Settling In
Let’s cozy up to our virtual Zoom meeting and gather to discuss “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.
As we all trickled into the meeting, we were welcomed by Nam Nguyen. He is the leader and facilitator of our discussion. Upon logging on, I was immediately pulled in by the photo slides of past PMI-OC events playing in the background.
Nam started by providing an agenda for the event, then describing how the Book Club Program works, followed up with an explanation of how the meeting itself would progress: rate the book based on first impressions, discuss the book, and rate the book based on lessons learned from the discussion. Then we were updated on upcoming PMI-OC events and a friendly reminder for the audience on how to redeem their Professional Development Units (PDUs). These are available for having read the book and attending this meeting.
Intellectual Brainpower
The intellectual brainpower gathering on this Zoom was overwhelming. Everyone provided insightful perspectives as Nam guided us to dig deep within ourselves to reflect upon the content we read. As a group, we enjoyed the ease of reading this book, with well-thought-out spacing, charts, and graphs. There was no use of technical jargon and the end-of-chapter summaries were a great way to reinforce what Clear wanted his audience to take away from each section. However, there were also criticisms that some of the analogies used were lazy and repetitive. Especially highlighted were those reoccurring examples regarding food and exercise. If the book had been written more concisely, it would have been 100 pages shorter.
Sam Lee proclaimed, “James Clear’s book Atomic Habits is a decent read for the general public. While it does a thorough job of explaining the tools of engineering desired habits and eliminating unrewarding ones, each chapter was repetitive. The author’s anecdotal examples were rather simple (e.g. losing weight, waking up early, and improving athletic performance.)”
As a group we felt like “Atomic Habits” may have some merit for the day-to-day habits, but not as much in our professional capacities as project managers. It was interesting to see that the group’s average rating for the book decreased from the beginning of the discussion to the end of the discussion. Upon reflection, it seemed like we found it even less enjoyable and applicable than we initially evaluated.
Being a newcomer to the book club I felt shy at first. but warmed up to the group by the end of the meeting. I knew this was a safe space where all opinions and points of view were welcomed and appreciated. As I read through the book, I found myself making connections to my daily life. Although not so much of any professional connections, the group also felt the same. Below is a light-hearted reflection as I navigated through the concepts with my own life scenarios.
How to Create a Good Habit: Fitness/Health
- The 1st Law – Make it Obvious
- I will track my workout progress on a fitness app.
- The 2nd Law – Make it Attractive
- It’s summertime. I have a few weddings to attend shortly. I live in OC. Need that sexy summer body!
- The 3rd Law – Make it Easy
- I purchased a package deal at my favorite Pilates studio but also purchased a gym membership to accommodate when I am unable to get into my preferred classes or when I am visiting my family out of town.
- The 4th Law – Make it Satisfying
- Take pictures. Take measurements. Be proud!
How to Break a Bad Habit: Spending Money/Shopping
- Inversion of the 1st Law – Make it Invisible
- I attempt to avoid going to the mall/retail areas… however online shopping is accessible at my fingertips on my phone.
- Inversion of the 2nd Law – Make it Unattractive
- The issue is some of the items I purchase make me feel attractive.
- Inversion of the 3rd Law – Make it Difficult
- Put it on the credit card. Options to pay in 4 payments. So easy to shop!!!
- Inversion of the 4th Law – Make it Unsatisfying
- Fail to break habits… as I find some of these purchases to be the most satisfying urge that pushes me to work harder for the things I want in life.
See You Soon
At my next book club meeting, I will bring a snack and a beverage, get cozy, and dive right into the discussion. I am definitely looking forward to our next PMI-OC Book Club meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 6 p.m. PT to discuss “The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace” by Gary Chapman and Paul White. We look forward to seeing you all there!
