such a wonderful self help book was Atomic Habits, one of the best written self help books I’ve ever read. Kudos to this author. You can tell he put his blood, sweat and tears into this.
One of the ground breaking ideas I took away from this book is that productivity and dreaded tasks can be fun. That instead of associating stress or anguish with certain tasks, we should instead associate them with fun and rewarding feelings. For instance, think how happy you will be once you’ve completed the bills or filing and it’s not sitting in your head anymore.
Personally, even though I love to write and my writing work, I used to associate it with stress or hardship, because it took so much focus and energy from me, and I felt the pressure of accomplishment and perfection. Now I associate it instead with love and joy and fun. I don’t want to associate it with negative things and instead associate it with positive things. This insight was so groundbreaking for me that it took a huge burden off of my shoulders.
I highly recommend this one to anyone!
One of the ground breaking ideas I took away from this book is that productivity and dreaded tasks can be fun. That instead of associating stress or anguish with certain tasks, we should instead associate them with fun and rewarding feelings. For instance, think how happy you will be once you’ve completed the bills or filing and it’s not sitting in your head anymore.
Personally, even though I love to write and my writing work, I used to associate it with stress or hardship, because it took so much focus and energy from me, and I felt the pressure of accomplishment and perfection. Now I associate it instead with love and joy and fun. I don’t want to associate it with negative things and instead associate it with positive things. This insight was so groundbreaking for me that it took a huge burden off of my shoulders.
I highly recommend this one to anyone!
Read
April 12, 2024This was a fun quick read
January 2, 2024
Book is essentially a summarization of all the productivity/behavioral psychology etc research of the past few decades. Book is useful or useless depending on where you are on your productivity journey.
January 26, 2024
En realidad le quiero dar 3,5/3,75 estrellas, pero no se puede 😅
Es un libro que empieza flojo y que de inicio no me convenció, porque me esperaba otra cosa.
Aún así, al avanzar en la lectura fui apreciando más lo que se explica y la información me pareció más interesante y relevante, por eso le he terminado poniendo esa nota.
Es un libro con una premisa que no está mal y con un objetivo que es admirable, pero cuya ejecución se queda por el camino, llena de palabras mucho más enrevesadas de lo necesario y con mucha información que no aporta especialmente.
Esperaba mucho del primer libro de Ali Abdaal y pese a que lo releeré para poder hacerme un buen resumen y aplicar los experimentos, mis expectativas no se han cumplido.
Es un libro que empieza flojo y que de inicio no me convenció, porque me esperaba otra cosa.
Aún así, al avanzar en la lectura fui apreciando más lo que se explica y la información me pareció más interesante y relevante, por eso le he terminado poniendo esa nota.
Es un libro con una premisa que no está mal y con un objetivo que es admirable, pero cuya ejecución se queda por el camino, llena de palabras mucho más enrevesadas de lo necesario y con mucha información que no aporta especialmente.
Esperaba mucho del primer libro de Ali Abdaal y pese a que lo releeré para poder hacerme un buen resumen y aplicar los experimentos, mis expectativas no se han cumplido.
January 5, 2024
I like Ali’s YouTube videos well enough (specifically his videos about Notion) which is how I found this book. But it seems terribly pretentious for a 29 year old to distill the other productivity books that have come out in the last 10 or so years (or cite the exact same studies in other productivity books) and package it as his own. This is a lit review with a loosely tied narrative of a very young guy who quit medicine to be a YouTuber. Good for him. But there is nothing new here. There’s nothing really creative in its presentation. Instead of having this guy distill Radical Candor or Design Your Life into a few paragraphs, go read the actual books.
TLDR; skip it.
TLDR; skip it.
February 3, 2024
This was a lightly written book in a conversational style but still managed to be incredibly tedious and made me impatient with the author.
Fortunately I picked it up as a library loan because I’m really glad I didn’t pay for it although if it pops up as a 99p offer on Kindle, it may be worth it for some but wouldn’t recommend paying any more than that.
