Book Review: Atomic Habits
22 May 2025
The KOPI Book CLUB!
As an Osteopath, I specialise in the bio-mechanics of the beautiful human body. I am the eternal student of the body, an absolute privilege.
My book reviews are written to help you better understand and nurture your physical body. I hope you enjoy reading them, and if you have any books to suggest, I would be very interested to hear about them.
Book Review: Atomic Habits by James Clear
"Whenever you want to change your behaviour, you can simply ask yourself: How can I make it obvious? How can I make it attractive? How can I make it easy? How can I make it satisfying?"
- James Clear
A lot of what I see in the clinic that is presenting as symptoms in patients is due to habits.
Perhaps the habit of not stretching after exercise or of being superglued to the chair at work, only getting up when nature calls or at the end of the day.
So, it stands to reason that I spend a lot of time thinking about, discussing, and encouraging body breaks/exercise snacks with patients.
These small but regular movement breaks and/or heat or ice applications help patients feel better in the short term while aiming to embed “good habits” for the future.
It really is the small, consistent changes that make the difference—being 1% better than you were yesterday is going to add up quickly.
We can build one (good) habit on top of the previous and keep this momentum going so that in perhaps 365 days, your life, health, and well-being are utterly transformed.
Sometimes, aiming for the end goal feels too big, but breaking this down—well, that is a lot more manageable—meet atomic habits.
James Clear uses (and explains) his Four Laws of Behaviour Change to encourage and help his readers start implementing a habit—these Four Laws can also be inverted for habits you wish not to take forward.
These Four Laws are: Make it Obvious, Attractive, Easy, and Satisfying.
These Laws can be applied to all areas of life, including physical health, mental health, business, and parenting—they really cover it all.
From the 2-Minute Rule to the incredibly simple art of Habit Stacking (linking a new habit to an existing one, making it easier to adopt a new habit—for example, stretching whilst the kettle is on), James Clear offers his readers many ways to make a change and, more importantly, BE the change and the person they wish to see/be.
It is not true that only people with seemingly superhuman levels of motivation and self-control can achieve what they set their minds to.
As James Clear explains, the environment matters—it shapes your habits and decisions.
James Clear takes the reader through non-expensive and straightforward ways to make their environment positive, affirming, and habit-boosting.
For example, you wish to eat more apples and fewer cookies. Having apples on your kitchen counter and putting cookies in the cupboard out of sight makes you more likely to eat the apples.
James Clear takes complex psychology and science and breaks them down into user-friendly, actionable advice.
This book is for you if you want to improve your daily routines and achieve long-term success (whatever that looks like).
When you understand the science and mechanisms behind habit formation and implement Clear’s strategies, you have the potential to transform your life.
If a 1% improvement is added over a year, things will look very different.
Wishing you a happy, healthy day.
Emily
Kibworth Osteopaths