Over the last decade, our team has read thousands of books trying to increase productivity. There are hundreds of great productivity books out there, but there are also thousands that are just so-so.
We put together a list of our top productivity books. If you’re looking to increase productivity, manage your time better, and increase your happiness – then it’s time to study the art of productivity and make a conscious effort to improve.
If you’re looking to increase productivity and take your life to the next level, we highly recommend these top productivity books.
6 Best Productivity Books That You Need To Read
1. Getting Things Done: the art of stress-free productivity
Since it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has become one of the most influentialbusiness books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. “GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots. The idea of the book is to your mental “to-do” list out of your head and part of some external system, giving you mental clarity and taking your productivity to the next level.
2. The Power of Habit
This book is a classic, being one of the greatest books on habits and productivity ever written. In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize–winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work.
3. Eat That Frog!
Another legendary book that has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide, Eat That Frog! will revolutionize how you look at getting things done. Do you ever feel overwhelmed after making your “To Do” list for the day? Well, you probably should, because there just isn’t enough time for everything on our list – and there never will be. The most successful people in the world don’t try to do everything. They learn to recognize the most important tasks and make sure they get done. There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s probably the worst thing you’ll do all day. This is a metaphor for doing the most challenging task of the day (and probably the one you are most likely to procrastinate on), before all other tasks. Eat That Frog! shows you how to do the tasks that matter most. Not only will you get more done, but you will get the right things done.
4. The Productivity Project
Chris Bailey is a fascinating character, having turned down many lucrative job offers to spend a year immersing himself in a productivity experiment. After obtaining his business degree, he created a blog to chronicle a year-long series of productivity experiments he conducted on himself, where he also continued his research and interviews with some of the world’s foremost experts, from Charles Duhigg to David Allen. Bailey tackled crazy experiments such as sleeping a few hours a night for weeks, completely cutting caffeine and sugar, or living in isolation for 10 days. He was able to get his work week to 90 hours, while maximizing his life. The Productivity Project—and the lessons Chris learned—are the result of that year-long journey. I highly suggest this fascinating read for anyone remotely interest in productivity.
5. Greater Balance, Greater Reward
Author Jeff Kooz entered a stressful environment after college. Like many people, he struggled with obesity, anxiety, and burnout. He tried many popular remedies, but they only led to failure. One day, he experienced an “aha moment” that led to him losing fifty pounds in ninety days and keeping it off for ten years. Following the same five-step system, Kooz has recorded albums in three months and written books in just three days! You too can tap into this powerful problem-solving system. This system is taught through an incredibly human story of a young professional desperately seeking balance that many can relate to. The book then guides you through the five steps that will help you experience your own “aha moment.”
6. The Compound Effect
No gimmicks. No Hyperbole. No Magic Bullet. The Compound Effect is based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny. Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, presents The Compound Effect, a distillation of the fundamental principles that have guided the most phenomenal achievements in business, relationships, and beyond. This easy-to-use, step-by-step operating system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve any desire. “A daily routine built on good habits is the difference that separates the most successful amongst us from everyone else,” Hardy writes. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life, use the power of The Compound Effect to create the success you want.