Top 5 Time Management Books of All Time
Top 5 Time Management Books
Lately, it seems that we are all in a race to beat the clock. We stare at peoples’ perfectly edited lives on Instagram and ask how are they doing it all? In reality, we all are trying to juggle as many balls as possible between life, work, relationships/family, health and whatever else you have going on. There’s no doubt that a ball is going to fall here or there! Thankfully, there are a lot of great tools to help keep you focused on what’s most important in your life. Among these tools are books. And of those books, these 5 prove to be extra influential.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
This title probably sounds familiar as it is commonly an assigned reading by college professors everywhere. Covey helps readers to identify their top priorities in both life and work. His focus for the reader isn’t to relieve her of her bad habits but to reinforce the good ones. In this book, Covey uses an illustration of trying to fill a jar up with sand, pebbles, and rocks. He points out that if you put the smaller items in first then there will not be enough room for the larger items. However, when the larger rocks are placed in the jar first, the smaller rocks can fill in the open spaces. The same is true in life.
Key takeaway: Put first things first.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
Just two of the many accolades you will hear about David Allen’s book include that it is the so-called rule book for personal organization and one of the single most influential business books of all time. Allen focuses on what you can do with a clear mind: organize your thoughts, spark creativity, and boost productivity.
Key takeaway: Know what your goal’s outcome looks like and what it will take to reach it.
15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management – The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs by Kevin Kruse
The title does not lie. Kruse surveyed various successful people among the business, sports, and academic world about what they thought determined productivity and success. This book is his analysis about what all their answers had in common. The tips include: not using to-do lists, using the 80/20 rule, touching things only one time, and making it home for dinner.
Key takeaway: Successful people rarely think about time. Instead, they focus on values, priorities, and consistent habits.
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
If you feel as if procrastination is your main roadblock to productivity than Brian Tracy has the book for you. Eat That Frog is centered on Mark Twain’s quote “Eat a live frog the first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Besides tackling hard tasks early on, Tracy also explores the “Law of Three” and the 80/20 rule.
Key takeaway: You must say no to some tasks so that you can spend more time on the activities that can really change your life.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
You might have guessed that Greg McKeown’s book helps a reader to distinguish the essential tasks from the those that aren’t. Essentialism can be looked at as a guide to help a reader prioritize his tasks, make cuts where he can, and focus on the important items.
Key takeaway: Make a wise investment with your time by focusing on getting the right things done, not getting more done.
By Miranda Hardesty Hoffpauir
