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How to Have a Good Day
Simplified Chinese edition of How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life
Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016
1331 people are currently reading
11979 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Webb
98 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 367 reviews
June 18, 2019
The Art of Having a Good Day.
Q:
Then I spent countless hours reading academic articles and books (more than six hundred at last count) in the three disciplines, looking for findings that I could translate into actionable advice for my clients. And that abundance of research and practical experience is the bedrock of How to Have a Good Day. (c) Not too abundant, though, is it?
Q:
... those days when our workplaces feel like a Milgram experiment. (c)
Q:
Before we dive into the advice on creating the seven building blocks of a good day, I’m going to highlight three important scientific themes... (c) Dear old MCK...
Takeouts: 1. The two-system brain. 2. The discover-defend axis. 3. The mind-body loop.
Q:
My twelve years with McKinsey & Company (the management consultancy) helped greatly in my pursuit of that goal, since it gave me the opportunity to find out what everyday life was like inside hundreds of workplaces. I specialized in projects that helped organizations shift their culture in a more positive direction, which meant I spent a lot of time studying behavior, attitudes, and processes. And whenever I could, I’d ask my clients the same three questions: What does a good day look like for you? What about a bad one? What would it take to have more good days? Then, I’d get to work, helping them turn their bad days into better days.(c)
Q:
another seasoned professional tells us about “suddenly” securing new promotion opportunities after trying out new science-based techniques to sharpen her focus and self-confidence. (c)
Q:
Subconsciously, we’re constantly on the lookout for threats to defend against and rewards to discover. It takes very little to put our brains into defensive mode, and we’re not at our smartest in that mode. However, a dose of self-awareness and the pursuit of certain types of rewards can help us move back into clearer-thinking discovery mode. (c)
Q:
If brains were smartphones, they’d be flying off the shelves. (c)
Q:
... the startling truth is that we don’t experience the world as it is; we’re always experiencing an edited, simplified version. ... Even so, it’s still a little hard for most of us to accept; we rather like the idea that we have a good grip on reality. And since the filtering is automatic—and therefore subconscious—it’s often difficult to believe it’s really happening. (c)
Q:
Imagine a discussion between the eagle-eyed people who saw the gorilla and the task-focused people who didn’t notice it. Both sides will be certain of their view of what happened and think the other group is a little crazy (“There was a gorilla!” “Don’t be ridiculous! Also, you can’t count!”). (c)
Q:
As Czeisler puts it, “We would never say, ‘This person is a great worker. He’s drunk all the time!’ Yet we continue to celebrate people who sacrifice sleep.” (c)
Q:
Mimicking the physical actions associated with feeling happy, confident, and relaxed appears to tell your brain that you are in fact happy, confident, and relaxed, creating a self-fulfilling loop. (c)
Q:
Then I spent countless hours reading academic articles and books (more than six hundred at last count) in the three disciplines, looking for findings that I could translate into actionable advice for my clients. And that abundance of research and practical experience is the bedrock of How to Have a Good Day. (c) Not too abundant, though, is it?
Q:
... those days when our workplaces feel like a Milgram experiment. (c)
Q:
Before we dive into the advice on creating the seven building blocks of a good day, I’m going to highlight three important scientific themes... (c) Dear old MCK...
Takeouts: 1. The two-system brain. 2. The discover-defend axis. 3. The mind-body loop.
Q:
My twelve years with McKinsey & Company (the management consultancy) helped greatly in my pursuit of that goal, since it gave me the opportunity to find out what everyday life was like inside hundreds of workplaces. I specialized in projects that helped organizations shift their culture in a more positive direction, which meant I spent a lot of time studying behavior, attitudes, and processes. And whenever I could, I’d ask my clients the same three questions: What does a good day look like for you? What about a bad one? What would it take to have more good days? Then, I’d get to work, helping them turn their bad days into better days.(c)
Q:
another seasoned professional tells us about “suddenly” securing new promotion opportunities after trying out new science-based techniques to sharpen her focus and self-confidence. (c)
Q:
Subconsciously, we’re constantly on the lookout for threats to defend against and rewards to discover. It takes very little to put our brains into defensive mode, and we’re not at our smartest in that mode. However, a dose of self-awareness and the pursuit of certain types of rewards can help us move back into clearer-thinking discovery mode. (c)
Q:
If brains were smartphones, they’d be flying off the shelves. (c)
Q:
... the startling truth is that we don’t experience the world as it is; we’re always experiencing an edited, simplified version. ... Even so, it’s still a little hard for most of us to accept; we rather like the idea that we have a good grip on reality. And since the filtering is automatic—and therefore subconscious—it’s often difficult to believe it’s really happening. (c)
Q:
Imagine a discussion between the eagle-eyed people who saw the gorilla and the task-focused people who didn’t notice it. Both sides will be certain of their view of what happened and think the other group is a little crazy (“There was a gorilla!” “Don’t be ridiculous! Also, you can’t count!”). (c)
Q:
As Czeisler puts it, “We would never say, ‘This person is a great worker. He’s drunk all the time!’ Yet we continue to celebrate people who sacrifice sleep.” (c)
Q:
Mimicking the physical actions associated with feeling happy, confident, and relaxed appears to tell your brain that you are in fact happy, confident, and relaxed, creating a self-fulfilling loop. (c)
December 4, 2015
Caroline Webb has managed to write a heavily researched, evidence-based manual that can be helpful to just about anyone. Which probably makes it sound horribly boring, but it really isn't!
