What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done

by Matt Perman, John Piper (Foreword)

What's Best Next will first look at productivity in a theological context---showing how the Gospel transforms our understanding of productivity, giving us a new way to look at productivity and new reasons to care about productivity. Then, on this foundation, it will outline a practical approach for improving our own productivity. As a result, What's Best Next will show us how to increase our productivity in a way that truly increases our joy---that is, how to grow in productivity so that we can have the thrill of making life better for others (with, perhaps, the added benefit of being able to use cool tools to do it).

Genres: Productivity, Christian, Leadership, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Business, Christianity

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Matt Perman is director of Marketing at Made to Flourish and the author of What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done (Zondervan, 2014). He has an M.Div. in biblical and theological studies from Southern Seminary and a Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management Institute. Prior to Made to Flourish, Matt served as director of strategy at Desiring God. Matt is a frequent speaker on the topics of leadership and productivity from a God-centered perspective and also consults with businesses and non-profits, focusing on startups devoted to solving large global problems. He blogs at www.whatsbestnext.com.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased--I wrote it!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was super legit and helpful. It brought into perspective something I hadn't thought of much before which was how to think about productivity from a biblical worldview. I tried to get as much out of the book as I could so I wrote out everything he prompted me to, such as a mission statement of my life, underlying beliefs that shape how I spend my time and so forth. I also wrote out 16 resolutions for my life which was also really fun. I can post my resolutions here if anyone wants to read them :)

Guiding Principles:

~I resolve to be a faithful follower of the triune God; doing my all to honor him in my thoughts, speech and actions. Choosing daily to obey his word and to follow him clinging to the cross alone for my hope.

~I resolve to continue as long as I live studying, meditating and growing in my understanding of the living and active word of God, to the end being my sanctification and finally glorification.

~I resolve to be a prayer warrior. Coming before the throne of grace in times of need and times of thanksgiving. Pleading on behalf of my fellow family and friends to know God truly and deeply.

~I resolve to delight myself in the joys of knowing God through the power of his spirit as He bears the fruit of good works in me.

~I resolve to grow in setting my eyes on the hope stored for me in heaven.Growing in an ever-increasing kind of way in my expectation and longing to be face to face with my Savior.

~I resolve to live a life of repentance and faith in Christ on a daily basis. Coming back to the basics of the gospel and striving to have them transform my heart and henceforth my actions.

~I resolve to working hard and getting my work done during the 6 days of the week so as to be able to fully focus on worshiping God on his sabbath day.

~I resolve to be a loyal, steadfast and obedient wife to Andrew, serving, submitting to and loving him as best I can.

~I resolve to be a tender, caring, sacrificial mom to Layla. Making decisions based upon her good and sanctification.

~I resolve to make our home a place of safety, sweetness, and refreshing warmness to those who step foot in, a place to be loved, encouraged and welcomed, that when people leave they leave better than when they came in.

~I resolve to serve my body (BBC) as a fellow member and to continue moving toward deeper friendship with others who are of the same body. Submitting under the eldership and receiving the means of grace on a regular basis.

~I resolve to be a hard worker in whatever job I am in. To work to the best of my ability for the Glory of God, honoring my bosses and submitting myself to them.

~I resolve to be a friend to those around me in a way that points them to the cross and their deep need of it, and one who is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

~I resolve to speak for truth when necessary and defend it even if it hurts.

~I resolve to use my tongue to build up rather than tear down.

~I resolve to use my time with the mind that any day could be my last, and to focus on the right things, namely the good and edification of others to the glory of God.

[Graham Heslop · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is full of valuable theological insights, selective adaption and sometimes adoption of secular writing on productivity, a plethora of practical points, and gospel motivated good works. But a few things need to be said, justifying my rating.

Firstly, and quite ironically, for a book on effectiveness (careful, not efficiency) and productivity it is hopelessly longwinded and lacking in brevity or precision. One might point me to the 'core idea boxes' at the end of each chapter but that would only prove the point that many other reviews note: the book feels like a collection of blog posts that are at the same time disjointed and repetitious. This book is a treasure-trove of practical tips and ideas, priorities and planning, along with cleverly gleaned advice but in the end it failed to carefully and concisely arrange those numerous and excellent elements. To recast an illustration from Tolkien, who borrowed it from Dasent, Perman failed to thoroughly boil his contents down to soup and I was left annoyed, picking bones from my teeth.

Secondly, this book simply does not apply to everyone. While the author encourages an eclectic approach to his content I am not sure that he does enough in prefacing, or fencing, his material so that certain personality types and people from the swathes of vocations where his principles might not apply are not left feeling overwhelmed, or that they're wasting their lives. The author does a good job of providing general principles before unpacking them practically but I'm not convinced that the principles, barring their broadest presentation, will apply to everyone and every job. Tying this point in with the above I think that Perman should have been more careful in explaining how the gospel truly transforms us, and therefore all of our lives, and leaving the more specific out workings and catchy acronyms for his blog.

