A review by bookcheshirecat
I Didn't Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt to Embrace the Hidden Value in Daily Life by Madeleine Dore

informative fast-paced

4.0

“We make the mistake of labeling ourselves as nouns, when we are really verbs—we are not a runner, but rather a person who runs; we’re not a writer, but a person who writes. Our sense of self doesn’t have to be bundled up with whether we did the thing today—because we are not the things we do.” 

➽ I've been checking out more self-help books and I Didn't Do the Thing Today came at the perfect time! It's all about letting go of productivity guilt and approaching our relationship with it differently. I have definitely noticed how productivity has become tied in with self-worth and image, so I sometimes struggle not to feel bad when things don't work out with my to-do list. The author did a great job incorporating quotes, examples and anecdotes from her personal life to talk about different aspects of productivity. Each chapter focuses on a new topic and I found the audiobook soothing to listen to.

➽ This is definitely a book I want to reread because the author had a lot of different arguments that really spoke to me. I liked how she talked about how routines are seen as the ultimate solution, but won't work for everyone, especially with how intricate and ambitious they have become. The author makes it clear that everyone is different and advice won't ever be for anyone. I liked that she also mentioned Mindset, a book I read recently, which is about growth vs. fixed-minded people. There are a lot of good discussions in the book, such as the myth of being able to balance everything in life perfectly and how being 'busy' has become a status symbol even though we need rest. I wish there had been more practical applications for the lessons of the book. Dore always ends with some advice, but I feel like there could have been more of it!