Then it takes the time towards the end to do a recap of the steps as well as 14 Good Habit inhibitors. The first few chapters talk about willpower and habits as concepts, before diving into the 50 steps. It’s very well organized, and I found it very easy to follow. A list of 50 may seem like a lot, but when you’re reading this book split off into sections, it makes sense that Sasaki takes the time to break each step down, give examples, and show what steps to consider in the deconstruction of harmful habits and the construction of desired ones.

Using a combination of scientific research, practical examples from his own life as well as a multitude of well known Japanese and Western figures, and illustrations, Sasaki crafts a 50-step guide to successfully acquiring and implementing habits into your life. It’s a practical successor to his previous book “Goodbye Things”, but you don’t need to read that book on minimalism to find utility out of this one – it stands on its own and quite well. (Call me ambitious, but the last few years have been ones where I’ve fallen off my usual levels of productivity, so it made sense to pick up some resources to help feed the well, so to speak.) This particular book was an ambitious project since Sasaki mentions that he wanted to compile everything he learned about creating and sticking to habits in one book. I say that my reading of this was timely since I told myself that I wanted to get a jump start on creating some new habits and routines for next year (2022) a couple of months before. I not only own the physical hardcover but I also listened to the audiobook version included in my Audible subscription. “Hello Habits: A Minimalist’s Guide to a Better Life” was a timely read for me.

Sasaki fumio minimalist