Most of the book is written for people who work--at the top or the bottom of the food chain, it doesn't matter. But even I, as a stay-at-home mom and writer, found plenty in here to apply to my life. Webb's tone is very conversational, and while the content is dense, she manages to inject levity and humor often enough that I never felt bogged down.
The book is divided into seven parts. In a nutshell, these parts address:
1) Setting your intentions
2) Organizing your self and your life in a more strategic way
3) Making the most of your relationships (this is BY FAR my favorite section, holy smokes)
4) Being your best, most insightful self
5) Maximizing your impact
6) Increasing your resilience
7) Boosting your energy.
As I mentioned, my favorite section, hands down, is the section about building relationships. I thought Webb offered so much good stuff here, I was blown away. Some of my favorite insights from Webb:
(*) Nobody ever experiences an entirely objective version of reality (and this is what leads to misunderstanding). This may seem like an obvious point, but the scientific explanation behind this is fascinating.
(*) Webb's advice on how to give a "positive no" (basically delivering disappointing information with positivity and warmth) is life-changing, in my opinion. I've already put this one into practice and seen great results.
(*) Along the same lines, I also love Webb's strategies for diffusing tense situations and delivering difficult information with kindness, clarity, and tact.
And even still, there is so much more to this book. How to Have a Good Day offers plenty of helpful insight into the nature of human interaction and the science behind why we act the way that we do, that I really believe there is something in here for everyone. It's not a book to rush through, so take your time with it. It will be worth the effort.
Also, if you do enjoy this book, I'd also recommend Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family.
Most of the book is written for people who work--at the top or the bottom of the food chain, it doesn't matter. But even I, as a stay-at-home mom and writer, found plenty in here to apply to my life. Webb's tone is very conversational, and while the content is dense, she manages to inject levity and humor often enough that I never felt bogged down.
The book is divided into seven parts. In a nutshell, these parts address:
1) Setting your intentions
2) Organizing your self and your life in a more strategic way
3) Making the most of your relationships (this is BY FAR my favorite section, holy smokes)
4) Being your best, most insightful self
5) Maximizing your impact
6) Increasing your resilience
7) Boosting your energy.
As I mentioned, my favorite section, hands down, is the section about building relationships. I thought Webb offered so much good stuff here, I was blown away. Some of my favorite insights from Webb:
(*) Nobody ever experiences an entirely objective version of reality (and this is what leads to misunderstanding). This may seem like an obvious point, but the scientific explanation behind this is fascinating.
(*) Webb's advice on how to give a "positive no" (basically delivering disappointing information with positivity and warmth) is life-changing, in my opinion. I've already put this one into practice and seen great results.
(*) Along the same lines, I also love Webb's strategies for diffusing tense situations and delivering difficult information with kindness, clarity, and tact.
And even still, there is so much more to this book. How to Have a Good Day offers plenty of helpful insight into the nature of human interaction and the science behind why we act the way that we do, that I really believe there is something in here for everyone. It's not a book to rush through, so take your time with it. It will be worth the effort.
Also, if you do enjoy this book, I'd also recommend Unfinished Business: Women Men Work Family.
January 14, 2016
I've read dozens of this kind of book in the past - blends of how to be more productive, more fulfilled, more content, more energised, better at decisionmaking and leadership, all while trying to keep a career moving at a good pace. This is quite literally the most useful book I've ever read.
It has practical advice on virtually every aspect of a modern work day - meetings, email, relationships, communiation, sharp thinking - grounded in interesting research and then brought to life with stories from the author's work. The experience of reading it is of getting the essence of a brilliant piece of advice and then being able to turn to someone - or a host of people - and say 'yes, but how does that really work? what do you do when this or that happens?' The range of characters who bring it to life is engaging in itself - business leaders, public sector front line staff, a China e-commerce head, a UK marketing chief, an American creative director, an Indian banker, and the list goes on.
Highly recommended for anyone who is serious about improving their quality of life at work, and in getting dozens and dozens of tips for becoming even more effective at work as well.
It has practical advice on virtually every aspect of a modern work day - meetings, email, relationships, communiation, sharp thinking - grounded in interesting research and then brought to life with stories from the author's work. The experience of reading it is of getting the essence of a brilliant piece of advice and then being able to turn to someone - or a host of people - and say 'yes, but how does that really work? what do you do when this or that happens?' The range of characters who bring it to life is engaging in itself - business leaders, public sector front line staff, a China e-commerce head, a UK marketing chief, an American creative director, an Indian banker, and the list goes on.
Highly recommended for anyone who is serious about improving their quality of life at work, and in getting dozens and dozens of tips for becoming even more effective at work as well.
August 6, 2017
Os Desafiantes Dias Maus
Há boas notícias na área da ciência comportamental, pois já não se ocupa exclusivamente do que é negativo.
Está focada não apenas na cura das depressões e ansiedades depois delas acontecerem, mas também na sua prevenção. Quer isto dizer que se propõe mostrar-nos uma panóplia de ferramentas com as quais podemos contar para superar as mais diversas contrariedades.
E a boa nova é que não é necessário ir ao super-mercado comprá-las, pois já constam no DNA -- temo-las cá todas. Só nos resta saber usá-las!...
Pois é esse o grande objectivo deste precioso livro - treinar-nos, colocar-nos à altura dos problemas que temos mesmo que resolver, dos obstáculos que temos mesmo, mesmo que superar, para que as nossas vidas não estagnem e as malfadadas depressões se instalem!
Fazer-nos sentir que os dias maus não são mais que desafios, batalhas que uma vez vencidas redundam numa valiosa contribuição para o nosso crescimento pessoal.
Decadência ou Evolução - o trabalho é nosso, a escolha é nossa!!!
