5 Books for Entrepreneurs Who Want to Grow Their Business Without Burning Out

(or: your cozy reading list for escaping hustle culture and enjoying the slow life 😉 )

If you've been Googling things like "life first business," "anti-hustle entrepreneur," or "how to grow a business without burning out," then first of all... hi, you're in the right place! And second of all, I have a feeling we'd get along really well 🌿 I'm Tara Simone, a fairy god-mentor and life coach for cozypreneurs, and I am SO passionate about helping creative entrepreneurs and small business owners build businesses that actually feel good to run.

One of the easiest ways to start making that shift? Books. Cozy, dog-eared, underlined, and tea-stained books. But not your typical "5am, work harder, bro marketing books". These 5 best books for entrepreneurs feel like a warm hug and gentle nudge towards your goals. If you want to ditch the hustle and build a slower, more intentional, more magical business & life, keep on reading! And, of course, I saved my all-time favorite for last 👀

But first, why we even NEED this list!

Behind every person searching "slow business" or "cozypreneur" is someone who was once, or currently is, overwhelmed, stretched too thin, and burning out.

I've been there too. I actually quit my first business because of burnout. And honestly? If I'd had these books back then, things might have been different. So think of this blog as the reading list I wish someone had handed me 8 years ago and your guide to growing your small business while living a slow life.

So make yourself a cup of tea and let's get into it ☕

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1mxhyBJKFg

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Best Book for Burnout Recovery and Stress Relief: Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski

If you're feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or like no matter what you do you just can't catch your breath, this quick read is for you!

Burnout walks you through how to identify, remove, and actually cope with the stress in your life before it becomes a full-blown burnout spiral. But what I love most about it is how it zooms out to show the bigger picture aka how society, the economy, and the systems around us affect our wellbeing. It takes some of the blame off your shoulders without making you feel powerless to change things in your own life.

One of the most powerful takeaways is the idea of "completing the stress cycle" so it doesn't fester into burnout. And one of the best ways to do that is physical movement! Walking, yoga, weight lifting, even just a dance party in your office after having to call your accountant during tax season 😅 This is one of the reasons why I end each work day by working out and recommend 30 minutes of movement daily to all my clients.

(psst...this is my FAVORITE 4 day a week workout program that is low impact, under 30 minutes, and has the most tranquil set design I've ever seen for a lifting program!)

I don't want to spoil the book for you, so I'll leave you with this quote that I think sums it up pretty well:

"It’s true that rest makes us more productive, ultimately, and if that’s an argument that helps you persuade your boss to give you more flexibility, awesome. But we think rest matters not because it makes you more productive, but because it makes you happier and healthier, less grumpy, and more creative. We think rest matters because you matter. You are not here to be “productive.” You are here to be you, to engage with your Something Larger, to move through the world with confidence and joy. And to do that, you require rest.”

Oh and before you buy it on Amazon, check your local thrift store. I bought this book full price and then found it at a thrift store for $3 the very next day 😭 Learn from my mistakes and shop secondhand first! If you don't have a thrift store near you, check out www.thriftbooks.com to save your wallet and the planet PLUS start earning towards your first FREE book!

Best Book for Escaping Hustle Culture: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

My copy of this book is absolutely covered in dog ears & underlines because there are SO MANY good nuggets I didn't want to forget. Between the real life examples and one-liner powerful reminders, I know you're going to have so many ah-ha moments from this read too!

The one thing that really stuck out to me (and even inspired an Instagram post) was learning on page 16 that we were NEVER meant to be productive in the way modern work culture defines it. The origin of that word was farmers measuring how much food a parcel of land produces. And then in the industrial revolution for how many products came off the assembly line an hour. But for us "knowledge sector" workers aka anyone who does creative, logistical, or brain powered work, it's not easy to measure our input directly to our output. Truthfully, we were never meant to be "productive". We're meant to be creative, innovative, and efficient — but productivity should not be the metric we measure our days, success, or worth by!

But how do you shift from hustling to accomplish more in your business every day to what Cal Newport calls "slow productivity"? He offers 3 principles that I dive more into in the video above!

✨ Do fewer things

✨ Work at a natural pace

✨ Obsess over quality

Sound almost too simple to make a difference, but in practice you'll notice the shift in your mood and energy throughout the day. If you're a small business owner trying to figure out how to do less without falling behind, this one is essential reading.

