Five Books Hardworking Small Business Owners Should Read

The joy of being a small business owner is you get to set your own hours. The problem is, it can turn out to be every hour. But being in business for yourself doesn’t mean you have to do it all by yourself. The business section of your local library, retail or online bookstore is stuffed with best-selling books. Each offers expertise that might solve a problem. Here are five books that every hardworking small business owner should consider reading.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (David Allen) – Allen shares his secret to greater productivity. Ironically, it’s related to your ability to relax. When your mind is clear, you can better organize your thoughts and unleash greater creativity. One of his tips is to clear out your inbox by choosing to either: do it, delegate it, defer it, or drop it. Then move on.

The 80/20 Manager: The Secret to Working Less and Achieving More (Richard Koch) – This 2014 Small Business Book Award winner says that  80 percent of results comes from 20 percent of your work. Concentrate on the 20 percent and you’ll achieve better results in less time. That means being a manager who is superconnected, liberating, time-rich or simplifying.

Die Empty: Unleash Your Best Work Every Day (Todd Henry) – This is for people who postpone the important things until tomorrow. Instead they’re caught up in the clutter of today. Henry warns that eventually the tomorrows will run out. The book provides strategies to push through barriers and unleash your best day every day.

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What To Do About It (Michael Gerber) – This book dispels common myths about running a business. You’ll learn about the phases of a business—entrepreneurial infancy, adolescent growing pains and mature entrepreneurship. Gerber shows you how to grow your business predictably and productively.

Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence (Daniel Goleman) – This book seeks to improve how well you pay attention. Goldman contends that it’s a skill you can improve with practice. He uses case studies from a number of areas including business. They identify how high achievers use smart practices to better focus. That includes mindful meditation and focused preparation.

Why reinvent the wheel when it comes to solving the challenges of a small business? Get some inspiration from these five authors and learn another way.

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