3 Books for Productivity
Books I have found immensely valuable for productivity
Jun 21, 2020
Viktor Lövgren
Do the work
At its core, it’s simple. Sit down and get the work done. Do we really need books to tell us that? Productivity books can certainly be just another way to procrastinate — not to mention the thousands of recycled Medium articles repeating the same mantras over and over.
These three books deliver on their promises though, and the time spent on them pays itself back many times over. The benefits also tend to spill over into all other areas of life, especially from Deep Work and The War of Art.
Deep Work by Cal Newport
The best guide I’ve read on how to navigate the current landscape of constant distractions that we impose on ourselves. Newport makes the case for limiting your exposure to all kinds of online distractions and instead do the work.
It is both inspirational and highly convincing at the same time. You can’t afford not to read this one.
“I’ll live the focused life, because it’s the best kind there is.”
-Cal Newport
The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
Don’t let the title put you off. Drucker’s definition of an executive is basically anyone that makes decisions in an organization. The parts on how to get the right things done also applies largely to anyone working for themselves.
The book teaches you to interpret the situations you encounter, and understand that most of them are variations of things that you have already dealt with. This will help improve decision-making greatly and lets you focus on being productive where it really matters. You can be as productive as you want, but if it’s not in areas that will move the needle, what’s the point?
“Working on the right things is what makes knowledge work effective.”
-Peter F. Drucker
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
An in-depth analysis of procrastination, its tragic consequences and how to defeat it. Anyone that has ever undertaken a creative or otherwise demanding task or project will be able to identify.
The book offers a novel way to handle fear. Go after it! It shows you what you must do.
“Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”
-Steven Pressfield