Do you feel like your to-do list never ends? More apps won’t solve it, you need a real system. These five books each solve different time problems. Choose the one that matches your situation, try one tip today, and see how your schedule starts to feel easier.
1) Eat That Frog — Brian Tracy
Best for: People who keep putting off the most important and hardest task.
Big idea: Do your biggest and hardest task first every day.
Try this tonight (10 minutes): Write down the top 3 big tasks (“frogs”) for tomorrow. Circle the most important one. Get everything ready so you can start it immediately in the morning (open the file, prepare notes, silence your phone).
2) Achieving Your Greatest Dreams
Best for: Dreamers with big goals (business, career, writing, etc.) who need both motivation and a system.
Big idea: Break a big goal into smaller steps you can work on daily.
Signature tactic: The Dream-Down Roadmap → Break your big goal into:
- 3-month milestones
- Monthly outcomes
- Weekly focus areas
- Daily 90-minute “deep-work” sessions
Try this tonight (12 minutes): Write one 12-week goal. Then, schedule three 90-minute deep-work sessions for next week and treat them like important meetings with yourself.
3) 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management — Kevin Kruse
Best for: Busy people who want real routines from successful leaders.
Big idea: Time is about priorities not just minutes. Use your calendar instead of a to-do list.
Try this tonight (7 minutes): Open your calendar and schedule tomorrow’s most important tasks. Add 15-minute breaks between tasks so you don’t burn out.
4) The ONE Thing — Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
Best for: People who are juggling too many things and need focus.
Big idea: Ask yourself: “What’s the ONE thing I can do today that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?” Then focus on that.
Try this tonight (5 minutes): Choose your ONE most important thing for tomorrow. Block 2–4 hours before noon to work on it with no distractions.
5) Getting Things Done (GTD) — David Allen
Best for: People who have too many tasks and ideas in their head.
Big idea: Write everything down in a system you trust, decide the next step for each task and review weekly.
Try this tonight (15 minutes): Do a quick brain dump write down everything on your mind. For your top 5 tasks, write the very next action. Schedule a 30-minute “weekly review”.
Why These Systems Work
- Attention residue: Jumping between tasks makes your brain slower. Grouping tasks and blocking time helps.
- Switching costs: Constantly checking notifications can waste up to 40% of your time. Deep work and focus blocks protect your time.
- Modern overload: With so much screen time and late-night work, timeboxing and boundaries are no longer optional.
A Simple 7-Day Starter Plan
- Day 1: Pick one book that fits your need.
- Day 2: Define your one big goal for the next 12 weeks.
- Day 3: Schedule three deep-work sessions next week.
- Day 4: Do a 15-minute brain dump (GTD style).
- Day 5: Do your hardest task (“frog”) first.
- Day 6: Review your wins and cut one unneeded meeting.
- Day 7: Celebrate your progress. Then plan next week in 20 minutes.
Inconclusion, your time isn’t out of control, it just needs a manager: you Start with one system, one tactic, one block of focus time. Stick to it and your results will speak for themselves.
Want the full step-by-step guide? Check out Achieving Your Greatest Dreams for the complete Time Mastery System.
Start with the book that matches your current struggle. For example, if you procrastinate a lot, read Eat That Frog
No. Pick one, apply one tactic, and see results. You can always explore the others later.
That’s okay. Each book has simple tactics you can start using in less than 15 minutes.
If you apply just one tactic daily, you can notice changes in your productivity within a week.
Yes, Students can use these methods to manage homework, study sessions and personal goals more effectively.
Author profile
David Asaana is a Digital Marketer, Author and Entrepreneur with over five years of experience. He has worked with 4,000+ clients across Ghana, the USA, the UK, and beyond. And his YouTube channel where he shares step-by-step tutorials on digital marketing and business growth has reached more than 1.8 million views.