Há boas notícias na área da ciência comportamental, pois já não se ocupa exclusivamente do que é negativo.
Está focada não apenas na cura das depressões e ansiedades depois delas acontecerem, mas também na sua prevenção. Quer isto dizer que se propõe mostrar-nos uma panóplia de ferramentas com as quais podemos contar para superar as mais diversas contrariedades.
E a boa nova é que não é necessário ir ao super-mercado comprá-las, pois já constam no DNA -- temo-las cá todas. Só nos resta saber usá-las!...
Pois é esse o grande objectivo deste precioso livro - treinar-nos, colocar-nos à altura dos problemas que temos mesmo que resolver, dos obstáculos que temos mesmo, mesmo que superar, para que as nossas vidas não estagnem e as malfadadas depressões se instalem!
Fazer-nos sentir que os dias maus não são mais que desafios, batalhas que uma vez vencidas redundam numa valiosa contribuição para o nosso crescimento pessoal.
Decadência ou Evolução - o trabalho é nosso, a escolha é nossa!!!
March 28, 2017
This book is sort of a review of the literature of productivity, efficiency, being calm, conflict resolution, focus, etc., all the stuff of a "good day" at work. All of that is pure ruby and pearls to this superdork.
But while I enjoyed this, what David Brooks did in The Social Animal, which is similar in topic (though it's about how to have a good LIFE instead of a good day), made that a book I'm positive will stick with me longer than this one. He reviewed the literature via fictional characters that I actually gave two craps about. Senorita Webb uses examples of people in the workplace, but the examples are little anecdotes. Senor Brooks uses the same characters over the course of their lives to illustrate how the data applies. Good lesson, all you writers out there! Make me CARE about the topic, not just interested in it.
I'll spare you a summary of the review of literature, with one exception. This pup is yet ANOTHER book that says we should all be exercising and meditating!
Productivity: Beating Procrastination
- Picture the benefits
- Plan a short-term reward
- Tie the first step to something you like (or like doing)
- Amplify the downside of inaction
- Ask the five whys to get to the true blocker
Productivity: Choosing your filters
- Aim
- What matters most in making this a success, and how does that affect what your real priority should be?
- Attitude
- Are your concerns helping your priorities, or hurting them?
- Assumptions
- What negative expectations do you have going into this? Can you challenges these?
- Attention
- Given your real aim and your assumptions, where do you most want to focus your attention?
Productivity: Planning deliberate downtime
- Take smart breaks
- Make decisions at peaks, (not troughs)
- Don’t decide when you are tired or hungry!
- Schedule transition time between meetings (smart, Google-style meetings, 25 minutes for 30-minute meetings, 50 minutes for hour-long meetings)
- Allow reflection time
Productivity: Reinforcing your intentions
- Mental contrasting
- Think of what could get in the way of your plans, and create a “When-then” plan
- Priming
- Thinking of cues to help you stay on track
- Mind’s-eye rehearsal
- Visualize perfect execution, and think of a time in the past when you did it well.
Productivity: Singletasking
- Batch your tasks
- Zone your day
- Remove distractions
- Plan small rewards for good behavior
- Share your wisdom
Productivity: Overcoming overload
- Mindful pause
- Don’t try to hold everything in your head
- Write it down (to dos and notes to remember)
- Most important thing
- Smallest step first
- Comparative advantage
- What are you uniquely qualified to do
- Positive no
- Start your decline with warmth
- Set boundaries
- What are your boundaries
- What is the clearest way to communicate this
- Automate small daily decisions
- Single tasking!
Relationships: Bringing out the best in others
- Extreme listening
- Coach, don’t tell (use the GROW model: Goal, current reality, options, way forward)
- Give brain-friendly feedback
- Be fair (be as transparent as possible when making tough decisions)
Relationships: Building real rapport
- Set collaborative intentions
- Ask quality questions
- Create a sense of in-group
- Look for points of similarity or connection (shared goals, gripes, or interests)
- Use reciprocal disclosure
- If you want them to open up, you have to open up first.
- Pocket your phone
Relationships: Resolving tensions
- Find common ground
- Spread positive contagion
- Assume good intentions, bad circumstances
- Notice-acknowledge-offer
- “I noticed that…” “I’m sorry, that must be hard…” “Is there anything I can do?"
- Manage your own baggage
- Identify your own hot-button patterns
- Raise difficult issues with skill
- Set your collaborative intentions
- Then, in conversation, ask permission, make factual observation, share your feelings, invite other person’s perspective, and jointly discuss a solution
Thinking: Making wise decisions
- Notice when automatic system is talking
- Adopt a cross-check routine
- Don’t default
- Play devil’s advocate
- Mandate dissent
- Never say never
- Conduct a pre-mortem
- Watch out for system fatigue
- Pause if you are feeling impatient, distracted, clumsy, etc.
- Resolve dilemmas with greater ease
- Ask what “could” I do rather than what “should” I do.
Thinking: Boosting your brain power
- Start with positive framing (before getting to the tough stuff)
- Draw the issue tree (break down problems to smaller parts)
- Harness your social brain (imagine a user or customer going through the situation)
- Look after smart basics (remove distractions, exercise, get sleep
Influence: Getting through their filters
- Provide a reward: surprise, novelty, or anticipation
- Emphasize the human angle, with the formula: “People plus positive emotion"
- Show how your idea affects real people. Invite audience to put themselves in their shoes.
- Make it fluent
- The easier to understand, the better. Rhymes rock!
- Don’t assume they know what you know.