Best Book for Building Better Business Habits: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Okay, I know this one might feel a little counterintuitive on a slow living list... but hear me out. Your habits make up your routines which create your life. Or as he says it in the book "Habits are like the atoms of your lives. Each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement." And if you can shift your habits at work to be more focused and efficient, you actually create more space for rest and leisure outside of the office.

I also love to affirm and teach that...

"When you are nourished 💪🏻 physically, 🧠 mentally, 🥰 emotionally, 🧘‍♀️ and spiritually, your business flourishes ✨financially.✨"

By learning how to release habits that are no longer serving you, and embody ones that boost your wellbeing, mental clarity, creativity, and happiness, you're improving your business as well. How do you shift those habits though?

One of the most practical tools from this book, that I use personally all the time and with every single one of my clients, is habit stacking. Where you attach a new habit to one you already have so it becomes automatic over time. For example, if you wanted to start taking a walk with your dog 🐾 every morning you could stack that habit with brushing your teeth (something I hope you do every day already lol). So after rinsing your tooth brush and putting it back in the holder, you immediately grab your sneakers, lace up, and head out the door. The habit you already have acts as a mental reminder to do the new one until it's part of your every day routine!

Years ago I had the privilege of hearing James Clear speak, and that concept has been my go-to ever since! If you struggle with things like phone addiction, overworking yourself, or any other unhelpful habits, this book gives you really simple, doable ways to shift things without overhauling your entire life.

Best Book for Entrepreneurial Creativity and Overcoming Fear: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is the one I've gifted to multiple clients and come back to time and time again. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert feels like a warm hug and a gentle nudge at the same time. Yes, it's by the same Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote Eat, Pray, Love. And it also gets a little woo-woo which, honestly I am HERE for it 🌙

Big Magic is essentially the bible on creativity, and I believe creativity is the most underrated asset any entrepreneur has. Whether you're an artist, a coach, a healer, or even an accountant, you are using creativity every single day to market your services, solve problems, and connect with clients. It is what sets you apart from everyone else and allows you to pivot and innovate to stay afloat through the chaos of being an entrepreneur.

The reason I included it on a list of books for cozypreneurs is because of how she describes the inception of a new creative idea:

"But sometimes — rarely, but magnificently — there comes a day when you're open and relaxed enough to actually receive something. Your defenses might slacken and your anxieties might ease, and then magic can slip through."

I don't know about you, but my best ideas never come when I'm sitting behind my desk trying to force them. They pop in my head when I'm out in the garden, taking a shower, or even just driving to the thrift store. (Fun fact: this is because your brain shifts from alpha to beta waves aka the creative zone)

If you're always hustling or scrolling, you're going to miss those ideas that could completely transform your business! This book is your permission slip to slow down and constant reminder that rest is an income-producing activity 💸

Best Book on Rest and Work-Life Balance for Entrepreneurs: Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

As I said, I saved the BEST book for last! Rest, Why You Get More Done When You Work Less is my all time favorite business book and the foundation for the coaching I do with my clients. I even wrote wrote a whole blog about slow living as a solopreneur after reading it (linked below!). And I could honestly do an entire video on this book alone.

The main idea Alex Pang represents is that rest is not a reward for finishing your work. Rest is part of the work.

Pang backs this up with tons of research and real-life examples from some of history's greatest minds — Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill, & Charles Darwin — showing exactly why rest is necessary for long-term success. There's even a study from Microsoft Japan showing that a four-day work week increased productivity by 40%!

They literally got more done by working less. Just like the tagline says 🤯

If you ever feel guilty for relaxing or feel like you can't take a break until everything is done (spoiler: it's never all done), you need this book. Again, I don't want to spoil this amazing read, so I'll leave you with the quote that genuinely altered my brain chemistry:

"If your work is your self, when you cease to work, you cease to exist."

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You are more than your work. More than your offers. More than your income. More than your business or your career. You are a human BEING, not a human doing! But sometimes we all need that reminder and practical tips to help us run a life-first business. Which is why I think you need all of these reads on your book shelf!

psst...here's even MORE cozypreneur reads from www.thriftbooks.com I think you'll love!

So which one are you cozying up with first? Drop it in the comments below, I'd love to know! And if you have a favorite business book that belongs on this list, share that too. I'm always adding to my TBR 📚

Until next time, stay cozy!

magically,