I have a love-hate relationship with professional development books.

I have read a lot of books in my life, and I am an avid believer in seeking out new information. However, I have a love-hate relationship with professional development books. Reading to increase your knowledge and expand your viewpoints is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a professional. But, so many professional development books are so boring! Here is my list of three personal and professional development books I have ready recently that will change your life, and won't put you to sleep!

Book 1: Deep Work by Cal Newport

Cal Newport's Deep Work explores the concept of uninterrupted concentration, it's ability to produce high-quality work in an increasingly distracted world. Newport distinguishes between deep vs. shallow work, and how to prioritize the deep in order to obtain professional success. He outlines his "Four Rules of Deep Work" and provides actionable insight on how to incorporate them into our lives. I would recommend Deep Work to anyone who finds themselves spending the majority of their work days checking their emails, and flipping between internal company chat functions. Cal's discourse on what is shallow will probe you to think deeper about the work that you do, and whether or not it is actually beneficial.

Book 2: Measure What Matters by John Doerr

John Doerr's Measure What Matters is a must read for anyone who is interested in the power of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and their applications in the workplace. In his book, Doerr emphasizes the importance of clarity and specificity when setting organizational and departmental objectives, stressing the ability of OKRs to drive innovation and improve productivity. Doerr discusses the importance of aligning and cascading OKRs in order to achieve maximum results, and how OKRs can help create a culture of continuous improvement. Measure What Matters incorporates some really interesting and useful concepts. However, if you are not fully enraptured in the book, you can get the same results by reading the headlines and key points. ;)

Book 3: Atomic Habits by James Clear

I am hardly the first person to tout the transformative power of James Clear's Atomic Habits, and I will not be the last. I have read a myriad of books on habit formation and personal development, yet none have measured up to Clear's work. Atomic Habits outlines the process of forming and breaking habits in a clear, manageable, and actionable way. I believe that everyone should read this book, as it provides the cheat codes to hack your routines, and provides a way to start becoming the person you want to be.