Having spent more than a year improving my personal productivity, I can sum up what I’ve learned in a single sentence: “Pick one task and do it”. However, that would do a disservice to the journey and to the great people who helped me along the way through their writing on the subject. So, without wishing to encourage you to spend more time reading about productivity than being productive, here are three books that really helped me reach a place where I can stay focused on doing ‘the work’.
If I had to recommend one book this would be it. It has really made a difference in helping me become more productive. The books’ strength lies in its brevity and the fact the Leo doesn’t over do the GTD stuff. Instead, he focuses on the underlying issues that may be stopping you from doing ‘the work’. It reads well. Eloquent prose, set out in well-structured essays that challenge you to reflect deeply on the way that you prioritise and use your time. Particularly, useful was the focus on changing and replacing habits. By replacing bad habits with useful, more productive ones, I have seen a huge difference in my productivity.
Highlights include:
- You don’t need to respond
- Going with the flow
- Single tasking and productivity
Keeping It Straight – Patrick Rhone
Patrick is one of my favourite writers on the web and his work translates really well to the structured, thematic nature of a book. Keeping it Straight is Patrick’s first book – a collected set of essays that deal with personal productivity, minimalism, mindfulness and motivation. Again, this is not a long read; perfect for the daily commute or for dipping into when the moment arises. This book is very personal, much of the content gleaned from Patrick’s journal, it adds a level of authenticity that I find is often missing from books of this ilk.
Highlights include:
- Don’t Worry
- Doing The Dishes
- Email (And Other Things That Go “Ding”)
#uppingyourgame – Doug Belshaw
Doug is a friend who has been fantastically supportive, helping me on my blogging journey. He has also (although he may not have realised it) had a significant impact on my approach to personal productivity. His approach is a pragmatic one and as such he begins by getting to the heart of why we should care about being productive in the first place. This is refreshing, as many productivity related texts assume that the reader already has this figured out. Like the other two books, this is a well structured, well designed text, placing emphasis on the authors voice.
Highlights include:
- What does productivity look like?
- How to find your personal well of motivation
- Productivity killers
As I mentioned above, it is easy to spend more time reading about productivity than actually getting on and being productive. However, while I’m on topic, I thought I would share some of the other material that has contributed to my journey. This is not an exclusive list, just a selection of the ones that come to mind as I sit writing this.
Manifesto: Inbox Zero
Idea: five.sentenc.es
Essay: Making the Clackity Noise
Essay: Cranking
Essay: The Noise
Essay: the beauty of the ellipses
Essay: Purpose Your Day: Most Important Task (MIT)
Essay: Do One Thing Well
Essay: How I Became an Early Riser
Essay: How to ‘chapter’ your life to make it more productive
Essay: The hidden power of a gift
Book: Mindfulness in Plain English
Video: Just This
Podcast: Enough: The Minimal Mac Podcast
Podcast: Back to Work