Influence: Making things happen
- Provide context
- Make it easy for folks
- Work out what might prevent people from doing what you hope and remove that barrier
- Make a concrete suggestions to anchor the discussion and reduce the amount of thought needed
- Provide visual cues that draw attention to the outcome you want
- Bring the benefits to life
- They might not be obvious to others
- Use social proof
- Get folks involved
- Either their thoughts or get them physically involved
- Give as well as take
Conveying Confidence
- Reframe nerves as excitement
- Connect to your values
- What’s the bigger purpose of what your asking or advocating
- Take your space
- Power pose
- Keep track of your successes
Resilience: Keeping a cool head
- Label the emotion
- Get some distance
- Ask, “What can I learn from this?"
- Deep breathing
Resilience: Moving on
- Reappraise the sitiation
- What are the true facts
- What are the assumptions
- Ditch sunk costs
- Find a new path when someone messes up.
Resilience: Staying strong
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Meditate
Energy: Topping up the tank
- Experiment with the 7 energy boosters
- three good things
- random kindnesses
- finding something interesting
- give yourself a quick win
- social connection
- finding a personal purpose
- smile
- Know your typical energy highs and lows
- End on a high note
Energy: Play to your strengths
- Identify your signature strengths
- Apply your strengths more consciously
- Harness personal interests for reinspiration at work
But while I enjoyed this, what David Brooks did in The Social Animal, which is similar in topic (though it's about how to have a good LIFE instead of a good day), made that a book I'm positive will stick with me longer than this one. He reviewed the literature via fictional characters that I actually gave two craps about. Senorita Webb uses examples of people in the workplace, but the examples are little anecdotes. Senor Brooks uses the same characters over the course of their lives to illustrate how the data applies. Good lesson, all you writers out there! Make me CARE about the topic, not just interested in it.
I'll spare you a summary of the review of literature, with one exception. This pup is yet ANOTHER book that says we should all be exercising and meditating!
Productivity: Beating Procrastination
- Picture the benefits
- Plan a short-term reward
- Tie the first step to something you like (or like doing)
- Amplify the downside of inaction
- Ask the five whys to get to the true blocker
Productivity: Choosing your filters
- Aim
- What matters most in making this a success, and how does that affect what your real priority should be?
- Attitude
- Are your concerns helping your priorities, or hurting them?
- Assumptions
- What negative expectations do you have going into this? Can you challenges these?
- Attention
- Given your real aim and your assumptions, where do you most want to focus your attention?
Productivity: Planning deliberate downtime
- Take smart breaks
- Make decisions at peaks, (not troughs)
- Don’t decide when you are tired or hungry!
- Schedule transition time between meetings (smart, Google-style meetings, 25 minutes for 30-minute meetings, 50 minutes for hour-long meetings)
- Allow reflection time
Productivity: Reinforcing your intentions
- Mental contrasting
- Think of what could get in the way of your plans, and create a “When-then” plan
- Priming
- Thinking of cues to help you stay on track
- Mind’s-eye rehearsal
- Visualize perfect execution, and think of a time in the past when you did it well.
Productivity: Singletasking
- Batch your tasks
- Zone your day
- Remove distractions
- Plan small rewards for good behavior
- Share your wisdom
Productivity: Overcoming overload
- Mindful pause
- Don’t try to hold everything in your head
- Write it down (to dos and notes to remember)
- Most important thing
- Smallest step first
- Comparative advantage
- What are you uniquely qualified to do
- Positive no
- Start your decline with warmth
- Set boundaries
- What are your boundaries
- What is the clearest way to communicate this
- Automate small daily decisions
- Single tasking!
Relationships: Bringing out the best in others
- Extreme listening
- Coach, don’t tell (use the GROW model: Goal, current reality, options, way forward)
- Give brain-friendly feedback
- Be fair (be as transparent as possible when making tough decisions)
Relationships: Building real rapport
- Set collaborative intentions
- Ask quality questions
- Create a sense of in-group
- Look for points of similarity or connection (shared goals, gripes, or interests)
- Use reciprocal disclosure
- If you want them to open up, you have to open up first.
- Pocket your phone
Relationships: Resolving tensions
- Find common ground
- Spread positive contagion
- Assume good intentions, bad circumstances
- Notice-acknowledge-offer
- “I noticed that…” “I’m sorry, that must be hard…” “Is there anything I can do?"
- Manage your own baggage
- Identify your own hot-button patterns
- Raise difficult issues with skill
- Set your collaborative intentions
- Then, in conversation, ask permission, make factual observation, share your feelings, invite other person’s perspective, and jointly discuss a solution
Thinking: Making wise decisions
- Notice when automatic system is talking
- Adopt a cross-check routine
- Don’t default
- Play devil’s advocate
- Mandate dissent
- Never say never
- Conduct a pre-mortem
- Watch out for system fatigue
- Pause if you are feeling impatient, distracted, clumsy, etc.
- Resolve dilemmas with greater ease
- Ask what “could” I do rather than what “should” I do.
Thinking: Boosting your brain power
- Start with positive framing (before getting to the tough stuff)
- Draw the issue tree (break down problems to smaller parts)
- Harness your social brain (imagine a user or customer going through the situation)
- Look after smart basics (remove distractions, exercise, get sleep
Influence: Getting through their filters
- Provide a reward: surprise, novelty, or anticipation
- Emphasize the human angle, with the formula: “People plus positive emotion"
- Show how your idea affects real people. Invite audience to put themselves in their shoes.
- Make it fluent
- The easier to understand, the better. Rhymes rock!
- Don’t assume they know what you know.
