15 Best Productivity Books To Get More Done In Less Time
Do you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to tackle your never-ending list of tasks? Are you struggling to stay on top of things and get everything accomplished? If so, then it might be time for a productivity makeover.
Luckily, there’s a vast selection of productivity books dedicated to helping people reach their full potential and unlock their inner productivity superpower.
From tried-and-true classic strategies to exciting new approaches – this collection brings the best productivity books together in one convenient place. By focusing on your time management, you can experience stress-free productivity and more focused success.
These productivity books help you build good habits in a distracted world, master difficult tasks, beat procrastination, and boost productivity. With a read of about 4 to 5 hours for each book, your time management will increase tremendously with every single book.
15 Best Books About Productivity, Efficiency, And Better Focus
Productivity books are the perfect antidote to feeling constantly busy and overwhelmed. Not only do they offer practical, step-by-step tips on how to make the most of your day, but they also provide a source of inspiration and motivation.
Reading these books allows us to tap into collective wisdom that has been honed over years of personal experience and professional insight. Access to this know-how helps us get into a productive mindset and find personal solutions that draw from tried and tested methods.
This selection of the best productivity books will enable you to discover tools for maximizing efficiency and staying motivated for everyday life, focused success, and business tasks. Let us get started to bring your productivity skills to the next level!
1. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
James Clear – Oct 16, 2018
“A supremely practical and useful book. James Clear distills the most fundamental information about habit formation, so you can accomplish more by focusing on less.”
Mark Manson
Struggling with bad habits? Atomic Habits gives you a scientifically-backed system on how to create, replace and ultimately master good habits. It offers essential strategies to help you break free from the cycle of ineffective behaviors – enabling lasting change leading to remarkable outcomes!
With techniques backed by scientific research, Clear’s new book gives you the power to make great habits an inevitable part of your life and bad ones a thing of the past.
Told in stories from successful people across multiple occupations – Olympic athletes, award-winning artists, business executives, life-saving medical professionals, and star comedians – this read will teach you how to take control and achieve greatness within your field.
Atomic Habits is packed with productivity tips. This productivity book provides the tools and insights to help you reframe your approach to progress and success. By adopting these practices, you can quit smoking, lose weight, and reduce stress – in short, achieve any desired goal!
Read the summary here: Book Summary: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Read Atomic Habits quotes here: 91 Atomic Habits Quotes to Supercharge Your Life
2. Outliers: The Story of Success
Malcolm Gladwell – Jun 7, 2011
“Learn what sets high achievers apart — from Bill Gates to the Beatles — in this #1 bestseller from “a singular talent”.”
New York Times
In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell unlocks the secrets of extraordinary success. From sports stars to business titans, he explains how our environment and upbringing play a critical role in cultivating greatness – inspiring readers with uplifting possibilities for achieving their dreams.
Our focus on high achievers has had us overlooking the most foundational elements necessary to comprehend their success – cultural background, family history, and life experience.
Uncovering these secrets behind some of the world’s top software billionaires, Asian math geniuses, and even The Beatles’ incredible rock group can help us divine how individuals reach such heights.
Read the summary: Book Summary: Outliers By Malcolm Gladwell
3. The Magic of Thinking Big
David J. Schwartz – Apr 2, 1987
Do you want to be successful in your business or career? Then David J. Schwartz is the perfect person to help guide you! His renowned knowledge of motivation could give you the edge needed when it comes time for sales, managing a company, earning money, and time management.
Let this book provide all of the tools necessary for success – information that will help form positive thinking and take actionable steps towards achieving goals!
With the help of The Magic of Thinking Big, countless individuals have experienced improved lives and success. This book offers effective strategies to master your goals, make greater profits, and acquire peace of mind with helpful tips.
Read the summary: Book Summary: The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
Read inspiring quotes: 53 Best Quotes From The Magic Of Thinking Big
4. The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Gary Keller – Apr 25, 2014
“The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan is an easy to read but profound book that helped me to focus on keeping the main thing the main thing in all areas of my life.”Brandon Turner
Want to make the most of your day and life? The ONE Thing is here to help! It provides a simple yet effective approach that can change how you prioritize tasks – at work, home, or even in church. Companies are already taking formal steps such as coaching and workshops due to their success; now, it’s up to us individuals to take advantage of this book.
The ONE Thing can help transform all aspects of your life. Put yourself first – identify one thing that will yield astonishing results in work, home life, vitality, and overall peace of mind. Find out what matters most to YOU so that you can achieve more while having less on your plate.
With a clear plan for success and with a focus on one priority, now is the perfect opportunity to seize this moment with momentum toward an abundant future!
Read the summary: Book Summary: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller
Read inspiring quotes: 35 Quotes From The ONE Thing To Succeed In Any Field
5. Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life
Jim Kwik – Apr 28, 2020
“Jim Kwik knows how to get the maximum out of me as a human being.”
