Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feel-Good Productivity | 2023 | Ali Abdaal | Buy |
Ali Abdaal’s non-fiction work is Feel-Good Productivity (2023), which presents his philosophy that productivity should come from positive emotions rather than willpower and discipline. The book became a bestseller, drawing on Abdaal’s large online audience and his background in evidence-based medicine.
The book is organized around three core ideas: energize, unblock, and sustain. Abdaal argues that play, curiosity, and enjoyment are better drivers of output than grinding through tasks. He draws on psychology research and his own experience as a junior doctor, YouTube creator, and business owner to support his points.
Abdaal built one of the largest productivity-focused YouTube channels before publishing the book, with millions of subscribers watching his videos on study techniques, tools, and work habits. Feel-Good Productivity reflects that audience’s interests while making a case that the hustle culture approach to getting things done is counterproductive. It is his first and, so far, only book.