The most recommended productivity books

I think about this book every day, even though it was written almost 25 years ago, and the edition I read explained how to manage your paper file folders! (One of my most-used apps, the to-do manager Things, is built on this system.)

I love how much time this book has saved me as I juggle running several businesses, staying active in my hobbies, and running a household. Allen’s approach to capturing your ideas and then deciding how to organize them so that you can keep track of what needs your attention is both simple and really profound.

For athletes who need to be as efficient as possible to reserve time and energy for training, this book is a lifesaver.

If you want to achieve your goals faster and accelerate your productivity, The 12 Week Year should be at the top of your list.

This book teaches you how to get more done in less time by compressing your goals into 12-week cycles. By doing this, you can experience a full year of experiences in 12 weeks, accelerating your ability to grow your business or achieve your goals.

The book’s core message is that time is your most valuable asset, and you should use it wisely to achieve your desired lifestyle. Reading this book can help you develop a mindset that focuses on achieving your goals faster and enjoying more of life’s experiences. 

Deep Work is an excellent book for realizing how detrimental the typical employee’s work habits of checking email every 5 minutes, constant meetings, and other distractions are to their ability to perform high-quality work. Newport also shares good suggestions for reclaiming your focus and doing what he calls “deep work.” 

The book strongly advocates for the importance of having as much time as possible without distractions to achieve flow and perform optimally. This book helped me become much more conscious about how I work.

I truly adore this book. It was very easy to read and kept my attention (as I usually get distracted so easily). I felt a sense of calm on every page, and Ali's words really resonated with me.

My favourite section was chapter 12, which focused on children as I look forward to some green sketching time with my young son every school holiday.

The book is a great size to carry around and read on the go, and it's beautifully illustrated. It brought me a lot of comfort and encouraged me to slow down in life with a gentle reminder to soak up all the beauty that's around us so we can turn that into a productive practice. A truly special book.

This book is one of my favorites. It is a transformative journey to unlock peak performance and personal mastery.

Robin Sharma's compelling narrative weaves together a powerful tale, intricately linking the essence of discipline and early rising to success. The book's 5 am formula isn't just a wake-up call; it's a blueprint for incredible life changes. Robin Sharma's insights, backed by practical strategies, create a roadmap for heightened productivity and well-being.

Embracing the 5 am routine has been a game-changer, fostering focus and setting the tone for my day. This is more than a book; it's a lifestyle manifesto for success.

I’m not someone who gets really precious about books and loves the feel of a well-read book. So when I picked up Wreck This Journal, I knew I was going to adore it. As it says in the title, the book actually invites you to wreck it through pages of fun, often "destructive," creative exercises.

My own copy has been flipped, tossed, had stuff thrown at it, glued, painted, ripped, and pretty much anything else you can think of, and it’s just the most fun you’ll have with a book.

Everyone has goals to achieve and habits they need to embrace (or change) to get there. You can’t do them all at once, and it becomes easy to waste time planning without accomplishing much.

In addition to the science-backed insights and great stories, the sheer volume of advice and how it is expertly organized in Work Well. Play More! is inspiring. The book is divided into 3 areas of focus: productivity, health, and clutter, with 3 levels of expertise: novice, pro, and master. Each of these has 12 months of tips.

This allows everyone to work on something and make consistent progress (instead of productively procrastinating). The way Marcey has balanced so much information and tips in a readable format that isn’t overwhelming is an achievement.

This book took me by surprise; it is an eye-opening epic read highlighting the importance of energy, not just time, as an area that is most important to focus on and master.

As a previous sufferer of burnout, it taught me that, unlike time, energy is finite and pivotal for peak performance. This book took me on a journey and framework where I could practically think about my life in terms of energy (rather than just time) and maximise this in the areas of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health; just superb.

I also loved the concept, which we are never taught, that recovery is just as important as performance and to think more like an athlete in my everyday life. Energy is everything to me, so I found this book truly transformative!

Deming’s work is classic. He understood how messed up the corporate world was getting way back in the 1960s. But we Americans wouldn’t listen, so he went and helped Japan, and most notably, Toyota. It’s fascinating to read his work that was way ahead of its time and notice the things we are just starting to implement today. It’s also a great prophecy of what’s to come.

This book helped me recall and explain the times when I really made a positive impact. It really IS about telling a compelling story.

I learned that I didn’t have to be a powerhouse; just tell the story in a way that makes a difference. It taught me how to gauge what level of influence I really have with people from lowest to highest: Compliance, Participation, Buy-In, Leadership, and Visionary. 

Instead of working with a team who are merely complying or participating at best, which means as a leader, I have to constantly check if the work has been done and done correctly, I can trust my colleagues to self-manage, deliver high-quality work and be a real part of our team.