Recommended Reading from Ncourage Bookshelf

A curated collection of books I often recommend to clients, leaders, and anyone interested in thriving at work and in life. These are evidence-based, practical, and deeply insightful — the ones I return to again and again.

Many are available in English and Dutch. If you have a book you’d recommend that’s helped you let us know.

Recommended Reading from Ncourage Bookshelf

A curated collection of books I often recommend to clients, leaders, and anyone interested in thriving at work and in life. These are evidence-based, practical, and deeply insightful — the ones I return to again and again.

Many are available in English and Dutch. If you have a book you’d recommend that’s helped you let us know.

Work & Well-being

Books on building healthy workplaces, finding meaning in work, and working with focus and flow.

Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & George Ward

A research-based guide to why workplace well-being is not just “nice to have,” but essential for performance, retention, and innovation.

Gelukkig Werken

Onno Hamburger

A practical workbook and guide to creating more happiness and engagement at work, with practical exercises you can apply right away.

Deep Work

Cal Newport

A manifesto for regaining focus in an age of distraction — perfect for professionals who want to do meaningful work without burning out.

Getting Things Done

David Allen

The gold standard for personal productivity. Simple, clear systems to get mental clutter out of your head and focus on what matters.

Slow Productivity
Slow Productivity

Cal Newport

In a world filled with constant distractions, this book stresses the importance of cultivating a “deep work ethic”. An insightful and practical guide for enhancing productivity and achieving goals. Readers may appreciate Newport’s emphasis on quality over quantity and his strategies for avoiding burnout in a busy world.

Work & Well-being

Books on building healthy workplaces, finding meaning in work, and working with focus and flow.

Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & George Ward

A research-based guide to why workplace well-being is not just “nice to have,” but essential for performance, retention, and innovation.

Gelukkig Werken

Onno Hamburger

A practical workbook and guide to creating more happiness and engagement at work, with practical exercises you can apply right away.

Deep Work

Cal Newport

A manifesto for regaining focus in an age of distraction — perfect for professionals who want to do meaningful work without burning out.

Getting Things Done

David Allen

The gold standard for personal productivity. Simple, clear systems to get mental clutter out of your head and focus on what matters.

Slow Productivity
Slow Productivity

Cal Newport

In a world filled with constant distractions, this book stresses the importance of cultivating a “deep work ethic”. An insightful and practical guide for enhancing productivity and achieving goals. Readers may appreciate Newport’s emphasis on quality over quantity and his strategies for avoiding burnout in a busy world.

Stress, Resilience & Mental Health

Practical tools for managing stress, worry, and emotional well-being.

Rewire Your Anxious Brain

Catherine Pittman & Elizabeth Karle

Explains how anxiety works in the brain and gives step-by-step techniques to calm the amygdala and retrain your thought patterns.

The Happiness Trap

Russ Harris

An accessible introduction to Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Learn how to stop struggling with difficult thoughts and create a values-driven life.

The Gifts of Imperfection

Brene Brown

Encourages wholehearted living and self-compassion — a must-read for anyone who struggles with perfectionism or shame.

Stress, Resilience & Mental Health

Practical tools for managing stress, worry, and emotional well-being.

Rewire Your Anxious Brain

Catherine Pittman & Elizabeth Karle

Explains how anxiety works in the brain and gives step-by-step techniques to calm the amygdala and retrain your thought patterns.

The Happiness Trap

Russ Harris

An accessible introduction to Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Learn how to stop struggling with difficult thoughts and create a values-driven life.

The Gifts of Imperfection

Brene Brown

Encourages wholehearted living and self-compassion — a must-read for anyone who struggles with perfectionism or shame.

Lifestyle & Brain

Science-based guidance for protecting your brain, memory, energy, and health throughout life.

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

Eye-opening research on the power of sleep for memory, mood, and physical health. It might just change how you prioritize bedtime.

Take a Nap! Change Your Life

Sara Mednick & Mark Ehrman

A practical guide to the science of napping — including when and how long to nap for maximum benefit to mood, alertness, and health.

The Menopause Brain

Lisa Mosconi

Explores how hormonal changes affect the female brain and what women can do to support cognitive and emotional well-being through midlife.

The New Menopause

Mary Claire Haver

A practical, empowering guide to navigating menopause with knowledge, nutrition, and self-advocacy.

Lezen, Weten en Niet Vergeten

Mark Tigchelaar

Smart techniques for reading faster, remembering more, and applying what you learn — great for knowledge workers and lifelong learners.

