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Books to Boost Wellness, Productivity, and Purpose at Work

Can you believe we’re already halfway through the year? It’s the perfect moment to pause, reflect, and get intentional about the second half of the year and what you hope to accomplish. Whether your organization is ahead of pace or feeling a little off track, a check-in on your mid-year goals is a powerful opportunity to reevaluate motivations, realign your team’s focus, and reignite momentum.

Goal setting isn’t just about KPIs; it’s about creating clarity, boosting morale, and ensuring your people feel both supported and inspired throughout the whole year. It’s been proven that the most successful companies invest in helping their teams and their people set meaningful goals. Goals that are not only for business but for employee development and well-being, too. That’s where the right books come in!

We’ve rounded up the best business books across five key areas to help your organization and your people gain their energy, insight, and motivation to finish the year strong. From self-reflection to burnout recovery and leadership development, these books make great additions to your training and development sessions and more.

Reflect and Release: Recharge with self-help books that encourage introspection and clarity

A mid-year check-in is the perfect time to pause and look inward. Encouraging your team to reflect on their personal habits, mindsets, and motivations mid-year can create a healthier, more self-aware workplace. These popular new self-help books provide the tools to let go of stress, reset intentions, and cultivate resilience. Because when individuals feel grounded in their own life, they are able to show up stronger not only for themselves, but for their teams.

• Beyond Anxiety by Martha Beck
• The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can’t Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins
• Time Anxiety: The Illusion of Urgency and a Better Way to Live by Chris Guillebeau
• Confident by Choice: The Three Small Decisions That Build Everyday Courage by Juan Bendaña
• The Wealth Money Can’t Buy: The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life by Robin Sharma

Reset and Refocus:  Tackle big goals and career growth with fresh motivation

Goals may shift throughout the year, but staying focused is key. These books help employees revisit their career aspirations, set new milestones, and approach their work with renewed purpose. No matter what priorities your team has for the rest of the year, these reads are sure to help them reach their goals. A motivated team is a high-performing team!

• Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference by Rutger Bregman
• I Wish Someone Had Told Me…: The Best Advice for Building a Great Career and a Meaningful Life by Dana Perino
• Undeniable: How to Reach the Top and Stay There by Cameron Hanes
• Navigate Your Career: Strategies for Success in New Roles and Promotions by Shveta Miglani
• Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career by Suzy Welch

Relax and Refuel: Prioritize workplace wellness and avoid burnout

Wellness isn’t just a workplace perk, but a business essential. Burnout, stress, and lack of balance can derail even the best plans. That’s why it’s critical to help your team refuel both mentally and physically. These wellness reads inspire healthier habits, better boundaries, and more sustainable work-life balance. Encourage your teams to feel well and work well with annual motivation!

• The Can-Do Mindset: How to Cultivate Resilience, Follow Your Heart, and Fight for Your Passions by Candace Parker
• Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure Le Cunff
• Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace by Minda Harts
• The Win-Win Workplace: How Thriving Employees Drive Bottom-Line Success by Angela Jackson
• Today was Fun: A Book about Work (Seriously) by Bree Groff

Refine and Reimagine: Boost productivity and embrace new ways of working

The second half of the year is the ideal time to reevaluate workflows and rethink what workplace productivity really means in your organization. These books encourage teams to work smarter, not just harder, by embracing new ideas and innovation. It also makes it easier to eliminate distractions and focus on what matters most. Refining your approach can unlock greater efficiency, creativity, and momentum for the second half of the year and beyond. 

• The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward by Melinda French Gates
• Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
• Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life by Jim Murphy
• Ordinary Magic: The Science of How We Can Achieve Big Change with Small Acts by Gregory M Walton
• Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career by Lorraine K Lee

Realign and Rise: Strengthen leadership skills and rediscover purpose

Great leaders don’t just manage, they inspire. These reads challenge leaders at all levels to reconnect with their purpose and recommit to their people. When leadership is clear and values are at the top of mind, teams are more motivated and prepared to finish the year strong. Get ready to not only inspire your leadership team, but your whole organization!

• Distancing: How Great Leaders Reframe to Make Better Decisions by L. David Marquet and Michael A. Gillespie
• The New Science of Momentum: How the Best Coaches and Leaders Build a Fire from a Single Spark by Don Yaeger and Bernard B. Banks
• Flexible Leadership: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence by Kevin Eikenberry
• Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship by Keith Ferrazzi
• What You’re Made For: Powerful Life Lessons from My Career in Sports by George Raveling and Ryan Holiday

No matter where your team stands at the halfway point, there’s always room to reset, refocus, and recharge. Investing in the right books now can spark those meaningful conversations and create the momentum your organization needs to close the year on a high note. If there are any titles you’d like to bring to your team, our account managers would love to talk! Just request a quote, and we’ll help get the perfect book to fuel your goals for the months ahead into your team’s hands. Let’s make the second half of the year your team’s most focused, fulfilled, and successful yet!