Productivity is one of those buzzwords that’s been around for a while, but it’s still important to keep up with the latest trends and insights. While there are countless books on productivity out there, here are 15 of my favorites that you should check out:
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck [https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322]
This book is about the power of mindset. It’s a book about how people can change their mindset and achieve success.
It teaches you how to use your mindset to achieve success in life. For example, it teaches you how to think positively and achieve your goals, rather than thinking negatively and giving up when things get tough.
If you want a good overview of the importance of having a positive attitude and mind over matter, this is the book for you!
The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer [https://www.amazon.com/Progress-Principle-Ignite-Engagement-Creativity/dp/142219857X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=48ZURS1SNUNR&keywords=The+Progress+Principle%3A&qid=1657650223&s=books&sprefix=the+progress+principle+%2Cstripbooks%2C540&sr=1-1]
The Progress Principle is a must-read for everyone who works, and it’s especially important for managers. It will help you understand why small wins are so critical to employee engagement, creativity, and productivity.
The book is based on the research of Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer who studied three questions: What makes people feel engaged at work? What creates conditions where creativity flourishes? And how can companies improve their ability to innovate? The Progress Principle answers these questions by showing that progress unlocks intrinsic motivation in employees. According to Amabile and Kramer’s findings:
* “A series of small wins—even those that occur daily—can add up to big gains over time.”
* “It’s not so much what happens as how people perceive what happens.”
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink [https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Motivates-Mindset-Meltdown-Collection/dp/9123985682/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CP6WBBSH7Z7M&keywords=Drive%3A+The+Surprising+Truth+About+What+Motivates+Us+by+Daniel+H.+Pink&qid=1657650274&s=books&sprefix=drive+the+surprising+truth+about+what+motivates+us+by+daniel+h.+pink%2Cstripbooks%2C531&sr=1-1]
In this book, Daniel Pink shares his research on what motivates people to work. He’s discovered that the most successful companies focus on autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This is a great read for anyone who wants to improve their team’s performance by connecting with employees’ natural needs for autonomy and mastery.
If you want your employees to work harder and produce better results, then this book is for you!
Getting Things Done By David Allen [https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0143126563/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QK427OD6SGG8&keywords=Getting+Things+Done+By+David+Allen&qid=1657650332&s=books&sprefix=getting+things+done+by+david+allen%2Cstripbooks%2C533&sr=1-1]
The first two books in this list are about productivity, and this book is no different. Getting Things Done is a classic that’s been around for years, but it’s still just as relevant today as it was when it was first published.
The book focuses on four phases of being productive:
* To-do list creation
* Calendar management
* Filing system organization (this can be physical or digital)
* Capture system organization (this may include things like writing down ideas on paper or using software to keep track of tasks)
Before you start using the GTD method, you should understand why these systems are important. A task management system helps you get your work done faster by making sure nothing falls through the cracks and no deadlines are missed because of a missing piece of information.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport [https://www.amazon.com/SUMMARY-Focused-Success-Distracted-Newport-ebook/dp/B082LWGM7S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13NGOUH6XFJMH&keywords=Deep+Work%3A+Rules+for+Focused+Success+in+a+Distracted+World+by+Cal+Newport&qid=1657650398&s=books&sprefix=deep+work+rules+for+focused+success+in+a+distracted+world+by+cal+newport%2Cstripbooks%2C693&sr=1-1]
If you’re looking for a book that would help you increase your employee productivity, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World is a good choice. The book was written by Cal Newport, who is an Associate Professor at Georgetown University and the author of five other books on topics such as learning, career success, and networking.
In this book, Cal defines deep work as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit.” He argues that many people have lost their ability to do deep work because of the digital age we live in nowadays. In order to combat this problem, he offers some strategies on how you can get better at doing deep work while still keeping up with other aspects of life like family or social commitments.
Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman by Gail Evans [https://www.amazon.com/Play-Like-Man-Win-Woman/dp/076790463X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Play+Like+a+Man%2C+Win+Like+a+Woman+by+Gail+Evans&qid=1657650465&s=books&sr=1-1]
“Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman” by Gail Evans is the perfect book to read if you work in an office environment and want to learn how to be more productive while working. This book will help you understand that being productive at work does not mean simply getting your tasks done as soon as possible, but also being self-aware enough to know what makes you productive on the job.
The author of this book will teach you how to play like a man with your career and win like a woman when it comes time for promotions or raises. It focuses on productivity through networking and building relationships with other employees.
Quiet Leadership by David Rock [https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Leadership-Steps-Transforming-Performance/dp/0060835915/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UY1N49JVF2SY&keywords=Quiet+Leadership+by+David+Rock&qid=1657650524&s=books&sprefix=quiet+leadership+by+david+rock%2Cstripbooks%2C476&sr=1-1]
Quiet Leadership is about how to lead without being loud. The point of the book is that it’s not just about leadership, but also about how to influence people and make sure your ideas get heard. The author uses science and research to back up his claims and provides useful examples from his own experience working with leaders at some of the biggest companies in the world. He also provides practical tips on how you can apply these principles in your own workplace.
Good to Great by Jim Collins [https://www.amazon.com/Good-to-Great-Jim-Collins-audiobook/dp/B003VXI5MS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JPD6MS246B04&keywords=Good+to+Great+by+Jim+Collins&qid=1657650582&s=books&sprefix=good+to+great+by+jim+collins%2Cstripbooks%2C623&sr=1-1]
This book is about how to build a great company, not just an organization. It’s about building something that will last and be around for many years to come. This book provides you with all the tools you need to make sure that your company stays on top of its game for years and decades to come.
Power Questions by Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas [https://www.amazon.com/Power-Questions-Relationships-Business-Influence/dp/B08B7CJM3Z/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MI1LXQBGZB9P&keywords=Power+Questions+by+Andrew+Sobel+and+Jerold+Panas&qid=1657650682&s=audible&sprefix=power+questions+by+andrew+sobel+and+jerold+panas%2Caudible%2C693&sr=1-1]
Power Questions by Andrew Sobel and Jerold Panas is a guide to asking better questions. The premise is simple: if you want to get better answers, ask better questions.
To that end, the book offers many examples of how people have used their skills in asking questions to achieve success in their careers and personal lives. It also includes exercises on how you can use the book’s advice to improve your own communication skills.
The authors emphasize that effective question-asking requires more than just learning how to form correct sentence structures or using specific words; it takes practice, patience, and self-awareness about what kinds of answers you’re looking for as well as who you’re talking with (and why).
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey [https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Anniversary/dp/B086DD5KSJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13WP8TYLYULIS&keywords=The+7+Habits+of+Highly+Effective+People+Stephen+R.+Covey&qid=1657650725&s=audible&sprefix=the+7+habits+of+highly+effective+people+stephen+r.+covey%2Caudible%2C636&sr=1-1]
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is THE book to help you improve your life in general. The 7 habits are: be proactive, begin with the end in mind, but first things first, think win-win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergize and sharpen the saw. It will help you achieve success on a personal level as well as a professional level.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their skills at work or in life!
The 4-Hour Work Week Tim Ferriss [https://www.amazon.com/The-4-Hour-Workweek-audiobook/dp/B000PKG4DM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1M7XMOT0NWZ5U&keywords=The+4-Hour+Work+Week+Tim+Ferriss&qid=1657650771&s=audible&sprefix=the+4-hour+work+week+tim+ferriss%2Caudible%2C572&sr=1-2]
The 4-Hour Work Week is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to work smarter, not harder. This book is about how to make more money with less effort, and it’s all about automation and delegation. The author Tim Ferriss was once a corporate slave who hated his job and wanted more freedom in his life so he decided to automate as much as possible in his business so that he could escape the 9-5.
