The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity

by FranklinCovey

Based on Stephen Covey's First Things First. This books once again divides the four quadrants of productivity and shares the depth of what making choices abou how one spends time affects productivity within the business. It clarifies brain function affects depending on decisions and lifestyle results concerning people professionally. It basically assists the reader in focusin on how to maximize ones time to get the most out of the day with reduced stress. It can coordinate with the training it's offered with. I took the day training, but there's another paid training that lasts a few days. Not sure it's published for mass distribution cause I tried to find it. I love this book.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Productivity, Self Help, Leadership, Audiobook, Personal Development

114 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Franklin Covey Co., trading as FranklinCovey and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a coaching company which provides training and assessment services in the areas of leadership, individual effectiveness, and business execution for organizations and individuals.

Reviews

[Swati Tanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The 5 choices is a book designed to help us deal with the huge number of inputs we have on a daily basis. "

Every minute of every day, we live in an ever-connected world of phone calls, emails, messages, tweets, Facebook updates, meetings, and much more that divert our attention away from our "essential tasks."

The 5 choices are quite simple – deceptively so I think. They are:

1. Act on the important, don’t react to the urgent
2. Go for the extraordinary, don’t settle for the ordinary
3. Schedule the big rocks, don’t sort gravel
4. Rule your technology, don’t let it rule you
5. Fuel your fire, don’t burn out

You don't need to be familiar with Stephen Covey's "7 Habits"* before reading this book, but I think it helped me appreciate where the writers were coming from and what they were attempting to accomplish with their extremely clear and understandable approach to time management and job prioritisation.

You might like to check out more similar books here.

[Viraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven Covey's 7 habits... is the basis for this book.
The 5 Choices are:
1. Act on the Important, Don't React to the Urgent
2. Go for Extraordinary, Don't Settle for Ordinary
3. Schedule the Big Rocks, Don't Sort Gravel
4. Rule Your Technology, Don't Let It Rule You
5. Fuel Your Fire, Don't Burn Out

Good about this book is that after reading it, it motivates folks to make changes starting with small changes. However, a lot of places the feel one gets from the book is such that one thinks whether the author is a mother and considers the readers to be 5 year olds... Some places the book goes too much in detail. The number of words could have been reduced by 30+%.

In any case, it is a a good effective read...

[Emma Sea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recommend this book if you have never heard the story about the rocks, the sand, and the cup of coffee, and you are unfamiliar with the four quadrant approach to task management. Otherwise, there is nothing new here. I found this surprising, as it's a 2014 book.

[Phoenix Perpetuale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for self-promoted growth.

[Collette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a facilitator for The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity. Although this "brief monograph" is a great companion to the workshop, it certainly stands on its own merits. Quick read, but packed with brain science and wisdom.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these "how to make a to do list" books, so that's my bias.

This one is a blend of classic Franklin Covey (there's a refined version of the 4 Quadrants) and David Allen's GTD workflow, also presented with "Zen/Eastern wisdom" metaphors. There is still the "fit the big rocks in the jar" analogy but this one focuses on processing the endless streams of less important gravel that clog up our lives. I mostly liked it because it argues for the value of putting everything on your calendar, and despite recent trends that is really all that works for me. But there is no earth shattering new approach here.

Mostly this seems like Franklin Covey Inc. wanted to update 7 Habits for people who are never going to carry the heavy paper planner around. They embrace the digital here, though they stop short of making any specific software suggestions. My big peeve is that Franklin Covey still has not managed to develop and market an iPad app that would replace the old paper planner. Several other entities have attempted it but none of them actually work like a Franklin Planner. I don't understand why Franklin Covey can't get this done when they have been promising it for years. Did they not write it down in their planners? C'mon already.

In the meantime, maybe some of the suggestions in this book will be helpful.

[Bassam Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب ألفه فريق من الاختصاصيين في مؤسسة فرانكلين كوفي الأمريكية وهم كوري كوجون، آدم ميرل ولينا رينيه بعنوان رئيسي " The five Choices" وعنوان فرعي "The Path to Extraordinary Productivity" وقد نقله القائمون على مكتبة جرير إلى العربية بترجمة جيدة وعنوان "الاختيارات الخمسة - إدارة الوقت، الطريق نحو الإنتاجية الفائقة".

