For a moment, think about what happens when you take a magnifying glass and shine a ray of sunlight on some dry leaves. if you stand still long enough, that ray of sunshine will start a fire. If an approach like that can start a fire, imagine what your mind, focused on the most important tasks, can achieve.
As the world continues to return to pre-pandemic ways, it can feel like you’re wasting your time. And with all the distractions of daily life, it can be incredibly difficult to find that kind of laser-like focus. Good focus is one of the most difficult, but also most beneficial, areas of self-control that you can master.
You are reading: Best books for focus
Knowing where to start when it comes to making life changes can be difficult. social media is full of self-help gurus telling you what to do; many of them have no experience or professional training. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best focusing books (organized in alphabetical order), written by trusted and knowledgeable authors, along with a handful of other helpful focusing resources. All of these books rank at the top of bestseller lists and have been read by thousands. All in all, these are some of the best books on how to focus and we sincerely hope that they help you learn more about how to focus your attention and achieve your goals.
Are you curious to create more time in your workday? clockwise optimizes your calendar to create a smarter calendar. you can learn more here. If you want to learn how to implement a set of time management tools for your team, we also offer team solutions.
1. deep work by cal newport
At the heart of deep work, cal newport expands on the belief that undivided focus is becoming a rare skill in our distraction-filled age (from emails to social media, we all have myriad distractions vying for our attention) . Individuals and businesses that are able to cultivate the self-control necessary for deep focus will stand out from the crowd and achieve greater success.
Simply put, deep work is the ability to have high-performance focus on a challenging task while eliminating distractions. Once you have cultivated this skill, you will be better equipped to accomplish more important tasks in less time.
newport begins the book by showing that deep work is beneficial regardless of what profession you are in. then he gives four rules that help beginners to cultivate this skill.
those four rules are as follows:
- work deeplyminimize the distractions around you (put your phone aside, turn off your social media notifications, close your email browser…), so you have the best possible opportunity for undivided focus on the work in front of you. Create a space conducive to deep work and set limits ahead of time on how long you plan to work.
- embrace boredomafter a period of intense work, your brain needs a break! take the time to give your brain a break from the deep work you’re doing and rest. this is an important opportunity for your brain to recover and prepare to focus again.
- leave social networksbe aware of how you use your free time. newport recommends a 30-day social media fast. Quit all your social media platforms and after the 30 day period ask yourself if the quality of your life has been substantially affected. you may choose to bring back one or two of the best platforms, but overall, social media may not be the most effective way to stay in touch with loved ones or the most peaceful way to spend your free time.
- draining shallowsyour time is usually divided between “deep” and “shallow” work. Shallow work (things like surfing the web instead of working on an urgent project) is satisfying right now, but it won’t help you achieve your goals in the long run. now, keep in mind that you won’t be able to do deep work all day. rather, use a time management planner or notebook to block out periods of time that will be used for the deep work you want to accomplish.
Overall, the tools described in this book will help you use your time more effectively throughout your daily life. When you stop procrastinating while you work, you’ll find you can accomplish more in less time, and you’ll be encouraged to see how much you can accomplish when you focus on high-performance time windows.
{{try-free=”/in-house-ads”}}
2. focus: the hidden driver of excellence by daniel goleman
In Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, Daniel Goleman argues that focus is one of the most important and underrated skills people need to achieve their goals. he likens focus to a muscle that needs to be strengthened, rather than a switch that can be “turned on” or “off.”
goleman writes from his twenty years of experience as a psychologist and journalist. This book is a combination of science-backed research and real-life examples to help you understand the secrets to mindfulness and a more focused life.
The first step to improving your life and work through focus is to strengthen your mind’s ability to practice selective attention. our brains are roughly divided into two parts: the lower, older part of the brain is responsible for keeping you safe by monitoring your senses and alerting you to changes in your environment; and the upper part, allows us to plan, learn new skills and reflect on ideas.
