Better Than Before

Many of Gretchen Rubin’s ideas have been restated in her blog and with slightly different focus in her two books The Happiness Project and Happier at Home.

If you have followed her blog, I would say skip Better Than Before. If you are unfamiliar with her writings, then you might profit from this book. I see her next book will be on her scheme of four personality tendencies, and since I think that is too simplistic, I won’t be buying that book.

Rubin’s main thesis is that there is no set of habit formation strategies that work for everybody. Different personality types need to use different tactics. She spends time trying to help you identify which type you are: upholder, obliger, questioner, rebel.

She puts forth a Habits Manifesto, however, that she feels is true for everyone.

Though she uses lots of personal examples to illustrate her points, her book is based on research studies that appear in the bibliography.

Habits free us from constant decision making. Having to make constant decisions taxes self-control (there is a fatique factor that plays into giving into temptation for example), and when we are stressed, habits bring comfort. One should try to shape habits mindfully. You don’t want the comforting habit to be binge eating or lighting up a cigarette for example.

The discussion about loopholes (excuses) is very good, but unfortunately already well-known to her blog followers. Nothing new there.

The section on rewards is contrary to what most people expect, and personally I found interesting since she went into more details than in her earlier posts/writings.

There are a lot of books out there about changing and establishing habits. At least hers is data-based, not just a “how-I-did-it” memoir. Though written to convey research and theory in a readable way, there are practical suggestions in Better Than Before. It serves its intended purpose well of helping people to think about establishing habits or changing habits. Just too much rehash of her blog material for me.