بداية، كغيره من الكتب التي يتم إصدارها ضمن هذا السياق و/أو هذه الفئة (فئة كتب تطوير الذات)، يحمل الكتاب عنوان رنان يشي بأنه يحتوي على حلول سحرية، خارقة للعادة لتحقيق أهداف طموحة جدا، يعجز الشخص عادة عن تحقيقها، وهذه العناوين غالبا ما ترد على هذا النمط لأهداف تسويقية بحتة.

أما بعد تنحية البهرجة المفتعلة جانبا والنظر بتمعن الى مضامين المحتوى المقدم، فيمكن القول بأن الكتاب يتطرق بشكل رئيسي الى التأكيد على أهمية العمل على وتكريس الوقت لمهام التخطيط الاستراتيجي على المستويين الفردي والمؤسسي، المهني والشخصي، لضمان أعلى قدر من الفعالية بأقل قدر من المجهود، والحرص على تعزيز الاستدامة المنهجية بالاستغلال الأمثل للوقت والجهد، وهذا يندرج بشكل عام ضمن سياق أدبيات الرأسمالية الاقتصادية التي تهتم بالانتاجية، الفردانية والاستهلاك.

عموما الكتاب جيد ومفيد خصوصا لمن يبحثون عن تطوير بعض المهارات الادارية والتخطيط الاستراتيجي من الاداريين الجدد أو حتى من أولئك الذين يبحثون عن التجديد ويودون تجريب أساليب مغايرة.

حاول مؤلفوا الكتاب خلق منهجية (أو بالأحرى حلة جديدة لفكرة متداولة) للادارة الأمثل للوقت بالتركيز على أطر مستحدثة (على الأقل كتسميات)، مثل للذكر لا الحصر: "مصفوفة الوقت" بمربعاتها الأربع، "الاختيارات الخمسة"، "العناصر الأربعة"، "المحفزات الخمسة" ...الخ.) كلها تدور في سياق تعزيز الانتاجية بالتركيز على أهمية التخطيط الاستراتيجي المسبق، اعادة تنظيم المهام (بتحديد الأولويات والتخلص من الاعباء اليومية الغير مرتبطة بالاهداف الاستراتيجية وبالتالي غير المهمة) واعادة الشحن وتجدد الطاقة الشخصية (لضمان الفعالية والاستدامة)، وهي أمور اذا ما طبقت سوف تقود الى تحقيق الاهداف المرجوة بالاستغلال الأمثل للموارد، الوقت والطاقات، وهنا يقدم الكتاب نموذج عملي وممنهج لتطبيق هذا المبدأ، اضافة إلى نصائح، خطط عمل وارشادات، متسقة مع المسعى لتحقيق هذه الغاية.

مآخذي على الكتاب، الاسهاب في شرح بعض النقاط الأقل أهمية، وأنه صيغ ليتلائم مع جميع مستويات الخبرات، حيث وجدت فيه ما هو بديهي بالنسبة لي، وقراءة أمر تجاوزه الفرد قد يولد شعورا بالتململ.

إن لم تكن تؤمن بأهمية (أو تمارس) التخطيط المسبق لتحقيق الأهداف وضمان اعلى مستوى فعالية، خصوصا على المستوى المهني، فهذا الكتاب قد يحمل لك الكثير الفائدة.

أهم الأطر التنظيمية الواردة في الكتاب:
 
مصفوفة الوقت:

م١ : الضرورة
م٢ : الانتاجية فوق العادية (التخطيط الاستراتيجي)
م٣ : التشتت
م٤ : الهدر

الإختيارات الخمسة:

١- تعامل مع الأمور المهمة ولا تتفاعل مع الأمور العاجلة. (القرار)
٢- قم بالسعي نحو ما هو استثنائي ولا تقبع فيما هو مألوف.
(القرار)
٣- قم بجدولة الصخور الكبيرة ولا تقم بترتيب الحصى الصغيرة. (الانتباه)
٤- تحكم بأدواتك التكنولوجية ولا تدعها تتحكم بك. (الانتباه)
٥- اشحن طاقتك ولا ترهق نفسك. (الطاقة)

إقتباسات من الكتاب:

"يوضح العلم أن سر الأداء العالي ليس الدافع البيولوجي أو دافع الثواب والعقاب، لكن دافعنا الثالث - رغبتنا الدفينة الراسخة لتوجيه حياتنا، لتوسيع وتمديد قدارتنا، ولكي نترك خلفنا إسهاما واضحا."