Influence: Making things happen
- Provide context
- Make it easy for folks
- Work out what might prevent people from doing what you hope and remove that barrier
- Make a concrete suggestions to anchor the discussion and reduce the amount of thought needed
- Provide visual cues that draw attention to the outcome you want
- Bring the benefits to life
- They might not be obvious to others
- Use social proof
- Get folks involved
- Either their thoughts or get them physically involved
- Give as well as take
Conveying Confidence
- Reframe nerves as excitement
- Connect to your values
- What’s the bigger purpose of what your asking or advocating
- Take your space
- Power pose
- Keep track of your successes
Resilience: Keeping a cool head
- Label the emotion
- Get some distance
- Ask, “What can I learn from this?"
- Deep breathing
Resilience: Moving on
- Reappraise the sitiation
- What are the true facts
- What are the assumptions
- Ditch sunk costs
- Find a new path when someone messes up.
Resilience: Staying strong
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Meditate
Energy: Topping up the tank
- Experiment with the 7 energy boosters
- three good things
- random kindnesses
- finding something interesting
- give yourself a quick win
- social connection
- finding a personal purpose
- smile
- Know your typical energy highs and lows
- End on a high note
Energy: Play to your strengths
- Identify your signature strengths
- Apply your strengths more consciously
- Harness personal interests for reinspiration at work
March 23, 2018
This book should be called “how to be an effective adult.” Although nominally it’s about how to have a good day at work, it covers a whole lot more. The book revolves around three themes:
1. The brain’s activity is split across System 1 (deliberate and controlled) and System 2 (automatic and instinctive).
2. The discover-defend axis: Our brains function best when it’s in discovery mode instead of defending against perceived threats.
3. Mind and body are deeply entwined. Simple physical interventions can immediately boost our intellectual performance, emotional resilience, and personal confidence.
Webb then applies these themes to seven main areas: Priorities, Productivity, Relationships, Thinking, Influence, Resilience, and Energy. For each of these, she gives practical, scientifically-sound principles that I’m sure have been tested up and down the halls of her famously meticulous consulting firm McKinsey & Co.
For example, to boost your energy, do these six things: think about three good things; engage in random kindness; find something interesting; give yourself a quick win; make time for human connection; find the personal purpose; and smile. To beat back procrastination, use implementation intentions, e.g. “When I first sit at my desk, I will write for 15min.” Intrinsic motivation works better than extrinsic motivation, so find your inner why. Boost your brainpower by scheduling blocks of deep thinking time, engineering your environment, prioritizing your sleep (HUGE!) and doing a short burst of aerobic exercise.
This one book is more like a summary of 12 books on productivity and self-management, boiled down to their most useful essence and presented in a highly structured, user-friendly package. Each chapter has a one-page summary, and there are three appendices at the end for mastering meetings, email, and reinvigorating your routine.
This is a superb guide and reference for getting life right. 10/10
-- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil., Happiness Engineer and author of The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible, the highest-rated dating book on Amazon for 4 years, and Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine
1. The brain’s activity is split across System 1 (deliberate and controlled) and System 2 (automatic and instinctive).
2. The discover-defend axis: Our brains function best when it’s in discovery mode instead of defending against perceived threats.
3. Mind and body are deeply entwined. Simple physical interventions can immediately boost our intellectual performance, emotional resilience, and personal confidence.
Webb then applies these themes to seven main areas: Priorities, Productivity, Relationships, Thinking, Influence, Resilience, and Energy. For each of these, she gives practical, scientifically-sound principles that I’m sure have been tested up and down the halls of her famously meticulous consulting firm McKinsey & Co.
For example, to boost your energy, do these six things: think about three good things; engage in random kindness; find something interesting; give yourself a quick win; make time for human connection; find the personal purpose; and smile. To beat back procrastination, use implementation intentions, e.g. “When I first sit at my desk, I will write for 15min.” Intrinsic motivation works better than extrinsic motivation, so find your inner why. Boost your brainpower by scheduling blocks of deep thinking time, engineering your environment, prioritizing your sleep (HUGE!) and doing a short burst of aerobic exercise.
This one book is more like a summary of 12 books on productivity and self-management, boiled down to their most useful essence and presented in a highly structured, user-friendly package. Each chapter has a one-page summary, and there are three appendices at the end for mastering meetings, email, and reinvigorating your routine.
This is a superb guide and reference for getting life right. 10/10
-- Ali Binazir, M.D., M.Phil., Happiness Engineer and author of The Tao of Dating: The Smart Woman's Guide to Being Absolutely Irresistible, the highest-rated dating book on Amazon for 4 years, and Should I Go to Medical School?: An Irreverent Guide to the Pros and Cons of a Career in Medicine
February 6, 2017
I listened to the audiobook read by the author and should unforunately acknowledge that it is not well read. She reads the book with a very slow speed and her voice may not keep your interest very long.
The book is a comprehensive collection of tools and techniques useful for having a good day (at work). However, if you have previously been reading self-help books, you may not find many new tips and techniques on offer here that would be considered game changing.
The author has dedicated a complete chapter to explaining the science and research behind her techniques. She also keeps citing research throughout the book as a reason to believe I guess. For me, specially since many of this research was already cited in many other books previously (such as Nudge, Power of Habit, etc.) it became tedious.
The real life examples used in the book to help and get the points across don't help much either as I found them not very relatable or sometimes believable as people may say many things contrary to what actually has happened.
In the end, if you have never read any other books about boosting your performance, making good habits, making decisions, how to connect with colleagues, how to present yourself and your content, etc. This book is a great place to start. But be warned, some topics are mostly shallow and the book may become tiresome or tedious depending on your expectations.