I’ve watched some of the author’s YouTube videos and expected some tips about working better or more effectively, not some cod pop psychology gleaned from many, much better, sources.
Calling random psychology experiments ‘the science’ was a bit irritating and felt really condescending to readers and one really got a sense that the author is a man who has never needed to struggle or work through difficulties - from being (in his words) a ‘nerdy’ kid to medical school and successful content creation, there’s no challenge there. Yes, he was a doctor but that’s already enormously privileged and it felt that he didn’t at any point, recognise this or parse it for readers that can’t just walk away from work.
It made me realise though, how much of this ‘productivity’ space is scam merchants picking on gullible people like me looking for easy solutions. Your time is much better spent on a book with quality and new insights like 7 habits of highly effective people which I read before it and the quality and knowledge gaps made me irritated with the shallowness of this book.
Fortunately I picked it up as a library loan because I’m really glad I didn’t pay for it although if it pops up as a 99p offer on Kindle, it may be worth it for some but wouldn’t recommend paying any more than that.
I’ve watched some of the author’s YouTube videos and expected some tips about working better or more effectively, not some cod pop psychology gleaned from many, much better, sources.
Calling random psychology experiments ‘the science’ was a bit irritating and felt really condescending to readers and one really got a sense that the author is a man who has never needed to struggle or work through difficulties - from being (in his words) a ‘nerdy’ kid to medical school and successful content creation, there’s no challenge there. Yes, he was a doctor but that’s already enormously privileged and it felt that he didn’t at any point, recognise this or parse it for readers that can’t just walk away from work.
It made me realise though, how much of this ‘productivity’ space is scam merchants picking on gullible people like me looking for easy solutions. Your time is much better spent on a book with quality and new insights like 7 habits of highly effective people which I read before it and the quality and knowledge gaps made me irritated with the shallowness of this book.
Want to read
August 7, 2023Update:
Apologies for any confusion earlier. I initially thought I could only write a book review after marking it as READ, but it seems I was a bit too eager and didn't give it enough thought. I've now changed the status to TO READ. As for the rating, I altered it too.
***
In order to give a five-star review, I have to mark it as READ, which shows how much I love Ali's content. (And I know he will read every review here. From the experience of reading Yellowface, every writer knows it's best not to read reviews, but they just can't help it.)
Ali is a self-improvement junkie, so I'm looking forward to seeing what's new in his very first book!
Apologies for any confusion earlier. I initially thought I could only write a book review after marking it as READ, but it seems I was a bit too eager and didn't give it enough thought. I've now changed the status to TO READ. As for the rating, I altered it too.
***
In order to give a five-star review, I have to mark it as READ, which shows how much I love Ali's content. (And I know he will read every review here. From the experience of reading Yellowface, every writer knows it's best not to read reviews, but they just can't help it.)
Ali is a self-improvement junkie, so I'm looking forward to seeing what's new in his very first book!
February 21, 2024
Some very helpful tips in here to be energized, unblocked, and keep it sustainable—I'd guess most of this could probably be found on his YouTube channel. I enjoyed a lot of the ideas, especially to approach things with playful curiosity. There are definitely some borrowed ideas and the examples/studies were fascinating but sometimes there were so many it sent me to skimming.
Essentially, this book says if we try to power through on willpower we burn out, but joy actually makes us more productive.
Essentially, this book says if we try to power through on willpower we burn out, but joy actually makes us more productive.
January 23, 2024
Listened to the audiobook.
Since I am a productivity fan and also an Ali Abdaal fan (this is the name of the author), it is a bit difficult to post an unbiased review on this book.
But let me still try.
I think this book is really amazing. It contains lots of different methods on how to be more productive and also teaches you about a less stressed mindset.
I can't give it 5 starts, though, since I already learned about all of these methods through the YouTube videos of the author. But if you haven't watched his YouTube videos and are more of a book person, then I can highly recommend it.
