Atomic Habits

By James Clear

In this highly readable and immediately helpful book, James Clear lays out the ways to either create a new habit or break an old one.  How to build a habit?  Make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.  To stop, just do the opposite. With many examples and the science of why it works, Clear makes it, ya know, clear.  

Want to exercise?  Put it on your calendar (obvious), play a sport you like (attractive), have the gym be near your office (easy), and find something challenging that you can get better at (satisfying).  So play squash at 3 pm at the gym 5 minutes from your office with the great David Yudkin, who is better than you, but you can occasionally beat.

Want to never exercise again?  Do something at an undetermined time that you don't enjoy at an inconvenient location that you can't get better at or see any results from.  

And if you are spending too much time on your phone, keep it locked in a drawer in another room.  Bet you won't check it as much