"يذكر الدكتور اد هالوويل: إن اللحظة التي يتم فيها التواصل بين البشر وبعضهم تكاد تختفي من الحياة الحديثة، وتستبدل بها اللحظة الالكترونية. تتطلب اللحظة البشرية عنصرين: العنصر الأول، التواجد الجسدي، والعنصر الثاني، الإهتمام؛ لذلك فإن كونكم موجودين معا لا يصنع لحظة بشرية."

[Briana Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020 Review:
Likes: Practical, memorable steps to implement and introduce into everyday life to increase productivity. Broken into 5 simple steps.
Dislikes: No major call outs
Recommend For: Anyone overwhelmed or feeling burnt out who needs steps to get back on track

________________________________________________________


2019 Review:
I would highly recommend this book. There is very little waffle and it is straight to the point on how to increase your productivity in everyday life. This was based on:
1. Decision Management (acting on important, not urgent and go for extraordinary, not settling for ordinary)
2. Attention Management (scheduling the big rocks rather than sorting gravel and utilizing technology efficiently)
3. Energy Management (fueling your fire rather than burning out).

[Andrea Falkner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also went to the class. The class is motivating and helps you organize your career and home life. Very positive!

[Elizabeth Chadsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely get into business books easier when they've got a personal, memoir-style tone. This one is more instructive. That being said, the 5 Choices are valuable ones; for ME, I'd need to re-read and highlight, as if I'm studying for a test in order to really absorb the information. That same absorption happens naturally when I'm really interested in the ~story~ in a book of this same genre.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Lots of good ideas- I like that they try to break down ideas into action points. A lot of the ideas were kind of common knowledge though?! A good overview to recheck your productivity and refresh your habits.

[Kiona Meade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book. Great tips on how to improve productivity. They are covered elsewhere in the world, yes, but I think this book was pretty simple and straightforward--it didn't complicate things.

[Jim Razinha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of Stephen Covey's stuff, and this is FranklinCovey redux (it should have been titled "The 5 Habit Choices of Highly Successful Extraordinarily Productive People"), but it was recommended and I read it. Fortunately, there is little substance because nothing of this is new and it's a quick read. Most of these books are three page tracts blown up with fluff. This is a single page flyer. Let me save you some time:
- Don't get sidetracked from what's important (Act on the Important, Don't React to the Urgent);
- Don't settle (Go for the Extraordinary, Don't Settle for Ordinary);
- Don't putz around with the little stuff (Schedule the Big Rocks, Don't Sort Gravel);
- Step away from your phone and computer (Rule Your Technology, Don't Let It Rule You);
- Don't forget to take a break (Fuel Your Fire, Don't Burn Out)
Ah, the elusive in all these books Common Sense. Well, it always seems elusive to the respective authors.

Oddly, in the first appendix, the authors list and over-explain the Top 25 Email Protocols ("top", meaning more? ouch.), the first of which is "Keep it short". They didn't with their list.

Some are going to think this is a game-changing book. Cheers to them. I hope they use it as a jumping off point.

[Jenna Sisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did a great job of explaining time management, balancing your time to get the most out of it. It redefined extraordinary productivity, which redefines what our time is worth. I felt that it was harder to apply to personal or student time management, but then again it was classified as a business and economics book, so no hate. It was well written and easy to read. I highly suggest reading "The 7 Habits" first.

[Lara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Asked to read this for work. It can be summed up as follows: manage your time wisely. Skip this schlock.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read on Blinkist:

Nothing I haven’t seen elsewhere, but like the focus on quadrants. Probably not a system that can work for every job, but a good place to start when looking to claw back your time to be more productive.

