How To Get More Out Of Your Life With These Top Productivity Books (For the 40+)
“Focus on being productive instead of busy.”
Tim Ferriss
Productivity books have long been popular in the business world, but they’ve recently become popular among individuals as well.
Books on productivity can teach you how to be more efficient and organized in your day-to-day tasks, especially when your life gets unexpectedly busy in your 40s and beyond.
By reading one or more of these books, you can increase your productivity, create a productivity system, and get more out of life.
Here are some top tips from the best productivity books:
- Set goals and make a plan
- Have a routine
- Plan your day in advance
- Prioritize your tasks and projects
- Take breaks in between
Table of Contents
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One of the reasons why most people struggle with their productivity levels is that they do plan their goals well. You need not be one of them. You can now use the Free Goal Planner we have designed for you using the templates at Creative Fabrica.
How can Productivity Books help you in midlife?
To understand the role of productivity books in your life you first need to understand what is meant by productivity or by being productive.
Productivity is the ability to produce quality work. This is a very important concept and many people strive for it. Some people have a natural gift for productivity, while others need to learn how to become more productive either by themselves or from other highly effective people.
However, productivity and time management skills are not only important aspects of your work life but equally important factors in your personal life, especially in your 40s and beyond when you have to handle so many different things at one time.
Productivity books are books that can teach you how to increase your productivity and also provide you with hacks and techniques to help you get things done. They can be used by anyone, regardless of their skill level or experience.
If you are not sure of how productive you are through the day, please read our blog post Answer Questions On Productivity To Manage Time Better (For The 40+), where we have listed a series of thought-provoking questions to help you understand your productivity levels.
You should add productivity books to your reading list as they can be helpful for a variety of reasons such as:
- Improving work-life balance,
- Increasing efficiency and focus,
- Decreasing stress,
- And inculcating good habits.
They can help anyone who wants to improve their productivity level.
If you’re looking for some personal change and to improve your productivity and time management skills, there are a few books that can provide powerful lessons for focused success.
Some provide strategic programs on time management and others on task management and focus management.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced pro, these self-help books are a definitive guide to :
- Enhance productivity,
- Break bad habits,
- And help you achieve optimal experience out of your day.
Must Read Productivity Books In Life After 40
Productivity is key to being successful in any field. If you want to be more effective, many books can help.
This list of must-read productivity books contains some of the best advice on
- How to become more organized
- Work smarter
- Get more done
- And stop procrastinating
Did you know that affirmations in daily life and being grateful for everything that you have in life can boost your levels of productivity?
Read our blog post on positive affirmations to overcome procrastination. You may also find the post on different journaling ideas for self-improvement enriching.
Productivity books can be extremely helpful in improving efficiency and productivity in any area of your life. By reading and implementing the productivity principles contained within these books, you can increase your efficiency and achieve more in less time.
Here are 11 best productivity and time management books to read.
Get inspired by these top productivity books and start implementing the tips and techniques into your everyday life!
15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management By Kevin Kruse
In this book, the author Kevin Kruse discusses the fascinating observations from his research on amazingly productive people.
He interviewed billionaires, athletes who participated in the Olympics, students who performed brilliantly academically, and successful entrepreneurs, and he tried to explain to his readers the secrets to extraordinary productivity.
This book is a practical guide that will help you understand the value of using calendars to manage your time rather than relying on to-do lists.
He guides you in several easy steps toward overcoming procrastination and also stresses the fact that time management is not just about managing your time but also about managing your priorities and your energy.
This book also has many relevant quotes from people from different fields who have managed their time well to be the best at what they do.
The 5 Choices By Kory Kogon, Adam Merrill, and Leena Rinne
In this book, the main point that is driven home by the authors is that you should learn how to use technology for your benefit rather than allow technology to rule your life.
This is a surprisingly simple truth that all of us should be aware of, but we still allow technology and social media to distract us every day.
Further, the book makes you understand the difference between tasks that you contemplate as urgent and tasks that are important.
It is the tasks that are important to you that will help you to move ahead in your life and achieve your goals, and you should spend most of your focus on those tasks.
The book also focuses on and explains what exactly should you consider, to ascertain whether a task is an important task, and how to handle those important tasks by assigning roles to each task that you need to perform for optimum productivity.
Further, the authors also harp on the importance of taking care of your mind and body before anything else, even if you are extremely busy.
Hyperfocus: How To Manage Your Attention In A World Of Distraction By Chris Gailey
In today’s world, it seems like more and more people are constantly working. But is that the best way to live? According to Chris Bailey, author of “Hyperfocus: How to Manage Your Attention In A World Of Distraction,” you can achieve incredible results by focusing on a few key tasks and working less overall.
In his new book, Bailey explains how to use hyperfocus techniques to work smarter, not harder. He also introduces two different concepts of hyperfocus and scatterfocus.
