Shortform Books

Oliver Burkeman: The Delusion of Time Management

What does Oliver Burkeman have to say on time management? Do you believe that you can fully have control over how you spend your time? According to Oliver Burkeman, time management is an illusion in a sense. In his book Four Thousand Weeks, he contends that humans live with the mistaken belief that if you try hard enough and find the right time management solutions, you should be able to gain total control over your time. Contrary to the promises of self-help gurus and time management tools, you’ll never be able to wield total control over your time. Let’s discuss the

Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart—Book Overview

What is Brené Brown’s Atlas of the Heart about? What is the key message to take away from the book? Many people can only recognize and name three emotions: happiness, sadness, and anger. This lack of vocabulary blocks us from being able to fully experience and share our feelings with others—and that prevents us from forming connections with each other. In her book Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown provides descriptions and explanations of 87 emotions, along with the situations where you’re likely to encounter them. Below is a brief overview of Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown.

The Age-Old Question: What Do Women Want in Men?

What do women want in men? Do women really like “bad guys”? There’s not one concrete answer to what women expect from men when they’re dating or in a relationship. According to Rollo Tomassi, the author of The Rational Male, women are drawn to guys who act rude and are full of themselves. Robert Glover, on the other hand, says that women aren’t attracted to those types of men. Check out the debate between Tomassi and Glover on what women really want in a man.

3 Economic Justice Examples and Overview

What are three theories of economic justice examples? How do they all differ in ethics and values? In Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen outlines three theories of economic justice: utilitarianism, libertarianism, and Rawlsian justice. All of these theories have their own pros and cons, which means no theory is the “right” approach to economics. Let’s look at these economic justice examples by exploring their advantages and disadvantages.

How to Accept Yourself Wholly and Unconditionally

What does it mean to accept yourself? Why is it important to accept yourself wholly and unconditionally? Accepting yourself means choosing not to live in conflict with yourself. When you accept yourself, you don’t compare yourself to others to validate your self-worth—you feel worthy the way you are. Keep reading to learn what accepting yourself entails, why it’s important, and how to accept yourself wholly and unconditionally.

The Big Leap: Book Overview & Key Takeaways

What’s Gay Hendricks’s The Big Leap about? What’s the key message to take away from the book? In his book The Big Leap, psychologist and personal growth coach Gay Hendricks, aims to help the reader overcome some of the psychological barriers to success and fulfillment. Written in 2009, the book collates advice accumulated over Hendricks’s many years in the coaching business, and it’s geared toward the reader who has achieved some success in life yet still feels a lack of fulfillment. Below is a brief overview of the key ideas.

Market Limitations That Are Ethically Questionable

What are market limitations? Is a free market a perfect solution for a failing economy? A free market has many advantages: individual choice, innovation, and economic growth. However, there are many disadvantages as well, such as an inequitable distribution of wealth and the neglect of public goods. Let’s take a deeper look into market limitations, explained by Amartya Sen in Development as Freedom.

Factors Influencing Self-Esteem: Culture Is Key

Is one’s self-esteem the result of internal or external factors? What role does culture play in self-esteem? Although self-esteem starts with your own behavior, external factors still play a role. According to psychotherapist and self-esteem expert Nathaniel Branden, one of the major external factors influencing self-esteem is the culture where you grew up. Keep reading to learn how cultures affect the self-esteem of their members—and how cultural values that support or discourage self-esteem affect the overall health of societies.

Best Weight Loss Resources: Blogs, Books, & Podcasts

Do you want to lose weight but aren’t sure where to start? What are the best weight loss resources to consult for advice? When it comes to weight loss, the struggle is real, and the contradictory advice floating around doesn’t make it easier. What does make it easier is consulting credible sources who know what they are talking about. To save you the trouble of finding them, we’ve rounded up a list of the best weight loss resources, including books, blogs, and podcasts.

The 7 Stages of Digestion: Ingestion to Excretion

What are the seven stages of digestion? How is food processed through the body? Digesting food is a complex process that requires all of the organs in the gut to work together and perform their precise functions. In her book Gut, Giulia Enders describes the seven stages that food goes through to convert into nutrients you can absorb. Keep reading to learn about the process of digestion from start to finish.