The key to an effective approach is finding a balance between these two parts of the brain. In our modern age, things like our phones and social media can be incredibly distracting. Overcoming these distractions is a matter of understanding how our brain works, so that we can make decisions about how to organize and take control of daily life.
goleman also talks about the importance of letting your mind wander from time to time. When we give our minds the freedom to wander, we unleash our creativity, which can lead to some of our greatest breakthroughs.
3. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
See Also: 24 of the Most Spectacular Spring Books for Preschoolers
david allen is a productivity consultant. Established in the 1980s, his coaching firm has helped countless individuals and businesses develop good habits for both life and work. Allen shares these habits, and how to develop them, in this self-help book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. It will help you be more focused and productive in life and at work.
Interruptions and distractions are inevitable. the question is not how to get rid of them, but how to manage them effectively. In Getting Things Done, author David Allen provides his readers with a set of tangible ways to manage these distractions so they don’t derail his focus and make him unable to achieve the goals he has.
allen recommends using multiple to-do lists within a system that separates dreams, goals, life, and work. That way, when you’re working and something comes to mind (like “getting milk” on the way home from work), you can write it down right away. this will prevent you from getting distracted by that thought and allow you to get on with whatever task lies ahead.
For each of these tasks on the to-do list, what does it mean when it’s “done”? Sure, “buy milk” is a pretty straightforward to-do list item; but what about “starting a photography business” or “planning our wedding”? these are larger goals that will take a longer period of time to achieve. you’ll need to break them down into smaller steps that can be incorporated into your daily life. As you get things done, Allen will teach you how to break goals down into actionable steps.
This way, you’ll end up doing less because you won’t waste time on unimportant details. since you are doing less, it will also take you less time to reach your goals. this, in turn, will prompt you to stop procrastinating on other goals you have in life. it’s a snowball effect: the more you do, the more excited and confident you feel that you can accomplish more. Plus, when you break goals down into steps, you can review where you are and the end of a given time period, either at the end of each day or at the end of the week.
In the book, Allen says, “If you don’t pay enough attention to what catches your eye, it will get more attention than it deserves.” this is a fundamental principle that he uses throughout this book. If you are not aware of yourself and the distractions you encounter on a regular basis, you will not be able to put them aside and improve your self-control.
Finally, the book emphasizes the need to be disciplined with clutter. After all, if your space is cluttered, how do you expect your mind to be clear and productive? take some time to clean your desk, email account, home and any other space. As basic as it may seem, it is an important habit to incorporate into your daily life.
4. The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
This #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan centers around one question: “What is the one thing I can do that makes doing everything else easier or unnecessary?”
keller recommends approaching this question on both a macro and micro level. At a macro level, what is the only thing that will allow you to achieve your goal? And on a micro level, what is the one thing you can do today to get one step closer to him?
climbing a mountain requires going step by step. in the same way, achieving your greatest goals is the result of constant and constant work. It takes a lot of work to get to the top of the mountain, but once you know what the top of the mountain looks like and you have a reliable map that will get you there, you can be sure that you can reach it.
Putting the “one thing” principle into practice will mean learning to say “no” to many things. But actually, saying “no” to life’s distractions will allow you to free up your time for important tasks. everyone has an area of life they are exceptionally good at. When you say “no” to things that are not your strong point, you will free yourself to be the best you can be. it will change the way you handle time management and free you up to accomplish what really matters to you in life. By building on this Focus Question, you will prepare to reach your highest potential in all areas of work and life.
first of all, gary keller also reminds the reader that not all areas of life are equally important. there are so many soccer games that you can watch your daughter play, your health will last longer if you take care of yourself and your relationship with your partner is a priority. on the other hand, if you miss a deadline at work, the world will keep turning. Learning to manage your time won’t do you much good in the long run if you don’t know what to prioritize. life and work are not the same; Don’t sacrifice precious moments in life to make your boss happy.