Finally, God does want us to be productive, useful, and generous but that does not mean he desires for us to be maximally effective. While Perman speaks about intangibles - frequently reminding the reader that he isn't telling us to become bound to to-do-lists - the overall feeling I came away with was to tackle tasks, moving from the most significant to the least and organising everything else (including my own thinking) around that. Perhaps this is an unfair criticism, since the author does touch on life apart from our vocations, but I fear that this book might enshrine productivity (call it gospel productivity) at the expense of other components of Christian living and character.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read some great Christian devotional books lately thanks to finding a treasure trove of them at a yard sale in my area, but this one is a step above the others. I recommend it to everyone who considers himself or herself a follower of the Way.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Perman has presented to us a truly excellent book in which he accomplishes two things. First, he presents a compelling Theology of Productivity. The presentation on this point is quite at home with the core emphases of Desiring God Ministries: God’s majesty; God’s sovereignty; John Piper’s so-called Christian Hedonism; Evangelism-through-vocational-pursuit; etc. I am not entirely comfortable with all of that, but I found Perman’s writing to be mature and useful as he fleshed out his idea of Gospel-Driven Productivity (GDP).
The second thing Perman delivers in this book is a comprehensive practical breakdown of how to develop the cross-functional skill of productivity (read, self-leadership and self-management). Without going into too many details, Perman’s advice will transform my work habits for the better, if I put them into practice. I am grateful to have read this book, and I wish that I did so in high school! My only critique on this aspect of the book has to do with his introduction of certain terminology that he seems to assume his readers are already familiar with (namely, the list titles). But my critique is muted, as he did not “lose me” as a reader when he was talking through something which he had not fully explained beforehand.
This book is easy to read, and worthwhile. I will return to it often (every day for the next couple of weeks, at least). It is a fine example of Christian appropriation of “common grace resources.”

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the risk of being dramatic, What’s Best Next has changed the way that I prioritize, organize, think, and live. Perman points out that productivity is not, chiefly, about getting more things done, but about getting the right things done. He explores the theology of vocation in the relationship between gospel grace and effectiveness at work. If you find yourself feeling constant stress or guilt about the things left undone at the end of your days and weeks, grab this book and re-evaluate your short term and long term goals in light of your priorities and responsibilities. This is a must read for all whose lists are longer than their weeks.

[Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate this book 3.5 stars. There are several really good bits in the book, some help that I had not heard before, some that I had. Reinforced some learnings and some bits that seemed to drag on and repeated the same message. Overall worth a read if you are looking to become more effective in what you do.

[Evan Knies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It is the best Gospel Centered book that I have read on productivity. Get this book!

[Keren Threlfall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted here: http://wp.me/p26dwz-29s

Like many Evangelicals, I have grown weary of seeing Christian authors simply take secular books, concepts, and ideas, slap on the label "Biblical" (or "Gospel-centered," "Christian," "godly," or other buzzwords), throw in a few (usually-out-of-context) Bible verses and call it their own, usually holding their version on a pedestal.

When I first saw this book and started into it, I'm afraid both Daniel and I did a mental eye roll, thinking that's what this book would be.  But all those initial red flags quickly dropped as I delved further into this book.

Is it possible to disguise a theology book as a productivity book? Or a productivity book as a theology book? If so, Matt Perman just did it in What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done . And actually, it seems he's done better than simply disguising one as the other: he's showed how the two are intrinsically linked together for the believer.

Perman opens the book by distinguishing the difference between productivity and efficiency, an important distinction to make when implementing productivity habits. Throughout the book, the author references his own life's study and work to demonstrate that it's not just about working hard, fast, and furious that will get things done, but one also needs to examine how to use wisdom and skill to be more productive in one's work.

As he walks readers along the path to productivity, Perman examines books like Getting Things Done and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, sharing how such productivity tips have helped him become more productive. In sharing his own experience, Perman notes that even after implementing hacks from the above resources, he was still coming up short. Eventually, he had to realize he was taking on too much, an assessment which is also a part of improving productivity.

In examining the scope of this book, two weaknesses stand out to me. The first is that it sometimes seems that the author assumes we have all shifted into a knowledge economy and all work in knowledge era work. What of the man who still works in a factory? Or for someone who still works in the field of manual labor all day? In a books that ties productivity so tightly to living out the Gospel in day to day living, it seems it is crucial to distinguish how productivity may look different in various realms of calling. Perman does helpfully acknowledge that these concepts are applicable to those who spend most of their time parenting, but even this deals primarily with productivity within the sphere of a knowledge based economy.

My second concern is the emphasis on excellence without the necessary counterbalance. Whereas Perman tempered much of his other advice by addressing the applicational extremes that have proven to have harmful (e.g., living fully for Jesus does not mean moving to "Africa," our lives are not divided into two halves of sacred and secular), I felt that his repeated emphasis on the excellence theme warranted additional emphasis for keeping this in check: not judging others for what seems a lack of "excellence," that our performance does not earn us better favor with God, that we need to be wary of allowing our pursuit of excellence to drift into elitism).

In our realization that productivity and excellence in our work is a part of loving others, we must also love others by gently joining together with them where they are in an understanding of productivity. As an extension on my first concern, it's also an important reminder that if you work in a knowledge field, excellence in other fields is going to look different elsewhere, and sometimes might not seem as productive or bright and shiny as the knowledge industry. Perman excels at placing excellence under the umbrella of human flourishing and living for God's glory, and that itself speaks much to keeping this emphasis in check. But simply put, a pursuit of excellence must be used as a personal challenge, but not as a bludgeon when used towards others. More direct warnings on this would be helpful.

Overall, though, I was blown away by all that was packed into this book: practical productivity tips, a deep theology of vocation, a deep theology of human flourishing (shalom, as Tim Keller describes it), and how our work in this world flows from the two greatest commandments: loving God and loving others.

In addition to drawing from popular productivity books, Perman also draws from William Wilberforce and Jonathan Edwards, focusing frequently on Edwards' Charity and Its Fruits  and on Wilberforce's life work of seeking to abolish slavery.

Not only is the content itself rich, but it is laid out well, in a way that is incredibly helpful (something the author emphasizes can be a way of loving others), and Perman provides numberous resources along the way.

