11 Productivity Books to Help You Get Going
Learn how to maximize your potential and achieve all your goals
Do you often take quizzes like “How productive have you been in the past six months” or “What’s your productivity score”?
I must admit, I do not enjoy answering questions like these – mostly because they force me to not just reflect, but also admit that my productivity levels are not as high as they could be. That’s probably the understatement of the year – there’s a lot I can do to improve my productivity. I waste huge swathes of time reading reviews of products I’ll never buy on the internet. I start projects and don’t complete them. I put off things religiously.
If you’re anything like me, I’ve got good news for both of us – the experts have let us in on our secrets! All we need to do is read through the best productivity books out there, and I guarantee we can find a way to boost our efficiency, mental clarity, time management, stress-free productivity, and bid adieu to procrastination and distractions! (Just joking – it takes a lot of practice, accountability and dedication, but the books are definitely a great starting point.)
Best Productivity Books to Check Out
Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is probably a book you've heard of before. The bestselling writer and speaker tells us all about creating habits that make us more productive and effective while eliminating unwanted behavioral traits.
The book is all about less is more -- focus on fewer, more positive habits to achieve more in life. It's great for people who struggle to create and stick to daily routines and make long-term commitments. Our habits define who we are. Make sure you develop good ones!
The best part is, it's short and almost entirely actionable. You'll feel motivated to put the strategies into effect right away!
Deep Work
Deep Work by Cal Newport is another popular book, which shows us how to achieve peak productivity through focused work habits. If you struggle to concentrate on work amid constant distractions from your phone, social media, or people around you, the book can help you find ways to cut the noise and work better.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R Covey is an oldie, first published in 1989, but still holds its own, in the face of all the subsequent deluge of productivity books written in the 90s and 2000s. The book's seven habits are a set of empowering principles aimed at improving effectiveness, managing perceptions, and moving from dependence to interdependence for individual growth and serving others. After all, to date more than 25 million copies of the book have been sold, helping people learn how to balance personal development and professional success.
What’s great about it is, it does not promise quick fixes, but rather gives us a step-by-step guide on aligning actions with principles for long-term productivity.
Getting Things Done
Getting Things Done by David Allen, the book that started the famous GTD (Getting Things Done) Method, is all about personal productivity and accounting. The book explores the importance of recording all your projects and tasks and breaking them down into actionable goals, rather than keeping them all jumbled up in your mind. Having a detailed action plan won’t just help your goal setting and organization, but also help you reduce stress and improve your overall well-being
Free to Focus
Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt is another book about focus, accomplishing more in less time, by improving your work-life balance, and nurturing your relationships and hobbies. The book is for you if you need help with time management, cutting down on tasks, and building momentum to achieve your goals and do the things that you love.
Zen to Done
Zen to Done by Leo Babauta (yes, of Zen Habits fame) helps create a simple productivity system to get work done without stressing out. With some behavioral changes, a better to-do list, and limited distractions, we can see extraordinary results in our productivity.
Essentialism
Essentialism by Greg McKeown offers practical advice about the disciplined pursuit of focusing your energies on your most important tasks. Instead of trying to multitask or manage everything at once, simply cut down your to-do list to only focus on essential goals till you achieve them. A great read for people who need help with prioritization.
The One Thing, by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, also protests against the habit of multi-tasking, and promotes focus on one thing at a time. The surprisingly simple truth about achieving extraordinary results is by focusing on 'the ONE thing' that truly matters. Bouncing between tasks often leaves work unfinished, so, you’d be better off seeing each task to completion before moving on, says the book.
Limitless, by Jim Kwik
Limitless by Jim Kwik aims to help us embrace success with a more positive mindset, by replacing self-doubt and negative thoughts with a focus on what's truly achievable. When you let go of limiting beliefs and aim for the unattainable, your chances of success improve greatly.
The 4-Hour Workweek, by Tim Ferris
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss is all about working less and enjoying life more -- but that doesn't mean you don't achieve things! In fact, the 4-Hour Workweek was one of the books that pioneered the Lifestyle Design movement, breaking out of the mould of the traditional belief of the deferred life-plan, and providing a blueprint for a completely new model of success. While not exactly a book on productivity, it provides a wealth of anecdotes and advice on delegation, focus, and increasing your income, and is well worth including in our list!
Feel-Good Productivity
Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal breaks the myth of grind being the secret to productivity. If you feel good about what you're doing, you automatically get better and more efficient at it, so you feel accomplished and can simply boost productivity by taking up more enjoyable work.
How To Choose The Right Productivity Book for You
Now, our list of favorite productivity books here is ready, but how do we pick one book to start with? Here are some factors to keep in mind:
Alignment to Principles
Productivity means different things to different people. For some, it’s time management, while for others, it’s a focus on good habits and getting rid of bad habits. Whatever aspect of productivity you want to focus on, make sure the book you’re reading fits with it by prioritizing only what is essential.
This is not to say, you can’t explore all the productivity books and techniques out there – there’s always room for improvement. But when you’re making a start, it’s useful to have a book with concepts you can immediately relate to!
Access and Availability
All the books listed should be easy to find and buy anywhere in the world, or on Kindle. But just on the off chance that you can't find it, look for similar books. Oftentimes, more than one author deals with the same idea or writing concept, so don't sweat it if you can't get the title right away!
Usefulness
Your productivity book is meant to help you get more efficient and limit distractions, not become one itself! Schedule a time and target for reading it every day, so it doesn't take away from other work.
How BaaS Helps You Stay Productive
Looking for even more help to boost your mental performance and productivity? Why not join Boss as a Service? Our human Bosses are here to keep you accountable to all your goals, and we have lots of tips and tricks to help with time management, organization and focus.
Final Thoughts
Read what the experts say on productivity to boost your efficiency and achieve your goals.
Want to find some more book recommendations? Check some other lists here: