The algorithm served this book up to me. I appreciate cover art, but this one is next-level good. It was going to be my summer read at the lake, but the timetable slipped.

There’s something about books that reach out and grab you right where you are. It came to me at a time when I was questioning my daily habits, looking to bring order and structure to my days. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in many years.

Justin Earley is an attorney living in Richmond. He’s Christian, and his theology is congruent with Catholicism, which helped me really connect to the spiritual dimension that he weaved into the book.

Earley and his wife served in China as missionaries in their early years of marriage. With that mission complete, he came home to attend law school. He paints a vivid and bleak picture of his life after those stressful years. Unable to sleep, he’d medicate with alcohol and sleeping pills. Eventually, he reached his breaking point and sought a new script for his life.

Drawing on his faith, and seeking to bring order to the disorder, he stumbled upon the Rule. A Rule is a governance document developed by Catholic religious communities. It structures the community, shares principles, and organizes the work and life of the community to the greater glory of God. Earley ended up developing a Rule for the modern laity, which he dubbed The Common Rule.

The Rule consists of eight habits, four to be done daily and four to be practiced weekly. They are brilliant in their simplicity, but there’s something else here. Productivity theories focus on optimizing to cram as much as possible into the day. Earley takes a more wholistic track. He recognizes a dynamic of the human person that productivity czars often ignore. Earley weaves a rule that focuses first on the spiritual dimension, and works its way out.

The book remarkable, and the theological tie-ins are refreshing. Earley frequently presents very relatable life situations, and always brings it back to a Scriptural or Theological tenant. He presents a clear vision that’s as practical as it is workable. You can pick up one habit, one at a time, or the whole Rule.

I can’t say enough good things about this book.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-0830845606

Finished reading: The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley 📚