WILL SMITH
Do you want to unlock your brain’s full potential? Jim Kwik, the world-renowned #1 brain coach, has created a step-by-step system for self-improvement – Limitless.
He provides science-based through 25+ years of experience and working with leading professionals in different fields. He field-tests practical techniques to help you improve memory recall, focus better on tasks, speed read & communicate concisely!
Discover how thoughts program our brains like supercomputers; find out what assumptions & habits are holding you back from reaching success while also unlocking positive possibilities through powerful mental reframing exercises.
Unleash your true power today with this inspirational bestseller in the category of productivity books – it’s time to unleash limitless opportunities within yourself!
Read the summary: Book Summary: Limitless by Jim Kwik
Read inspiring Limitless quotes: 29 Limitless Quotes By Jim Kwik To Achieve Your Full Potential
6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R. Covey – May 19, 2020 (first published 1988)
Unlock your highest potential and discover The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Learn from Stephen Covey in this 30th-anniversary edition – a classic book that has impacted presidents, CEOs, educators, and parents for nearly three decades! This game-changing success manual is now more relevant than ever, with new insights included.
With Stephen Covey’s teachings, millions of people are now equipped to take on the challenges ahead with a newfound knowledge, skill set, and improved time management. His wisdom presents us with 7 habits of highly effective people that help cultivate lasting change in our lives – from being proactive instead of reactive to creating interdependence within relationships.
With this groundbreaking model reshaping how habits can be applied today, you’ll have all the tools necessary for success!
Read inspiring quotes: 51 Quotes From The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
7. High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way
Brendon Burchard – Sep 17, 2017
“High Performance Habits shows you what you need to do to achieve your highest potential. It is research-based, immensely practical, and will make a big difference in your life. Brendon Burchard is my high performance coach and I know he can help you.”
Daniel G. Amen
Unlock your fullest potential and become a high performer with Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Habits. These scientifically-backed strategies will help you gain clarity, boost your energy levels, increase productivity and influence, and develop courage in yourself.
With the support of one of the world’s most renowned performance coaches who has spent years researching them firsthand – you can unlock all that these rewarding behaviors have to offer!
This is one of the best books about efficiency, time management, and extreme productivity, and it will help you get more done, lead others better, develop skills faster, or increase your joy and confidence. The habits are illustrated by powerful vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices.
Read the summary: Book Summary: High Performance Habits By Brendon Burchard
8. Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done
Jon Acuff – Sep 12, 2017
New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep, but there is a solution! Achieving your goals doesn’t need to be overwhelming; focus on the process rather than the outcome and allow yourself some grace.
Perfectionism puts unnecessary pressure on our journey toward success, so taking it off will help you stay motivated for longer periods of time.
With hundreds of tried-and-tested strategies from this book at your disposal, following them will make achieving goals easier – they’re also proven to increase success by 43% compared with those who don’t use counterintuitive approaches!
If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.
9. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Jul 1, 2008 (first published 1990)
“Flow is important….The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful challenge.”
New York Times
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, dubbed “the foremost researcher of ‘flow’” by Newsweek magazine, has shown us how to embrace the positive state of flow. In this revised version of his famous work, he reveals that achieving moments of deep joy and creativity can be actively cultivated rather than relying on luck or chance.
Accessing important life lessons through personal reflection will help develop an ‘optimal experience, allowing you to achieve a profound sense of absorption in your day-to-day living
If you’re looking for ways to boost your focus, look no further than Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
This book is packed with strategies and tips on organizing the information around us to find true contentment and unlock our highest potential – giving a major upgrade to the quality of life!
Read the summary: Flow Book Summary – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
10. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
Charles Duhigg – Feb 28, 2012
“Charles Duhigg’s thesis is powerful in its elegant simplicity: confront the root drivers of our behavior, accept them as intractable, and then channel those same cravings into productive patterns. His core insight is sharp, provocative, and useful.”
Jim Collins
Do you want to transform your life completely? The Power of Habit is an essential read that could help. Charles Duhigg, a renowned New York Times business reporter, takes us on an insightful journey with cutting-edge scientific research into the power of habit and how it shapes our lives.
Through this book, you’ll gain groundbreaking knowledge about human nature – empowering yourself for unstoppable transformation – on how to set up the best productivity habits.
Habits are the secret to success, and learning how they work can help us personally and professionally. The right habits have enabled iconic figures like Michael Phelps, Howard Schulz, and Martin Luther King Jr make remarkable achievements in their respective fields.
We explore some of these inspiring stories, including those from Procter & Gamble, Target superstores, Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church NFL locker rooms, etc., and discover that by taking control of our own habits, we too can reach great heights both at home & office!
