The best books I’ve ever read on meaningful work, and all this for less than 200K Rupiah:
Deep Work by Cal Newport
Effortless by Greg Mckeown (follow up of Essentialism)
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Here is Why:
In his book, Cal Newport distinguishes between deep work and shallow work.
Deep work refers to professional activities that require a state of distraction-free concentration and push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skills, and are difficult to replicate.
On the other hand, shallow work refers to noncognitive demanding tasks that are often performed while distracted. These efforts tend not to create much new value and are easy to replicate.
if you’re willing to sidestep comforts and fears, and instead struggle to deploy your mind to its fullest capacity to create things that matter, then you’ll discover, as others have before you, that depth generates a life rich with productivity and meaning.
After reading Effortless, I changed my approach and was able to have a greater impact while still enjoying my work. A few months ago, I struggled to keep everything on track, both technical and people management. However, it proved difficult to sustain and I ended up burning out.
While Essentialism was about doing the right things, Effortless is about doing them in the right way. Instead of trying to get better results by pushing ever harder, we can make the essential activities the easiest ones.
From "Effortless" I came across a new quote that has quickly become my mantra to lean into action
"Perfectionism makes essential projects hard to start, self-doubt makes them hard to finish, and trying to do too much, too fast, makes it hard to sustain momentum"
The 4-Hour Workweek is a book that is currently in progress for me, but it has already opened my mind to new ideas. In this book, Tim discusses the idea of mini-retirements and the importance of the ups and downs of work and rest.
Tim encourages readers to take action on their dreams and to correct course along the way rather than waiting for "someday." One question from Tim that help me focus and resist distractions
"If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?"
These books have helped me understand the importance of deep work and how to approach work in a more meaningful and productive way. They've had a major impact on my perspective and I highly recommend them.