From mindfulness to small habits, through novels and philosophy, a selection of readings to transform your return into an opportunity to rethink your balance
The problem of returning is not just going back to work, but the speed with which, in the space of a few days, everything that during the holidays finally seemed possible – sleeping better, reading more, having time for yourself, leaving space for thoughts without filling every minute – is once again absorbed by diaries, notifications and deadlines. This is why September, rather than the month of good intentions, can become the month of choices: not necessarily changing your life, but deciding which habits are worth carrying with you beyond the summer and which automatisms, however, would be better not to recover at all.
Reading can be one of these small fixed points, not as an exercise in discipline but as a daily space to defend, whether it is ten minutes in the morning, an audiobook on the way to work or a few pages before sleeping. From this idea was born the selection proposed by Rakuten Kobo for the return, which crosses mindfulness, personal growth, well-being and rediscovery of time for oneself, with books designed to accompany the transition from the summer break to everyday life without transforming it into yet another race against time.
Starting again, but without starting from scratch
Among the titles chosen is All we need to do is eat the wind of Gianluca Gottowhich crosses spiritual research, the desire for freedom and that fear of really getting involved in life that often emerges precisely in moments of change. It is instead more directly oriented towards relationships with others The Theory of Letting Go by Mel Robbinsa guide built around the need to free ourselves from the weight of expectations, judgments and behaviors that we cannot control.
It moves on the terrain of habits Atomic Habits. Small habits for big changes by James Clearwhich over the years has become one of the reference texts for those who want to change behaviors and routines starting not from sudden revolutions, but from minimal and repeatable gestures. An approach that fits perfectly into the logic of returning: not changing everything on the first Monday in September, but starting with something that can really last.
The theme of restart also runs through One gram of happiness a day by Siri Østlia novel that focuses on friendship, sharing and the ability to find new colors in the most complex passages, while Let happiness happen by Anna De Simone and Ana Maria Sepe addresses well-being from an emotional education perspective, intertwining psychology, scientific references and practical exercises to learn to recognize what you feel without being overwhelmed by it.
Then there is philosophy, not as an abstract exercise but as a tool to bring back into everyday life. In Take it philosophicallyAndrea Colamedici and Maura Gancitano look to ancient thought to think about performance anxiety, disorientation, the need for control and the search for a personal center, themes that return with an almost mathematical punctuality in the transition from holidays to full operation.
From mindfulness to the present time
For those who want to shift attention to the present, the selection includes The Power of Now. A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tollebuilt around the idea that the present moment is the only space in which it is truly possible to act, and The paths of meditation by Dejanira Badawhich tries to bring order between meanings, interpretations and diffusion of mindfulness.
The more unusual it is Meditating with animals by Roberto Ferrariwhich intertwines biology, eastern philosophy and meditation through eight exercises inspired by the animal world, while Long-lived, healthy and happy by Damiano Galimberti broadens the discussion to well-being over time, addressing nutrition, physical activity, emotions and biorhythms.
The line that unites very different books is, ultimately, the same: the return not as an abrupt interruption of the summer time, but as a transition phase in which to maintain at least part of what the holidays have brought back, be it greater attention to oneself, less haste, more concentration or simply the ability to give oneself half an hour without notifications.
The eReader also enters the routine
Alongside the titles, Kobo accompanies the campaign dedicated to returning with a promotion on Kobo Clara BWavailable from August 20th to September 2nd 149.99 euros instead of 169.99 euros. The idea is to include reading even in the moments normally absorbed by travel and the commitments of the day, transforming it into an easily accessible break and not necessarily into an appointment to be cut out only when everything else is finished.
Because perhaps the real luxury of returning does not consist in being able to maintain the rhythm of the holidays, which is almost always impossible, but in not immediately forgetting what that rhythm had taught. And if ten minutes, a few pages or a chapter listened to on the subway are enough to prevent September from becoming synonymous with running again, then starting again can mean something different from simply returning to the starting point.
