Smarter Faster Better

A very well-written book by a reporter from the New York Times (also the author of The Power of Habit). The author's style of writing, which is then blended with stories of people and organizations, kept me glued as if I was reading a news story.

It is one of the best books written on productivity I have ever read! There is such a broad range of people and stories, but all wrapped up into eight key concepts about focus and productivity. This book can help you understand why some folks (organizations) are so much more productive than others.

Focus. Managing others. Decision-making. Absorbing data. These are just a few of the daily battles educators face – each of which is explored in detail in this book. Normally I’m skeptical of the “self-helpy” titles, which so often are all attention getter and little supporting detail. But Duhigg is a beast of a journalist. 

This book reads like a novel but is heavily backed with support – expert interviews, research, and footnotes upon footnotes. I earmarked and annotated the heck out of this one, each chapter sending my mind wild with new lenses and ideas for education. Pick this one… show more.

While productivity and creativity might seem like strange bedfellows at first, this book taught me plenty of ways to think differently and to optimize my work with others. Since much of the best marketing is done in or by groups, effective group dynamics are key. This book also underscores how important it is to add processes, rules, and planning to seemingly unstructured work habits to make them more efficient. (I’m looking at you, nebulous “brainstorms” with no clear goal or code of conduct.)

If you’ve never read (or enjoyed) non-fiction, start with Charles Duhigg. I’m not lying when I say this one is a real page-turner. One minute you’ll be learning about cognitive tunneling and wondering if that plane is really going to crash and the next you’ll be in the middle of a high-stakes poker game! I usually only remember one or two things from each book I read, but this one has stuck with me like glue. After all the page-turning, you’ll have a better understanding of how your brain works and how to leverage it to your advantage.