And I love the last advice of Ali: just try to be productive step by step and try to improve your life in an experimental way. This way, you will find out which methods will be the best for you.
Since I am a productivity fan and also an Ali Abdaal fan (this is the name of the author), it is a bit difficult to post an unbiased review on this book.
But let me still try.
I think this book is really amazing. It contains lots of different methods on how to be more productive and also teaches you about a less stressed mindset.
I can't give it 5 starts, though, since I already learned about all of these methods through the YouTube videos of the author. But if you haven't watched his YouTube videos and are more of a book person, then I can highly recommend it.
And I love the last advice of Ali: just try to be productive step by step and try to improve your life in an experimental way. This way, you will find out which methods will be the best for you.
December 30, 2023
Feel-good productivity
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook, which published on 12/26/23.
🎧I really loved this book: the ways it made me rethink productivity, the author narration of the audiobook, and the fact that it’s a book I might have to re-read to fully let it soak in.
Ali’s premise is that it’s often negative emotions that get in the way of good productivity and the key to avoiding burnout is to find what energizes you and align your values to your work. It’s a fairly simple thesis and he adds a host of interesting scientific studies to further his point.
My favorite section was when he addressed the three types of burnout, which is extremely helpful in understanding what is causing your particular flavor of burnout (sometimes it’s all there). The 3 types of burnout are: 1) taking on too much work (over-exertion burnout), 2) not resting enough (depletion burnout) and 3) doing the wrong stuff, work that doesn’t bring you joy (misalignment burnout).
I added some of my notes to this review so you can get a feel for the content. Ali has the perfect voice for this book and I enjoyed his very British narration. A must read book for productivity needs like myself!
“No failure is ever just a failure, it’s an invitation to try something new.”
- “What would this look like if it were fun?” Adding music can bring playfulness into work.
- Usually, procrastination is caused by negative feelings. You must identify the negative feelings that are blocking you (often uncertainly) and then remove them.
- Nice goals = near term, input based, controllable, and energizing.
- Implementation intentions: use common daily habits as a trigger to accomplish other things you want to do.
- If you decide when you’re going to do something you’re much more likely to do it.
- Time blocking = time freedom. Time block specific tasks you’ve been avoided and add to your calendar. When scheduling to do tasks you’re more likely to do them.
- “Getting to know our fears is the first step to overcoming them.” Fear is often a blocker to productivity.
- You can reduce cognitive paralysis by gaining some perspective (we tend to catastrophize), which is called cognitive reappraisal. Ask yourself: will this matter in 10 minutes, 10 weeks, or 10 years?
- When procrastination is caused by self doubt it’s usually because of perception, “my belief in my ability is less than the ability I believe is required.” Self confidence = perception of ability - perception of standards. Ask yourself: how confident do I need to be to just get started?
- Most people aren’t thinking about you. The spotlight effect is when we assume people are overly judgmental and paying attention to what we do, but usually people don’t care about the things you do cause they’re too worried about themselves. So get started and stop worrying what others think!
- Sometimes creating an alter ego is a helpful confidence booster. Imagine you’re someone more capable and harness that inner power.
- What’s even more dangerous than procrastination is the lack of self-forgiveness after procrastination. Focus on your small wins instead of your failures and practice self-forgiveness.
- Burnout isn’t about the number of hours you work; it’s about how your work makes you feel. It’s characterized by energy depletion and a lack of motivation and efficacy due to those feelings.
- Creative activities unlock our sense of competence, provide autonomous, give us a sense of liberty, and help us mellow/relax. CALM = competence, autonomy, liberty, and mellow.
- Beware of turning your hobby into work.
- We need to integrate nature into our rest because it heals us and restores our cognitive abilities. Even glancing at photos of trees or listening to natural sounds of birds can help improve focus and replenish energy.
