If you’re looking to grow personally and professionally this year, these are some of the best books to read in 2023 to become your best self. While we all have different resolutions, like fitness or financial goals, these books are great for almost anyone. From instilling healthy habits to improving your sex life, managing your mental health, or moving up in your career, there’s something for everyone on this list.
1. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Unlike many other books that fall into the “self-improvement” camp, this book focuses on time management’s mental/logical side rather than the prescriptive tasks and methods to manage your time better. It’s almost an anti-time management book that gets to the root of why so many productivity “hacks” don’t work. Using a historical lens at times, Burkeman shows how we have created the shackles of “limited time” for ourselves. One of the most salient points in the book reflects the pressure we put on our time on Earth to be perfect because it’s the only time we have. If you often feel that you lose time to the wrong things, this should be on your list of books to read in 2023.
2. Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
Sex is complicated. Our relationship with sex and our bodies is often even more complex. Nagoski uses a scientific approach to explain how we get turned on and off. From how we were socialized to how we manage stress, our bodies all learn to respond differently. Sometimes, the true reason behind the response isn’t apparent. Nagoski’s approach helps clarify why our bodies sometimes respond in a way that contradicts our minds. She helps you understand and reconnect with your sexuality. This is a great book to read in 2023 if you want to gain a deeper understanding of your body and reconnect with yourself and/or a partner.
3. atomic Habits by James Clear
Your stack of self-improvement books is never complete without at least one ultimate guide to habits. That’s precisely what this book is. Since its publication, Atomic Habits has been regarded as the gold-standard guide for building lasting habits and changing your life. With scientific data backing his recommendations, there’s something for every type of person in this book. No matter what type of habit you’re trying to build or quit, this book can help. This book’s versatility and applicability make it an excellent choice for your list of books to read in 2023.
4. The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi
The Lazy Genius Way focuses on prioritizing areas of life you want to excel in while letting go of others that aren’t as important to who you are. The author offers suggestions for simplifying many areas of life or for being “lazy” about those areas that aren’t most important to you so that you have the energy to not be lazy in other areas. If you often feel the pressure to be perfect in everything, this is a great book to read in 2023 to learn to let go of some of that pressure.
5. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
In our modern world of endless choices and ways to waste time, McKeown touts “essentialism” to cut out the noise. For those of us who are always busy, but seem to stay in the same place, like a hamster on a wheel, Essentialism will help you focus on what is worth your energy. The short and sweet of it is: spend more time on fewer things. McKeown turns this idea into a guided way to assess your choices and build a focused life. If you are often sidetracked from your biggest goals or tasks by myriad other tasks and small decisions, add this book to your list of books to read in 2023 to start narrowing your focus and getting more done.
6. The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins
Are you starting a new job or position in 2023? Or even just hoping to? This book is a guide on how to successfully step into a new role, a new company, or a management tier. Watkins has thought of everything, from advising on how to transition into a role that has you in a management position over former peers to adapting to a new company culture that might be resistant to change. While some of the advice in the book is meant for more senior roles and experienced professionals, there is still abundant valuable information for someone earlier in their career who is or is hoping to move into a new role. If that’s your goal, add this to your list of books to read in 2023!
7. Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel
This self-improvement book is for those overwhelmed by seemingly insignificant things. Decisions like what to cook for dinner or what order to do things in shouldn’t be overwhelming. If you ever feel like this, Don’t Overthink It will be SO relatable. It provides concrete strategies for moving past indecisiveness. Each chapter ends with a set of questions to guide you in following the strategies laid out within the chapter. This is helpful for those who need more guidance to put the advice into practice. If you constantly feel like you need to clear your head, add this book to your list of books to read in 2023.
