Blog > Productivity & Performance

Be More Productive: Get Big Things Done.

Welcome to the productivity section of The Art of Living.

• Do you find there’s never enough time to get everything done?
• Are you tired and frustrated with feeling constantly stressed, anxious and guilty?
• Do you finish each day and wonder what it is you actually accomplished (and why), despite working really, really hard?

Well, the good news is, you’re not alone. And there is another way.

The first thing to do is send yourself The Art of Living‘s 5 FREE personal productivity templates and check out the TRACKTION Productivity Planner. They’ll instantly help you get organised and start accomplishing more of what matters each day.

Next, bookmark this page and explore the growing library of recommended tools, reading lists, book summaries, articles and interviews below. No matter who or how busy you are, you’ll find at least one thing here today that is guaranteed to change your life.

Recommended Tools:

I spent a decade honing my TRACKTION life-management system in my own life (as a student at Oxford, as an entrepreneur and as a consultant at McKinsey) before teaching it to hundreds of people just like you. The result? The only three tools you need to become the most focussed, deliberate and productive person you know, guaranteed.

• The Ultimate Productivity Primer – The ultimate guide to über-practical day-to-day productivity that you wish someone gave you on your first day at work, master everything from your calendar to emails in minutes.
• The TRACKTION Planner – A simple, no-nonsense productivity planner that helps you clarify what’s holding you back, identify how to change it and stay accountable and focussed on what matters most.
• The TRACKTION Masterclass – A holistic life-management system for executives, entrepreneurs and self-starters that helps you accomplish what matters, find more balance and live a more meaningful life.

Reading Lists:

If there’s a book about productivity and performance I haven’t heard about, then my readers are very quick to point it out to me. You’ll find the best of my suggestions (and theirs) ordered by popularity and rating in the reading lists below:

Book Summaries (A – Z):

I’ve read scores of books on the topic of productivity and over the next few years I plan to revisit the best of them in book summaries below. For now, here’s a few to get going. Pressed for time? Start with The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Getting Things Done.

Atomic Habits Summary – James Clear

10 MINUTE READ | A powerful and practical guide to transforming your habits, making change stick and achieving remarkable results – by author and habit-guru, James Clear. Topics: Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance

Deep Work Summary – Cal Newport

10 MINUTE READ | A timely reminder of the value of deep, focussed work and the dangers of losing yourself in the shallows of entertainment and distraction - by author and associate professor, Cal Newport. Topics: Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance

Eat That Frog Summary – Brian Tracy

8 MINUTE READ | A punchy, concise guide to identifying what matters, setting powerful goals and then getting to work on them right away - by productivity and self-development legend, Brian Tracy. Topics: Productivity & Performance

Flow Summary – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

4 MINUTE READ | A bottom-up guide to finding success, growth and happiness through flow - an optimal experience of being, marked by total absorption and joy in the present - by psychology professor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Topics: Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance

Getting Things Done Summary – David Allen

27 MINUTE READ | THE classic life-changing manual on getting organised and building a robust productivity system that can handle whatever life throws at you - by productivity guru, David Allen. Topics: Productivity & Performance

How to Win Friends and Influence People Summary – Dale Carnegie

14 MINUTE READ | The classic guide to greatly improving effectiveness and efficiency by mastering the ability to work with and through the people around you – by self-improvement guru, Dale Carnegie. Topics: Family & Friends, Productivity & Performance

Man’s Search for Meaning Summary – Viktor Frankl

3 MINUTE READ | A gruelling and yet deeply liberating insight into the why behind each of our whats and hows - by holocaust survivor, psychologist and founder of logotherapy, Viktor Frankl. Topics: Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions

Meditations Summary – Marcus Aurelius

9 MINUTE READ | A deeply humbling and thought-provoking insight into the stoic mindset of one of history's greatest leaders and thinkers - by Roman emperor, philosopher and example to us all, Marcus Aurelius. Topics: Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions

Mindset Summary – Carol Dweck

5 MINUTE READ | A research-grounded dive into the self-fulfilling nature and impact of Fixed- and Growth-Mindset beliefs in personal development - by social and developmental psychology professor, Carol Dweck. Topics: Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance

Optimal Living 101 Summary – Brian Johnson

23 MINUTE READ | A fantastic synthesis of ancient and modern wisdom into a single manifesto on how to live well - by author, coach and modern-day philosopher, Brian Johnson. Topics: Productivity & Performance

Stop Working Harder Summary – Arthur Worsley

7 MINUTE READ | TAoL's ultimate guide to defeating distractions, beating procrastination, setting each day up for success, getting organised and generally getting more done - by thinker, writer and coach, Arthur Worsley. Topics: Procrastination, Productivity & Performance

The 4-Hour Work Week Summary – Tim Ferriss

21 MINUTE READ | One of the most influential books on the reading list of nearly every successful digital nomad and online business owner I've ever met - by serial entrepreneur, life-hacker and pod-casting legend, Tim Ferriss. Topics: Business & Career, Productivity & Performance, Wealth & Lifestyle

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Summary – Stephen Covey

34 MINUTE READ | A perennial masterpiece on leading a happy, productive and purposeful existence and an unmissable stop for any pilgrim of personal improvement - by educator, author and speaker, Stephen Covey. Topics: Productivity & Performance

The Compound Effect Summary – Darren Hardy

14 MINUTE READ | A concise, practical guide to mastering small choices that determine big outcomes which dictate the course of your life - by best selling author, publisher and motivational speaker, Darren Hardy. Topics: Productivity & Performance, Wealth & Lifestyle

The Effective Executive Summary – Peter F. Drucker

8 MINUTE READ | THE timeless classic on leadership and management; on getting the right things done - by the dean of business and management philosophy, Peter F. Drucker. Topics: Productivity & Performance

The Magic of Thinking Big Summary – David J. Schwartz

12 MINUTE READ | A powerful, practical and uplifting book to help get you out of a rut, invigorate your goals and empower you towards success - by life-long motivational writer and coach, David J. Schwartz. Topics: Productivity & Performance

The Power of Habit Summary – Charles Duhigg

9 MINUTE READ | A page-turning dive into the power and ubiquity of unconscious habits in shaping our decisions and destinies (plus a practical guide to changing them) - by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Charles Duhigg. Topics: Growth & Learning, Productivity & Performance

The Slight Edge Summary – Jeff Olson

11 MINUTE READ | A short, punchy, practical guide to the why, what and how of using simple daily disciplines to achieve breakthrough success - by serial entrepreneur, speaker and author, Jeff Olson. Topics: Productivity & Performance

Think and Grow Rich Summary – Napoleon Hill

13 MINUTE READ | A best-selling book of all time and a cornerstone guide to the Law of Attraction and the role of the subconscious in transforming your life - by a titan of the self-help genre, Napoleon Hill. Topics: Productivity & Performance

Who Moved My Cheese Summary – Dr. Spencer Johnson

5 MINUTE READ | A short, light-hearted parable about the different ways we respond to life's changes and how doing so skillfully can help us find more success and happines in our lives - by best-selling author, Dr. Spencer Johnson. Topics: Productivity & Performance, Thoughts & Emotions

Articles (A – Z):

I reserved most of my articles, video guides and in-depth guides on productivity for members of the TRACKTION Productivity Masterclass but here’s a few thought-starters for now.

Interviews (A – Z):

Something I want to do a lot more of in the coming years is to bring you productivity insights, tips, tools and ideas from some of the astounding top-performers I meet. Watch this space as the guest list keeps growing.