Hyperfocus is the time when you are focusing on the task at hand and scatter focus is the time when your mind scatters around and is taking in things creatively to be used later on.
It tells you to understand your mind and know when it is distracted, to allow your mind to wander when it wants to. This allows you to tap into your creative mind.
He also helps you understand the techniques to be used to feel less distracted and how to channel your mind to work around those distractions, like keeping the thing (for example, your mobile) that is likely to distract you far away and out of your reach.
The book also shows you how to do more than one thing at a time without getting overwhelmed. Further, you learn how to take breaks that enhance your productivity.
The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life By Robin Sharma
Robin Sharma in his book, The 5 AM Club, focuses on how to start your day with intention and achieve success. This book provides you with tools and techniques
- to set goals,
- improve your focus,
- and create lasting change.
Sharma believes that by starting your day with intention, you can elevate your life in every way. This book helps you with the benefits of rising early for a more productive and happy life.
The author in a very engaging way introduces two strangers who are struggling in their lives to a tycoon who becomes their mentor and teaches them the benefit of belonging to that elite section of the society who are a part of the 5 AM Club.
Are you like most people, who don’t start their day with a burst of energy and slowly get out of bed, take a few minutes to brush their teeth, and then slowly make their way to the kitchen for breakfast?
If this sounds familiar, you could use some help getting started in the morning by reading this life-changing book by Robin Sharma who in an enchanting manner inspires you to wake up and make an early start to the day peacefully.
This would allow you to make significant progress in your personal and work life.
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think By Laura Vanderkam
Do you always feel like you have too little time? According to recent studies, you may have more time than you think.
In 168 Hours, Vanderkam outlines how you can reclaim more time from your day-to-day lives.
In this book, she provides the readers
- tips on how to declutter their lives,
- stop multitasking
- and get more organized.
She has interviewed various successful people on how they utilize their time and one thing common that comes out is that people who attain success in their respective fields know what is important to them and prioritize those tasks accordingly.
168 hours is a lot of time. But it’s not all you think it is. The average person has more time than they think. The 168-hour rule is an old saying that suggests that the average person has 168 hours in a week. That’s 8 hours more than the traditional 7 days in a week. And it’s actually more than that. The 168-hour rule is based on the fact that humans are capable of producing energy at a consistent rate for 168 hours.
In this book, Laura Vanderkam tells us how with proper prioritization of your schedules you will be able to sleep for 8 hours, do exercises, and follow your passions. The book argues that we often give ourselves fewer hours in a day to do things we want to do and that by optimizing our time we can achieve more in life.
Vanderkam provides examples of how to optimize time and make the most of each hour, whether it’s to get more done or relax more. After reading this book you will be in a better position to manage your time effectively by adjusting your daily routines for optimum productivity.
18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction And Get The Right Things Done By Peter Bregman
Do you find yourself constantly distracted by irrelevant thoughts and tasks? If so, you’re not alone. Distraction has become a way of life for many people. But distraction isn’t just a problem for individuals; it’s also a problem for businesses and societies.
The inability to focus can have negative consequences, including decreased productivity, increased errors, and lost opportunities. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome distractions and get more done in the time allotted.
In his Book 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction and Get The Right Things Done, Peter Bregman has a solution:18 minutes of focus each day. In this book, he shares his method for achieving deep concentration in any situation and getting the most out of your time.
The 18-minute rule is simple: spend 18 minutes each day doing something that is important to you and that you find interesting.
In the book, Bregman also suggests that you should keep a check on the way you use your time. He suggests that every day on several occasions you should take a minute to review how focused were you in completing or going about your task at hand and if you feel, that you did get distracted, to analyze the reasons for the distractions.
In an age of constant stimulation, it can be tough to find the time and focus to get the things you need to be done and return to a state of deep work for enhanced productivity every time you get distracted.
But with a little practice, you can learn to master distraction and get the most out of your time. “18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done” by Peter Bregman is a self-help book that helps you achieve success in any area of your life.
Surge: Your Guide To Put Any Idea Into Action By Steve Garguilo
Do you have an idea but don’t know how to make it a reality? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
In fact, according to a study by Forbes, most people don’t know how to put their ideas into action. But that does not mean that your idea is useless.
In his book Surge: Your Guide To Put Any Idea Into Action, Steve Garguilo teaches you how to surge your idea so that it becomes a reality. If you want to take any idea and turn it into reality, you first need to identify the steps that are necessary to complete that idea.
Steve Garguilo has put together a comprehensive guide entitled “Surge Your Idea: A Step-by-Step Guide to Putting Any Idea Into Action.”
The guide walks readers through the process of
- identifying their goals
- developing a plan of action
- and taking the necessary steps to make their idea a reality
He does this by using scientific evidence and explanations on how to build an idea gather momentum and surge ahead to fulfill those ideas.
