Best Books on Productivity and Effectiveness

The main idea behind this book is that there is a limited amount of information that the brain can recall within a short time frame. Only limited information can be called for “Top of the Mind”. Eg. If someone asks you to name a firm producing instant noodles, chances are you would name Maggi, even though you might be aware of brands like Sunfeast, Ramen, etc, you would have to pause to think about them, but Maggi was what came to you as it was “Top of your mind”.

It becomes taxing for the mind to store multiple information, so the book teaches us to write down the information so that the mind is free to focus on the task at hand instead of trying to remember everything.

Along with this, the book has various frameworks and productivity principles that would guide the readers in their quest to increase productivity.

[schema type=”book” name=”Getting Things Done” author=”David Allen” publisher=”Penguin Books” isbn=”014200028″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

If you are thinking of starting an internet based business, or you feel the need to shake things up in your traditional business, this book is for you.

The book basically encourages and inspires you to think of new ways to create new things as well as coming up with a more innovative process to do the existing things.

The book gives advice on not only how to come up with ideas for new and improved things, but also has advice on how to continue working on the idea till it is complete. A lot of great ideas get lost in the way as we tend to leave them unfinished.

[schema type=”book” name=”Rework” author=”Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson” publisher=”Crown Business” pubdate=”2010-03-09″ isbn=”0307463745″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

This is one of the best known books for leadership and productivity.

The crux of the book is that in order to be effective a person needs to be able to manage the people around.

Cultivating these people skills would help a person be more confident in interacting and dealing with day to day situations.

Developing and cultivating the habits that are mentioned in the book would take time, but consistent efforts would bring positive results.

[schema type=”book” name=”The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” author=”Stephen R. Covey” publisher=”Free Press” pubdate=”2004-11-09″ isbn=”0743269519″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

The book uses the famous Pareto Principle to understand productivity and effectiveness.

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 principle, states that 80 percent of the effect comes from 20 percent of the causes.

If we understand this principle in terms of productivity and effectiveness, it means that a person can achieve 80% effectiveness by giving in 20% of the work, but this work should be done giving 100% sincerity and commitment.

The book teaches us how to work like this in order to gain maximum productivity.

[schema type=”book” name=”The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less” author=”Richard Koch” publisher=”Broadway Business” isbn=”0743269519 ” ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

The face of the economy is changing. The next generation of the workforce no longer wish to work in the safe, but tedious, nine to five jobs.

With more people opting to earn their living doing the things they love, by freelancing, part time, flexible work hours, work from home, etc., ways of earning a living is on the rise.

If you are one of those who are not in the nine to five job, or if you are thinking of quitting that job in order to “do something”, this book is for you.

It teaches you ways to create a distraction free atmosphere to achieve your best work, it also teaches you how to create ways of employment. The book teaches the basic difference in being efficient and being effective, and how you can work more in less time.

[schema type=”book” name=”The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” author=”Timothy Ferriss” publisher=”Crown” pubdate=”2007-04-24″ isbn=”0307353133″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

The book deals with energy management.

The book states the most valuable resource is a person’s energy, not time. Everyone has the same amount of time, but each person’s energy levels are different and they vary from time to time. A truly energetic person would be able to be more productive.

The book separates the energy of a person in four different parts: body, mind, spirit and emotions. The book discusses various ways to increase and manage your energies at all these four levels.

[schema type=”book” name=”The Power of Full Engagement” author=”Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz” publisher=”Free Press” pubdate=”2005-01-03″ isbn=”0743226755″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

The basic idea behind strengthsfinder 2.0 is that in order to increase the productivity and effectiveness, a person needs to stop doing things that they are not very good at, and focus on the areas that they are good at.

By focusing on your strengths, you would be able to be more productive, start enjoying what you do and decrease your stress levels.

Unlike what the popular myth has you believe, a person’s talent and choices matter a lot to his or her productivity. A person would be more productive doing the work they like, compared to when they are doing the work they find boring or tedious.

Strengthsfinder 2.0 helps the readers find their strengths and work accordingly.

[schema type=”book” name=”StrengthsFinder 2.0″ author=”Tom Rath” publisher=”Gallup Press” pubdate=”2007-02-01″ isbn=”159562015X” ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

This is the age of Information overload. In order to be stress free and work properly, a person needs to be able to manage the constant inflow of information, and sort through only the information that is needed.

If your inbox is overflowing with emails and your desktop has all kinds of random documents stored, this book is just for you.

The book tells you how to handle and manage the access information and how to learn to accept only what you need and keep the rest at bay.

[schema type=”book” name=”Bit Literacy ” author=”Mark Hurst” publisher=”Good Experience” pubdate=”2007-06-15″ isbn=”0979368103″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

When faced with piles of emails, files and to do lists, faster reading with great comprehension skills comes in handy. If a person is able to skim through things while understanding all that is written, the levels of productivity would automatically increase.

The book states that if you are not reading fiction, there is no need for linear reading. You can afford to skip a few words here and there and still get the general gist of the information that is required, if you have proper practice.

This, and many other effective tips are given in the book that, if you practice, you would be able to considerably improve your reading speed.

[schema type=”book” name=”10 Days to Faster Reading ” author=”Abby Marks-Beale” publisher=”Grand Central Publishing” isbn=”0446676675″ ebook=”yes” paperback=”yes” hardcover=”yes” ]

The thing that sets this book apart from all others is its practicality. The ways and the methodology provided by the author is practical and doable.

The crux of this book is willpower. If a person wills to do something, he will do it. If the will is not there, he would make excuses.

The book provides and guides the readers to have a strong foothold on their own willpower. The simple exercises that if done again and again would turn into a habit, which in turn would make you productive by habit.

[schema type=”book” name=”Superhuman by Habit” author=”Tynan” publisher=”Self Publication” pubdate=”2014-09-09″ isbn=”B00NGC8I9E” ebook=”yes” ]5:251