Ratio Reads – January Picks – What’s On My Nightstand

New year, new books… well, mostly. This month’s Ratio Reads lineup is a mix of an old favorite and two fresh discoveries, and together, they’re delivering a powerful theme: breaking free from the “shoulds” and building a life (and business) that actually works for you.

Here’s what’s on my nightstand this January:

📖 The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi is my go-to reset every January—helping me rethink routines, streamline decisions, and focus on what actually matters.

📖 Let Them by Mel Robbins is a game-changer for releasing the weight of other people’s expectations and making peace with doing things your way. 

📖 Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee proves that our environments have more influence on our happiness than we realize—and that small changes can lead to big joy.

Every January, as we all navigate the delicate dance between personal and professional “shoulds” coupled with the “it’s a new year so maybe there should be a new me” mentality, I always reread one of my favorite books for approaching decisions and systems (both business and household) – The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi. With my trusty iced coffee and a very well-worn copy of the book, I settle in for my annual refresh of the principles that have transformed not just my home life, but the very way I approach business operations.

This ritual has become more than just a new year tradition – it’s a reminder that the boundaries between personal and professional growth are more permeable than we often admit. After all, the same overwhelm that can crowd our kitchen counters can just as easily overflow into our project management systems. The solutions, I’ve found, often mirror each other in surprising ways.

The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

Key Quotes:

• “The chorus of ‘shoulds’ is loud. You should enjoy the moment, dream big, have it all, get up before the sun, track your water consumption, go on date nights, and be the best.”
• “Be who you are without the complication of everyone else’s ‘shoulds.’ Do what matters, skip the rest, and be a person again.”

Core Principles:

• Decide Once – Make a decision once to eliminate future decision fatigue
• Start Small – Begin with manageable changes that stick
• Ask the Magic Question – What can I do now to make life easier later?
• Live in the Season – Embrace your current season of life.
• Build the Right Routines – Create flexible routines that support your needs rather than following rigid, idealized versions.
• Set House Rules – Establish simple, personalized rules to reduce decision-making
• Put Everything In It’s Place – Have a designated spot for everything.
• Let People In – Prioritize relationships and welcome people into your life as it is
• Batch It – Group similar tasks together
• Essentialize – Focus on what truly matters and eliminate the unnecessary
• Go in the Right Order – Do tasks in the most logical and efficient order and build foundations before adding complexity
• Schedule Rest – Make space for renewal and creativity
• Be Kind to Yourself – Show yourself grace and compassion – progress over perfection!

In my personal life, The Lazy Genius Way revolutionized how I approach everything from meal planning to managing my energy. The principle of “decide once” transformed my morning routine – instead of daily decision fatigue about when to wake up or what to eat for breakfast, I created simple systems that let me focus my energy where it matters most. But what fascinates me is how seamlessly these same principles translate to business operations. When I work with AEC firms, we use “decide once” to streamline project kickoffs, client communications, and team meetings. One of my clients recently applied this principle to her project proposal process – instead of reinventing the wheel each time, we created a template system that maintains quality while reducing stress. The magic of The Lazy Genius Way isn’t just in its individual principles; it’s in recognizing that being “genius about what matters and lazy about what doesn’t” works whether you’re organizing your pantry or structuring your firm’s operations.

Additional Resources:

• Join The Lazy Genius Collective on Facebook
• Listen to The Lazy Genius Podcast

Let Them by Mel Robbins

Key Quotes:

• “What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words?”
• “The problem isn’t you. The problem is the power you give to other people.”
• “The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands.”

