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Key Takeaways: The Top 5 Books
The 5 best productivity books of all time are:
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
- First Things First - Stephen Covey
- Goals! - Brian Tracy
- The Effective Executive - Peter Drucker
- The Slight Edge - Jeff Olson
Learn why and get the full list of best productivity books below...
Start Here: My Top Productivity Picks
Having read scores of books on the topic, my top recommendations for anyone serious about getting more done are always:
- David Allen’s Getting Things Done – to get your “stuff” collected, clarified and organised (#7 below);
- Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – to prioritise what to do and what not to (#1 below); and
- TAoL’s STOP WORKING HARDER – to get organised, master your tools, beat procrastination and set your weeks and days up for success.
That said, productivity is a HUGE topic. It’s about effectiveness (“doing the right thing”) and it’s about efficiency (“doing the thing right”). It’s about self-management and it’s about working with others. It starts with your very next action and it ends with your mission and meaning in life.
That’s why the list of best productivity books and best time management books below contains books on focus and concentration, books on efficiency, books on time management, books on beating procrastination and books on getting more done.
(Note: For more book recommendations and book summaries that might help – don’t miss these awesome reading lists of best books on self discipline, best books on communication, best books on emotional intelligence and the best books on mindset.)
Don’t stress too much about what to read first! Scan the titles, browse the summaries, pick something that excites you, trust your gut and take action.
Enjoy these best productivity books and best time management books of all time. Good luck, go well and remember: “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
The 70 Best Productivity Books Ever Written
Why these best productivity books and not others? To stay objective, I rank all my book recommendations by a combination of what’s most loved (Goodreads rating), what’s most popular (Goodreads review count) and what’s proven timelessly relevant (first publication date).
This isn’t a whimsical list. It’s a data-driven, crowdsourced collection of the best productivity books ever published as decided by book lovers just like you.
And if you think something's missing? I LOVE book recommendations so if there are any other best productivity books that you think deserve mentioning, email me and I’ll be sure to include them in the next round of updates.
Until then, enjoy this ultimate list of the 70 best productivity books of all time...
Books 1-10: The Top 10 Best Productivity Books of All Time
The top 10 best productivity books of all time are...
Books 11-70: The 60 Best Productivity Books to Read Next
Here are the next 60 best productivity books from my database...
More Book Recommendations
Enjoyed this list of the best productivity books of all time?
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Wish There Was a Faster/Easier Way?
Whenever you’re ready, here are four ways I can help you be more productive, find more balance and live life more on purpose…
- Curious? Discover how productive you really are… Take this free, 2-minute assessment to unlock your PQ and discover the top 25 habits you need to get big things done. Take the 2-minute quiz →
- Overwhelmed? Get a free chapter of my book… Let me show you how to beat procrastination, permanently, with this free sneak peek inside TAoL’s ultimate productivity primer. Download your free chapter →
- Stuck? Grab a 90-Day TRACKTION Planner… Get the tool thousands trust to help them take control of their time, master their habits and hit goals in every part of their lives. Order your 90-day planner →
- Burned out? Join the TRACKTION Community… Take the 6-week masterclass, get weekly group coaching, find accountability partners and connect with like-minded self-starters. Get started FREE →
I founded TAoL to discover and share the best wisdom on how to live long and prosper. Before that I studied Psychology, Philosophy & Physiology at Oxford and consulted at McKinsey. Still curious? Learn more or take my FREE productivity quiz.