Whether it’s January 1st or August 1st, it’s never too late to set out to accomplish something. From the beautifully illustrated to the creatively written, and the classically loved to the amusingly offbeat, here’s a look lock at a list of books we recommended to inspire our team (and hopefully you) to reach their goals.
MINDFULNESS, CLARITY & DISCIPLINE
1. “Working on practicing mindfulness! Got the app Waking Up to help me hone the powers of meditation.” - Lauren Lu, Designer
Well Designed Life: 10 Lessons in Brain Science & Design Thinking for a Mindful, Healthy, & Purposeful Life by Kyra Bobinet MD MPH
2. “In 2019, I'm trying to turn our kitchen table at home into a sacred place. No lingering mail piles! No computers pushed off to the side! A safe harbor -- free of distraction.” - Caroline Turnbull-Doran, Design Researcher
New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living by Cary Telander Fortin and Kyle Louise Quilici
3. “I've realized that the most precious asset we have and can control is our TIME. I'm doing everything I can to optimize and balance my schedule with all of my commitments. Also, I've been slowly writing a book for the past couple of years that I'm going to finish in 2019." - David Knies, Chief Growth Officer
An Illustrated Guide to Self-Discipline: 50 Habits to More Self-Control, Success, and Satisfaction in Life by Martin Meadows (Author), Tamara Antonijevic (Illustrator)
4. “Reduce my environmental impact - less trash and recycling, less stuff purchased, less waste.” - Peter McNulty, Engineer
How to Thrive in the Next Economy: Designing Tomorrow's World Today by John Thackara
5. “I’m in survival mode....There’s all these things that I know I need to do, but if I make something a resolution it’s not going to happen.” - Tammy Newman, Business Manager
How to Make Sh*t Happen: Make more money, get in better shape, create epic relationships and control by Sean Whalen
CREATIVITY & DISCOVERY
6. “My goal was to get a new job, but I got that early! I love working with my new colleagues and want to facilitate more workshops with them.” - Corey Dinopoulos, Senior Designer
Creative Workshop: 80 Challenges to Sharpen Your Design Skills by David Sherwin
7. “I want to learn how to use the CNC machine. It’s this awesome tool that I haven't worked with, and I like knowing how to use every tool that's at my disposal.” - Jason Cooper, Design Manager
CNC Milling in the Workshop by Gary Rohrbacher and Anne Filson
8. “There is so much I want to do this year. But, I'm going to go easy on myself and make it vague, by saying make something outside of work. I'm not ready to name what. This could mean making something awesome out of the rolls of leather I've stashed up. Or something more adventurous that I've dreamed up.” - Juli Miller, Principal Designer
The Art of Tinkering by Karen Wilkinson and Mike Petrich
9. “Be somewhere I have never been. Do something I have never done.” - Xuefei Yang, Design Intern
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton
PARENTING & PLAY
10. “I got my daughter a balance bike for Christmas, so teaching her how to use that.” - Evan Hutker, Senior Designer
Design & Play: Imagination Needs Places to Thrive by Sam Aquillano and Amanda Hawkins
11. “Survive... If I can get my kids through the year without beating each other up, I’ll call it a success.” - Mark Matthews, Industrial Designer
Design for Children: Play, Ride, Learn, Eat, Create, Sit, Sleep by Kimberlie Birks
EATING, EXERCISE & FITNESS
12. “To eat healthier and get into better shape, and not lose track of that throughout the year.” - Felicia Chancy, Studio Administrator
Run Fast. Eat Slow.: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes by Shalane Flanagan, Elyse Kopecky, Alan Weiner
13. “To run three half marathons! I ran my first one last year and, while three is ambitious, I’m ready to dive right in.” - Katja Lierhaus, Engineer
Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson (Author) with a forward by Malcolm Gladwell
14. “I’m training for my first marathon, so I just hope to finish it!” - Michael Le, Design Intern
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
15. “Workout and cook more! Exercising regularly and eating good food will be the best way to keep healthy… and get ready for a beach body.” - Taehak Kwon, Designer
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat (Author), Wendy MacNaughton (Illustrator)
READING, WRITING & DRAWING
16. “Read an entire book… that’s my goal.… just any book” - Kurt Maw, Principal Engineer
101 Things I Learned® in Engineering School by John Kuprenas and Matthew Frederick
17. “Send a postcard a week. Keep snail mail alive!” - Gina Gritzuk, Senior Design Researcher
To the Letter: A Celebration of the Lost Art of Letter Writing by Simon Garfield
18. “Pictures and words! I want to work on my visual and verbal storytelling.” - Leahanna Savain, Marketing Specialist
Design Is Storytelling by Ellen Lupton
19. “To read more. Take the time to give my brain some ‘food’.” - Tara Kovalik, Designer
Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World by Maryanne Wolf
We're always looking for talented people to work with us. Visit our Careers Page to see open roles in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, Design Research, and User Experience.
