You probably don't think of sitting down to read a book to improve your productivity.
However, it is possible that this is one of the best things you can do. Reading is an easy way to learn some of the best productivity tips, tricks, and tools that you can use in your daily life.
You've come to the right place if you're looking for a good book recommendation on this topic that you can read (or listen to!) in your spare time.
We've compiled a list of ten books that will help you make the most of your days.
Why are productivity books a good idea?
Before we get into the book recommendations, let's first discuss why productivity books are a good idea in the first place (as well as the reality of modern adults' reading habits.)
It turns out that book consumption among adults in the United States is currently quite low. According to Pew Research, approximately 26% of Americans admit to not having read even a portion of a book in the previous year.
That said, if you only have time to read one book this year, a book about productivity is a good choice because it will help you be more effective at work and in your daily life. Furthermore, they are frequently easy to understand, tactical, and provide actionable tips and tricks that you can put to use right away.
Overall, reading productivity books is a wise time investment, but it also has a mental health benefit: Reading reduces stress by 68%, according to a study conducted at the University of Sussex. Isn't that good?
Following that, let's take a look at some specific titles that will help you get started on the path to maximum productivity based on your needs.
Find the best productivity books for your needs.
If you're looking for productivity advice for a variety of needs and issues, these ten books are a great place to start. To find the one that's right for you, read the descriptions and “Read if” sections.
Top 10 productivity books you must read in 2022
- 1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- 2. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
- 3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
- 4. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- 5. Zen to Done by Leo Babauta
- 6. Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt
- 7. How to be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do by Graham Allcott
- 8. Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours by Robert Pozen
- 9. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
- 10. Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland
1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(23%25).png "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey"){kind=tracking}
This book was first published in 1989 and has sold more than 25 million copies since then. Its emphasis is on forming a series of seven habits that will help you align with your “character ethic.” These habits enable the reader to transition from dependence to interdependence for maximum life effectiveness. If you're looking for long-term behavior change rather than quick hacks and tricks, this is a good high-level productivity read.
Quote: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
Read If: You like gurus with life-changing insights, even if they are a little conceited.
Buy on Amazon
2. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
.png "2. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport"){kind=tracking}
Newport's Deep Work is a book about removing the clutter, noise, and distractions of modern life so that you can focus on deep, productive work. This is especially difficult in today's technological world (think buzzing phones, never-ending notifications, and a flooded email inbox.) This book is for you if you need to simplify and get rid of things that are impeding your deep work.
Quote: “Less mental clutter means more mental resources available for deep thinking.”
Read if: You need assistance getting into deep work, which allows you to focus on a difficult or demanding task without distraction.
Buy on Amazon
3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
.png "3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen"){kind=tracking}
This book was written for business people and has spawned a slew of seminars, courses, and workbooks that people all over the world swear by. This book provides useful tips and principles for organization, prioritization, and clear goal-setting, as well as some meaningful insight into how to incorporate relaxation as part of the overall strategy.
Quote: “If you don’t pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.”
If you require assistance overcoming feelings of confusion, anxiety, and overwhelm at work, read this.
Buy on Amazon
4. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
.png "4. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown"){kind=tracking}
Essentialism is a book for people who are stressed out because they have too much to do and not enough time. “Essentialism is not a time management strategy or a productivity technique,” according to the Amazon description. It is a systematic discipline for determining what is absolutely necessary and then eliminating everything else, so that we can make the greatest possible contribution to the things that truly matter.”
Quote: “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.”
If you're looking for a strategy to help you figure out what's absolutely necessary, so you can be as productive as possible doing the things that matter most, this is the book for you.
Buy on Amazon
5. Zen to Done by Leo Babauta
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(57%25).png "5. Zen to Done by Leo Babauta"){kind=tracking}
Look no further for an ultra-simple productivity system. This is the “Art of Tidying Up” for your workplace. You'll learn how to become more mindful and at peace with what's on your to-do list by focusing on habits and structure, so you can tackle your work logically and thoughtfully.
