Find focus and fatigue-proof your routine with these 6 standout productivity books of 2025.
99% Perspiration: A New Working History of the American Way of Life
By Adam Chandler
An enlightening and entertaining interrogation of the myth of American self-reliance and the idea of hard work as destiny. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Adam Chandler, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living
By Amina AlTai
Drawing on her work with Fortune 500 leaders, Olympic gold medalists, start-up founders, and former “girlbosses,” AlTai guides you through the process of reconciling your ambition, starting with healing the core wounds and insecurities currently driving you. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Amina AlTai, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Brain at Rest: How the Art and Science of Doing Nothing Can Improve Your Life
By Joseph Jebelli
The definitive, science-backed guide to achieving contentment, creativity, and success by letting your brain decompress. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Joseph Jebelli, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Sleep Groove: Why Your Body’s Clock Is So Messed Up and What To Do About It
By Olivia Walch
This myth-busting guide to sleep is the perfect introduction to how circadian science can demystify your nights and help reset your days. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Olivia Walch, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity
By Ashlee Piper
From an award-winning sustainability expert, a witty, no-nonsense guide to regaining control over your time, consumerist impulses, and financial and mental wellness. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Ashlee Piper, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet
By Julian Treasure
A lively, engaging narrative that takes readers on an epic journey spanning disciplines, continents, and centuries that spotlights sound’s incredible impact on our bodies, feelings, thinking, and behavior. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Julian Treasure, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon.
The Key Ideas in 15 Minutes
“If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books,” Roald Dahl once famously said. The only trouble is, reading even one book from cover to cover takes hours—and you may not have many hours to spare.
But imagine for a moment: What if you could read a groundbreaking new book every day? Or even better, what if you could invite a world-renowned thinker into your earbuds, where they personally describe the 5 key takeaways from their work in just 15 minutes?
With the Next Big Idea App, we’ve turned this fantasy into a reality. We partnered with hundreds of acclaimed authors to create “Book Bites,” short audio summaries of the latest nonfiction that are prepared and read aloud by the authors themselves. Discover cutting-edge leadership skills, productivity hacks, the science of happiness and well-being, and much more—all in the time it takes to drive to work or walk the dog.
Go Deeper with a Next Big Idea Club Membership
The Next Big Idea App is free for anyone to try—and if you love it, we invite you to become an official member of the Next Big Idea Club. Membership grants you unlimited access to Book Bites and unlocks early-release, ad-free episodes of our LinkedIn-partnered podcast. You also gain entry to our private online discussion group, where you can talk big ideas with fellow club members and join exclusive live Q&A sessions with featured authors.
For a more focused learning experience, we recommend a Hardcover or eBook Membership. Every few months, legendary authors and club curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink select two new nonfiction books as the must-reads of the season. We then send hardcover copies straight to your doorstep, or eBook versions to your favorite digital device. We also collaborate with the authors of selected books to produce original reading guides and premium e-courses, 50-minute master classes that take you step by step through their most life-changing ideas. And yes, it’s all available through the Next Big Idea App.
Learn Faster, from the World’s Leading Thinkers
Whether you prefer to read, listen, or watch, the Next Big Idea is here to help you work smarter and live better. Wake up with an always-fresh Idea of the Day, the perfect shot of inspiration to go with your morning coffee. Then dive into one of our Challenges, hand-picked collections of Book Bites that form crash courses in subjects like communication, motivation, and career acceleration. Later, watch the playback of an interview with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Stanford psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt, or philosopher John Kaag. And be sure to check the “Events” tab in the app, so that you can join an upcoming live Q&A and personally chat with the next featured thought leader.
If you’re hoping to grow as a person or as a professional, we hope you’ll join us and tens of thousands of others who enjoy the Next Big Idea. Get started by downloading the app today!
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