Productivity is a significant part of our living out wisdom. Perman helpfully points out that secular wisdom on productivity is a gift of common grace that we should attempt to learn from. But our faith puts our work on a different foundation than secular pursuits of productivity. And though we will likely utilize similar workflows and productivity concepts, we are also pushing toward things that are eternally productive. Perman also helpfully places productivity within the sphere of the creation mandate, skillfully pointing out that its purpose is not to take over the culture, but to serve it.  In this way, he demonstrated a deep understanding of vocation and a humility that is often lacking as Christians examine their role in the culture and world.

Much like Hannah Anderson's book, Made for More, the theology of vocation in this book was freeing and empowering to find fulfillment and pursue excellence in the callings God has given me. Most valuable to me in What's Best Next, though, was Perman's focus on productivity and work flowing from loving God and loving others, thereby promoting human flourishing (shalom) and serving our culture. While others may not find this emphasis to be a novel one, those who share a similar religious background and emphasis with me (American Fundamentalism) will likely appreciate this further Scriptural exploration on this issue. And in spite of my disclaimer above, I believe this book will still be helpful encouraging to individuals who work in industry economies, as well, particularly with the emphasis on using their work to promote human flourishing.

In connection with his current writing, Perman has shared resources from the The Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, and I found this short video to be fitting within part of the scope of What's Best Next.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmk_3...
 Table of Contents

[Isaiah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book on productivity! A bit too long and felt as though he exaggerated the significance of productivity from certain passages. But there are many helpful things that I’ve already applied from the book to my life.

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically don't have much appreciation for many "Christian Living" books (or the entire genre for that matter). But this book in particular is a game changer.

If you're like me in the mind frame of "Christian Living" books/genre, perhaps you'll do better as thinking of this book as part of systematic theology, with the specific study being: ergonology, or the doctrine of [good] works (Eph. 2:10).

And that's what this whole book is about: setting a course for and giving us tools to accomplish those good works which God has called us to do, and which He has prepared beforehand for us (Eph. 2:10). Thankfully, Matt Perman does a wonderful job in sticking to the sub-title: "How the Gospel Transforms the Way you Get Things Done" (emphasis mine).

In other words, he doesn't neglect Ephesians 2:8-9 - we are saved by grace through faith - when teaching on Ephesians 2:10 - we are saved for good works.

That's the foundation to the entire book. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works.

And Matt Perman graciously weaves that theme throughout the entire work in detailing how we can apply that Biblical doctrine from wherever God has called us - even in 9a-5p white collar jobs. No matter where we are, we can - and should - work to the glory of God for the purpose of loving and serving as many people as possible.

What amazed me was that, though the task seems daunting - while reading through the book you feel, as the reader, that the task is somehow attainable. Of course, it's not attainable through self-effort, but through the Spirit of God. And how rewarding it is to know that God truly did create us for good works, but that it is He Himself who works through us for those very same works.

The goal is not to love more for the glory of God; but it's to love the most you're physically able to, to the most people you're physically able to, for the glory of God. And in the book, Perman shows not only why that's a Biblical doctrine to base our understanding of work and Christian love on, but he also provides tremendous valuable tools on how to actually accomplish more, love more, and glorify God more in the area of Christian responsibility and productivity. And this all right from where we're at at whatever job we're currently doing.

In short, this book is worthy of your read because it is a practical unpacking of a very often overlooked doctrine of Christian works (but again, the works described in this book are never taught as a form of salvation, but are taught as the result of salvation).

And it's just because that salvation is so wonderful and undeserved, and just because it is the same God who saved rebellious sinners as we are, that the works He calls us to do are so great and powerful.

I commend this book to every Christian reader who is thirsty to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love his neighbor as himself.

[Knowlton Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most helpful books I've ever read. I don't come by productivity or organization or time-efficiency naturally...a combination of personality and a South American take on how time works, perhaps...but this book gave me an enormous amount of new categories to help me think about time management and what efficiency can look like. Great theological foundation: loving God and loving others. Helpful simple but practical insights, like being outcome instead of task oriented, assigning time-values to items on to-do lists, planning my day, week, etc. Others have summarized the excellencies of this book already, so I won't labor too much here. My only two...three...nay, four, complaints: 1. The book seems a bit redundant. Unexpected in a book about efficiency. 2. So. Many. Lists. They are all very helpful but there were several times where I felt like there was a new list on every single page. 3. Some of this seems to be personality driven. Perman is the kind of guy for whom it is natural to fit 18 hour work days into his schedule, and for whom it makes sense to spend a weekend reading 20 books on a topic he's curious about, all the while keeping an Excel file open to take notes on each book...so I don't think that all of the things that just kind of make sense to him are going to be things that make sense to everyone. That being said, I can't help but feel invigorated and challenged by him, and that's probably a good thing. 4. This one isn't entirely solidified in my mind yet, and he does such a good job of connecting scripture and practice that it might be unfounded, but I'm wondering if productivity is something like masculinity: a culture is able to assign value to certain practices based on its own cultural understanding. I believe in objective reality, and that there are ultimate things that we can all aspire to, to some extent, through different cultural expressions. But my question is, when Perman pushes for maximum efficiency (which, admittedly, he argues for by planning your schedule around 70% of what you think your maximum potential output is), how much of what he cares about is informed more by his cultural context than what Scripture calls us to? To put it missiologically, is there a danger of someone thinking this way in a different context? If I were to obsess over productivity, specifically in a missiological context, in a people group that had no category for valuing getting things done that way...could that be more harmful? Or is productivity a maluable enough word/category that I can still take all of Perman's advice, and just use it differently...? Like I said, this point isn't solid in my mind yet...I just have a vague sort of question mark.

