These 20 Books Will Boost Productivity & Improve Life

4. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

We all have habits, whether we realize it or not. And these habits are what dictate the positive and negative results outcomes in our lives. The Power of Habit aims to help you identify and dissect your own so that you can transform your life for a better outcome. According to the author, Charles Duhigg, he lost 30 pounds while writing this book, simply because he learned to recognize his own bad habits. Obviously, this can affect both your career and personal life, and improving yourself may translate into more success.

3. Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

Time is the one thing that we can never get more of. And finding a schedule that works for us can sometimes be really difficult, especially for people who are entrepreneurs. In Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey, he goes over some of the techniques that some of the most famous people in creative fields have used, and we get to take a look into their daily rituals.

Even though most of the examples used in this book are famous artists and writers, the advice can also apply to other fields, as well, because it gives us insight into what successful people do in 24 hours. We get to see that there is no “right” answer on how to get work done. However, there does seem to be a common thread among every successful person, but you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

2. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Bird by Bird is book is mainly geared towards aspiring writers, and it is required reading for anyone looking to earn their MFA in Writing. However, even if you are not a writer, it can also be very valuable for lessons about life and how to go about any creative endeavour in your life. The audiobook is available on YouTube, and the paper copy is very affordable online.

One of the most important things Anne Lamott teaches us in the book is how to observe life around us. In a world where people are glued to their phones and have a hard time being present in the moment, this book can teach you some very good techniques on how to look up and start paying attention. If you want to get a free sample her philosophy and sense of humor, Anne Lamott gave a great TED talk called “12 Truths I Learned From Life and Writing.”

1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

First written in 1937, Think and Grow Rich has been re-published again and again over the decades. The author, Napoleon Hill was a multi-millionaire, and one of the richest men of his time. He claims that all self-made millionaires have certain things in common, and that even if they lost everything, they can get their money back again. He distilled success into 13 principles that you can take into action in your daily life. This book has inspired tons of future millionaires, and many of the modern-day self-help books out there with business advice are essentially copying what is said in this text. Believe it or not, it is just 55 cents on Kindle, and the nearly 11-hour-long audiobook is actually available on YouTube for free.