Elizabeth Whitworth, Author at Shortform Books

How to Prepare to Learn a New Skill: 5 Tips for Efficiency

If you want to learn a new skill, should you just dive in? How can you maximize your chances for success and keep from squandering resources? Once you’ve chosen a new skill to learn, Josh Kaufman suggests you conduct research to learn about the skill and prepare what you need to practice it. Acquiring knowledge and information about the skill beforehand allows you to practice smarter and avoid wasting time and energy on ineffective techniques. Read on for Kaufman’s advice on how to prepare to learn a new skill before you start practicing.

3 Drawbacks of Positive Thinking in the Pursuit of Happiness

Are self-help books truly helpful? What common theme has problems of its own? If you’ve explored self-help advice, you’ve likely come across the belief that thinking positively is the only way to achieve true happiness and success. According to Oliver Burkeman, this widely accepted belief has three downsides that impede happiness. Continue reading to learn about these drawbacks of positive thinking.

Poverty, by America Quotes by Matthew Desmond (With Context)

Which developed nation has the most poverty? What effect does poverty have on people? Which comes first: economic security or better choices? In Poverty, by America, Matthew Desmond argues that poverty in the US persists because it benefits many Americans to keep a share of their fellow Americans in a state of want. He issues a call to arms to readers to examine their role in benefiting from and perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Read more for several Poverty, by America quotes that provide insights into the book’s ideas.

Flow State at Work: Where Productivity & Self-Care Meet

Do you ever lose track of time when you’re working? What type of tasks engross you? Grace Beverley brings productivity and self-care together in her book Working Hard, Hardly Working. She says that flow makes productivity a form of self-care because the feeling of being engrossed in a task is joyful and satisfying. Read more to learn why a flow state at work is beneficial and how to achieve it.

14 Technology Addiction Group Discussion Exercises

Do you have a technology addiction? Are you ready to tackle it? Compulsively checking your Instagram feed may seem like a far cry from drug addiction, but the two are more closely related than you might think. The good news is that you can meet your technology addiction head-on by answering questions that get to the root of the issue and provide a path forward. Continue reading for several exercises designed for personal use or as part of a technology addiction group discussion.

3 Obstacles to Learning a New Skill & How to Avoid Them

If you want to learn a new skill, how can you make it easier for yourself? Should you aim for proficiency or mastery? Josh Kaufman says you can gain competency in a skill with just 20 hours of practice. But, you must make the road as smooth as possible first. Before you start practicing a new skill, he recommends that you think ahead and prepare for potential obstacles that might affect the quality of your practice. Let’s look at a few common obstacles to learning a new skill and how to avoid them.

3 Ways to Accept Your Emotions (Even the Ones That Aren’t Fun)

What’s the difference between your experiences and your perceptions of them? What’s a simple way to mitigate disappointment? It might seem counterintuitive but, if you want to find true happiness, you must accept your emotions—all of them. That’s the view of Oliver Burkeman, who provides three methods for embracing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Read more to understand Burkeman’s argument and techniques that can put you on the road to happiness.

Making Time for Self-Care: 2 Simple Tips From Grace Beverley

Do you neglect self-care because you don’t have time? What price do you pay for that? In Working Hard, Hardly Working, Grace Beverley explores how to integrate self-care and productivity by bringing self-care time into your work time. But, she also says it’s important to engage in pure self-care outside of productivity time so you can regularly experience the benefits of work-free leisure. Continue reading for Beverley’s practical tips for making time for self-care.

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast (Overview)

Would you like to learn a new skill but think you don’t have the time? What would you learn if you could gain proficiency in just 20 hours? It can be hard to find the time, energy, and motivation to learn something new. Fortunately, in the international bestseller The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything Fast, Josh Kaufman provides a simple and effective method for learning almost any skill in just 20 hours. Continue reading for an overview of this encouraging and instructive book.

3 Ways to Change Your Goal Mindset & Reenvision Success

Are you rigid with your goals, or do you give them room to breathe? How do you handle fluctuations in motivation? Goals are an important part of achievement. But, your approach to setting and fulfilling goals has a big impact on their effectiveness. Oliver Burkeman recommends that you adopt a flexible goal mindset, and he shares three practical tips to move you in that direction. Keep reading to learn how to change your goal mindset as well as your relationship with success itself.