In this post, we are going to cover the best books on habits including the New York Times bestselling classics and some new guides specifically for Christians that will help you to pursue God passionately in your home, job, and relationships. 

We need to set our heart on learning more, on growing, on striving. We pursue wisdom which allows us to live more fully for God and to live more fulfilling lives. It truly is sweeter than honey and more valuable than gold. When it comes time to change, it can be difficult to know the best tips for breaking bad habits and new habit formation. We want that behavior change in order to have personal development that helps us to achieve our goals. But, we need a proven way to get there. 

We get wisdom from many areas – through living, through conversations, and through classes. One area of growth that is central to my heart is reading. I am a huge believer in reading to expand your mind. Reading has allowed me to learn and grow so much in my everyday life. So, today we are going to cover the best books on habits. You can learn more about how to create habits here. Also, listen and subscribe to A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast. We are currently doing a deep dive into all the habits that are crucial to spiritual growth and maturity.

Now, take a minute to look through the following books written by talented and well-researched authors who have studied how to create habits that last a lifetime. Pick a few to learn for yourself how to reach the goals that you want to achieve. You can order them directly from Amazon by clicking the link. I receive a small commission at no cost to you if you purchase directly from the link. I hope they help you accomplish your goals!

***If you have enjoyed visiting A More Beautiful Life Collective, please like, comment, share, and subscribe. Let’s make the world more beautiful together. This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this link, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. It’s a win-win!***

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Here are some of the best habit books out there: 

The Classic Best Books on Habits: 

1. Atomic Habits: An Easy Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Out of our books on habits, this is hands down the book I would recommend to anyone interested in creating sustainable habits for their life. James Clear does a great job of summarizing all of the research on habits in concise, clear ways. He also gives suggestions on how to incorporate these habits into your life. You will come away from this book encouraged and ready to start changing your life! 

2. Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything by B.J. Fogg

B.J. Fogg brings the science you need to know to create sustainable habits in an approachable and easy-to-digest way. Through this book, you’ll feel like you can ‘hack’ your habits and discover the best recipe to make your habits stick. His trademark idea is to create small changes to form new habits. These tiny habits are so small that you feel like you can form habits easily, but they build up to big and lasting changes. 

3. The Power of Habits: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

This is the last of the trifecta of books on habits. This book is more dry but helps you see why you have habits and how they drive everything you do. Atomic Habits and Tiny Habits both base what they discuss in their books on The Power of Habits. This book is referenced in almost all of the habit books that I have read. 

4. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Essentialism will help you narrow down your goals to focus on what is absolutely necessary for you to achieve in your life. While not exactly related to habits, it will help to narrow down your focus on what really matters. It does this by asking you what your values are in order to show you what you can eliminate from your life. Think of it as a minimalist manifesto for your to-do list. You can also see this idea in Mark Manson’s book, albeit a little more crudely stated. 

5. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allan

This book isn’t concerned about the way habits work. Like Essentialism, it is focused on helping you to achieve your goals. It does this by teaching you about a system of habits that help you to accomplish your goals. Through this process, you declutter your mind so that you can be fully present in your life while still being productive and accomplishing your goals. 

6. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

When studying habits, it’s not enough to learn about how habits work. You also need to learn about the best habits to have. This book is a well-known classic with several rewrites geared to different ages and people. It’s a classic because its concepts are so important. 

Best Books on Habits for Christians: 

1. The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley

Our first of our books on Habits specifically written for Christians is The Common Rule. Justin Whitmel Earley is a fantastic writer and a dedicated and thoughtful reader. This shows in his books. In The Common Rule, he has created a book that inspires you to change while also convicting you to give God glory with every action you take. I highly recommend all of his work, and this is a great book to start with. 

2. Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-filled, Life-giving Morning Routine by Kat Lee

I’ve discussed some of Kat Lee’s ideas in my post on creating morning routines (you can find those here and here). This book describes her morning routines in addition to some key ideas on habits. If you are struggling with waking up in the morning, this book is a great place to start for ideas on how to accomplish this habit. 

3. 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn’t Quit by Nicki Koziarz

Nicki Koziarz was a self-proclaimed quitter. When things got difficult and there was too much resistance, she gave up. That’s why she is perfectly equipped to help you overcome the temptation to quit what you are doing and finish well the task that you have been given. Drawing insights from the book of Ruth, she cheers you on to reach your goals and live out your God-given purpose in life.  This is a great and easily accessible one of our books on habits.

4. In Good Time: 8 Habits for Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing Peace by Jen Pollock Michel

This book is almost an anti-productivity book, which is essential when it comes to discussing goals, accomplishments, and habits. We want to steward our lives well, but we also don’t want what we deem as success to become an idol in our lives. Written against the backdrop of the 2020 COVID years, Jen Pollock Michel gives habits that can help us stay grounded in a world that tries to make us never stop. You can read more about this idea in my post on productivity here. 

On Rest and Sabbath: 

1. Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD

Productivity can become an idol. When we are just seeking to be productive without a concern for sabbath and rest, we end up burning out. Sacred Rest describes how to rest in a busy, often soul-sucking world. She gives concrete habits that you work into your everyday life in the areas of physical rest, mental rest, emotional rest, spiritual rest, social rest, sensory rest, and creative rest. It’s a comprehensive and refreshing book. 

2. Refresh: Embracing a Grace-Paced Life in a World of Endless Demands by Shona & David Murray

Shona and David Murray have created a step-by-step blueprint for getting more rest in your life. This book gives plenty of ideas of habits to have more sabbath rest in your life while also getting to the heart issue behind why you need more rest. This will help you to realign your heart with God so that you can consistently have more rest in your life. 

Feel stuck and want to read more? Join our reading challenge! We are going to be talking about a different book each month related to discipleship, productivity, and homemaking. Subscribe to get updates on when our reading challenge will start!