Time Blocking: Your Method To Supercharge Productivity and Reach Your Goals by Luke Seavers
There are countless books on time management, productivity, and goal-setting. But if you’re looking for a more efficient way to live your life, one of the most effective methods is time-blocking.
Luke Seavers in his book Time Blocking teaches you how to effectively utilize this age-old productivity technique to your benefit. The author breaks down the process of time blocking into micro, macro, and day blocking to help you understand the concept of time blocking effectively.
The concept of time blocking is simple and helps you to achieve stress-free productivity. You establish specific goals and tasks that need to be completed in a certain amount of time. Then you block off chunks of time during the day or week to work on those goals.
Here in this book, you get a detailed guide as to how to go about this technique effectively to align your goals to your purpose in life. Further, it helps you to understand that managing time is more about how effectively you focus your energy on the task at hand.
Powerful Focus: A 7-Day Plan To Develop Mental Clarity And Build Strong Focus By Thibaut Meurisse
The ability to stay focused on a task is crucial for success in any field. However, many people struggle to maintain focus due to a lack of mental clarity.
This book by Thibaut Meurisse Powerful Focus offers a 7-day plan to improve mental clarity and build strong focus. By following the plan laid down by the author, you will be able to achieve your goals and stay on track throughout the day.
Mental clarity is one of the most important qualities for a successful career. With a strong focus, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve your goals.
However, mental clarity can be difficult to develop. By following this plan, you will be able to achieve your goals and become more successful in your career.
In today’s fast-paced, constantly connected world, it can be hard to find the time and energy to focus on anything. But developing mental clarity and a strong focus is worth the effort.
This book by Meurisse provides a 7-day plan to help you build mental clarity and strong focus. By following this plan, you will be able to achieve your dreams and become more successful in your career.
Life Hacker: The Guide For Working Smarter, Faster And Better By Adam Pash
If you’re looking for a way to work smarter, faster, and better, you need to check out the book Life Hacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, and Better by Adam Pash. This book will teach you how to use your time more efficiently and figure out ways to solve problems on your own.
The book is full of hacks about technology tips about how to use your Mac, windows, or smartphone in a more productive way to make your life easier and simpler in a world in which there is no way to avoid gadgets.
By following the hacks given in this book, you will be able to work smarter and faster by utilizing the tools referred to in the book.
It provides tips and tricks on how to use technology to improve your life in a language that is easy for even the layman to follow.
Do Productivity Books Work?
How can books about productivity help you become a better person or increase your productivity? It’s a question that has been asked by many people and one that has yet to have a definitive answer.
Some people swear by time management books, while others say they don’t see the results they were hoping for. There are many good books on how to be more productive out there, but it seems as though the jury is still out on whether or not they actually work.
Numerous studies have found that individuals who read or listen to how to be productive books or articles are more productive than those who don’t.
This is likely because the best books for productivity offer concrete tips and advice on how to be more organized and productive.
They offer the readers actionable tips that need to be taken for effective time management. Further, by reading these books on being productive, you get to learn the habits of highly efficient and successful people.
So, for the books on productivity to work for you, you will need to be
- Willing to change your behavior.
- Have a good understanding of how your brain works.
- Able to stick with the program.
- Have realistic expectations.
How Can A Book Improve Productivity In Midlife?
If you’re looking to increase productivity, one way to do so is by reading the best books for motivation and productivity.
According to a study published in “The Journal of Productivity Analysis,” reading books can help you learn new skills and improve your working memory.
Additionally, reading can help reduce stress and allow you to focus on your work.
Reading books on time management can improve productivity in several ways.
- First, reading can increase your knowledge and understanding of complex topics.
- Second, reading can provide a break from the hectic pace of everyday life and allow for contemplation and reflection on important matters.
- Third, by reading, you can develop new skills and knowledge that can be applied to work or other pursuits.
- Fourth, reading can help to form relationships with others and to gain insights into different cultures and perspectives.
Productivity Books To read: Key Takeaways
There’s a popular saying that goes, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” This is often attributed to Franklin D. Roosevelt and it’s a great quote for many reasons.
First, busy people are used to being asked to do things. They’re not always available, but they know how to get things done. Second, they’re usually good at multitasking. They can handle several tasks at once and still be effective.
To get an insight into the minds and lives of these focused and successful people you should read books on efficiency which will guide you to be your best productive self.
There are many great productivity books available to help you get the most out of your day. The eleven books listed are some of the best productivity books of all time and a great place to make a start. Be sure to explore and find the book that works best for you.
There are many other books from noted authors like Charles Duhigg, Brian Tracy, and Tim Ferriss which also lay down great ways for extreme productivity.
Experiment with different techniques until you find what works for you, and then stick with it. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done in a day once you find a system that works for you!!
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