8 Productivity Books Every Founder Should Own

Boost your productivity with these 8 essential books for founders.

August 6, 2024

You’ve got the drive, the vision, and the coffee addiction of a true founder. But do you have the productivity chops to match? These eight game-changing books aren’t just dust collectors for your office shelf. They’re your secret weapons in the battle against procrastination, overwhelm, and that pesky urge to check your phone every five minutes. From classic wisdom to cutting-edge strategies, this curated collection promises to revolutionize your workflow and skyrocket your efficiency. But here’s the million-dollar question: which of these literary gems will become your new entrepreneurial bible? Let’s find out as we unpack each title’s unique offerings.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey’s self-help classic is a productivity powerhouse that’ll transform your approach to both work and life. As a founder, you’ll find its principles particularly resonant, offering a roadmap to personal and professional effectiveness.

The book’s core lies in its seven habits, each building on the last. You’ll start by taking control of your life, moving from dependence to independence. ‘Be proactive’ and ‘Begin with the end in mind’ will have you setting clear goals and taking charge of your startup’s direction. ‘Put first things first’ will revolutionize your time management, ensuring you’re always working on what matters most.

Next, you’ll immerse yourself in interdependence. ‘Think win-win’ and ‘Seek first to understand, then to be understood’ will supercharge your leadership and negotiation skills. ‘Synergize’ will help you build a team that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

Finally, ‘Sharpen the saw’ reminds you to invest in yourself. It’s easy to neglect self-care when you’re building a business, but Covey argues it’s essential for long-term success.

Don’t let the book’s age fool you – its principles are timeless and as relevant to today’s startup scene as ever.

Deep Work

While Covey’s habits lay a solid foundation, Cal Newport’s ‘Deep Work’ zeroes in on a skill that’s become increasingly rare and valuable in our distraction-filled world. Newport argues that the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task is the superpower of the 21st century.

As a founder, you’re juggling a million tasks, but ‘Deep Work’ challenges you to prioritize intense concentration. It’s not just about turning off notifications; it’s about rewiring your brain to embrace long periods of uninterrupted focus. Newport offers practical strategies to cultivate this skill, from scheduling ‘deep work’ blocks to creating rituals that signal your brain it’s time to immerse yourself.

You might think you’re too busy for this approach, but that’s precisely why you need it. By mastering deep work, you’ll tackle complex problems more efficiently, generate innovative ideas, and outpace competitors who are still trapped in the shallows of constant connectivity.

Don’t be fooled; deep work isn’t easy. It’s like mental weightlifting. But for founders looking to create meaningful value, it’s an essential read that could revolutionize your productivity and, ultimately, your business’s success.

Getting Things Done

Picture your mind as a cluttered desk—that’s where David Allen’s ‘Getting Things Done’ (GTD) system comes in to sweep away the chaos and create a streamlined workflow for busy founders like you. This productivity powerhouse isn’t just another self-help fad; it’s a thorough approach to managing your mental load and boosting efficiency.

At its core, GTD is about capturing all your tasks, ideas, and commitments in a trusted system outside your brain. You’ll learn to process these items, deciding what’s actionable and what’s not. The magic happens when you organize your to-dos into clear, context-based lists. Suddenly, you’re not just reacting to the loudest fires—you’re strategically tackling your workload.

Allen’s method shines in its flexibility. Whether you’re a tech-savvy entrepreneur or a pen-and-paper purist, GTD adapts to your style. You’ll master the art of the ‘two-minute rule,’ handling quick tasks immediately to prevent small items from clogging your system.

Atomic Habits

Every founder’s success story is built on a foundation of tiny, consistent actions—that’s where James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’ comes in to revolutionize your approach to personal and professional growth. This game-changing book isn’t just another run-of-the-mill self-help tome; it’s a practical guide to rewiring your brain for success, one small habit at a time.

Clear’s genius lies in his ability to break down complex behavioral science into bite-sized, actionable nuggets. You’ll learn how to make time for new habits (even when your schedule is bursting at the seams), how to overcome a lack of motivation and willpower, and how to design your environment for success.

The book’s central idea—that tiny changes can snowball into remarkable results—is a perfect fit for the entrepreneurial mindset. As a founder, you’re already juggling a million balls. ‘Atomic Habits’ teaches you how to add new skills and behaviors to your repertoire without dropping everything else.