This self-help book reminds us that results don’t come overnight. They happen when you constantly dedicate yourself to personal growth.
5. the 80/20 principle: the secret to achieving more with less by richard koch
The 80/20 principle, also known as the Pareto principle, is a widely accepted principle in business that says that 80% of the results are the result of 20% of the work.
In his book The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Doing More With Less, Richard Koch takes this principle and teaches the reader how to examine their daily lives and learn to focus on areas of high performance. This principle is especially relevant for entrepreneurs to use as they examine their startup and learn how to spend less time working while getting better results.
See Also: Joanna Cole, Author of The Magic School Bus Book Series, Dies At 75 | Scholastic Media Room
The first step is to identify the top 20% of your work that is responsible for 80% of your bottom line. then shift your focus to that 20%. track the results over a period of time and see what happens. Also, learn how to start doing less than 80% of the work that only generates 20% of the desired result.
apply this same principle in life. Focus on the 20% of relationships that bring you the most joy. spend more time with those people and learn to say no to the people who make up 80% of that equation. read the books you enjoy instead of the ones you think you “should” read. spend less time on social media accounts that stress you out or make you sad. Your daily life will be transformed when you apply this general principle by critically examining where you want to focus your time and energy and then doing more of it and less of everything else.
other resources we love
This list of focus books is sure to help you in your daily life. So go grab a copy from Amazon or download it in audiobook form so you can listen during your morning commute.
If you’re not an avid reader, don’t worry, we’ve still got you covered! here are some other non-book resources that we love that will allow you to take back control of your daily life by helping you find the best ways to stop procrastinating, learn to prioritize important tasks, and improve your time management.
leo babauta’s blog, zen habits
zen habits has earned a spot in time magazine’s top 25 blogs not once, but twice, since its inception in 2007. he also wrote a bestselling productivity ebook called zen to done which you can find on amazon.
In the blog, Zen Habits, Leo Babauta shares tips on how to incorporate little Zen habits into your daily life. These are changes that have helped him transform from being overweight, a smoker, in debt, and a procrastinator to what he is now: a non-smoker, ultra-marathon runner, debt-free, author of several books, husband, and father of four. he transformed his life and uses his blog to talk about how he achieved it all.
cal newport podcast, deep questions
Although Cal Newport has already been mentioned for his book, Deep Work, it would be hard to talk about productivity and focus without mentioning his amazing podcast, Deep Questions.
In this podcast, newport answers questions listeners submit on any of the topics he’s known for. he then answers them in detail to help his listeners continue to develop their ability to focus and reach their peak performance.
In some of the podcast episodes, newport features expert guest hosts who help you answer questions and dig into topics like time management (even when it seems like we have less time), high performance, how to stop procrastinating , and other related topics.
brian tracy course, empower yourself with time management
“The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on the things we want, not the things we fear.” – brian tracy
brian tracy is a motivational speaker, author of over eighty books, and creator of the course “empower yourself with time management”.
Through this course, he helps people define time management and how to improve in this area of life. This course is filmed to make you feel like you’re sitting across the table from Brian. it’s personal and has helped countless people learn to manage their time and be more productive.
charles duhigg’s book, the power of habit
Although this book isn’t specifically about focus, understanding your habits and how to change them is a powerful tool for improving your daily life and productivity. This book will help you identify the core motivation behind your habits, which is the first step in changing them.
charles duhigg writes in a way that is accessible while still being incredibly knowledgeable. There’s a reason this book is on the New York Times, Amazon, and USA bestseller lists. is a powerful book on the psychology of how habits are formed and how to reform bad habits.
Interested in implementing a smarter schedule for your workday?
See Also: How to Get Paid to Write Books : The Write Practice
- Clockwise – Get started clockwise with focus time, flexible meetings, scheduling links, and powerful integrations here.
- smart scheduling for teams – teams on a paid plan see 44% more focus time created on average. See a demo of our shared calendar app or contact us for a tutorial.