The book is a comprehensive collection of tools and techniques useful for having a good day (at work). However, if you have previously been reading self-help books, you may not find many new tips and techniques on offer here that would be considered game changing.
The author has dedicated a complete chapter to explaining the science and research behind her techniques. She also keeps citing research throughout the book as a reason to believe I guess. For me, specially since many of this research was already cited in many other books previously (such as Nudge, Power of Habit, etc.) it became tedious.
The real life examples used in the book to help and get the points across don't help much either as I found them not very relatable or sometimes believable as people may say many things contrary to what actually has happened.
In the end, if you have never read any other books about boosting your performance, making good habits, making decisions, how to connect with colleagues, how to present yourself and your content, etc. This book is a great place to start. But be warned, some topics are mostly shallow and the book may become tiresome or tedious depending on your expectations.
July 18, 2016
You know those books where you find yourself dog-earing every page to ensure you come back, because there is so much valuable information? Caroline Webb's How to Have a Good Day is quite possibly one of the only books you'll ever need to read on practical ways to enhance your productivity, relationships, strategy making, and energy with simple, doable tips based on behavioral science studies.
Sound like a bore to you? Trust me, it's not. Webb writes in a personal and honest way, sharing her own methods and anecdotes, and she includes stories from all kinds of workplaces and universities. Every time I had a doubt or thought, yeah, come on, but what about...she addressed the objections head-on in an authentic, anticipatory way. Plus, Webb writes about the science in a way that even I as a layperson can grasp and teach others. (I talked nonstop about this book on a recent beach trip to friends and surprisingly, they were interested!)
Even if you've read many books on productivity before, this book will introduce you to some theories you haven't encountered before. For me, the sections on prioritizing and giving a "positive no" were new and immensely useful. Also, don't skip the Appendix; Webb fills it with even more hands-on tips for "how to be good at email" (something I do all day every day!), "how to be good at meetings," and "how to reinvigorate your routine."
Each chapter is constructed thoughtfully, so you can digest bits at a time. At the conclusion of each chapter, Webb repeats the top points with simple, applicable questions. I'll be pinning these up around my office very likely. Especially the parts about dealing thoughtfully and wisely with difficult personalities and strategies for keeping your energy up at the end of the day!
Ways to use this book:
This book would make for a strong plan to significantly improve your work life and enjoyment at work over the course of a few months or year, by trying each new strategy at a time and building one upon the other. I gulped it down in about three days, as a I usually do when I'm enthralled in a book, but I'll be revisiting its gems repeatedly and bringing it into my office for quick reference.
This book is a great read for either someone just entering a career field or a seasoned person who's in a rut. As a fairly new career person, this book is going to make me better than ever before when interacting with people and trying to bring my best self to work. I loved Webb's message of actually enjoying work!
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. I didn't have to post a positive review, though. I did so because this book is excellent! Five stars.
Sound like a bore to you? Trust me, it's not. Webb writes in a personal and honest way, sharing her own methods and anecdotes, and she includes stories from all kinds of workplaces and universities. Every time I had a doubt or thought, yeah, come on, but what about...she addressed the objections head-on in an authentic, anticipatory way. Plus, Webb writes about the science in a way that even I as a layperson can grasp and teach others. (I talked nonstop about this book on a recent beach trip to friends and surprisingly, they were interested!)
Even if you've read many books on productivity before, this book will introduce you to some theories you haven't encountered before. For me, the sections on prioritizing and giving a "positive no" were new and immensely useful. Also, don't skip the Appendix; Webb fills it with even more hands-on tips for "how to be good at email" (something I do all day every day!), "how to be good at meetings," and "how to reinvigorate your routine."
Each chapter is constructed thoughtfully, so you can digest bits at a time. At the conclusion of each chapter, Webb repeats the top points with simple, applicable questions. I'll be pinning these up around my office very likely. Especially the parts about dealing thoughtfully and wisely with difficult personalities and strategies for keeping your energy up at the end of the day!
Ways to use this book:
This book would make for a strong plan to significantly improve your work life and enjoyment at work over the course of a few months or year, by trying each new strategy at a time and building one upon the other. I gulped it down in about three days, as a I usually do when I'm enthralled in a book, but I'll be revisiting its gems repeatedly and bringing it into my office for quick reference.
This book is a great read for either someone just entering a career field or a seasoned person who's in a rut. As a fairly new career person, this book is going to make me better than ever before when interacting with people and trying to bring my best self to work. I loved Webb's message of actually enjoying work!
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. I didn't have to post a positive review, though. I did so because this book is excellent! Five stars.
July 19, 2016
I read this book because a friend of mine recommended it. He said "it made sense." Since my friend is someone I highly respect, I bought the book without giving it a second thought.
But now I read the book. I don't think I have learned anything new. Change your attitude, the way you approach things, prioritize, I mean, haven't we heard about them before? Where is the new idea?
Maybe I missed some important message. I just didn't feel enlightened. I didn't really see anything that I haven't already known or experienced. Maybe another friend of mine was right: "You want to have a good day? Quit the job."
But now I read the book. I don't think I have learned anything new. Change your attitude, the way you approach things, prioritize, I mean, haven't we heard about them before? Where is the new idea?
Maybe I missed some important message. I just didn't feel enlightened. I didn't really see anything that I haven't already known or experienced. Maybe another friend of mine was right: "You want to have a good day? Quit the job."
November 20, 2018
1.5 stars
April 2, 2016
Bought this book on an impulse. Best impulse decision I made as this book uncovers so many actually science-backed FACTS to improve your life and productivity.
