5 Must Read Time Management & Productivity Books
Your to-do list is getting longer and longer.
There never seems to be enough time to do all the things you want to do.
This leaves you feeling busy, overwhelmed, and pretty exhausted.
Time management and productivity to the rescue!
Improving my time management and productivity skills has made a world of difference for my life. Which is why I shout the benefits from the rooftop (or furiously type in my blog for all to read.)
For me, the best way I’ve found to continue to improve these skills to live a life I enjoy has been through books.
Books spark new ideas to try out. They remind me of the bad habits I should stop doing or reinforce the good habits I’m already working on.
But, there are a LOT of books to choose from. And if you’re already feeling overwhelmed, it can be hard to know where to start.
So I’ve made the decision simple. I’ve narrowed down the top 5 books you must read to amp up your time management and productivity!
#1. “168 Hours” by Laura Vanderkam
Summary
“168 Hours” challenges the belief that we don’t have time for the activities that we look forward to and enjoy.
Everyone has the same 168 hours each week to work with. By analyzing the habits of successful people, the book offers practical advice and strategies to make the most of those hours. You’ll learn how to align daily activities with long-term goals to lead a more balanced and fulfilling life.
My Take
I love anything Laura Vanderkam puts out there – i.e. Off the Clock, Tranquil by Tuesday, and Juliette’s School of Possibility (for a fictional spin on some time management basics).
Her strategies are approachable and I’ve adopted many of her concepts along my time management journey. The biggest influences she’s had on me is learning to plan my time for a full week, not just a day at a time, so I can see the full picture and balance of my life. She also introduced me to the List of 100 Dreams that pushed me to intentionally plan time to get a taste of all of my wild and crazy whims!
Sneak Peak
“The key to spending more time on what matters is spending less time on what doesn’t.”
#2. “Building a Second Brain” by Tiago Forte
Summary
“Building a Second Brain” dives deep into the benefits of structured note-taking.
Notes allow you to manage information overload while capturing your personal insights that allow you to turn ideas into action. This practice can not only makes you massively more productive (hint: less time searching and recreating from scratch) but will also unlock your creativity like never before.
The book will also help take the confusion out of where to store your notes by introducing a method called PARA so you always know exactly where a note belongs. The book will help you work smarter, achieve your goals, and unlock your creative potential.
My Take
My inner productivity nerd definitely lit up within the first few pages of this one.
I was even inspired to write a whole blog series on the concepts I learned and was most excited to apply:
There was a significant increase to my productivity as I rethought how to organize and leverage the many notes I take throughout the day. I also got more strategic about where I could templatize my work so I’m never staring blankly at a screen wondering where to get started.
The work I’m creating these days is of higher value than it used to be. This book is not just for personal development; I would highly recommend any team read this as a group to create an efficient and productive dream team.
Sneak Peak
“A second brain allows you to live more in the present, knowing your past insights and future ideas are safely captured.”
#3. “Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less” by Tiffany Dufu
Summary
“Drop the Ball” is a helpful guide for women struggling with the demands of work and home life.
The book is a personal journey of learning to let go of perfectionism and delegating tasks to others to focus on what truly matters. You’ll get an inside look at the ups and downs of getting clear on your priorities and communicating your needs and goals to your partner.
Following the advice offered will help you achieve more balance and fulfillment in your life by embracing a little more imperfection and giving yourself permission to do a little less.
My Take
This book helped me understand the mental load I was carrying around that was making me exhausted and overwhelmed. I wasn’t necessarily doing all the things, but I was sure constantly thinking about them.
The biggest change I immediately put into practice was learning to delegate with joy to my partner. I’ve gotten so much better at asking for help, without shaming myself into thinking it’s a weakness. This has allowed me to spend more time on the pieces of my life that bring me passion, fulfillment, and joy. I’m still in the works of being a little less controlling when things aren’t done exactly my way… We’re all a work in progress.
Sneak Peak
“It is only by being intentional about what we can remove from our calendars that we gain control of what they should contain.”
#4. “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman
Summary
“Four Thousand Weeks” contests conventional time management and productivity approaches by embracing the finite nature of our lives.
With an average lifespan of about four thousand weeks, the book urges readers to embrace limitations so they can focus on what’s really important. It questions productivity culture and even discourages striving for efficiency. The book promotes a mindful approach to time, so you can live a more intentional and fulfilling life.
My Take
“Arguably, time management is all life is.” I didn’t need to read any further. I was sold.
I read this book in a season of my life where I needed to rethink my approach to my time and how I could achieve even my wildest goals, without falling into the trap of burnout again.
You can’t do everything. Those are the facts. That realization was freeing and I started getting more intentional about what I wasn’t going to get done, and feeling really damn good about it. I started consciously focusing on fitting in more of the want-tos in my day and giving myself permission to have unproductive nothing time (despite my internal protests.) This all helped me reclaim some of the balance I had lost.
Sneak Peak
“It can’t be the case you must do more than you can do. If you truly don’t have the time, no matter how grave the consequences might be, you don’t have the time. It’s irrational to feel troubled by an overwhelming to-do list.”
#5. “Brave Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder” by Reshma Saujani
Summary
Okay, you probably didn’t think you’d find this in a post about time management and productivity books. But this is for my perfectionist people-pleasing ladies out there who need to rethink how we’re spending our time.
"Brave Not Perfect" encourages women to abandon the pursuit of perfection and embrace bravery instead The book highlights how societal expectations push women towards perfectionism, stifling their potential and creativity. When you finish reading, you’ll feel empowered to take risks, embrace failure, and prioritize growth over flawlessness.
My Take
After I read this book, I’ve never been more brave in how I approach my life and goals.
I realized the things I no longer have time for:
Striving for perfection before I even try something
Obsessively analyzing and weighing every decision out of fear of making a mistake
Backing away from opportunities because I don’t think I’m good enough
Losing sleep ruminating over the slightest mistake
Prioritizing my time based on what others think instead of what I want
These things are all now on my to-don’t list. Imagine how differently you would spend your time if you stopped doing just one of these. Talk about a transformation… This is a hands-down must-read.
Sneak Peak
"Bravery is not about feeling fearless; it’s about acting despite the fear."
Make More Time For Reading
So you’re sold and ready to add a brand new pile of books to your nightstand. But…how will you make the time?
Try these tips!
Leverage audiobooks. Turn on an audiobook when you’re working out, cleaning, commuting…etc. Whatever low brain power activities you do throughout the day. You’ll fly through all your must-reads in no time. (And, bonus tip, listen on 1.25x speed for maximum efficiency.)
Put time for reading on your calendar. You know the drill - scheduled tasks get done.
Find small pockets of time for reading. This can be as simple as 10 minutes a day to sneak in a few pages. Or even make this small pocket a part of your daily routine. For instance, use 10 minutes of reading as your transition task between work and home or as a part of your bedtime wind-down routine.
Struggling to feel motivated to make the time? Try having both a self-help and “fun” book on hand. You may not feel like a thought-provoking deep dive all of the time. So jump into your “fun” book. Or when you’re feeling more inspired, grab that time management read. This can make reading seem more appealing and like a get-to-do, not a must-do.
Happy reading, my friends!
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About Me
Hi, I’m Kara. I’m a former workaholic turned time-management expert. I help women stressed out in their 9-5 get more done, in less time, so they can get back in the driver’s seat and start living a life they love.
