Essential Productivity Resources

I keep recommending the same list of productivity essentials and finally took the time to write down the resources that inspired me the most.

• Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a book that focuses on the disciplined pursuit of less, emphasizing the importance of focusing on what truly matters. It teaches how to eliminate non-essential tasks and make intentional choices to improve effectiveness and well-being. The approach encourages simplifying life by saying “no” to distractions and prioritizing what aligns with your core values and goals. I read this every 4-5 years.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear explores how small, consistent changes lead to remarkable long-term results. It emphasizes the power of identity-based habits, showing how behavior change starts with who you believe you are. The book provides a practical framework using the four laws of habit formation: cue, craving, response, and reward.
• Deep Work by Cal Newport argues that focused, undistracted work is essential for mastering complex tasks and achieving high-value results. It contrasts deep work with shallow work and provides strategies to cultivate deep focus in a distracted world. Newport emphasizes routines, time-blocking, and reducing digital noise to enhance productivity and cognitive performance.
  • Lifestyle-centric career planning is one of the many concepts Newport introduces. It prioritizes personal values, interests, and well-being over traditional career milestones. It focuses on designing a career that aligns with one’s desired lifestyle, ensuring work-life balance and fulfillment. Imagine how you want to live, then work backwards from that.
• Deep Questions by Cal Newport is a podcast where he explores productivity, focus, and the impact of technology on work and life. He answers listener questions and discusses strategies for cultivating deep work, meaningful careers, and digital minimalism. The show blends research, practical advice, and philosophical insights to help listeners navigate modern challenges. An easy first step into Newport’s frameworks and concepts. I listen to each and every episode.
• Huberman Labs popular podcast hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford University. He discusses topics related to brain science, health, productivity, and well-being, offering evidence-based advice. The show combines scientific research with practical tips to help listeners optimize their lives and mental performance.
• The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul explores the idea that our thinking extends beyond the brain, incorporating our bodies, environment, and tools. The book discusses how we can harness external resources like physical movement, social connections, and technology to enhance cognition and creativity. It challenges the traditional view of the mind as something confined to the brain, offering practical strategies for optimizing mental performance.
• The Phoenix Project by Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford is a novel that illustrates the challenges of IT and business operations through a fictional story. It follows an overwhelmed IT manager tasked with saving a failing project, using DevOps principles to transform the company’s workflow. The book provides insights into improving collaboration, efficiency, and problem-solving within organizations, emphasizing the importance of streamlined processes and continuous improvement. If you ever had a lead position in tech, this is mandatory reading.
• Mindset by Carol Dweck explores the concept of “fixed” vs. “growth” mindsets and their impact on success. People with a growth mindset believe abilities can be developed through effort and learning, while those with a fixed mindset view traits as static. The book shows how adopting a growth mindset can lead to greater achievement, resilience, and personal development.
• Basic Forms of Anxiety (Grundformen der Angst) by Fritz Riemann explores the different types of anxiety that shape human life. He identifies four fundamental fears: fear of intimacy, fear of freedom, fear of change, and fear of commitment. The book explains how these anxieties influence behavior and personality development. Absolute classic of psychological literature.
• Focused is a podcast by Danny Hatcher that explores the science of attention and strategies to improve focus in daily life. It covers topics like deep work, productivity, and the impact of technology on mental clarity. The show provides practical advice and insights to help listeners cultivate sustained concentration and reduce distractions. More about tools than principles.
• Staff Engineer by Will Larson is a book that provides guidance for engineers looking to advance to senior technical roles. It explores the skills, mindset, and strategies needed to transition from individual contributor to a leadership role without moving into management. The book emphasizes technical excellence, mentorship, and the importance of creating impactful solutions while navigating the challenges of career growth.
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey presents a framework for personal and professional effectiveness through seven core principles. It emphasizes proactive behavior, goal-setting, and prioritizing what truly matters in life. The book provides actionable advice on how to cultivate positive habits, improve relationships, and achieve long-term success.
• Ness Labs is a blog focused on mental well-being and productivity, offering articles, tools, and courses to help people optimize their cognitive performance. It covers topics such as mindfulness, neuroscience, creativity, and work habits. The content is designed to provide actionable insights for improving mental clarity, focus, and personal growth. The posts about Digital Gardening were especially helpful, start with You and your mind garden.
• Forte Labs is a blog that focuses on personal knowledge management and productivity strategies. It explores techniques like progressive summarization, effective note-taking, and organizing information to boost learning and creativity. The blog provides actionable insights for optimizing cognitive performance and improving how we process and retain knowledge.
  • Especially interesting was the PARA method, a productivity and organization system developed by Tiago Forte, designed to help individuals manage information more effectively. It stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, which are the four categories used to organize digital and physical materials. The method emphasizes clarity and accessibility, helping users focus on what’s important and streamline their workflows.

Thank you, Thomas, for finally motivating me to write down this list.