The Productivity Project, by Chris Bailey

One of my great interests has always been productivity. I enjoy reading tips about how to be more productive, and putting them into practice in my own work. Chris Bailey, the author of The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy Better, clearly has the same bug. In fact, his ambition far exceeds my own, to the extent that he spent a year trying out different tools and methods in an effort to increase his productivity. Along the way, he documented everything in a blog: A Year of Productivity, now renamed A Life of Productivity. During the year that he worked on this project, he tried many different ways to increase his productivity, including getting up early (at 5:30 a.m.); eliminating alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks; meditating; working longer hours; working fewer hours; exercising; and many more. He chronicles these experiments in his blog, and pulls it all together for the book.

Chris' adventures in productivity are fun to read, but also enlightening. For those who are interested in productivity, they are inspiring and thought-provoking. Chris learned a lot about what works for him, much of which is applicable to any reader. Whether you're trying to write more, or get more done in less time, this book will give you a lot of ideas about methods that you can try to meet your goals. Even for those like me who read a lot about productivity, this book is an enjoyable exploration of the topic. It's well-written and hard to put down. It includes exercises throughout the book, as well as a notes and references section and an index.

I read The Productivity Project during a recent American Library Association conference in Orlando, Florida, keeping it in my tote bag and pulling it out during odd moments when I was waiting for a program to start or at the airport. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in increasing their productivity at work or at home. I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

Chris Bailey. The Productivity Project: Accomplishing More by Managing Your Time, Attention, and Energy. New York: Crown Business, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, 2016. 292 pages. ISBN 9781101904039.