In today’s world, one needs to work fast. Productivity is now an essential ingredient for success in any sphere of activity, whether as a professional who has experience or as one with just entering the labor market. You will find a way to work smarter rather than harder. However, given that there are hundreds of books written on productivity, which should you start with? Here are the 10 best productivity books that will maximize your time, energy, and focus.
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Now let’s take a dive into these high-powered reads ideal for the modern professional bent on getting every last ounce from every minute.
1. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Why You Need To Read This: The book is a total game-changer if you are looking to develop better habits and break some bad ones. James Clear goes very deep into the science behind habit formation, making it simple enough to understand, but much more importantly, it’s applied in real life.
Takeaway: Make small adjustments that add up to a great deal. From tiny increments, you may be able to build your way into something huge.
Find it: Paperback, Kindle, Audible
2. “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport
Why You Should Read It: If you feel like you cannot concentrate in this busy world, Cal Newport’s “Deep Work” shows you how to get control over your concentration. Such a book focuses much on deep time for intense, un-divided work.
Takeaway: Create “deep work” time in the schedule for things that require the total focus of your energies. This will make one productive in the long-run.
3. “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” by David Allen
Why Read it: GTD methodology developed by David Allen has always been one among the productivity gurus to many, for many years. Here you will discover how you can keep and manage all your tasks effectively so nothing slips through a crack.
Takeaway: The mind clears with a sorted and simplified activity, thereby having an effective mindset that thinks over prioritized things only.
Where to find: Paperback, Kindle
Why Read It: Tracy’s timeless “eat the frog” metaphor challenges readers to eat the frog first. It’s a fast read, replete with practical tips to break procrastination.
Take Away: Eat your frog first by doing your toughest task so that you can get them done and out of the way and stay on track.
Find it on: Paperback, Audible
5. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey
Why You Should Read It: This is one of those personal classics when it comes to personal and professional development, dealing with habits that anybody for success needs to develop. According to Covey, a timeless approach still makes quite a lot of sense and is still relevant today.
Key Takeaway: In pursuing habits which help in improving your productivity at work, also aim to develop habits that balance pretty well with a fulfilling life in all aspects.
Where: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle
Read more about: Top 5 Online Platforms for Personal and Professional Development
6. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
Why Read: Charles Duhigg is going to take you into the depths of psychology about habits so that you understand how people form habits and how they change the same. For anybody studying the power of habit loops, this book is sure to be much interesting.
Takeaway: Understand what habits you already are doing, how to modify cues and rewards, and assist in developing routines into productivity habits.
Where: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
7. “Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day” by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
Why You Should Read It: This book is a practical guide by former Google designers on managing daily energy and focus. The book is full of techniques that help you understand what matters most.
Takeaway: Create a daily “highlight” that is your focus and eliminate distractions so you are moving forward.
Available in: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
8. “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown
Why You Need to Read It: In this world that has become an addict of “more,” McKeown posits that the heart of success lies in doing less, but better. For those with a lot of work and responsibilities, this book will be perfect.
Bottom line: Streamline your list and focus on only musts that will make a dent.
Available in: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
9. “Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
Why Read It: Continuation of his first book on productivity, Duhigg helps his readers perfect their productivity from what he has learned from neuro-sciences, psychologies, and behavioral science in this book.
Takeaway: Simple adjustments in goal setting and prioritization can make a difference to your productivity.
Available in: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
Why Read It: This is one book a person must read and know well to narrow down his or her concentration on “one thing,” which would then make everything else easier or unnecessary. Anyone looking at honing in on what really matters should read it.
Takeaway: Pick just one single most important thing that you must do in your day and do it.
Find it in: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, Audible
Apply What You’ve Learned
The most important thing is to put into practice the ideas that you read in the books. To get you going, tools like Notion and Evernote would be helpful to implement a to-do list and help in managing projects hence tracking the insights you would draw from each book.
Example
Use Notion for your “Productivity Hub” to summarize your takeaways and plan out your daily goals.
Catch quotes, insights, and personal thoughts you can collect using Evernote so that you have all your references as easily accessible.
Serious productivity mastery is possible if one chooses any of these books and tools.