Core Principles:

• Stop wasting energy on things you can’t control
• Break free from fear and self-doubt
• Release the grip of people’s expectations
• Define your own path to success
• Build resilience against everyday stressors

The Let Them Theory has been transformative in both subtle and profound ways. Personally, it helped me release the grip of constant comparison and others’ expectations about everything from how I spend my weekends to what success should look like. This mental freedom created space for more intentional choices about how I want to live. In my business practice, this principle has become a powerful tool for helping women-led AEC firms break free from industry “shoulds.” I’ve watched clients transform their businesses by letting go of traditional office hours, conventional project management approaches, or standard pricing models that didn’t serve them. One client recently redesigned her entire client onboarding process based not on industry standards, but on what actually worked for her team and clients. The result? Higher client satisfaction and less team stress. “Let them and let me” becomes a compass for authentic decision-making in both life and business.

Additional Resources:

• Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee

Key Quotes:

• “Have you ever wondered why we stop to watch the orange glow that arrives before sunset, or why we flock to see cherry blossoms bloom in spring?”
• “The seemingly mundane spaces and objects we interact with every day have surprising and powerful effects on our mood.”
• “The natural vibrancy of our surroundings is actually our most renewable and easily accessible source of joy.”

Core Principles:

• Environment shapes emotion and productivity
• Joy is not a luxury – it’s essential to well-being
• Physical spaces affect our inner state
• Design can foster acceptance and delight
• Small changes can have powerful effects

Discovering Joyful has been like finding the missing piece in both personal and professional environments. At home, I’ve started intentionally incorporating elements that spark joy – from the way sunlight hits my desk to the satisfying click of my favorite pen. These seemingly small changes have had a remarkable impact on my daily happiness. In my business consulting, this awareness of how environment affects emotion has led to fascinating conversations with AEC clients about both physical and digital workspace design. We’re no longer just organizing files and workflows; we’re creating systems that bring genuine pleasure to use. One client completely revamped her digital project management system, incorporating color psychology and visual harmony principles from Joyful. The result? Her team actually enjoys using their tools, leading to better documentation and smoother projects. Lee’s insights show us that joy isn’t a luxury – it’s a crucial element of effective design, whether we’re arranging our living rooms or structuring our work processes.

Additional Resources:

• Visit the Aesthetics of Joy Blog

Systems Spotlight

These three books have revealed a powerful truth about building successful operations: joy, intention, and personal agency are not luxuries – they’re essential ingredients for sustainable success. The Lazy Genius Way teaches us to be intentional about what matters, The Let Them Theory empowers us to break free from others’ expectations, and Joyful shows us how our environment can support or hinder our best work.

I’m seeing this play out in real time with my AEC clients. One firm owner recently confided that she’d built her project management system based on what she thought a “proper” architecture firm should do. By applying insights from all three books, we transformed her operations:

• We used the Let Them Theory to release the pressure of industry expectations
• Applied Lazy Genius principles to identify what truly mattered for her in both her personal life and in her business
• And incorporated Joyful’s insights to create digital spaces that energize rather than drain

The result? A streamlined system that not only works better but feels better to use. It’s about creating operations that reflect your values, not your industry’s expectations.

Next Up On My Nightstand

I’m particularly excited about my next read – The Plan by Kendra Adachi (yes, our Lazy Genius friend is back with new wisdom!). Given how transformative her first book has been for both my personal systems and client operations, I can’t wait to dive into her latest insights. As someone who helps AEC firms plan and organize their operations, I’m especially curious to see how her approach to planning might bring fresh perspectives to our work.

Your Turn

What’s on your nightstand this month? I’d love to hear what books are inspiring your business journey. And if any of these reads resonated with you, let me know – there’s nothing better than a good book discussion over coffee!

P.S. Some links are affiliate links, which means if you buy a book, I get a few extra cents to fuel my next iced coffee purchase. Win-win! I only recommend books I truly love and use in my own business and with my clients.

Monthly Reading Challenge

As we wrap up this month’s Ratio Reads, I’d love to invite you to join me in a little experiment: Choose one principle from any of these books and apply it to both a personal and professional challenge. Maybe you’ll “decide once” about your meeting schedule, or create a more joyful digital filing system. Share your experience with me – I’d love to hear how these ideas translate into your world.