Other Good Time Management Books?

Rogaine Warrior

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Other than David's "Getting Things Done," what other time management books do you think are the best for boosting personal productivity?
 

Bryan

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Recommended reading

Glad to suggest a few!

Covey: First Things First. (It's funny that on other GTD boards, "Franklin" is synonymous with "Evil". I think that's from the old Franlin ABC-123 daily priority lists. So to be clear, here's the disclaimer. I make a distinction between Franklin's ABC-123 system and Covey's original works...I realize they're one company, but Covey focuses on broader strategic perspectives.) 7 Habits and Principle-Centered Leadership are both great as well.

Winton: The Organized Executive; a *classic* of years gone by, recently reissued. Many similar ideas to GTD.

The On-Purpose Person (author temporarily escapes me): Written in the vaguely dippy story format of the One-Minute Everything books, it's still a neat summary and blend of both the operational and strategic levels. Incidentally, it's very list-based which enhances GTD compatibility. And it's ridiculously short and easy to read. (Takes an hour, tops.)

I'll be interested in seeing others' recommendations, too!

Cheers!
-Bryan
 
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Anonymous

Guest
If you're like me you'll have all you can do to get the GTD system implemented.

I think that you should focus on that first (if you havent) and once you have your local lists up to speed start on the big picture stuff.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Books to read

This is not strictly a time management book, but it can boost your productivity: "The Effective Executive" by Peter Drucker. Time management to me generally equals self management.
 
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Frank Buck

Guest
My vote is for Time Power by Dr. Charles Hobbs. For those who use a paper planner a Day-Timer or Franklin planner, it's a must read and the best guide available on how to use a paper planner.

For those who use a PDA, the vast majority of the book is still very applicable. The chapter on creative procrastination is exceptional (and sounds alot like GtD as talks about putting all of your calls in a list and making them all at one time).
 
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earlofmar11

Guest
Here is another one I liked when I came across it some years ago: "PEP (Personal Efficiency Program)" by Kerry Gleeson. There also, quite some ideas I found back in GTD. The one most important phrase is "Do It Now", which -if you read what's behind it- comes fairly close to the 2 minute rule and some other aspects of the workflow diagram. Recommended.
 

tallmarvin

Registered
There is a paperback out, don't know if it's still in print,

'No BS Time Management' By Dan Kennedy

He's pretty hardcore. I like what he has to say about being on time (something I have struggled with all my life).

A second:

'How to have a 48 Hour Day' by Don Aslett

Like all Aslett's books, you should read carefully, and pick/choose the tips that apply to you, but still highly recommended.

M
 

kkirksey

Registered
Re: Other Good Time Management Books?

Rogaine Warrior said:
Other than David's "Getting Things Done," what other time management books do you think are the best for boosting personal productivity?

The personal productivity "trinity" that's always in arm's reach on my desk:

Getting Things Done
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
The Time Trap - Alec Mackenzie
 

billjw

Registered
Wow! After reading the posts on this subject I realise I have around 80% of the books! Now just to get organised to read and implement! :oops:

Bill
 
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Anonymous

Guest
time management books should come with warnings

an awful lot are not readily implemented and have no self-repair feature--they make people feel terrible--GTD has many self-repair features--that is, if it is not working you can put the failure into the system and work on it's cause or understanding it and fixing it. This community is a gret help in that, too. That being said, I feel that most ideas in time mangement books are worth trying for a few times with some attention to why they do or do not work for a given person with a given challenge in a particular setting. I also think it is important to have a system that you can implement a part at a time. As I am going through a truly monumental in-to-empty I am also doing weekly reviews and I would say I am at least 30% more productive in a happy way. I would also say that managing time is a misleading concept but work analysis and related concepts are more accurate way to focus. The author whom I truly love is Lillian Gilbreth (the mother in the movie Cheaper by the Dozen)--she was an industrial psychologist and mother of 12--she and her husband really launched ergonomics and work analysis. I also love Pam Young and Peggy Jones but all their books will probably not seem readily applicable to the corporate or office world. For another web site of interest see worksimp.com.
 
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andmor

Guest
Re: Other Good Time Management Books?

Rogaine Warrior said:
Other than David's "Getting Things Done," what other time management books do you think are the best for boosting personal productivity?

I have read a lot of books on related topics and consider Stephanie Winston's "The Organized Executive" to be the most comprehensive. I also like the anecdotal-style of Mark McCormack in "Getting Results for Dummies". 2 books I have not yet read that invariably have glowing recommendations (and are on my future reading list) are the books by Hobbs and McKenzie listed above in this thread.

Andrew
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I have a book called "The ten natural laws of successful time and life management", written some 10 yrs ago by a guy called Hyrum Smith , from the Franklin Quest Co. (the Franklin Daily Planner ) , at that time, no connection with Stephen Covey, as far as I know. He says that the planner was named Franklin in honor of Benjamin Franklin , who devoted his life to self-improvement and self-discipline.
The point is, the higher your level of self- discipline is, the better a system will work. Any system. Any planner. NO planner at all.
We crave for planners because of our lack of self-discipline.
GTD is the best system because it is very flexible and allows for our human weaknesses like procastination, bad or no planning, plain laziness, lack of objectives, lack of interest in objectives, and also illnesses, accidents, and so forth.
I re-read this book last weekend and it is very inspiring , but this planner is not for me.

Myriam
 

rossw

Registered
"The Means and Manner of Obtaining Virtue" - Benjamin Franklin (thanks to m torok for reminding me.
 

