There are so many health books out there. Just like how there is a plethora of habit forming and behaviour change books. But why aren’t there any books that delve into both topics?
Well, I’m here to say that there is. And it’s called The Health Habit by Dr. Amantha Imber.
Dr Amantha Imber is an organisational psychologist and founder of behaviour change
consultancy Inventium. She hosts the top ranking podcast How I Work, which has had over 5
million downloads.
Amantha is the author of three international bestselling books: Time Wise, The
Innovation Formula, and The Creativity Formula. Her latest book that came out earlier this year, and the one I am currently reading, is The Health Habit.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on health habits and explores impactful strategies that may be lesser-known or underutilised. It goes beyond the common advice of eating more vegetables and avoiding phone use in bed. The aim is to identify habits that can have a significant impact on sleep, movement, and nutrition.
The second part of the book addresses psychological barriers that hinder behaviour change. D. Imber identifies four common barriers or “habit hijackers.” The first is motivational barriers, where individuals feel obligated rather than motivated to make a change. The second is relational hijackers, which involve the influence of people and social norms that divert individuals from their health goals. The third is environmental barriers, where the physical environment poses challenges to desired habits. The final barrier is cognitive barriers, which include feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, or burnout that limit resources for change.
The book aims to help individuals develop a personalised plan that combines health with habit forming strategies to overcome their specific obstacles. By implementing these strategies, individuals can make their new health habits stick for good.
I am thoroughly enjoying reading The Health Habit, I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you want to get yourself a copy, head down to your local bookstore to head to Amantha’s website.
To hear the full conversation with Dr. Amantha Imber, listen to episode 55 of It’s Never About Money.
