10 books about building habits

Habit building book #10: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

This habit-building book is 30 years old and still going strong. It’s got to be a classic for a reason. 

These 7 habits have become famous and adopted by millions around the world. 

Follow step-by-step pathways provided by Stephen Covey and (if you’ve got the 30th-anniversary edition) review updates provided by Stephen’s son, Sean Covey, on how these habits can be used in our modern age. 

Habit-building book #9: The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp 

Habit stacking is taking a series of small changes and building a ritual that you follow on a daily basis. The small changes element really appeals to us, because we know that starting small and building up is the way to make sure your new habits are here to stay.

Eliminate the stress of trying to change too much at once and focus on a single routine that takes 15-30 minutes to complete. 

Your routine will contain a series of small changes or actions and all you have to do is follow it every day. 

Habit-building book #7: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza

Habit-building book #5: High-Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard 

The focus of this research is that, when adopted, just 6 habits will change your life. 

Seek clarity, generate energy, raise necessity, increase productivity, develop influence and demonstrate courage. 

This book is about the art and science of how to practice these proven habits. 

Each habit is illustrated through science, exercises, and real-world practices that you can adopt daily and implement right now. 

Habit-building book #4: Good Habits, Bad Habits by Wendy Wood

Recommended by Ailuna’s behavioural science advisor, Dr Emmie Fulton, Good Habits, Bad Habits delves into the scientific reasons we all develop habits, and how we can use that knowledge to build positive habits that stick.

We spend over 40% of every day carrying out tasks and repeating actions we’ve done before, without even thinking. This book will help you identify, break and make habits, and understand the science behind habits in the process,

Habit-building book #3: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Deep in the human brain, there are secret pressure points that can change a life.  

From exercise to weight loss, business or social success, having the right habits can change everything. By harnessing the power of habit, you can make a difference in your life. 

Charles Duhigg describes why we do what we do, and how we can change our habits, even the most ingrained! This book covers habits on an individual, organisational and societal level, so gives great insight into human behaviours.

Habit-building book #2: Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg 

This had to take the top spot. A lot of James Clear’s advice and methodology has helped us to build the Ailuna app, so this couldn’t be in any other position!

World-renowned habits expert James Clear knows that real change comes from the compound effect of making hundreds of small decisions. Also known as atomic habits. 

In this book, learn how these minuscule changes can grow into life-altering outcomes. Learn a handful of simple life hacks such as Habit Stacking and the Two Minute Rule and delve into cutting-edge psychology to understand why they matter.

Where to buy books about habit building

When it comes to buying these books, the most environmentally responsible way to purchase them is on an e-reader or from a second-hand bookstore (local if possible, to avoid long distance shipping).

If you can’t find these books second-hand or digitally, Ethical Consumer shows that World of Books takes the top spot when their environmental, sustainability, people, and company ethos were all taken into account. At the time of writing, all ten of the books listed above were available on the World of Books website.