10 of The All-Time Finest Books on Time-Management and Productivity

Our lives have become increasingly complex. While technology has made various services easily accessible, it also created a burden for us to personally manage many individual tasks leading to lower productivity and poor time management. 

I have discovered throughout the years that reading books has been the most effective approach for finding ways to improve time management and productivity abilities. In this blog, I’ve provided you with a list of the top 10 time management and productivity books that I’ve found really helpful.

 1. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change” by Stephen R. Covey

The book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” which was first released in 1989, is frequently cited as the one to read if you want to increase your productivity on both a professional and personal level. Instead of stressing about breaking bad habits, it places more emphasis on creating new ones that will make the process easier. Most importantly, set objectives and goals for yourself.

Covey provides an illustration to help you determine what is truly important: you put rocks, pebbles, and sand into a jar. The rocks won’t fit if you place the smaller items first, like the pebbles or sand. The lighter objects can be placed around the rock and around it in the jar if you start with it.

2. “How to Stop Procrastinating: A Simple Guide to Mastering Difficult Tasks and Breaking the Procrastination Habit” by S.J. Scott

This is a book you can add to your to-read list if you struggle with procrastination. The practical advice in “How to Stop Procrastinating” will help you develop an action-oriented mindset. Additionally, Scott discusses the key causes of procrastination and shares his own experiences on how he overcomes it.

Personally, I liked how simple this book was. The given guidance is not overly complicated. Simply put, it guides you on the sequence to follow while performing tasks.

3.”Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” by Brian Tracy

If your procrastination is still a problem, “Eat That Frog!” should be able to assist you. Author Brian Tracy explains why and how you should take on your most difficult assignment in the morning, drawing on a popular Mark Twain proverb that goes, “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Tracy also offers practical time management advice on how to make goals, manage one’s life, using the

 Law of Three (you will find that only three items on your entire to-do list account for 90% of your value to your business)

 The 80/20 Rule (the 80/20 rule is a phenomenon that states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes).

4. “The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss

Timothy Ferriss outlines his step-by-step process in his book, “The 4-Hour Workweek”, for anyone who wants to start making a monthly salary of five figures by being more efficient. As a result, you won’t have to succumb to the daily rat race and may instead lead the life you truly desire.

If this sounds too wonderful to be true, Ferriss offers over 50 doable suggestions and case studies that demonstrate how you might live more fully while working less.

5. “Organize Tomorrow Today: 8 Ways to Retrain Your Mind to Optimize Performance at Work and in Life” by Dr. Jason Selk and Tom Bartow

The eight most efficient techniques to maximize your organization are laid out in the book “Organize Tomorrow Today” by business coach Tom Bartow and Dr. Jason Selk, Director of Mental Training for the St. Louis Cardinals. You’ll consequently concentrate on process-oriented objectives that will direct you in making the most of your time and kicking negative habits.

6. “Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity” by David Allen

“Getting Things Done” has grown to be one of the most significant business books of all time since its publication in 2001. It is regarded as the bible of personal organizing. Although Allen has made changes to the book throughout the years, the fundamental idea has not changed. You can organize your thoughts, inspire creativity, and increase productivity when your mind is clear.

7. “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport

“Deep work” – what precisely is that? Cal Newport, a writer, and lecturer define it as, “Professional tasks carried out in a state of undistracted focus that strain your cognitive capacities. These initiatives add additional value, boost your competence, and are challenging to duplicate.”

Getting into this flow is difficult since our world is becoming more and more distracted. The good news is that Newport describes particular disciplines that will alter your behaviors and mindset so that you can focus and get to work right away.

8. “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhigg, an award-winning business reporter, explains how habits function, how to alter current patterns, and how to create new habits using interesting anecdotes and scientific research. We are better positioned to do more than we ever thought possible by concentrating on excellent habits. You can read The Power of Habit if you wish to lay a strong foundation for new habits you want to form.

9. “Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day” by Jake Zeratsky and John Knapp

Despite only being available since September 2018, this book is already considered one of the classics. Zeratsky and Knapp’s warm and inventive strategy was masterfully outlined in “Make Time”. For instance, focus all of your time and energy on one priority per day so that it receives your whole attention.

10. “168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think” by Laura Vanderkam

We all share the same 168 hours each week, in case you didn’t know. How do some people manage to make the most of every minute of this time, then? By studying the true-life experiences of prosperous and content people, best-selling author Laura Vanderkam learned that these people find innovative methods to carve out time for vital things.