Great Self-Help Books for Millennials to Improve Daily Life

Introduction

We millennials have a bit of a reputation for taking our time to get our careers started. And whether that holds true or not, the fickleness of the economy alone should be enough to motivate us to organize our lives a bit better and really commit to finding success.

So we’ve put together a list of some of the best self-help books for millennials in particular, and anyone looking to read some contemporary takes on the tools for success and everlasting productivity.  

How to Get a Job and Move Out of Your Parent’s Basement – Spencer C Powell

We’ve all had that moment where we needed to take a break from independent living and touch base back home. For some, it lasts a few weeks, for others, it can be a stay of a few years.

Whether you’re saving money for a big move or you’ve fallen out of the working world for a bit, this breezy book of just 76 pages is a down-to-earth guide for doing exactly what it says in the title.

Powell’s thorough and powerful story includes a whole bunch of tips for getting your life back together, one step at a time.  

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

This modern classic of the self-help genre has a weighty history behind it. You may have already heard of this one from its many references in television and popular culture.

Echkart Tolle released this fascinating volume in 1999, just as the world was gathering collective stress in the form of fears about the Y2K disaster.

Soon after, the eminent Oprah Winfrey recommended the book on her show. The rest is history.

The book’s unique blending of specific elements belonging to several different religious traditions helped it maintain a positive tone and avoid alienating any one religious group.

It could even be said that The Power of Now began our recent obsession with the concept and practice of mindfulness in daily life.

Many of the lessons focus on altering the internal conception of the self, in ways that can create a more positive psychological environment, one that allows for greater motivation and productivity.

The Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell

This is possibly the most well-known member of our self-help list. It’s just over ten years old, and its main talking points have become integrated into contemporary society.

The most famous of these talking points is Malcolm Gladwell’s interpretation of how long it takes to become an expert in any given field.

“The 10,000 Hour Rule” has spread in popularity, despite the creators of the scientific study the rule is based on having stated their doubts as to its accuracy.

Instead of giving readers direct advice as to how to become successful professionally, the book explores some of the most successful individuals in the world today.

Ultimately, some of the factors that contribute to traditional success are outside the realm of human control. As such, the book’s message leans more toward encouraging readers to focus on the many factors that can be controlled.

The Four Tendencies – Gretchen Rubin

There are certainly times when labels and categorizations aren’t helpful. At their worst, they can create a sense of oversimplification, setting low expectations for a subject that is, in reality, extremely complex.

But at their best, categories can help an incredibly broad audience come together and relate to a piece of media on a very personal level.

And that’s what Gretchen Rubin has been able to do in her book, The Four Tendencies.

The four personality categories she puts forth are the Upholder, the Obliger, the Questioner, and the Rebel.

Each label carries with it an in-depth look at how that specific personality type tends to process requests and attempts at maintenance and improvement.   

Rubin’s website even offers a quiz that gives you details on your personality type by asking a few questions about how you personally form positive habits.

The Anti-Procrastination Habit: A Simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks – S.J. Scott

We all do it, to differing degrees. We procrastinate on our professional work as well as a number of personal good habits like exercising and keeping the house tidy and clean.

Many people get in the habit of procrastinating in high school or college and carry it with them into adulthood without even thinking about it.

But here comes The Anti-Procrastination Habit, a thoughtful look at how we can skip that step completely and keep moving forward to complete projects and make positive changes in our daily lives.

S.J. Scott is a journalist with the Wall Street Journal, and with this book, he’s also a bestselling author.

Scott takes a very logical approach to identifying the thorn of procrastination in daily life and recommending the steps necessary to ousting this toxic habit.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Mark Manson

Mark Manson is a blogger who’s pretty rough around the edges. He thrives on being able to say exactly what he means, often criticizing societal trends he sees as being ineffective or even misleading.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life is no different.

Manson saw some major problems with the current state of the self-help industry, which he perceived of as being positive to such an extreme degree that very few people could actually hope to use these methods to better themselves.

This one may not be for everybody, but if you happen to be a bit of a cynic or happen to know some people who fit that description, then we recommend checking this one out.

Apart from the traditional hardcover and paperback books, this one also exists as an ebook and a skillfully-read audiobook for your enjoyment.

How to Be Interesting – Jessica Hagy

How to Be Interesting (In 10 Simple Steps) by Jessica Hagy is practically the textbook definition of simple and direct. Oh and in case it wasn’t clear, that’s a very good thing.

You won’t find any sweeping spiritual blends here. Nor will you find all that much high-minded philosophizing.

Instead, this unique self-help book feels more like a pep talk, all from a loyal friend who has many words of wisdom to share.

And though the page-by-page writing itself is incredibly simple and easy to digest, it may take a few reads and a lot of savoring for these life notes to really sink in and take effect.