In the whirlwind of motherhood, I found myself devouring productivity books to streamline my life. Gone were the days of embarking on endless research projects; I yearned for simplicity. My mission was clear: simplify my business, home, obligations, and communication to preserve my sanity and invest time in my family and myself. While this quest began before motherhood, it gained newfound intensity.
Remarkably, these books aren’t just about productivity; they profoundly impact your financial life too. Let me reveal how each book can revolutionize your approach to money management:
Productivity Book #1: “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown
“Essentialism” taught me the value of being an Essentialist, someone who experiments to discover what works and then cuts off what doesn’t. In the realm of money management, decluttering your spending is the key to being productive with your finances. Identify areas where your spending doesn’t align with your essentials. Trim down your savings goals to focus on the most vital ones and increase your effectiveness.
Action Taken: I categorized my business tasks into “Vital Few” and “Trivial Many.” To my surprise, my “Vital Few” list was three times longer. Nevertheless, experimenting with letting go of items in the “Trivial Many” category yielded no adverse effects, making me feel immensely accomplished.
Productivity Book #2: “The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller
“The One Thing” emphasizes focusing on your top priority and making it central in your daily life. It’s incredible how this singular focus streamlines everything else, eliminating overwhelm and chaos. Similarly, in financial management, pinpointing your “one thing” allows you to channel any extra money toward it. Moreover, you’ll identify expenditures that aren’t worthwhile.
Action Taken: I reduced the services I pay for in my business to redirect the funds to services aligning with my current focus. This shift cost me nothing since I eliminated non-essential expenses, marking a significant win.
Productivity Book #3: “12-Week Work Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months” by Brian P. Moran
I suggest reading this book third, as it complements the first two. It builds on the idea of focusing on your core objectives. Visualize your life’s direction in 1, 3, and 5-year increments, and allocate the necessary finances accordingly.
Action Taken: I learned that I thrive with two-week task lists rather than one-week lists. This realization, along with accepting that meeting most of my 90-day goals was sufficient, improved my productivity and dispelled any guilt about not adhering to conventional timelines.
These books aren’t about working more; they’re about identifying the vital aspects of your life. When you apply these principles to your finances, you’ll create life-altering changes.