Would totally recommend to anyone, though. Good stuff! I am already a more efficient worker because of simple things I've started to apply to my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

[Jason Kanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What's Best Next (2014) by Matt Perman addresses "how the gospel transforms the way you get things done." Perman tackles the issue of what it means to be productive as a Christian. This 351 page book is broken down into 24 chapters over 7 sections. Perman begins by establishing the groundwork for how and why a gospel-centered productivity is important. He then progresses into more practical matters, presenting the reader with productivity principles and then discussing his mnemonic: DARE, which stands for Define, Architect, Reduce, and Execute. In the final section, he addresses how we can live this out societally and missionally.


I initially didn't know what to expect from this book. I have often joked that one of my spiritual gifts is efficiency, so when his second chapter was entitled "why efficiency is not the answer," I started to pay more careful attention. I began this book with the assumption that Perman was going to suggest ways for me to be even more efficient so that I could get more stuff done. However, there is a nuanced difference between what we might classically think of as efficiency and what Perman describes as productivity. Productivity seems to have greater worldview implications. How we live out our lives in our work, homes, church, and society should be looked at through the grid of productivity.


Perman's influences weave their ways through his book. His thinking has clearly been affected by the likes of business-minded people like Stephen Covey, David Allen, and Tim Sanders, but also the more theologically minded like Tim Keller and Jonathan Edwards. John Piper's influence is palpable, which is unsurprising given Perman's work with Desiring God ministries. I have been deeply affected by Piper's writings, so to see the theological ideas that formed Desiring God in something so practical was a real treat.


What's Best Next crescendoes through the chapters. At the outset, I found myself thinking, "this is a decent book," but the more I read, the more I wanted to read. Perman's wisdom and broad knowledge base shine through. I received this book for free through a book review program and I began to think of different people to whom I could give this book. By the end, I decided I would keep it. I envision myself recommending this book to several people from church, to my manager at work, and to you the reader. If you want to understand better what a God-exalting view of productivity would look like, I would highly recommend Perman's book.



I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Sam James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellent. It has the charm of being easy to read while at the same forcing you to think about the most terrifying but obvious questions we all are too 'busy' to ask: what is the point of my life? and what does that mean I should be doing? And how?

Any human book that claims to answer these kinds of questions is obviously taking on a massive task, but Perman treats the subject with immense care and delight. The step-by-step process is digestible even to the most unorganised types.

The book is essentially two halves. What to get done and how to get it done. In terms of the philosophy of the book, as far as I can see he is dead right. It is the gospel that transforms the way we get things done. His explanation of this is beautiful, and very persuasive.

Regarding the second half, my plan is to re-visit it at some point more thoroughly, there are lots of acronyms to think about and flow charts/thought systems etc - and for a guy who doesn't like lists, there do seem to be a lot in here.

One thing is for sure, Matt Perman is an enourmous geek - the guy seems to have read just about everything there is to on productivity and this comparatively short work is the sum of a great deal of research. If you want to be effective in your goals (not just efficient), know what they are, know the steps to achieve them (he really persuades you that this is possible, by the way) then this book will help you. If, that is, you're not already too busy being productive.

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best books I've read on productivity, connecting theology with getting things done. There are so many take-aways, sections I plan on reviewing again, and acronyms that are both memorable and useful: D.A.R.E. (Define, Architect, Reduce, Execute) and D.E.A.D. (Delegate, Eliminate, Automate, Defer). I cannot commend this book highly enough!

"It is my contention that in addition to the very helpful secular books that exist, we also need to develop a distinctly Christian understanding of how to get things done. We miss something important and amazing if we don’t think about productivity from a specifically biblical perspective."

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. So helpful.

[Julee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Applying the rule of thumb I learned from Al Mohler and putting this book I'm not into down. I really have a great effort and wanted to enjoy it but didn't.

[Shorel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I have read many productivity books and tried a number of systems. This is the first book that goes into the biblical basis of productivity and the reason to "get things done." In short, you get things done to honor God. You should get things done that grow people and further the gospel. You should get things done better, so that you can more effectively do more good. Short and sweet. Matt perman unpacks all this...and gives a great productivity system near the end.

Highly recommend if you in any way are overwhelmed by life. Do more good out of love for God.

