Business | Bartleby

Productivity gurus through time: a match-up

James Clear v Arnold Bennett

Illustration depicting two men standing facing each other. One is dressed in a vintage-style suit, while the other wears modern office attire.
Photograph: Paul Blow

The most-read non-fiction book in America, measured by views on Kindle and listens on Audible, an audio-book service, is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Published in 2018, it has now been on the bestseller list for 277 weeks. Mr Clear’s book, which pulls off the impressive trick of being both ludicrous and helpful, argues that small changes of routine can compound into big improvements, whether your goal is to be more productive at work, to eat more healthily or to develop new skills.

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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Productivity gurus, old and new”

From the April 13th 2024 edition

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