Read the book summary: Book Summary: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Read inspiring The Power of Habit quotes: 38 The Power of Habit Quotes To Change Your Life
11. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Cal Newport – Jan 5, 2016
“DEEP WORK makes a compelling case for cultivating intense focus, and offers immediately actionable steps for infusing more of it into our lives..”
Adam M. Grant
Want to feel more successful and accomplished at work? Deep Work can help! It’s all about taking the time you need, free of distractions, to dedicate yourself fully to a challenging task.
Unfortunately, this skill has been lost recently, with people opting for quick bits of information instead – but it is possible to regain control over your focus once again. Make deep working part of your daily routine and see just how powerful you can be!
From quitting social media to developing an ability to focus in a world of constant distraction, Deep Work offers powerful insight into how cultivating and maintaining a deep work ethic is the key ingredient for professional success.
Written by Cal Newport, this mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice provides four easy-to-follow rules that will help you hone your skills while dealing with boredom at the same time!
Read the summary: Book Summary: Deep Work by Cal Newport
12. The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich
Timothy Ferriss – Apr 24, 2007
“The most surprising self-help hit of the decade.”
Men’s Journal
Now more than ever, it’s time to take control of your financial security and create the life that you truly desire. With The 4-Hour Work Week as a comprehensive guidebook to transforming your finances, there is no limit on what you can achieve – whether it be escaping the corporate grind or traveling across continents while receiving an income stream with minimal effort.
Dare yourself today: uncover limitless freedom through mastering responsible wealth management!
Discover time management strategies for outsourcing tasks and saving up to 50% of work time in as little as two days – all while traveling around the world without quitting your job. Unlock these secrets and more with this extraordinary step-by-step guide today!
This new and updated edition offers more than 50 practical suggestions, including more than 50 tips on how to live the dream.
Read the summary: Book Summary: The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
13. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Greg McKeown – Apr 15, 2014
Feeling like your life is overwhelmed? Struggling to be productive while being pulled in different directions? If so, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less can help.
Discover how this approach puts time back in your hands, teaching you which tasks are vital and helping you eliminate what’s not – leading to stress-free productivity without sacrificing leisure or peace of mind.
Choosing what is essential allows us to reclaim our decision-making power over where we channel time and energy – no more permission slips granted on autopilot! This must-read book offers a different perspective, one of doing less but better in all areas of life.
Take back control with this innovative way to tackle the day ahead.
Read the summary: Book Summary: Essentialism by Greg McKeown
14. Eat That Frog! Action Workbook: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
Brian Tracy – Jul 24, 2017 (first published 2007)
Brace yourself; the toughest challenge of your day awaits. By tackling it first, you’ll set a mentality to take on anything else that comes at you head-on! This strategy is known as eating “the frog” and can have an amazing impact on how productive – and content – your life will be.
With this book, you’ll discover how decision-making, self-discipline, and determination are vital in making the most of every day by focusing on essential tasks first.
Eat That Frog! is a workbook with 21 actionable steps to help you overcome procrastination, improve your focus, and enhance your productivity with extraordinary results.
Read the summary here: Book Summary: Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy
Read inspiring quotes: 45 Eat That Frog Quotes For More Success
15. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
David Allen – Dec 31, 2002
In today’s ever-changing world, traditional approaches to productivity are no longer adequate. In Getting Things Done, David Allen presents you with powerful tactics and practical advice on how to lead a stress-free life while achieving peak performance in everything you do.
Drawing from his decades of experience as an adviser and mentor for thousands of people around the globe, this book teaches simple but effective strategies like organizing your thoughts so your mind remains clear – something which is essential if one wants to reach their full creative potential.
Through its pages, Allen shows us how we, too, can learn the art of getting things done effectively — it’s time for you to take charge and become productive without being overwhelmed by anxiety or overworking yourself. In Getting Things Done, Allen explains how to effectively do your time management:
- Implement the “do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it” rule to make your inbox empty
- Reevaluate goals and remain concentrated in ever-changing circumstances
- Organize projects and get them out of a deadlock
- Overcome feelings of confusion, stress, and being overwhelmed
- Feel comfortable with what you are not doing
Forget To-Do lists. From fundamental concepts to demonstrated techniques, Getting Things Done is one of the best books to improve work performance and can totally alter how you work, demonstrating how to increase the pace without exhausting yourself.
Read inspiring quotes: 27 Productivity-Boosting Quotes from Getting Things Done
Read the summary: Book Summary: Getting Things Done by David Allen
Gain the edge you need to reach your ambitions and become successful with these productivity books. Loaded with strategies on prioritizing, managing time effectively, increasing work performance, and honing in focus- they have been read by thousands of people who’ve achieved positive results!
Don’t hesitate – pick up a book today to be equipped for lasting success. Knowledge is power – let’s get started now!
Best, Fabian