Really enjoyed the appendices at the end as well.
Will definitely be coming back to this book over and over again for refreshing.
Really enjoyed the appendices at the end as well.
Will definitely be coming back to this book over and over again for refreshing.
February 2, 2016
Behavioral science, exploring and explaining the reasons why people behave as they do, makes for a fascinating read in itself, but information alone is not enough to change behaviour, as we know! That's where this book comes in: How To Have A Good Day not only explains the theory but it distillates this knowledge into useful techniques to tweak the way you go about your day. The tone is warm and engaging, the real-life examples illustrating the application of these techniques keep you turning the pages to learn more on how to 'up your own game' and your stack of post-it notes dwindles as you scribble the salient pieces of advice you can readily use straight away (easily transferable to one's personal life, too). It would be great to have a pull-out compendium of the techniques, as resumed at the end of each chapter, so that I could just pin it up and keep it in sight at all times. A great book.
Read
June 18, 2016This would be a great starting point for those unfamiliar with the research already out there on applied psychology. That being said, it's meant to be a pop-book for the layperson, and doesn't offer anything new.
I would highly recommend it to some people (and think it would be a 5 star book to them), but since I'm already familiar with the material, I can't fairly give it a rating.
I would highly recommend it to some people (and think it would be a 5 star book to them), but since I'm already familiar with the material, I can't fairly give it a rating.
April 3, 2016
How we spend our days is how we spend our life. Annie Dillard
August 20, 2018
This book is like reading blog posts about someone's favorite books...
April 23, 2016
There are two kinds of management/ self help books out there - the ones written by people who know what they are talking about and those written by chancers. It is sometimes hard to tell them apart because the chancers sound as if they have something worthwhile to say. What the chancers are really doing is to take a few principles, adding in more or less relevant examples, and packaging the whole thing up with over-blown promises about how this book will change your life.
"How to have a good day" is most definitely one of the good ones. A very good one indeed. Caroline Webb clearly knows her subject well. Instead of force-feeding us some management buzzwords, her advice is based on science and research. The list of source documents and further reading at the back of the book is staggering. This is most certainly not something that has been knocked together in a hurry.
What is most refreshing about the book is the emphasis it places on the softer elements of success such as emotional intelligence, mindfulness and empathy. The suggested approach is caring, sympathetic, resilient.
The writing style is easy to read and pleasant without being in-your-face chatty as some of this type of book can be.
There are a few niggles. The title of the book is way too long. I am pretty sure that most of us will instinctively shorten it to "Have a good day" which is what it probably should have been in the first place.
There is quite a bit of repetition with the examples. We revisit the same small number of examples several times over. Caroline gets away with it - just - because what she is saying is fresh and interesting. But at times I felt like saying "oh, not this person again!" when she re-used one of her favourite case studies. In any other book, this would suggest that she didn't have much experience and was spinning out a thin amount of material into a whole book.
There are a handful of diagrams but they don't work in the Kindle version. Reading the book on my ipad, the diagrams overlap the text. It's not a major problem because I can still more or less read both the text and the diagrams, but it's sloppy and ought to have been caught in the editing stage.
But who am I kidding? Those problems are minor niggles in what is otherwise an exceedingly good book. I'm giving it the full five stars. Very well recommended.
"How to have a good day" is most definitely one of the good ones. A very good one indeed. Caroline Webb clearly knows her subject well. Instead of force-feeding us some management buzzwords, her advice is based on science and research. The list of source documents and further reading at the back of the book is staggering. This is most certainly not something that has been knocked together in a hurry.
What is most refreshing about the book is the emphasis it places on the softer elements of success such as emotional intelligence, mindfulness and empathy. The suggested approach is caring, sympathetic, resilient.
The writing style is easy to read and pleasant without being in-your-face chatty as some of this type of book can be.
There are a few niggles. The title of the book is way too long. I am pretty sure that most of us will instinctively shorten it to "Have a good day" which is what it probably should have been in the first place.
There is quite a bit of repetition with the examples. We revisit the same small number of examples several times over. Caroline gets away with it - just - because what she is saying is fresh and interesting. But at times I felt like saying "oh, not this person again!" when she re-used one of her favourite case studies. In any other book, this would suggest that she didn't have much experience and was spinning out a thin amount of material into a whole book.
There are a handful of diagrams but they don't work in the Kindle version. Reading the book on my ipad, the diagrams overlap the text. It's not a major problem because I can still more or less read both the text and the diagrams, but it's sloppy and ought to have been caught in the editing stage.
But who am I kidding? Those problems are minor niggles in what is otherwise an exceedingly good book. I'm giving it the full five stars. Very well recommended.
September 22, 2018
I don't usually read work-related books, but I was intrigued by this one because I usually find behavioral science research to be interesting. (My favorite "work book" is Don't Shoot the Dog!, ostensibly a dog-training manual, but actually full of great behavioral science tips you can use on all creatures.) There is a lot of great advice in here, and I particularly liked the chapters related to interpersonal topics like influence, confidence, and difficult conversations. I'm kind of over the productivity-related stuff, since I'm pretty good at that anyway. But in the end, it took me a while to finish this because reading about how to be good at work is just a lot less fun than reading about, say, Jeeves and Wooster.
July 23, 2019
Usually it's quite difficult to break through the noise that is self-help/productivity books. There's a lot of noise out there. This is one that stands out for me.
I actually have a hard copy on my shelf, which is rare. I only keep those books I know that I will return to and what Caroline Webb has done has created a manual that I have and will continue to reference.
