4 productivity books to help you do more

If you are familiar with the feeling of despondency, when, despite all your efforts, it seems that getting to the end of the to-do list will not work, remember - this happens to many! These books will teach you quickness , telling about everything: from an acceptable procrastination to appropriate distraction .

But even if turning into a productive ninja seems like an impossible mission, you should not give up trying to achieve what you want. After all, for most of us, demonstrating high performance is directly related to career success.
')
We cannot add several hours per day, increase the number of participants in your team, by dividing and reducing the workload, or hire a personal assistant. But then we can help you improve your time management skills by offering several books on this topic.

Sit back with one of these new products and get ready for better performance.

1. “Work is simple: use the power of personal productivity style,” Carson Tate

The main idea: Take first the most difficult projects. Turn off the sound on the phone. Multitask.
It all seems like classic tricks that can help almost everyone cope with a large number of cases. But efficiency expert and management consultant Carson Tate insists: the best way to achieve nirvana in time management is directly related to your personal qualities.

Therefore, she created a questionnaire of 28 questions, dividing people into 4 categories:
• organizers who are considering projects through the prism of people attracted to them;
• prioritizers focusing on the main goal;
• visualizers, never losing sight of the overall picture of what is happening;
• planners with the ability to put in order the little things.

General Advice: Tate argues that since we all relate to allocating time and achieving goals differently, strategies appropriate for your employee may be counterproductive to you.

Once you have defined your own performance style, you will be able to implement a personalized action program. It is able to cover everything - from holding more efficient meetings to organizing the ideal working space.

How it can be applied: Even for the most terrible tasks, such as establishing control over an increasing number of incoming emails, you can find a solution that matches your unique personality.

For example, planners obsessed with details should pre-assign periods for working with mail. This strategy is linked to their tendency to think consistently and the need to structure the time they spend on assignments.

At the same time, active prioritizers should set a limit on the number of secondary letters that they are willing to leave unread until the end of the day. So they will be able to concentrate on other, more important matters.

2. “Consciously Consciously: 5 Conditions That Increase the Amount of Time,” Rory Waden

Basic idea: Most people view time as a finite, limited resource. Strategist for internal discipline Rory Waden found 5 tricks ( from delegation to automation ) that really help you multiply it.

An illustrative example: Highlight a short period of time right now to set up automatic payment of bills on each of your “wallets”. Such an action will save you free time - and save you from late fees.

The main advice: Forget everything you once heard about the dangers of procrastination. Yes, these few assignments — such as automating financial affairs — must be done today to free up your time tomorrow. According to Vaden, there are examples of situations in which procrastination is justified.

He illustrates this view with a story about a business owner who has received a large order. He prudently worked on the packaging of products in boxes 2 weeks before shipping. However, the buyer ultimately wanted to get more goods, forcing the businessman to spend time again preparing the party.

How it can be applied: To effectively increase the time, using one of the five strategies of Vaden, you need to accurately identify those tasks that will bring maximum benefit. And learn how to feel comfortable, refusing long-lasting projects that are not capable of producing results.

If you are a person who spends precious hours writing long e-mails, although you can discuss everything by phone or to help colleagues with the work they have to do themselves, this book is for you.

3. “The propensity for distraction at work: how to concentrate and become more productive,” Edward Hollowell, MD

Main idea: Have you ever got into the rabbit hole of social media or rushed from one task to another?

Yes? Probably you are one of millions of people, according to a former professor at Harvard Medical School, exhibiting a "sign of attention deficit." This is a neurological phenomenon in which the insane pace of modern office life destroys the human ability to concentrate .

General advice: Knowing how and why you are distracted will allow you to fully demonstrate your working potential. It doesn’t matter if it is about curbing dependence on electronics, focusing on one business at the moment, completing a begun or painful return to solving a problem.

How can this be applied: If you are inclined to superficially perform many different tasks instead of completing large projects - in other words, to “jumps on goals” - Hollowell offers to write 3 most important tasks to the top of the to-do list, and then constantly return to them, seeking them complete.

If you are excessively tied to technology, Hollowell recommends that you select special periods in your schedule when you turn off your phone and other distracting devices for activities that require high concentration of attention.

4. "4 seconds: the time it takes to turn off counterproductive habits and get the desired results", Peter Bregman

Main idea: Looking for a little peace of mind in the modern crazy world? Leadership trainer Peter Bregman says that you don't need a 60-minute yoga class - you only need time for one deep breath.

According to Bregman, 4 seconds is all that is needed to turn a bad decision into a more reasonable one. This book begins with a joke about a man who, without thinking, spit out the cud during a walk, and after a moment he himself stepped on it.

General advice: Using a 4-second strategy, you can get rid of the mistakes of your mind and optimize your own working habits. And even strengthen the relationship.

Bregman cites the example of an executive director who had an instinctive reaction to active employee complaints related to staff redundancy. After reviewing the situation, he realized that it was more important to raise the morale of the workers, and began to praise them for their success.

The mood and productivity of the team have risen, thanks to the decision of the manager to ponder all the options available, rather than disrupting his anger, thereby worsening the situation.

How this can be applied: Do not be guided by reflexes and strive to do more. Take a deep breath and consider whether this is the most fruitful tactic.

Stopping and realizing that internal reactions can hurt you, you can build a simpler plan of action for achieving the goal.

PS We recommend another article on the topic - Tip of the week: use aromatherapy to increase productivity .

Translated by Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult .