Mudita’s Community-Curated Wintertime Reading List

Thoughtful reads, recommended by our Mudita community

Winter has a way of slowing things down. The days grow shorter, evenings stretch a little longer, and the constant hum of notifications feels louder when everything else gets quieter. It is often in these in-between moments that we start craving depth instead of speed, reflection instead of reaction.

That is why we turned to our Mudita Forum Community.

Rather than assembling another algorithmic “must-read” list, we asked real people to share the books that shaped how they think about attention, technology, simplicity, and intentional living. The response reminded us why community matters, especially when conversations around tech can feel so polarized or isolating.

Here is Mudita’s Curated Wintertime Reading List, built together with our community.

Mudita Kompakt is perfect for a digital detox.

The Mudita Community-Recommended Reads: 

Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up

by Marie Kondo

A gentle and visual extension of Marie Kondo’s philosophy, this book goes beyond decluttering objects and invites readers to rethink their relationship with possessions. It aligns beautifully with mindful living by asking a simple but powerful question: what truly deserves space in your life?

Maria Kondo using the Stolp Faraday Cage

The Circle

by Dave Eggers

A novel that feels uncomfortably close to reality. The Circle explores surveillance, transparency, and the social pressure to be constantly connected. It is a cautionary tale about how convenience, social validation, and technology can quietly erode privacy and autonomy.

The Anxious Generation

by Jonathan Haidt

This book takes a hard look at how smartphones and social media have reshaped childhood, adolescence, and mental health. Haidt combines research with cultural analysis to explore why anxiety has risen so sharply and what we can do to rebuild healthier developmental environments.

READ:Simple ways to take your mind to a calm and happy state

Peace Is Every Breath

by Thich Nhat Hanh

A quiet, grounding read that invites mindfulness into everyday moments. Rather than offering techniques or productivity hacks, this book reminds us that peace is not something to chase. It is something to notice, often right where we already are.

The Attention Fix: How to Focus in a World That Wants to Distract You

by Dr. Anders Hansen

Blending neuroscience with practical insight, this book explains why modern life fragments our attention and what actually helps restore focus. It is approachable, science-based, and especially relevant for anyone feeling mentally scattered by constant digital stimulation.

Simplify: How the Best Businesses in the World Succeed

by Richard Koch and Greg Lockwood

A perspective on simplicity from a business and systems angle. This book explores how removing complexity can lead to better outcomes, clearer thinking, and stronger results. While written for organizations, the principles translate surprisingly well to personal life and tech habits.

Attention Span

by Gloria Mark, Ph.D.

Grounded in decades of research, Attention Span examines how our focus has changed over time and what constant interruptions are doing to our cognitive well-being. It is an eye-opening look at how fragmented attention affects not only productivity, but also stress and emotional resilience.

Irresistible

by Adam Alter

This book dives into the psychology of behavioral addiction, from smartphones to social media and beyond. Alter explains why so many digital experiences are designed to be hard to put down, and what that means for autonomy, habits, and long-term well-being.

Extreme Ownership

by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

A leadership book rooted in responsibility, discipline, and agency. While coming from a military background, many readers find its core message applicable far beyond that context. Taking ownership of choices, habits, and boundaries is a recurring theme that resonates even in conversations about technology use.

A Note from me, the Community Manager :) 

As a small nod back to the incredible Mudita Forum Community that helped shape this list, I would also like to add one book that feels especially relevant to what we are building together.

The Indispensable Community: Why Some Brand Communities Thrive When Others Perish

by Richard Millington

This book explores what makes communities meaningful, resilient, and genuinely valuable to the people within them. It emphasizes trust, shared purpose, and long-term relationships over metrics or scale. In many ways, it reflects what we see happening every day in the Mudita community itself.

Final Thoughts 

Not every recommendation can make it onto a list, and not every reader will agree on every title. That is part of what makes conversations worthwhile. Even when we’re not always on the same page, sharing perspectives helps us think more clearly & live more intentionally.

At Mudita, we believe that community & togetherness still matter, even in a digital age. Perhaps, especially in a digital age.

Thank you to everyone in the Mudita Forum (you know who you are :D ) who shared a book, a thought, or a reason why a particular read stayed with you. 

This list is a reminder that mindful technology use is not about opting out of connection, but about choosing better ones.

Happy reading, wherever you are in the world.

And from all of us at Mudita, Happy New Year!