Highlights:

“To avoid distraction, organize your tasks using a time matrix, a productivity tool consisting of four quadrants, each accounting for a different portion of your time.

Q1 includes important, urgent work. For example, this is the time you spend handling emergencies or last-minute requests.

Q2 consists of time spent working on important tasks that aren’t urgent: that report for an important strategy meeting next week, for example.

Q3 time is for work that’s urgent but not important; e.g., constantly checking your email."

Q4 is the time you waste on pointless things, like playing games on your phone or checking Facebook.

All in all, you should spend most of your time in Q2. After all, although you may feel productive when you’re in Q1 and Q3 – you’re handling urgent business! – that’s not actually the case. Because we too often mistake the urgent for the vital, rarely leading to top-notch work. (For proof, just consider the misspelled, hastily constructed emails you’ve surely sent out in your life.)

On the other hand, we do our best work in Q2. It’s where we can focus and think, instead of simply reacting to whatever comes our way.

So, in order to stay in this quadrant, use the Pause-Clarify-Decide method to determine rationally whether the task is important

energy largely depends on the health of our social connections (in other words, relationships and friendships). Thus, it’s crucial that you take the time to develop and maintain strong connections with other people."

[Prakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book!

One of the key concepts is the Master Task List (MTL) which I had created in Google Sheets last December prior to reading the book. I designed my MTL with a Priority column (integers from 1-20) so I can order the list appropriately. I've since added a tab for my roles and goals. I've also added drop down lists for the Roles and Priority columns, and filters to avoid typing, cutting and pasting, and so I can easily sort my list. The MTL serves not just as a things to do list but also keeps track of all the things I do in my life which is great for reference and for keeping track of my accomplishments.

As the book recommends, I do weekly (Sundays) and daily planning. So I know everything I've got to do for the upcoming week. At the end of each day, I look at my list for the next day to see what's coming up. I feel much more in control of my life than I ever have before.

Author and speaker Robin Sharma talks about the importance of having daily wins. This tool allows me to set myself up to have many wins in the course of a day leaving me at the end of each day with a feeling of satisfaction and achievement. Winning is also addictive -- the more wins I have, the more I want. So the MTL is also a motivational tool!

[Susan Wilson]

This is a classic case of “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” as I assumed it was going to be pretty dry. So delighted when it was accessible, well structured and had some real gems to take away. Some
Highlights for me were (1) “when we say we do out best work under pressure, what we are rally saying is that we need the adrenalising sense of urgent to keep us focused and this may get things done but doesn’t result in quality thinking (2) a series of great questions to use when prioritising, (3) a confronting spider gram exercise that has prompted me to consider how I should be better spending my time (4) nothing earth shattering but a tip on restructuring my email box to file those I’m awaiting a response on so they are not constantly present and (5) a new tool to try called ANTs where you right don’t automatic negative thoughts and then ask yourself if they are right. Definitely would recommend this book as there was much more to it than these five and am sure every individual would take something different.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is roughly divided into 3 parts - Decision Management, Attention Management, and Energy management. I didn't find the last two particularly interesting or innovative (about the use of to do lists, how to handle emails and organise yourself for Attention Management, and the usual exercise/eat/sleep well and maintain strong relationships for the last one). Decision management on the other hand I found more interesting although the ideas are probably not that innovative either :-) I liked the concrete advice on how to distinguish between what is important and what is only urgent, and how to organise yourself (and your life really) to try to reduce stress and time-wasting due to the less important stuff taking over. The bigger questions around reflecting on the different roles you have in your life, how they matter to you and how to create a fulfilling life around them left me thoughtful as well.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of productivity and time management books and frequently they tend to be heavy on rhetoric and light on tangible, actionable processes. This book was not that way. It was well-written and easy to read with a great flow, but it wasn’t a book you finish and think “well that’s all well and good, but I still don’t know HOW to do that.” The authors outlined not just a philosophy, but the steps to take to achieve what is being touted. I personally am not a fan of the Franklin Covey planners, but the company itself and the message it’s conveying are spot on when it comes to time management.