The Blue Zones Solution

Dan Buettner

Lessons from the world’s longest-lived communities on how to eat, move, and live for vitality and longevity.

Focus
Focus

Mark Tigchelaar & Oscar de Bos

A practical guide to improving focus, concentration and cognitive performance in a world full of distractions. Clear techniques and relatable examples make it easy to translate the ideas into everyday work and life.

Lifestyle & Brain

Science-based guidance for protecting your brain, memory, energy, and health throughout life.

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

Eye-opening research on the power of sleep for memory, mood, and physical health. It might just change how you prioritize bedtime.

Take a Nap! Change Your Life

Sara Mednick & Mark Ehrman

A practical guide to the science of napping — including when and how long to nap for maximum benefit to mood, alertness, and health.

The Menopause Brain

Lisa Mosconi

Explores how hormonal changes affect the female brain and what women can do to support cognitive and emotional well-being through midlife.

The New Menopause

Mary Claire Haver

A practical, empowering guide to navigating menopause with knowledge, nutrition, and self-advocacy.

Lezen, Weten en Niet Vergeten

Mark Tigchelaar

Smart techniques for reading faster, remembering more, and applying what you learn — great for knowledge workers and lifelong learners.

The Blue Zones Solution

Dan Buettner

Lessons from the world’s longest-lived communities on how to eat, move, and live for vitality and longevity.

Focus
Focus

Mark Tigchelaar & Oscar de Bos

A practical guide to improving focus, concentration and cognitive performance in a world full of distractions. Clear techniques and relatable examples make it easy to translate the ideas into everyday work and life.

Work Culture & Working Together

Books on understanding workplace culture, strengthening collaboration and creating the conditions for people and teams to work well together.

The Culture Map

Erin Meyer

Essential reading for anyone working across cultures. Explains how communication, decision-making, and trust differ globally — and how to bridge the gaps.

4 Stages of Psychological Safety
4 Stages of Psychological Safety

Timothy R. Clark

Clark explores the concept of “psychological safety” in the work place and the benefits it brings to teams and organizations. A practical framework for understanding how to create the conditions for people to belong, learn, contribute and challenge. Clark uses examples and case studies to show how psychological safety shapes collaboration, innovation and team performance.

Work Culture & Working Together

Books on understanding workplace culture, strengthening collaboration and creating the conditions for people and teams to work well together.

The Culture Map

Erin Meyer

Essential reading for anyone working across cultures. Explains how communication, decision-making, and trust differ globally — and how to bridge the gaps.

4 Stages of Psychological Safety
4 Stages of Psychological Safety

Timothy R. Clark

Clark explores the concept of “psychological safety” in the work place and the benefits it brings to teams and organizations. A practical framework for understanding how to create the conditions for people to belong, learn, contribute and challenge. Clark uses examples and case studies to show how psychological safety shapes collaboration, innovation and team performance.

Career, Life Phase & Motivation

Books for reflecting on purpose, growth and how we navigate different phases of our working lives and lives more broadly.

Dagboek van de Ziel

Boris Groys

A reflective and poetic exploration of meaning, purpose, and the inner life — perfect for slowing down and looking inward.

From Strength to Strength
From Strength to Strength

Arthur C. Brooks

An insightful exploration of how our strengths, ambitions and sources of fulfilment can change as we move through life and career. Brooks combines research and practical ideas for navigating these transitions and finding new ways to contribute and thrive.

Designing your life
Designing your life

Bill Burnett and David Evans

A practical approach to creating a meaningful and fulfilling life using the principles of design thinking. It includes practical exercises and tools to help readers explore different possibilities, test assumptions and actively shape a life that fits their values, interests and priorities.

Career, Life Phase & Motivation

Books for reflecting on purpose, growth and how we navigate different phases of our working lives and lives more broadly.

Dagboek van de Ziel

Boris Groys

A reflective and poetic exploration of meaning, purpose, and the inner life — perfect for slowing down and looking inward.

From Strength to Strength
From Strength to Strength

Arthur C. Brooks

An insightful exploration of how our strengths, ambitions and sources of fulfilment can change as we move through life and career. Brooks combines research and practical ideas for navigating these transitions and finding new ways to contribute and thrive.

Designing your life
Designing your life

Bill Burnett and David Evans

A practical approach to creating a meaningful and fulfilling life using the principles of design thinking. It includes practical exercises and tools to help readers explore different possibilities, test assumptions and actively shape a life that fits their values, interests and priorities.

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