--
Myth #1: Productivity is about getting more done faster. When most people think of productivity, they think of efficiency — getting more things done faster. While efficiency is important, it is secondary. More important than efficiency is effectiveness — getting the right things done. Efficiency doesn’t matter if you are doing the wrong things in the first place. Truth: Productivity is about effectiveness first, not efficiency. Myth #2: The way to be productive is to have the right techniques and tools. Using great tools and the most helpful techniques is a lot of fun. But, like efficiency, this is secondary. This book will give you the most helpful methods for improving your productivity, and will point you to some really cool tools. But one of the central tenets of this book is that the foundation of effectiveness is not first techniques or tools, but character. The only way to make the right decisions is first to be the right kind of person (Rom. 12:1 – 2; 2 Peter 5:1 – 8). Truth: Productivity comes first from character, not techniques. Myth #3: It is not essential to give consideration to what God has to say about productivity. I don’t want to imply you have to be a Christian to get things done or to write on how to get things done. Much of this is in the realm of common grace, and we can learn a lot from people of all perspectives. The problem is if we stop there. For example, we often go about our planning as if it were just any other activity. But the Scriptures teach that to make plans without acknowledging God is not just wrong but arrogant (James 4:13 – 17). There are very significant things that we miss if we do not give serious consideration to what God has to say on these matters. One of the aims of this book is to show you what those things are, and that they are good news. Truth: We cannot be truly productive unless all our activity stems from love for God and the acknowledgment that he is sovereign over all our plans. Myth #4: It is not essential to make the gospel central in our view of productivity. The way to become productive is not to try harder, even if the focus of our efforts is the development of our character. The power behind our productivity comes from realizing that, through faith in the gospel, we are accepted by God in Christ apart from what we do. This puts wind in our sails and unleashes the power of the Spirit in our lives (Gal. 3:5). Truth: The only way to be productive is to realize that you don’t have to be productive. Myth #5: The way to be productive is to tightly manage yourself (and others!). Sometimes we have the notion that people who care about getting things done need to be ultra-organized, rigidly scheduled, and inflexible. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We are most productive not when we seek to tightly control ourselves but when we seek to unleash ourselves. Productivity comes from engagement, not control and mere compliance. This is why operating in our strengths is so important. Further, this approach to productivity naturally follows from a right understanding of the gospel. Truth: Productivity comes from engagement, not tight control; when we are motivated, we don’t need to tightly control ourselves (or others). Myth #6: The aim of time management should be our peace of mind. Peace of mind is a good thing, but I’m going to argue that there is something far more important. The reason we should seek to be productive is to serve others to the glory of God, and not for the sake of personal peace and affluence. Ironically, however, peace of mind results when the good of others, and not our own peace of mind, is our first aim. Truth: Productivity is first about doing good for others to the glory of God. Myth #7: The way to succeed is to put yourself first. It is often thought that the way to succeed is to put yourself first and crush others. It turns out that not only is that an un-Christian ethic, but it also doesn’t work. The biggest trend in the marketplace is, as Tim Sanders has put it, “the downfall of the barracudas, sharks, and piranhas, and the ascendancy of nice, smart people.”1 Truth: We become most productive by putting others first, not ourselves. Myth #8: We will have peace of mind if we can get everything under control. The problem with this idea is that it doesn’t work. It is simply not possible to have everything under control, and so the quest to base our peace of mind on our ability to control everything is futile. Our peace of mind must be based on other grounds — namely, the gospel. Truth: Basing our peace of mind on our ability to control everything will never work. Myth #9: To-do lists are enough. I made this mistake for years. I read Getting Things Done (which I loved!) and created all sorts of next action lists, project lists, and someday/maybe lists, yet I rarely achieved “mind like water.” Instead, my typical state could have been described as “mind like tsunami.” What I came to realize is that time is like space. Just as there is only so much stuff that we can fit into our closets, so also there is only so much stuff that we can fit into our days. If we don’t think in terms of a basic schedule with slots for our main types of tasks, we end up in overload. Truth: Time is like space, and we need to see lists as support material for our activity zones, not as sufficient in themselves to keep track of what we have to do. Myth #10: Productivity is best defined by tangible outcomes. We often think of productivity as getting concrete things done — emails sent, widgets made, and assignments completed. These things are important, but they do not exhaust the scope of our productivity. More and more, productivity is about intangibles — relationships developed, connections made, and things learned. We need to incorporate intangibles into our definition of productivity or we will short-change ourselves by thinking that sitting at our desks for a certain number of hours equals a productive day. Truth: The greatest evidence of productivity comes from intangibles, not tangibles. Myth #11: The time we spend working is a good measure of our productivity. Being at our desks doesn’t equal being productive, and organizations should no longer measure an employee’s productivity that way. At the same time, other things take far longer than you would think: sometimes the best way to be productive is to be inefficient. As a corollary to this, deadlines work well for execution tasks (the realm of personal management), but they do not work well for creative tasks and ambiguity (the realm of personal leadership). If we use deadlines and the efficiency paradigm for managing ambiguity, we often kill productivity rather than encourage it. Truth: We need to measure productivity by results, not by time spent working. Myth #12: Having to work really hard or even suffer in our work means our priorities are screwed up or we are doing something wrong. I’m not sanctioning the practice of making work an idol to which we sacrifice everything in our lives. Productivity is concerned with all areas of our lives — work, home, community, everything — because all areas of our lives are callings from God. That said, people who work long hours often take it on the chin too much. The fact that someone is working a lot does not make that person a workaholic. Some people really enjoy their work and want to work a lot. This is not in itself workaholism. Sometimes it is the path God has placed before us. Where did we get the idea that we are exempt from suffering in our work lives? If we are suffering from and in our work, it does not necessarily mean we are sinning. (See 2 Cor. 11:23 – 29, where Paul even includes all-nighters among his many sufferings.) Truth: We will (sometimes) suffer from our work, and it is not sin.2
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 14, loc. 203-269

The essence of GDP is this: We are to use all that we have, in all areas of life, for the good of others, to the glory of God — and that this is the most exciting life. To be a gospel-driven Christian means to be on the lookout to do good for others to the glory of God, in all areas of life, and to do this with creativity and competence. Further, being gospel-driven also means knowing how to get things done so that we can serve others in a way that really helps, in all areas of life, without making ourselves miserable in the process through overload, overwhelm, and hard-to-keep-up systems.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 32, loc. 485-489

