Last week I posted about some of the books I recommend to clients looking for resources on communication and relationships. This week, I’m providing a few recommendations for books about getting things done, procrastination, motivation, and avoiding burnout.
Time, Productivity, Procrastination, and more
First, a round up of resources I’ve pulled together from productivity books, blogs, and techniques:
Do You Have Time, or Does Time Have You? – 7 ways to experiment with your experience of time, and 5 book recommendations.
I Can’t Manage Time – inspired by David Allen’s words in Getting Things Done — you can’t manage time, but you can manage your actions.
The Action Management Sword – knowing your purpose can guide your time strategy. With shout-outs to Zen to Done, Getting Things Done, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Purposeful Big Rocks – understanding how to put the important things first.
Truth in Data – getting curious about how you actually spend your day.
Final Words on Time – tips for doing less, getting started, focusing, avoiding distractions, and attending to the big picture.
And now, a few new resources:
The Power of Full Engagement
One of my favourite recommendations this year:
Two things grabbed my attention within the first chapter or so of this book:
1 – The authors point out that high performing athletes spend about 90% of their time preparing and training and resting up for the 10% of time when they perform at peak levels.
So, hey, it’s kind of silly to think that we can perform at peak levels at our jobs for 40-60 hours a week day in and day out, week after week, right?
2 – The idea that many of us think of life as one long marathon, when it can be helpful instead to consider it as a series of sprints. And in between the sprints are opportunities for rest, renewal and recovery.
Throughout the book, the authors explore four areas of energy expenditure and energy renewal: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. They point out that we can strengthen our energy muscles in each of these areas by pushing ourselves just past our comfort zone, and then building in recovery time. And they’re generous with examples, case studies, and exercises to try on your own.
If you’d like to get a glimpse at their methodology, you can answer 20 questions online to complete their “Energy Audit” and see your results. You can find the Energy Audit here.
The Tiny Habits Program
Recently I heard about the Tiny Habits program, a free online program in which you take a week to set up a workable habit. Click here for my experience with the program.
The Now Habit
Awhile back I read The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play. I liked the way the book examined procrastination as a symptom, not just a cause, and the step-by-step guide it provides for building guilt-free play into one’s schedule first. Another part of it that I’ve been loving is the suggestion to take two minutes at the start of any activity to relax, centre myself, consciously let go of the past and the future, drop into the present, and then set an intention for the activity I’m about to begin.
What would you add?
What books — or other resources — have you found most helpful for your learning about communication and relationships? I’d love to hear your replies in the comments.