10 GREAT books to help boost your productivity

Are you busy being productive? If not, then discover 10 must-read books to boost your productivity and transform your approach to work and life. Unlock your potential with practical strategies for focused success with Mudita.

Written by Urszula Gajko

The phrase "Time is Money" first appeared in Benjamin Franklin's 1748 essay "Advice to a Young Tradesman," published in George Fisher's book, The American Instructor: or Young Man's Best Companion. Franklin's simple but profound statement—"Remember that time is money"—has become a guiding principle for anyone seeking to make the most of their hours.

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.— Ralph Marston

Here we are, so many years later, and time is still our most precious resource. That’s why mastering productivity isn't just a skill, it's essential to achieve everything we want to achieve. Picture a scenario where your to-do list is no longer a source of stress, but instead a streamlined system driving meaningful progress. The difference between pushing off tasks to an undefined "later" and achieving a consistent record of completion is real, most importantly and attainable.

At Mudita, we’re passionate about promoting ideas and creating solutions designed to help you be more productive and achieve your goals. Contrary to popular belief, it IS possible to increase productivity, without increasing stress.?

You can check out our earlier article about this very subject: 10 Simple Ways to Boost Productivity? Without Increasing Stress

To help you make this shift, we've compiled a list of ten pivotal books that offer more than just tips and tricks; they provide a fundamental reevaluation of how you approach work, life, and everything in between.?

From strategies rooted in deep, undistracted focus to principles for tackling the most challenging tasks first, these works offer practical insights into maximizing your potential.

If you're ready to shift from mere busyness to true productivity, and to find greater satisfaction in the process, let's go over these transformative reads.?

They might just hold the key to reaching your next level of success.

1. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

By: Cal Newport

It’s no secret that, at Mudita, we’re fans of Cal Newport. His book, Digital Minimalism , is a useful book for reducing your addiction to and reliance on technology, while increasing the benefits you derive from it. Good for being mindful about controlling your tech, instead of letting tech control you.

2. How to be a Productivity Ninja: Worry Less, Achieve More and Love What You Do?

By: Graham Allcott

In the age of information overload, traditional time management techniques simply don’t cut it when it comes to overflowing inboxes, ever-expanding to-do lists and endless, pointless meetings. Thankfully there is a better way: The Way of the Productivity Ninja.

Using techniques including Ruthlessness, Mindfulness, Zen-like Calm and Stealth & Camouflage you will get your inbox down to zero, make the most of your attention, beat procrastination and learn to work smarter, not harder.

3. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

By: James Clear

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every single day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

4. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less?

By: Greg McKeown

Essentialism is about deliberately distinguishing the vital few from the trivial many, eliminating the non-essentials, and then removing any obstacles so the essential things have a clear , smooth passage. If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will.

5. Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most?

By: Greg McKeown?

Another book by the talented Mr. McKeown. While? Essentialism is about choosing where to focus your energy, the book, Effortless, is about how you functionally structure your work to make the most essential activities the easiest ones to achieve. Its aim is to help reduce the feeling of burnout by focusing on working more efficiently; instead of over-complicating our lives and constantly working harder with minimal success.?

6. Eat That Frog!: Get More Of The Important Things Done Today?

By: Brian Tracy?

Mark Twain once said, “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”?

We all know that sometimes there’s just not enough time for everything on our 'To Do' list. It’s time to stop procrastinating and get more of the important things done! After all, successful people don’t try to do everything. They focus on their most important tasks and get those done. They eat their frogs.

7. Working Hard, Hardly Working: How to achieve more, stress less and feel fulfilled

By: Grace Beverley?

This book is? full of practical advice for helping you focus when you're finding it hard to get stuff done and for stepping back when you're on the edge of burnout. Working Hard, Hardly Working provides a productivity blueprint for a new generation. Insightful, curious and refreshingly honest, it will make you reflect on what you want from your life and work - and then help you chart a path to get there.

8. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity?

By David Allen

The Art of Stress-Free Productivity presents the reader with a simple yet detailed system for increasing productivity. David Allen believes one of the best ways to be more productive is to start acting, rather than just thinking about taking action.? In the book, the author outlines a detailed workflow that allows you to be more relaxed, energized, yet accomplish more with less effort. In a way, it’s like having your cake & eating it too.?

9. Hyperfocus: How to Work Less to Achieve More?

By: Chris Bailey

This book is a practical guide to managing your attention – the most powerful resource you have to become more creative, get stuff done, and live a more meaningful life. This book is a practical guide to managing your attention – the most powerful resource you have to become more creative, get stuff done, and live a more meaningful life.

10. Free to Focus?

By Michael Hyatt

The key to productivity today is not to try and squeeze in more stuff. Instead, you should be focused on getting the right things done in the face of 24/7 distractions and sidetracks. If you can start each day with clarity about your highest value priorities and then end each day with a feeling of accomplishment, you'll be doing well.?

Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt is a great system to help you focus on working on the right things. First, you'll stop and define what productivity means to you by formulating, evaluating, and reformulating. Then, you'll cut the nonessentials by eliminating, automating, and delegating.

BONUS TITLE (My personal favorite): Zen to Done?

By Leo Babauta

Zen to Done is actually a productivity system created by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. Its goal: Help people build individual habits, step by step, as they work through a workflow management system. ZTD teaches you how to take a simple approach to improving your productivity by encouraging you to focus on forming one habit at a time.

Ready to Transform Your Productivity?

Now that you’ve got the ultimate reading list in your hands, the next move is yours. Check out these titles, let their insights challenge and inspire you, and start making meaningful changes in how you work and live.?

Remember, productivity isn't about doing more, it's about doing what matters most.?

So pick a book, turn the page, and take that first step toward a more focused, fulfilled, and fabulously productive life.

Your next level of success is just a book away—let's get started!