We will see that there are four steps for leading and managing yourself for effectiveness: define, architect, reduce, and execute. 1. Define. This means not only knowing where you are going, but also knowing your criteria for deciding that altogether. This is not just a matter of clarifying your values. It is a matter of identifying the right values to have, and basing our lives — our entire lives, especially right here at the center — on those values that God and his Word lift up as central. This brings us into the realm of mission, vision, roles, and goals. The essence of defining can be summarized this way: Define what’s most important in your life based on what God says, not first on what you (or others) think. This is the only way to build a life that lasts and thus is truly productive (Matt. 7:21 – 27; Prov. 3:5 – 6; 14:12). 2. Architect. Once you’ve identified the most important principles, goals, and ongoing priorities in your life, you can’t just leave it at that. You have to weave these things into the structure of your life through a basic schedule, or time map, because intentions are not enough. A bad (or nonexistent) structure for your life will undo the best of intentions. Setting up a flexible framework for your life also frees you to be less dependent on lists, which was an especially welcome benefit to me once I figured this out. The essence of the architecture step can be summarized this way: Structure your life by living your life mainly from a flexible routine, not a set of lists. 3. Reduce. After creating this structure, often you’ll find that making everything fit is the biggest obstacle. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve architected wrong; it just means you need to reduce. You need to know what’s most important (define), weave it into your life (architect), and then get rid of the rest (reduce). But you don’t get rid of the rest by simply letting balls drop. Rather, you do it by creating systems and using tactics that ultimately expand your capacity. This brings us into the realm of the core practices of day-to-day time management, including delegating, eliminating, automating, and deferring (the DEAD process we will learn), as well as how to turn time killers back on themselves by harnessing them rather than being defeated by them. The essence of reducing can be summarized this way: Reduce on the basis of what’s most important, not on the basis of misguided notions of living a minimalistic life, and do this by implementing systems that enable you to ultimately expand your capacity overall. 4. Execute. This is the stage of making things happen in the moment. It is easy to think of execution as synonymous with productivity, but in reality it is actually only the last step. When you have done the previous steps (define, architect, and reduce), the path is clear for efficient and enjoyable execution. This section will look at the best tactics for making things happen every day.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 34, loc. 516-540

Define. This means not only knowing where you are going, but also knowing your criteria for deciding that altogether. This is not just a matter of clarifying your values. It is a matter of identifying the right values to have, and basing our lives
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 34, loc. 517-519

While efficiency is important, it works only when we make it secondary, not primary. It doesn’t matter how efficient you are if you are doing the wrong things in the first place. More important than efficiency
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 48, loc. 721-723

While efficiency is important, it works only when we make it secondary, not primary. It doesn’t matter how efficient you are if you are doing the wrong things in the first place. More important than efficiency is effectiveness — getting the right things done. In other words, productivity is not first about getting more things done faster. It’s about getting the right things done.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 48, loc. 721-724

In their excellent book The Bottomless Well, Peter Huber and Mark Mills point out that historically it has been the case that as energy efficiency increases, we actually use more energy, not less. The reason is that as our electronic devices become more efficient, that clears the way for us to do more things with them, and so the amount of energy used goes up. Now, I actually think this is a good thing when it comes to technology. But when it comes to our lives, it often isn’t. If you become more efficient at getting things done, you will tend to do more. If you don’t give thought to what that “more” is that you (often unconsciously) take on, you might just end up being incredibly efficient at completely useless things. Talk about the ultimate in unproductivity. As Peter Drucker said, “the most unproductive thing of all is to make more efficient what should not be done at all.”
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 52, loc. 777-783

Excluding God is the ultimate in unproductivity. Jesus makes an important statement in Luke 9:25: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” Now that is the ultimate in unproductivity: gaining the entire world but losing yourself. Then what do you have?
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 63, loc. 951-953

God offers ultimate productivity. When we are productive in Christ and for his sake, everything we do has an eternal impact. Literally everything. “In everything he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3). “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).6 We are to abound (be productive) in the work of the Lord and, beyond that, we are to know that the abundant results of our work in the Lord will not be simply temporal but will last forever (they are not “in vain”). If we care about productivity, then it makes sense that we would want the things we do to have an eternal impact and last forever. That’s the ultimate in productivity. We have this when we do everything we do for Christ, in his power, and for his glory. It is ultimately unproductive to look only at this life.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 64, loc. 959-966

God does a better job of planning our lives than we ever can. While it is important for us to make plans and work for those plans to succeed, we don’t want to fall into the trap of planning our entire lives in meticulous detail, for this simple reason: we are finite and fallible creatures. You don’t want to be the one to plan your whole life, because God does a better job than you ever will. Again
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 65, loc. 972-976

Genesis 3, however, isn’t the only place where the Bible describes the curse of the fall. The end of the Pentateuch, in Deuteronomy 28, gives us a more complete elaboration of the curse. It is interesting, then, that Deuteronomy speaks of “confusion” (v. 20) and “confusion of mind” (v. 28) as part of the curse, along with “frustration in all you undertake to do” (v. 20). In other words, the curse of the fall didn’t affect only manual work, as we often seem to think. The curse also affected knowledge work. Excessive ambiguity that prevents us from figuring out how to navigate is really a form of confusion; overload is one of many forms that “frustration in all that you do” takes. The inordinate challenges we face in knowledge work can be traced to the fall just as much as the challenges in manual work.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 66, loc. 987-993

The Parable of the Talents: Jesus Requires a Return on Your Life Consider also the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14 – 30. Illustrating the final judgment, Jesus tells the story of a man going on a journey who entrusts his property to his servants. One receives five talents and makes five talents more, another receives three talents and makes three talents more, and another receives one talent and buries it in the ground. The first two were productive with what the landowner had given them. The last one was not. When the landowner returned, what was his response? Did he say to the third person, “You know, productivity isn’t a very spiritual issue anyway, and it was only one talent. A single talent doesn’t even matter”? Not even close. The person who buried his talent was rebuked and called faithless. (Interesting — to play it safe is not more commendable to God but actually is considered faithless!) The other two, however, were commended. They took what they had received and made a return on it. They were productive with it. Jesus’ point is that God requires the same of us. The “talents” that he has given us are all that we have — our gifts, literal “talents,” the ability to work and earn money (see Deut. 8:18), time, energy, opportunities, everything.
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 71, loc. 1075-1086

