Riot Recommendation

21 Of Your Favorite Books That Have Made Your Work Life Better

S. Zainab Williams

Executive Director, Content

S. Zainab would like to think she bleeds ink but the very idea makes her feel faint. She writes fantasy and horror, and is currently clutching a manuscript while groping in the dark. Find her on Twitter: @szainabwilliams.

This Riot Recommendation is sponsored by HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and publisher of The Weekend Effect by Katrina Onstad.

Digging into the history, the positive psychology, and the cultural anthropology of the idea of a weekend, journalist Katrina Onstad, pushes back against our culture of all-work-no-fun, and follows the trail of people, companies and countries who are vigilantly protecting their weekends for joy, adventure, and most importantly, for meaning. Readers of The Happiness Project, All Joy and No Fun, and Thrive will find personal and business inspiration in this well-researched argument to save and savor the weekend, and as a result, save ourselves. A well-lived weekend, filled with face-to-face socializing, idleness, and nature, is the gateway to a well-lived life.


Break out that bullet journal, center yourself, and open that book. You know, the one that keeps your nine-to-five from going off the rails. We asked you to share your favorite books that have made your work life better, and you responded. Here are 21 of your favorites!

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The Road Less Traveled, Timeless Edition: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

The Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline Of Leisure by Juliet Schor

Habit Stacking: 127 Small Changes to Improve Your Health, Wellness, and Happiness by S.J. Scott

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

First, Break All The Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Jim Harter

Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson and Kenneth Blanchard

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering by Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy

The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Get Over Your Damn Self: The No-BS Blueprint to Building a Life-Changing Business by Romi Neustadt

From Novice to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice by Patricia Benner

The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister and Charles H. Green

Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur by Cara Alwill Leyba

Getting Things Done by David Allen

Productivity for Creative People by Mark McGuinness

The Anti 9-to-5 Guide: Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube by Michelle Goodman