Quote: “Keep it simple, and focus on what you have to do right now, not on playing with your system or your tools.”
Read if: You want to organize your life by actually doing the things on your to-do list and changing your current habits.
Buy on Amazon
6. Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt
.png "6. Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt"){kind=tracking}
More than 25,000 professionals use the ideas in this book to make their workdays more productive. It teaches you how to filter your tasks and commitments, eliminate the unnecessary, eliminate interruptions and distractions, and set boundaries that protect your focus and drive results. This is the book for you if you want a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to productivity in just three steps.
Quote: “True productivity is about doing more of what is in your desire zone and less of everything else.”
Read if: You're having trouble deciding what's important (and what isn't) in your daily life. This book will help you gain clarity and direction in your work priorities.
Buy on Amazon
7. How to be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do by Graham Allcott
%20%E2%80%94%20Scaled%20(22%25).png "7. How to be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do by Graham Allcott"){kind=tracking}
This book, written by one of the UK's leading productivity experts, is all about making the most of your attention, overcoming procrastination, and learning to work smarter rather than harder. You'll learn tactics for managing your time (and how to be ruthless if necessary) as well as how to stay calm and work with a clear mind by reading it.
Quote: “The trouble is, the modern work paradigm gives us so little sense of completion or clear space that it feels like we’re constantly straining to see the light at the end of a long, long tunnel.”
If you're looking for a fun, approachable productivity guide that doesn't take itself too seriously, this is the book for you.
Buy on Amazon
8. Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours by Robert Pozen
.png "8. Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours by Robert Pozen"){kind=tracking}
This book, written by a Harvard Business professor who also served as the chairman of a global financial services firm, is all about learning how to maintain laser focus in order to get the most done in the least amount of time. One of the book's key principles is that you must shift your mindset from hours worked to results produced if you want to be fully efficient and effective.
Quote: “If a project looks as though it may fail, make sure to give your boss plenty of advance warning. Bosses don’t want to be surprised by long delays or major blow-ups. It is bad enough if they occur; it’s even worse if they occur without prior warning to the boss. With advance notice of a serious problem, your boss may be able to revise the project goals, reshuffle its resources, or come up with a brilliant solution. At the very least, your boss won’t make promises to his or her superiors that cannot be kept.”
If you want practical advice from someone who understands both the classroom and the workplace context of being productive, read this (and still maintaining a healthy family life.)
Buy on Amazon
9. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio
.png "9. Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio"){kind=tracking}
This book, written by the founder of Bridgewater Associates, one of the most important private companies in the United States, is all about the unconventional principles he's developed, refined, and applied in business and in life over the past 40 years. If you want to learn more about terms like “radical honesty” and “radical transparency” (without the BS! ), this is a simple and easy-to-read book that will hit all the important points for you.
Quote: “Time is like a river that carries us forward into encounters with reality that require us to make decisions. We can’t stop our movement down this river and we can’t avoid those encounters. We can only approach them in the best possible way.”
If you want to learn from a seasoned entrepreneur with an unconventional (and possibly controversial?) approach to productivity, read this.
Buy on Amazon
10. Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland
.png "10. Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland"){kind=tracking}
In the management world, you may have heard the term “scrum”—it's based on the rugby formation in which the entire team locks its arms to gain control of the ball. This term (and the idea behind it) is all about identifying what is wrong with the way we currently do business. The term was coined by the author of this book, who shares his (sometimes blunt) ideas on how to eliminate it from your workday for maximum productivity.
Quote: “Multitasking Makes You Stupid. Doing more than one thing at a time makes you slower and worse at both tasks. Don’t do it. If you think this doesn’t apply to you, you’re wrong—it does.”
If you want a straight-talker who can tell you how to maximize your day with less overall friction, read this.
Buy on Amazon