Mardo

Registered
Time Management Books

Ben Franklin's autobiography is short. It covers his early years in Boston, Pennsylvania and England and was written for his son. It talk a lot about how he spends his time and why, as well as focus on virtues. Its a fantastic time management book.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Other Good Time Management Books?

I fully agree with Guest above who said that time management is essentially self-management.

For me, the most electrifying book I have found on pure self-management is “Take Control” by Michael A. Janke. Don’t be put off by the SEAL context – the books is a highly motivating read, and is bulls-eye accurate on the need for self discipline.

It dovetails perfectly with GTD as far as I can see, and it’s almost frightening to think what one could accomplish if fully implementing both. Janke for drive, and GTD for clarity.

Busydave
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Just have to add one more:

Conquering Chaos at Work - Harriet Schechter - she likes talking about maintenance as a 90% item in life. Unfortunately, I tend to agree with her.

Also, I've found the Time of Your Life by Anthony Robbins (tape program) to be very useful, that combined with David's @ categories really help me to maintain my focus and Get things Done.

PS, I've also read most of the books listed above - the Covey First Things First stuff is very useful, as is the Hyrum Smith. If you want back to basics you could try: How to Get control of your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein - a pioneer in the ABC prioritizing methodology book was published in 1973.

After all the reading, basically it comes down to one thing though - you've got to make the system fit you, that's why mine is a blend of so many - mostly because I couldn't just slip into someone else's complete methodology.

Christine
 
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andmor

Guest
Books

I have found that the GtD thinking for Organization works best for me. Many of the other books that I have read (especially 7 Habits) have helped me in the mental parts of GtD - Processing and Review. But they haven't offered a better formulation of the written pieces of the system. Such is the GtD influence that my non-GtD Daily Plan/Schedule/Journal has been designed in a way that preserves the principles inherent in the GtD Workflow Diagram.

For me, GtD is now the benchmark against which the ideas in other books are evaluated.

Andrew
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Although it is not exclusively focused on "time management", the best companion I've found for GTD = a (Palm e)book, about $7 (price compare!!), called HABIT BUSTING. Visit ebooklocator.com---> select "Palm ebook" if you have that platform, or just leave it blank otherwise, re the first drop-down box. In the "Title" section enter the one word >> Habit. For those without handhelds, a desktop Adobe version is available. (I have no clue re print copies. Perhaps a search at Amazon...)

Among the things that vexed me was actually performing daily and weekly reviews. There were also some bad habits I was trying, earnestly, to break, but just wasn't successful. It was like a part of me was rebelling, and working HARD against me. In frustration, I ran a search at ebooklocator using the word HABIT, which is how I discovered this gem. Like David Allen, the author explains, without being preachy. And, definitive steps are laid out to assist in cementing new habits, while killing the grrr ones.

Since the development/elimination of habits invariably spells success/failure for getting one's personal organizational scheme together, I consider this text to be on a par with David Allen's. Easy and funny reading, yet profoundly productivity-enhancing, in terms of long-term effects.

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dpg
 
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earlofmar11

Guest
Habit Busting

What a coincidence: I'm just in the process of reading "Habit Busting" (on my Palm).

What you say is very true: the successful adoption of any system (including GTD) relies on the development of a set of routines and habits, and as we all know, changing existing habits is extremely difficult. In this sense, I'm very interested in this subject too, and this little book -apart from being an easy read- looks promising.

But I'm quite curious how this will work out in practice once I've finished reading it: will it really change anything? Here, the answer is quite simple: it really depends on me. Just reading it may give some nice ideas but won't finally change very much. It's only if I can convince myself to really practice what's in this book that I may have a chance at succeeding... So a question of motivation and self-discipline!

Marc.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Re: Habit Busting

earlofmar11 said:
But I'm quite curious how this will work out in practice once I've finished reading it: will it really change anything? Here, the answer is quite simple: it really depends on me. Just reading it may give some nice ideas but won't finally change very much. It's only if I can convince myself to really practice what's in this book that I may have a chance at succeeding... So a question of motivation and self-discipline!
Marc.
Marc,
Well, as funny as it will undoubtedly sound, I started at the polar opposite end of my work-related concerns. In a word, housework. Figured if I could build a habit there, I could do it anywhere. Decided that every night before **allowing** my head to hit the pillow, I would check the kitchen to be SURE all countertops, tables and sink were empty and clean, withOUT harrassing family members in the process. (Hubby's junk has a maddening determination to apparently make love to every flat surface in the kitchen! Then my junk tries to make it a orgy.) Why focus on that, initially? Have to go through the kitchen to get to the garage, so seeing a mess in the morning & evening = a guaranteed daily irritataton. I figured I'd "feel" that benefit immediately... and I was correct. Now it's an auto-pilot thing. With that accomplishment in mind, it was TONS easier to start implementing work-related GTD stuff. All in all, I'm doing much better now, but still have one thorn in my side >> receipts. Seems there's something inside of me still allergic to placing them all in ONE spot, so I can then input into my database program and scan. We're talking raw procrastinaton here, with a vengeance. As for the weekly review, I cheat a bit-- since a set Friday appointment was rarely kept, I keep it looser now-- it has to be done on the weekend, defined as anytime between Thursday evening and Monday morning. Worked!

So, yes, the Habit Busting text definitely helped, but my discipline remains sho-'nuff lacking as regards receipts. I need a mental trick here, which I've yet to conjure, so the whole receipt deal has now eased over to the someday/maybe category. Not good, but I haven't given up. Hold a good thought for me, eh?! :roll:

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dpg
 
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