Wilberforce sat at his desk at that foggy Sunday morning in 1787 thinking about his conversion and his calling. Had God saved him only to rescue his own soul from hell? He could not accept that. If Christianity was true and meaningful, it must not only save but serve. — Charles Colson, preface to William Wilberforce’s A Practical View of Christianity
Matthew Aaron Perman, What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done, pg. 78, loc. 1180-1183

Note that God’s goal for us is not simply that we do good works but that we be fruitful in good works. The notion of being fruitful in good works, rather than simply doing a few good works, is central to the biblical ethic. God’s will is not simply that we do good but also that we be productive in doing good. In fact, the biblical ethic is that we do all the good we can.

[Jason Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful work on productivity. He gives some very practical advice but also steps back & looks at the big “Why?”
Here are a few quotes:

“This is a productivity approach for imperfect people in an imperfect world, but with a perfect God who is leading them to what one day will be a renewed world of perfect joy, peace, and righteousness.”

“I want you to see everything you do in a new light so that you can become an agent for good, right where you are, to the glory of God. Don’t just try to get things done; seek to serve others to the glory of God and everything you do. More than that, be proactive and enthusiastic in doing good for others. Make plans for the welfare of others, and use all the things you learn from this book to make yourself more effective in carrying out those plans.”

[Julian Seibel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tolles und hilfreiches Buch. Es hat mir gut gefallen, dass der Autor dieses Thema von Gott aus angefangen hat zu entfalten. Produktivität ist ein Werkzeug, um anderen Menschen zu dienen. Er gibt auch praktische Beispiele, empfiehlt weitere Bücher behandelt auch die Frage, inwiefern Produktivität die Gesellschaft, die Organisation in der man arbeitet, beeinflusst. Kann ich weiterempfehlen. Vieles ist zwar bekannt, aber dennoch findet man Dinge, die einem bisher nicht so bewusst waren.

[Cagefighter18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book on productivity and the goal of being productive - to love people better, both in saving more time for ministry and in working on things in a loving way. Highly recommend to anyone for focusing time in an effective way.

[Anita Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half of the book was rich and foundational/motivational. The second half was practical and slightly more boring.

[Brandon Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid if unspectacular theology of work and vocation mixed with a handful of helpful tips for improving personal activity. Really a good read for any Christian who wants to do something with their life and is looking for tools to accomplish it

He does spend a lot of time in the last third of the book developing a really specific productivity and organization model that probably really only works if you have his type of job. If it doesn't apply well to you, just skim it for helpful tips and move on.

[Rick Dugan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Productivity isn’t only about getting things done. It’s about getting the right things done. It’s about discerning the best thing that should be done next, and doing it. It’s about making a positive contribution, being useful, and giving more than we get (71). In short, it’s about knowing what is most important and putting that first (132-33). Productivity is part of the creation mandate. Problem solving and strategizing can stimulate Spirit-led thinking.

This requires making God’s priorities our priorities and seeking the good of others before our own. Though we can’t do all the good that could be done, we are to do all the good we can. Matt Perman provides foundational insight for discerning what the right things are and practical advice for getting them done.

To do the right things, one must be the right person. When it comes to productivity, character is more important than tools. “Productivity is about intangibles – relationships developed, connections made, and things learned.” (15) Foundational to character is faith in God who is sovereign over all our plans, who accepts us apart from what we produce, and is at work in us through Christ.

Keys to increasing productivity:

1. Know what’s important (personal leadership) and make it the priority (personal management) (137). Weave the tasks within each of your roles (individual, family, church, social, professional) around your mission, your life goal. Don’t neglect the most important thing. This takes planning
2. Let scripture shape what's important to you. Make the good of others the goal of your productivity and the aim of your daily tasks. Empowering others results in exponential productivity. Do all to the glory of God.
3. DARE: Know your mission, vision and roles (Define). Weave these things into your life through flexible scheduling (Architect). Get rid of things that don’t fit (Reduce). Make things happen every day (Execute).
3. Recognize that each of your roles are a calling. They have value and purpose and should be done with excellence. Doing things with excellence is a way to love others.
4. “Structure your life by living from a flexible routine, not a set of lists.” (193) Schedule your day to 70% capacity. Work in chunks.
5. Using the illustration of the rocks in a jar, make sure you put the big rocks in first. In other words, first plan into your week those things that contribute most to your mission and vision within each of your roles. Then fit in the less important tasks.
5. Start your day early.
6. Develop a workflow: 1) Read your Bible and pray through your day; 2) Plan your day; 3) Execute your workflow (dealing with the easy, routine tasks, zeroing out your inbox); 4) Spend time doing what you do best; 5) Work on a project; 6) Act on other tasks.
7. Make time to read and rest.
8. Accept some interruptions as from God.

Perman provides us with an excellent foundation for determining what we should do and practical tools to help us do it. Perhaps he offers too many different suggestions for prioritizing and managing. And his diversion into economic stewardship was interesting, but seemed only incidentally related to the topic of the book. It wasn’t necessary. Finally, though there’s application for nearly every type of person, those who have more control over their work schedules will find more opportunity for application.

