Atomic Habits review: what stuck after six years

Verdict: 5 out of 5. Worth the price, and worth having in your library. If you’re happy with how you’re doing things, you can skip it.

Why I picked it up

In May 2020, the world had turned upside down with COVID. I have always believed in building habits so I can go on autopilot. Once something is a habit, I don’t have to think about how to do it. For me, that’s a way of saving mental energy.

I’d heard of Atomic Habits and was curious about one thing: what was the “atomic” part?

In one sentence

Small habits, repeated, add up. “Atomic” means tiny, like an atom, and James Clear shows how small changes can build into big results over time.

Two ideas that stayed with me

1. Habit stacking. You attach a new habit to one you already do. I like to learn, so I listen to audiobooks while I do the dishes. The dishes are a chore I know by heart and don’t need to think about, so my mind is free to learn something new. One habit carries the other.

2. Systems over goals. Goals give you direction. A system is what gets you there. I think this is the most important idea in the book. Six years on, it still shapes how I plan. Every time I set a goal, I ask myself:

   • What’s my 90-day plan for this goal?
   • What are the steps I need to take?
   • How will I evaluate my progress?

   I wrote more about this in goals versus systems.

What didn’t work for me

The introductory chapters felt too long. I put the book down a couple of times before I really got into it. Once I did, I enjoyed learning all the hacks. If you feel the same, push through the start. It gets practical.

Audio, Kindle or paperback?

I buy the audiobook first. It’s a quick way to find out what a book is about and whether I’ll enjoy it. If I do, and I want to go deeper, I get the Kindle version. If I love it, I get the paperback.

If you want to try it first, check whether it’s included in your Kindle subscription or your library.

Who it’s for (and who might skip it)

It’s for you if you want to make a change for yourself, save time and energy, or help others do the same. It’s useful for anyone who values productivity, including entrepreneurs and founders: people who want to get things done.

You can skip it if you’re happy with what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.

Try this

Pick one chore you already do without thinking, like washing up or making coffee. Add one small thing you’d like to learn or do alongside it, like a podcast or an audiobook. Do it for a week and see if the two start to travel together.