- Guilt free time to “do nothing” and let your mind wander has a time and a place too. Letting your mind wander in a relaxed state can actually free your brain to solve problems you couldn’t when not relaxed.
- The best predictor of performance is the specific kinds of extrinsic motivation drawn upon when intrinsic motivation wanes. People who have higher levels of introjected and identified motivation are able to push through times when intrinsic motivation is low. Identified motivation is the important motivation for happiness, aligning your actions with what you truly value.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook, which published on 12/26/23.
🎧I really loved this book: the ways it made me rethink productivity, the author narration of the audiobook, and the fact that it’s a book I might have to re-read to fully let it soak in.
Ali’s premise is that it’s often negative emotions that get in the way of good productivity and the key to avoiding burnout is to find what energizes you and align your values to your work. It’s a fairly simple thesis and he adds a host of interesting scientific studies to further his point.
My favorite section was when he addressed the three types of burnout, which is extremely helpful in understanding what is causing your particular flavor of burnout (sometimes it’s all there). The 3 types of burnout are: 1) taking on too much work (over-exertion burnout), 2) not resting enough (depletion burnout) and 3) doing the wrong stuff, work that doesn’t bring you joy (misalignment burnout).
I added some of my notes to this review so you can get a feel for the content. Ali has the perfect voice for this book and I enjoyed his very British narration. A must read book for productivity needs like myself!
“No failure is ever just a failure, it’s an invitation to try something new.”
- “What would this look like if it were fun?” Adding music can bring playfulness into work.
- Usually, procrastination is caused by negative feelings. You must identify the negative feelings that are blocking you (often uncertainly) and then remove them.
- Nice goals = near term, input based, controllable, and energizing.
- Implementation intentions: use common daily habits as a trigger to accomplish other things you want to do.
- If you decide when you’re going to do something you’re much more likely to do it.
- Time blocking = time freedom. Time block specific tasks you’ve been avoided and add to your calendar. When scheduling to do tasks you’re more likely to do them.
- “Getting to know our fears is the first step to overcoming them.” Fear is often a blocker to productivity.
- You can reduce cognitive paralysis by gaining some perspective (we tend to catastrophize), which is called cognitive reappraisal. Ask yourself: will this matter in 10 minutes, 10 weeks, or 10 years?
- When procrastination is caused by self doubt it’s usually because of perception, “my belief in my ability is less than the ability I believe is required.” Self confidence = perception of ability - perception of standards. Ask yourself: how confident do I need to be to just get started?
- Most people aren’t thinking about you. The spotlight effect is when we assume people are overly judgmental and paying attention to what we do, but usually people don’t care about the things you do cause they’re too worried about themselves. So get started and stop worrying what others think!
- Sometimes creating an alter ego is a helpful confidence booster. Imagine you’re someone more capable and harness that inner power.
- What’s even more dangerous than procrastination is the lack of self-forgiveness after procrastination. Focus on your small wins instead of your failures and practice self-forgiveness.
- Burnout isn’t about the number of hours you work; it’s about how your work makes you feel. It’s characterized by energy depletion and a lack of motivation and efficacy due to those feelings.
- Creative activities unlock our sense of competence, provide autonomous, give us a sense of liberty, and help us mellow/relax. CALM = competence, autonomy, liberty, and mellow.
- Beware of turning your hobby into work.
- We need to integrate nature into our rest because it heals us and restores our cognitive abilities. Even glancing at photos of trees or listening to natural sounds of birds can help improve focus and replenish energy.
- Guilt free time to “do nothing” and let your mind wander has a time and a place too. Letting your mind wander in a relaxed state can actually free your brain to solve problems you couldn’t when not relaxed.
- The best predictor of performance is the specific kinds of extrinsic motivation drawn upon when intrinsic motivation wanes. People who have higher levels of introjected and identified motivation are able to push through times when intrinsic motivation is low. Identified motivation is the important motivation for happiness, aligning your actions with what you truly value.