Informative, research-based, well thought-out and an enjoyable read. Lots of little tips and tricks based on facts. It is grand!
I actually have a hard copy on my shelf, which is rare. I only keep those books I know that I will return to and what Caroline Webb has done has created a manual that I have and will continue to reference.
Informative, research-based, well thought-out and an enjoyable read. Lots of little tips and tricks based on facts. It is grand!
February 2, 2016
This is as far from "self help", full of obvious things, shouted in bold, boring books, as you an imagine. There is science here, there are real world examples and most of all it connects, creating a blend that is irresistible to go an have a try in real life. Its like somebody finally wrote a "manual" how to operate "You".
Its fabulous and it did transform my life.
Its fabulous and it did transform my life.
January 24, 2016
Practical advice and mindfulness tips for the modern work world.
August 12, 2019
One of the best books I've read this year. The book is about how you can use behavioral science to change your day from bad to better to best. I love it very much. It is filled with a very practical tactic backing up with a lot of researches and also interesting examples. If you want to have a good day, and I hope you do, read this book.
January 8, 2017
I enjoy reading self help books so I'm familiar with a lot of the most popular techniques around today. This book manages to pack a lot into its pages and I found it entertaining and informative reading. I alternated between reading it and listening to the audio book version read by the author herself. She has a light hearted and conversational style which makes you feel as though she is a friend helping you to turn your life around.
All the usual things such as mindfulness, prioritising, list making, relaxation techniques make their appearance here related to the everyday happenings at work. The book primarily focusses on situations you might encounter in a working day but the techniques can also be applied to personal and family life as well.
I think when looking for self help books which work for you then you need to find one whose author writes in a way which appeal to you. Many self help books describe the same techniques but they all do it in different ways and you have to find a way which says something to you as an individual.
This book is well written with plenty of references to research and other self help books as well as a list of suggested further reading. This is certainly one to try if you are looking for a self help book which addresses working life and the problems you might encounter at work.
All the usual things such as mindfulness, prioritising, list making, relaxation techniques make their appearance here related to the everyday happenings at work. The book primarily focusses on situations you might encounter in a working day but the techniques can also be applied to personal and family life as well.
I think when looking for self help books which work for you then you need to find one whose author writes in a way which appeal to you. Many self help books describe the same techniques but they all do it in different ways and you have to find a way which says something to you as an individual.
This book is well written with plenty of references to research and other self help books as well as a list of suggested further reading. This is certainly one to try if you are looking for a self help book which addresses working life and the problems you might encounter at work.
March 12, 2016
It's as if every book about productivity, efficiency and collaboration was distilled down into the most useful gems. I wish I'd had this book fifteen years ago - EVERYONE can benefit from it. It's perhaps especially important if you're in the early stages of your career, so you can avoid learning a few things the hard way, but even those of us in a mid/late career stage can improve our game, so to speak. Clear, immediately helpful tips and solid, science-based reasoning make this a book I'll be recommending to pretty much everyone. I'm listening to the audiobook version but will be buying the Kindle version as well so I can highlight key passages (there are so many!) for quick reference. A+.
February 23, 2016
Excellently and conversationally written, Webb combines aspects of behavioral science and how the applications can be actually applied to improve life. There is focus (as is true in most books like this) on priorities and productivity, but the behavioral science tweaks add a lot to the reader's understanding. There are also sections on relationships, resilience (resetting after setbacks), boosting energy, and influence. She includes chapters on "making it stick" and things that improve meetings, emails, and jazzing up the routine.
Well researched, annotated, and good to read, Webb has given several suggestions that are influencing the way I'm trying to go about my work life. Recommended
Well researched, annotated, and good to read, Webb has given several suggestions that are influencing the way I'm trying to go about my work life. Recommended
February 13, 2017
Listened to this as an audio book which was surprisingly easy to do. There is lots of familiar territory but the book is all the better for that with reference to works I already use adding credibility to the wider subjects cover. The summary at the end of the chapters and the cross reference through the chapters is a really useful tool . I have ended buying the book so that I can have an easy reference guide and have also bought copies for members of my team. A great all around guide for those starting on their life in business or a good reference and reminder for those like me who are well down the path.
February 29, 2016
As a psychodynamically-oriented therapist, it is always horrifying to me that people would use the field of psychology to teach sociopaths how to get ahead at work, as opposed to working towards world peace and/or universal intrapsychic wellness. However, these are the skills that are most necessary to thrive under late-model capitalism. I would imagine behavioral scientists would consider this "reframing".
August 7, 2017
How to have a good day explores the latest studies in behavioural science to help us understand how to have better relationships, be happier and enjoy day-to-day interactions with others.
The author lays her research out in an easy to understand way, backed with anecdotes and stories to highlight what the reader might learn.
I learned a number of interesting tips and techniques while reading this book, and I can see it being a book I return to again in the future to re-read.
Recommended!
The author lays her research out in an easy to understand way, backed with anecdotes and stories to highlight what the reader might learn.
I learned a number of interesting tips and techniques while reading this book, and I can see it being a book I return to again in the future to re-read.
Recommended!
December 16, 2016
First third is excellent (5 stars). But then it keeps going and tries to do way too much without really adding new insight. I had to force myself to finish. Still the beginning is totally worth it. It combined a lot of ideas I've read elsewhere but was more comprehensive and provided a stronger scientific basis for the ideas as opposed to just anecdotal evidence.
September 10, 2017
Generous tips on how to face daily challenges and keep a positive outlook.
September 29, 2017
Really good, helpful, practical stuff. I liked it, marked a lot of pages to get back to, and will bring it to the office to refresh myself with periodically.
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