It’s not about radical, overnight transformations; it’s about consistent, incremental improvements that compound over time. So, ready to turn your startup dreams into startup reality? It’s time to get atomic!

Essentialism

In a world that’s constantly vying for your attention, Greg McKeown’s ‘Essentialism’ is your guide to cutting through the noise and focusing on what truly matters. This book isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing less, but better. McKeown challenges you to become an Essentialist, someone who makes the wisest possible investment of time and energy to operate at their highest point of contribution.

You’ll learn to distinguish between the significant few and the trivial many, a skill that’s essential for founders drowning in endless to-do lists. McKeown’s approach isn’t just about saying ‘no’ more often; it’s about saying ‘yes’ to the right things. He’ll teach you to embrace the power of trade-offs, helping you make tough decisions with confidence.

The book is packed with practical strategies, from the 90% rule for decision-making to the art of ruthless prioritization. You’ll discover how to create buffers to prepare for the unexpected and how to eliminate the nonessential to free up time for what’s truly important.

‘Essentialism’ isn’t just a productivity hack; it’s a whole new way of thinking that could revolutionize your business and your life.

The One Thing

Simplicity reigns supreme in Gary Keller and Jay Papasan’s game-changing book, ‘The One Thing,’ which challenges you to laser-focus on the single most important task that’ll drive your success. This isn’t just another productivity hack; it’s a philosophy that’ll revolutionize how you approach work and life.

The authors argue that multitasking is a myth, and spreading yourself thin is a recipe for mediocrity. Instead, they propose an invigoratingly straightforward question: ‘What’s the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?’ It’s like finding the domino that’ll topple all the others.

You’ll learn to embrace the power of saying ‘no’ to the trivial many and ‘yes’ to the essential few. The book offers practical strategies to identify your One Thing, protect your time, and create habits that support your focus.

It’s not about working harder; it’s about working smarter on what truly matters.

‘The One Thing’ isn’t just a catchy title; it’s a mantra that’ll help you cut through the noise and achieve extraordinary results. So, founder, what’s your One Thing?

Eat That Frog

While ‘The One Thing’ urges you to focus, Brian Tracy’s ‘Eat That Frog’ challenges you to tackle your most formidable task head-on, first thing in the morning. The book’s quirky title comes from Mark Twain’s quip about eating a live frog first thing in the morning, ensuring it’s the worst thing you’ll do all day.

Tracy’s premise is simple: identify your biggest, most important task—your ‘frog’—and do it before anything else. By conquering this beast early, you’ll set a productive tone for the entire day. Plus, you’ll avoid the mental drain of procrastination.

The book offers practical strategies to help you identify and prioritize your frogs. You’ll learn to break complex tasks into manageable chunks, set clear goals, and create action plans. Tracy also emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and self-improvement.

As a founder, you’re no stranger to formidable tasks. ‘Eat That Frog’ gives you the tools to face them head-on. So, the next time you’re tempted to check emails or attend to minor tasks, remember: there’s a frog waiting to be eaten. Bon appétit!

The 4-Hour Work Week

You’ve tackled your frog, but what if you could shrink your workweek to just four hours? Enter Tim Ferriss’s ‘The 4-Hour Work Week,’ a book that’s either a game-changer or a pipe dream, depending on who you ask.

Ferriss challenges you to rethink productivity from the ground up. He’s not telling you to work harder; he’s urging you to work smarter. The book’s core principle? Pareto’s 80/20 rule on steroids. Identify the 20% of your efforts that yield 80% of your results, then mercilessly cut the rest.

But it’s not just about trimming fat. Ferriss introduces concepts like outsourcing your life, automating your business, and embracing mini-retirements. He’ll have you questioning why you’re still chained to your desk when you could be sipping margaritas in Bali.

Critics argue it’s unrealistic, especially for founders. After all, can you really build an empire in four hours a week? Maybe not, but the book’s value lies in its paradigm-shifting ideas. It forces you to question your assumptions about work, time, and value.

Even if you don’t achieve the fabled four-hour week, you’ll likely find ways to reclaim hours of your life.

To Wrap Up

You’ve got the tools, now it’s time to put them to work! These eight productivity powerhouses aren’t just shelf decorations – they’re your secret weapons for founder success.

Immerse yourself, mix and match strategies, and watch your efficiency soar. Remember, you’re not just reading; you’re investing in your business’s future.

So, grab a book, a highlighter, and get ready to revolutionize your workflow. Your future self will thank you!