REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
The Productivity Book:
30 Professionals Talk About Time Management
30 Professionals Talk About Time Management
by Michael Brecht
The Productivity Book by Michael Brecht is currently available for only $0.99 and is on tour with Enchanted Book Promotions. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
At Doodle, we understand that productivity isn’t how much you’re doing, it’s how much you get done. So, we spoke to 30 productivity and time management experts to figure out just how they do it. The result: The Productivity Book! It can’t make more hours in the day. But, it will show you how to get the most out of the time you do have, so you can work smarter, and not harder. Filled with personal stories, insightful anecdotes and sound advice, this book is a fresh examination of the habits that shape us - and how others have managed to break free of them.
Inside The Productivity Book you'll find:
- Productivity tools & trends
- Time management tips
- Health & lifestyle advice
- How to structure the perfect productivity day
Excerpt
Conclusion
Since the questions we asked opened a window into a day in the life of a productivity expert, we wanted our final conclusion to reflect this. So, here’s our summary of what a productive day should look like.
The perfect day starts the night before. Outline your goals. Whether this is a simple to-do list or time blocking, make sure tomorrow’s objectives are clear. Then sleep on it.
Everyone needs a different amount of sleep. Know what works for you and structure your schedule around that. Nearly all of our experts cited adequate rest as essential to maintaining productivity.
Wake up bright and early. Leave enough time to spend at least an hour and a half preparing for the day. Whether it’s reading, yoga, Pilates, running or simply thinking. Follow this with a healthy breakfast and you’re good to go.
Get to work. Now that you’ve prepared mentally, it’s time to take on the day. This period is when you’re at your most productive, so use it wisely. Let the calls go to voicemail, put your cellphone on silent and don’t answer emails. Emails are rarely worth your most energized and motivated moments. Unless it’s a creative meeting, don’t take it.
If you need time constraints, use a timer! Or the Pomodoro Technique.
Once you’re into the afternoon, time block to focus on admin and less important tasks like responding to emails and taking meetings. This will stop you from getting distracted and help you to focus on one thing at a time.
Because your brain is slower, this is the best part of the day to incorporate technology. So, start up your favorite tried and tested apps and use them to help you take notes, see your reminders, book appointments and whatever else is important. And remember, saying “no” can be more productive than “yes”.
By this point, you should have had a highly productive day. So, use the evening to relax with friends or family. But remember: A little planning the night before can go a long way toward having a successful, fulfilling tomorrow.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
"Great book - an enjoyable read with some really good and insightful tips. On top, it gives an interesting look into how productivity actually works for real people in real life - something I find is missing from so many of the theory based 'guru' books out there. Go ahead and read it!" ~ Helena
"It's really great to get so many different insights from so many different people. Productivity can be something individual, but as read in the interviews it seems that some things help really everyone. Very helpful!" ~ Fabio
"Some excellent advice on productivity from several business professionals and other busy bees. I loved the anecdotes and personal stories, and I got some good productivity tips from reading this." ~ Bedazzled Reading
"Really useful ebook - great to get true insight into professional people's days and learn the tricks they have perfected over years of trial and error. Found the summation at the end of the book particularly useful and have downloaded some of the apps recommended!" ~ Amazon Customer
"Great book - insightful tips from a wide range of professionals. I plan on implementing many of the tips learned over the next few weeks! Definitely worth a read." ~ Amazon Customer
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
In The Productivity Book, thirty professionals from the US, UK, Australia, India, Canada, and Europe talk about time management in interview format. The interviewees are asked (among other things) about how they start their day, how they stay productive throughout the day, and how they organize themselves for the next day. They are also asked to share their favorite productivity tips and apps. The interviews are followed by an Afterword by the author summarizing the findings of the 30 interviews.
This book will give you lots of handy tips for managing your time, straight from the mouths of recognized experts in the fields of productivity and time management. The highlighted quotes within each interview are a nice touch. The interviews don't appear to be in any particular order, and l would have preferred the contributors to be arranged in alphabetical order. I found out about some great apps to help me manage my day and increase my productivity. Some I had never heard of: Doodle, Focus@Will, Todoist, TurboScan. And some are old favorites: my calendar, Evernote, Pomodoro Technique. At some points, the book reads like a testimonial for the Doodle productivity app, developed by the company for which the author is the CEO. If you're in a hurry, you will get some great tips just by reading the Afterword at the end of the book.
Very informative and full of practical advice.
Video Interview with the Author
You can skip to 17:15 or watch the whole video for some great time-saving tips.
About the Author
Michael Brecht has been working for many years with thousands of productive people around the globe. He started collecting his first notes on productivity while living with his family in rural Australia, and intensified his work with international experts while traveling the world as the CEO of Doodle.
He is a serial entrepreneur and has worked for more than twenty years in IT and Digital Media, holding international leadership positions in both Europe and Australasia. His experience ranges from founding start-ups to various exits with multi-national corporates and their subsequent integration. He is interested in the topics of digital transformation and innovative team leadership - with a particular focus on international growth.
Compiled by the author over the years, The Productivity Book shares the invaluable advice of the world’s top productivity experts.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win one of 5 Doodle premium accounts (value $49 each).
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