Endorsements
Good routines can propel us forward as a way to develop game-changing habits. John Brandon has made the case for using simple daily practices to transform how you live your life.
Nir Eyal , bestselling author of Indistractable
Productivity is all about habits: forming and nurturing the beneficial ones, recognizing and ditching the harmful ones. Brandons book teaches you how to build (and stick to) a set of daily routines for staying focused and motivated. It doesnt matter what kind of person you arelazy, hyperactive, distracted, overachievingthis book will work for everyone. Its like a skeleton key for unlocking the human brains potential.
Michael Calore , senior editor of WIRED
Anyone in business knows time is a precious commodity. What John Brandon has done in his new book is offer practical guidance on how to focus our attention and use time wisely. Its a game changer for those seeking a competitive advantage.
Jason Feifer , editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur
In our world of information overload, The 7 Minute Productivity Solution provides a much-needed fresh perspective on navigating all of the pulls on our attention so we can actually feel fulfilled at the end of the day. Johns humor and wit makes this a fun read with incredibly valuable tips to improve performance and overall well-being.
Kristel Bauer PA- C , founder of Live Greatly
John Brandon has pulled off a not-so-small miracle here: hes written a book about daily routines thats a page-turner. He makes the quotidian exotic and turns everyday habits into superpowers. Any one of the nine 7-minute routines in this book will change how you work and, even more, how much you enjoy your work. But all nine routines together? Prepare, as far as your output goes, to become a machine. Prepare, as far as your heart goes, to become more truly, fully, and deeply human. My only critique of John Brandon is he didnt write The 7 Minute Productivity Solution twenty years ago. Oh, the things I might have done and the joy I could have had doing them. But so be it: I have the book now, and, well, so do you. Get ready. Your most outlandish dreams and farfetched goals are about to become not only doable but almost inevitable. Get ready to transform.
Mark Buchanan , author of God Walk: Moving at the Speed of Your Soul
When I started out, I asked a famous writer for advice: How was she able to publish bestsellers year after year? Her answer: sitzfleisch , a Yiddish-German word that means, roughly, butt in the seat. She wakes up, goes straight to her desk, and writes five hundred words. Every day. In nine months, she completes a book, goes on tour, then starts over. I never really understood how this was possible until reading John Brandons inspiring and practical approach to productivity with purpose. John provides the 7-minute strategies each of us need to make sitzfleisch joyful and meaningful.
Michael Heller , Columbia Law School professor and coauthor of Mine!
The 7 Minute Productivity Solution is bite-sized and gospel-centric. A great read!
Jordan Raynor , national bestselling author of Redeeming Your Time
Are you distracted by many things? Do you have more on your to do list than you can ever get done? Are you high-performing yet feel like you could be even more productive if you could get a handle on the ever-multiplying demands of social media and digital communication? John Brandon offers real, concise, immediately applicable help in just seven minutes! Too good to be true? The investment you make in reading this book will return to you manyfold in the increased productivity you will experience and the bonus of deriving greater joy in each accomplished task.
Carmen LaBerge , host of Mornings with Carmen , author of Speak the Truth , and curator of ReconnectwithCarmen.com
John Brandon has a God-given gift of connecting the dots between what matters most and what matters now. If you want to develop good productivity habits, this book is a must-read. Johns years of practice, successes, and research will inspire and help anyone make the most of their timethe most precious of gifts.
Brittany Thoms , owner of See.Spark.Go
John Brandons book is filled with incredibly powerful yet exceedingly doable insights for achieving productivity with purpose. And it is a joy to read. This is a welcome resource on managing your schedule and obtaining outstanding results in a sustainable way. Use this book as a guide to begin creating new and better productivity routines today.
Matt Perman , director of career development at The Kings College and author of Whats Best Next
In this book, John Brandon provides motivation, evidence-based explanations, and practical steps to help us make the best use of our time, our resources, and our opportunities.
Paul Jorgensen , church planter and former pastor of Cornerstone Church, Minnesota
As the pastor and CEO of a thriving church, the father of a busy eight-year-old, and the owner of several businesses, the question Im often asked is, How do you stay sane in the chaos? For years my answer has always been the same: With Gods help. And that is still true. But it is also known that God helps those who help themselves. And after reading my dear friend John Brandons book, The 7 Minute Productivity Solution , I have adjusted my response. Johns book teaches that the task you are working on should actually be the task you want to complete. Calibrating your day is much more productive than surviving your day. One of the most profound excerpts of this book is the 7-minute morning routine: prepare, clear your head, read a little, and write notes. If youre busy like me, and youre trying to figure out a way to make it all happen, this book is for you.
Keion Henderson , pastor of The Lighthouse Church of Houston
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
2022 by John Brandon
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2022
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-3439-8
Scripture quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Published in association with the Hartline Literary Agency, LLC.
Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and post-consumer waste whenever possible.
Dedication
To my kids:
Rachel
Hannah
Josh
Katie
Contents
Endorsements
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART ONE DEVELOP GOOD HABITS
Section 1 Morning Routine
1. Define What Is Meaningful
2. Youre Smarter in the Morning
3. Capture the Hope Moments
4. Put Yourself on the Right Path
Seven-Minute Morning Routine
Section 2 Plan Your Day
5. Learn How to Focus
6. Stop Relying So Much on Lists
7. Do the Most Important Tasks First
8. How to Set Critical Goals
Plan Your Day Routine
9. How to Avoid Decision Fatigue
10. Stop Tunneling Your Goals
11. Becoming More Self-Aware
Take a Break Routine
Section 4 Debrief Your Day
12. Achieving Goals by Unlearning Old Habits