The 4-Hour Work Week contains a lot of useful information on automating tasks so you can free up your time for other things like taking vacations or spending time with your family.
Execution The Discipline of Getting Things Done Larry Bossidy, Ram Charan, and Charles Burck [https://www.amazon.com/Execution-Discipline-Getting-Things-Done/dp/0609610570/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JEL7JJP52JIU&keywords=Execution+The+Discipline+of+Getting+Things+Done+Larry+Bossidy%2C+Ram+Charan%2C+and+Charles+Burck&qid=1657650817&s=audible&sprefix=execution+the+discipline+of+getting+things+done+larry+bossidy%2C+ram+charan%2C+and+charles+burck%2Caudible%2C697&sr=1-1]
This book focuses on the importance of execution. It’s about getting things done and being able to execute a plan. The authors explain that in order to be successful as an organization, you must have a plan and be able to execute it. If you’re going to be successful, it’s imperative that you can get things done, so this book is all about making sure that happens by having a clear vision and knowing how to take action on your goals.
Great By Choice by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen [https://www.amazon.com/Great-by-Choice-audiobook/dp/B005UJSI7I/ref=sr_1_1?crid=286ITNXJT2MUV&keywords=Great+By+Choice+by+Jim+Collins+and+Morten+Hansen&qid=1657650871&s=audible&sprefix=great+by+choice+by+jim+collins+and+morten+hansen%2Caudible%2C568&sr=1-1]
Great by Choice, by Jim Collins and Morten Hansen, is a book about how to build a great company in uncertain times. It looks at companies that have succeeded even when they were facing difficult environments.
The authors compare this to Mediocre companies that fail because of uncertainty (or don’t learn from their mistakes). They also look at Good companies which do well in predictable environments but can’t survive the inevitable changes caused by unexpected events.
One of the key elements of building a great company is creating what they call an “inner circle” – this is where you surround yourself with people who challenge your assumptions and help you grow as an individual and leader. This may seem obvious but so many leaders don’t take advantage of this opportunity because they are too busy worrying about their own success or legacy instead of making sure everyone else gets what they need to be successful too!
Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness [https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Performance-audiobook/dp/B072JN54R2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HG007XOHRPKC&keywords=Peak+Performance+by+Brad+Stulberg+and+Steve+Magness&qid=1657650917&s=audible&sprefix=peak+performance+by+brad+stulberg+and+steve+magness%2Caudible%2C666&sr=1-1]
Peaking Performance is a book about how to be your best self at work. The authors, Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness have backgrounds in coaching and psychology respectively. They provide readers with insight into how they can improve their mental strength and productivity so that they can perform better at work.
The book is divided into two parts: the first deals with improving energy levels through diet, sleep, and exercise; the second focuses on how to develop an effective mindset that will enable you to reach peak performance in all areas of life (work included). The authors take a holistic approach by combining insights from different fields like neuroscience, sports science, and psychology – all aimed at helping us become our best selves at work. This makes the information easily applicable to anyone’s life whether or not they identify as athletes or even if they don’t consider themselves particularly high-achieving professionals!
The content is easy enough for anyone who hasn’t spent much time studying these areas before yet still provides enough detail for those who are looking for more depth on any particular subject .
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg [https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/]
This is a fantastic book that dives into the science of habit formation and how to use it to create new habits. In addition to being interesting, the ideas and concepts presented in this book are highly practical, teaching us how we can make changes in our lives (and why they’re so hard) by focusing on small actions and routines.
The book is packed with examples of how people have used these principles to build new habits. The best part is that it’s really easy to understand, so anyone can benefit from the ideas presented in this book even if they’re not familiar with psychology or behavioral science. I’ve been looking for a book like this for a long time, and I’m so glad I finally found it. This is definitely going to stay on my bookshelf, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know!
Conclusion
The books listed above are some of the best books on productivity you can read. They come from different perspectives and are all unique in their own way. The key takeaway is to find what works for you and keep reading!