[Elizabeth Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Perman's book "What's Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done" is not a traditional productivity book, although it does include some ideas and practices for working and living more effectively. It's more like a combination of a practical theology of work and gospel-oriented advice for ordering your life.

The book starts by building a strong case for a biblical view of productivity, and distinguishing it from the world's view of getting things done. It lays the groundwork for understanding why a good theology of productivity matters, how it will help us become better Christians, and what benefits it will provide (other than getting more things done).

After establishing a strong foundation of how the Bible defines productivity, he then moves into more practical application of those principles. Some sections I found especially helpful were: how and why to create a mission statement in light of the gospel's timeless truth, how to define your roles in light of the gospel's commands, how to set up your week with a view for serving others, and how to delegate for the benefit of others (not just for yourself).

This book will challenge your thinking! It's not a fast read, although it's well-written and engaging. But it requires a lot of thought and calls for some "homework" along the way -- for instance, the chapter on creating a mission statement or defining your roles requires time out to do just that. It's not a book worth rushing through. Thankfully, each chapter closes with a box (literally called "The Box") that includes the chapter's core point, core quote, and core Scripture passage; a task for immediate application; common questions and answers; and further resources about the chapter's content.

Additionally, the book ends with a "toolkit" that can be revisited time and again, whenever you need a refresher on some aspect of gospel-driven productivity. It includes things like a 500-word recap of the topic; an easy reference guide to key issues in productivity (pointing to various pages within the book itself); an annotated bibliography for further reading on key productivity-related topics; and a list of tools available for free online, including five bonus chapters and other helpful articles.

Highly recommend for any Christian who wants to get anything done... no matter what your role may be! It shares a strong biblical worldview, keeps Scripture as the highest authority, and strikes a fine balance between grace and law. It is a resource I will be returning to in the future whenever I need a refresher on "what's best next."

[Steve Hemmeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gospel-oriented look at productivity.

Perman connects these two worlds excellently. Productivity is not the end all and be all, defining our success or happiness. God is. The secular stuff on productivity often assumes a wrong attitude on this.

But thanks to God’s common grace, there is much good wisdom to glean from that material, too. Perman uses it. Quoting Peter Drucker and Stephen Covey right alongside Al Mohler and John Piper was a little surreal, but it works. He interviews some interesting people from both worlds on their productivity techniques.

We can summarize Perman’s strategy with the acronym DARE.
Define your foundation, purpose (mission statement), goals and next task, all in the Lord’s will.
Architect – design your week and day accordingly
Reduce hindrances, clutter, distractions, and any drags on your productivity
Execute – either do it now, or schedule it for later

A lot of this is obvious stuff that we just forget in our laziness. Figure out what’s most important to do right now, and work at it first until it is done. Then go on to the next thing. Duh. But many people really think they work better bouncing from one thing to the next without focusing on one thing. I agree with Perman that multi-tasking really isn’t more efficient. It’s just giving in to distraction most of the time. As much as it is up to you (sometimes it isn’t!), stay focused on your task until it is done. You’ll do it better, your mind will be clearer, and you’ll be more ready for the next thing.

What’s Best Next brilliantly combines the big picture with specific and practical help. Starting with the big picture look at the significance of work and gospel centeredness, he winds up talking about how to handle your email and plan your day and week. While there is some “filler” in the middle (I found myself skimming some), the end material is an excellent summary and reference.

I’ll be returning to this book to reference it again.

[Brent Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not perfect, and definitely more for those in ministry or the business world, but this book incorporates a gospel-centered way of productivity that other classics don't emphasize. Perman mixes the systems of Allen's Getting Things Done with the principles of Covey's 7 Habits while continually pointing to the root of all productivity: God. He weaves the glory of God and our calling to serve others into every aspect of how he gets things done and claims we should too. He has a pretty set way to go about doing things, which can be customized to fit your job and life to an extent, and it seems to be quite helpful. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a system for the first time, or wants to make some tweaks to their own system. Lots of great info at his website too, well worth taking the extra time to look through.

[Russell Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Perman breaks down the wall between faith and productivity with this incredibly well-written, compelling guide to making sure that what we do has impact toward what is important in life. While many productivity books start with the day to day processes and back out to life purposes in later chapters, Perman reverses the process, reminding us that we need to keep those larger goals at the forefront of our lives as we go about our day to day activities. His ideas on productivity are - to quote Pirates of the Caribbean - less rules and more guidelines: flexible outlines to help us think about how we spend or time.

If you are struggling with how much you have to do, take some of your precious time and read this book. Seriously...

[Nathanael S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best and most thorough book on getting things done I’ve ever read. It’s truly a one-stop-shop for productivity. On top of all that, Perman also has an unapologetically gospel-focused view of the world. This fact should in no way make you think I am say “it’s good for a Christian book” or even “it’s good because it is a Christian book”, although both of those statements are correct. This takes the best advice on productivity from the best minds in that arena and shows how the gospel interacts with that advice. I HIGHLY recommend this book. (Thanks for recommending it to me, Emily 😁)

Second read: It read a physical copy this time and I like it even more. Though it is targeted towards those in creative or strategic roles, everyone can (and should) read it and benefit from it.

[Barnabas Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the principles in this book. Matt Perman does a fantastic job connecting a Christian's commitment to the gospel to the commitment to excellence in one's work. He makes clear how productivity is loving to others. The first 2/3 of this book are solid gold. One weakness of the book is that it applies best to those who are self-employed or mostly dictate their own schedule. The principles are great for everyone, but the application often leans toward the entrepreneur/executive. The only other part I struggled with a bit was the prescriptive systems toward the end, but that has a lot to do with me preferring principles to how-tos. I am sure that many people will benefit from them.