This book is perfect for anyone who is struggling to fit all the pieces of their life together without feeling like the important things are getting short-changed. It is probably not the book you want if you are feeling overwhelmed due to an oversized and chaotic workload. For that you will want to read Getting Things Done by David Allen.

[Jette Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Det er en fantastisk god bog. Nogle værktøjer har man hørt om før men som et hele udgør bogen en rigtig god værktøjskasse og jeg føler mig godt klædt på til at arbejde med mig selv og min arbejdsplads. De fem valg er enkle at gå til. Afsnittene afsluttes med nogle ideer til hvordan man så kan komme i gang med at arbejde med det man lige har læst. Livshjulet, tidsmatricen, 30/10 løftet og mange flere værktøjer er derfor nemme at gå til. Der var også et par øjenåbnere imellem. Som fx hvornår man selv sender en ligegyldig mail og faktisk forstyrrer en anden. Eller at en mail der er vigtig for mig måske ikke er det for modtageren osv. Det er en bog der har givet mig værktøjer til at få bedre overblik, sætte tid af til at arbejde i dybden og meget mere. Læs den

[Kyle Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly, highly recommend! I plowed through this within a couple of days. I was absolutely delighted by the amount of research done to make this as good as it is. There are few books that do such a fantastic job succinctly combining all of the most important lessons in optimizing personal performance. Great read!

5-Star: Everyone should read this.
4-Star: Everyone in this specific field should read this.
3-Star: This was a decent read for the specific field, but there are better options.
2-Star: It got me to the end of the book, so there is that.
1-Star: It was bad enough that I didn't finish it.

[Jiri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes a great companion to the 5 Choices Planner. Which I preferred to the FC planner for this one is considerably cheaper yet of a good quality print, comes in one piece with wire binding and offers great monthly pages and plenty of space for note taking.

The five concepts of choice when implemented, and this is where the book doesn’t offer much of practical advice, will support you in achieving sustainable productivity with the choice of the extraordinary.

When it comes to progress review and goal/project tracing the 5 Choices system and planner will not suffice. If you are a busy leader, mom, entrepreneur then opt instead for the planning system elaborated by Michael Hyatt.

[Aniket Ponkshe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended by a peer, this book changed my outlook towards dealing with email and information flows in general. The second highlight for me was a reiteration of how to manage energy through the day. There were other insights around how to be productive, but just these two will change the way I work. I'd put this book in the same league of '7 habits of highly effective people' and hope it becomes as popular over time!

[Spela Trefalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book for prioritizing what is truly important. I’ve been living by David Allen’s GTD system (or trying) for the past several years. In my teens, I was a big Stephen Covey fan. This is to say, nothing here was completely new to me. Still, it was good to be reminded, to renew commitment to keep asking myself what matters most to me and how to act accordingly.

[Franxilicious · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing really new or earth shattering to me but more so a compilation of things I have heard before. Everything came together nicely with the five choices interconnecting with each other in many different ways. Definitely have taken away some practical tips which have already increased my time management and productivity at work.

[Buchi Chilaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, and the concept of “Q2” should be standard practice for people who want to radically transform their professional and personal lives.

It has already shifted how I approach my mentality toward managing the torrent of information and decisions that I have to make every day and I will strive to implement its lessons to find a bit more balance in life.

[VVV · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 7 habits is one of my fav book of all times!! Some folks might find these books dull. But it’s SO relevant to my life now and I can truly see why some folks are highly effective and productive at what they do and why some are not.

[VICTORIA VAN VLEAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful book! I especially found chapter 4, with so many email tips, to be very useful. I really liked the Time matrix too, which has helped me to categorize my time and tasks more efficiently.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key concepts:

Prioritise tasks via a time matrix of some sort. Important Urgent, Important Not-Urgent, Not Important Urgent and Not Important Not-Urgent.

The author posits that staying inside the Important Not-Urgent box allows us to work on key tasks, but without urgency hanging over our heads that might affect quality of work.

The author recommends Pausing before starting every task to Clarify where the task falls in the time matrix and then deciding if its an optimal use of time to start that task.