December 17, 2023
3.5
I liked this book. It was a fun and quick read and some of the views on productivity were quite refreshing and surprisingly anti-hustle.
But as someone who has read a few productivity books and as a follower and regular viewer of Ali Abdaals videos, this book does not contain as many new and eye-opening concepts as I hoped. Some of his videos had a greater impact on me than the book. That's a bit of a shame, because I'm sure the amount of work between his book and his videos isn't even comparable. But it's probably also because I like some specific topics more than general productivity.
Nevertheless, I don't regret reading it and I am sure that many will be able to get more from the book than me :)
I liked this book. It was a fun and quick read and some of the views on productivity were quite refreshing and surprisingly anti-hustle.
But as someone who has read a few productivity books and as a follower and regular viewer of Ali Abdaals videos, this book does not contain as many new and eye-opening concepts as I hoped. Some of his videos had a greater impact on me than the book. That's a bit of a shame, because I'm sure the amount of work between his book and his videos isn't even comparable. But it's probably also because I like some specific topics more than general productivity.
Nevertheless, I don't regret reading it and I am sure that many will be able to get more from the book than me :)
February 16, 2024
I listened to this in the shower every day via his audiobook on Spotify. I believe by reading it in this way, the book was so much more enjoyable. It gave me inspirational stories daily, it backed up these stories with psychological studies that I never would’ve heard of before, and truthfully, made me more productive for the rest of the day. Some books come to you at the right moment and this came to me just when the time was right. I’ve read some bad reviews of this book on goodreads, and my take is if you didn’t enjoy this book, you’re perhaps not the target audience. If you’ve heard all these studies and done all this research yourself, perhaps you don’t need a lesson in productivity. But if, like me, you find yourself in your mid twenties, having a quarter life crisis every week over which path to take and what to prioritise first in this rat race, therefore being paralysed to do nothing, this book might just help you find your values and your why. Aswell as putting your dreams into action. I’ve officially started writing my one woman show, not just talking about writing it, and I can’t thank Ali enough for being the voice of reason blaring out my iPhone speakers in the shower everyday.
January 18, 2024
“If you can tap into what makes you feel most energized and alive, you can get anywhere. And you can enjoy the journey too. I can’t wait to see where your adventure takes you next.”
I am a long-time subscriber to Ali Abdaal's YouTube channel (link to Ali's YouTube Channel) and have enjoyed his videos a lot. Though controversial, I was able to accept and welcome his decision to quit medicine in pursuit of an entrepreneurial carrier easily. That is partly because as a professional - a doctor to be precise, and most importantly as a concerned parent and a caring husband - I do dedicate a larger proportion of my reading time to productivity and similar behavioral psychology books. Also, as a survivor of the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka (Wikipedia link to Easter Sunday Bombings) and having lost my God mother among many more friends and loved ones tragically during that unfortunate Sunday, I did have my own Eulogy moment to reflect on my true goals in life. Therefore, Ali’s decision to change carrier or rather give priority to what gave him joy was not far from my own way of thinking.
Amidst all this I did wait eagerly for Ali’s book, and it was the very first book I got my hands on in 2024. Though usual practice is to consume several books simultaneously, I read ‘Feel-good productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You,’ 
as the sole book I read during that time.
Anybody who are familiar with Ali’s work will sure appreciate the work he puts into his creations, and his debut book is not different; it is a well-researched, well-organized and well-presented book.
“Success doesn’t lead to feeling good. Feeling good leads to success.”
Ali’s philosophy is not complex and easily understood; his theories are tangible, and the reader will have no trouble in reproducing the expected results following his teachings. The book covers all aspects of a more productive life in a practical flow allowing anyone to apply and adopt its teachings easily into their lives.
Time is always already running out and I would recommend this book to anybody seeking a more fulfilling and satisfied life and make use of this opportunity to wish Ali all the very best for his future endeavors.
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