In the fast paced digital world we live in, time away from a screen is essential for your brain, eyes and general well-being. Curl up with a decent book on a topic you enjoy or what to learn more about every now and again. Here are our Top 6 Reads for Business and Mindset if you are looking for some summer reading suggestions.

The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

By Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

If you want to start a new business or a new job or just something different in general, this New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller is thoroughly recommended. Starting with a Russian proverb, “If you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one,” it goes on to show you in myriad ways why focusing on the one thing that will make a genuine difference to your success is the bee’s knees.

Our brains are scientifically not built to multitask and a work-life balance is not achievable if we want to be a success. These principles may fly in the face of all we want to believe, but learning the power of focusing on one thing at a time has been a game-changer for me.

I have implemented this both in my business and in my personal life - and it works. When I am devoted to the task ahead of me, I am 100% switched on and in the moment and it’s enabled me to get real results.

For me this is the number one productivity tool kit in the form of a book. It’s not the easiest or most fun read and may not be the perfect beach buddy, but it is certainly worth the investment of time to read it. I tell anyone who will listen to read this book, particularly those in business or needing some focus. If you struggle to prioritise what is important to you, do this one thing and read The One Thing.

7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covey

This book is a beloved classic that has sold over 20 million copies worldwide and has recently celebrated its 25th anniversary as the wisdom and insight still holds true after all these years. The 7 Habits have become so popular because they work, and have been integrated into everyday thinking by many millions of people around the world. It presents a principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity - principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates - not panic or instantly fear change.

Black Box Thinking: Marginal Gains and the Secrets of High Performance: The Surprising Truth About Success

By Matthew Syed

Black Box Thinking is a new approach to high performance, a means of finding an edge in a complex and fast-changing world. It is not just about the sporting world, but has powerful implications for business and politics, as well as for parents and students. In other words, everyone.

Drawing on a dizzying array of case studies and real-world examples, together with cutting-edge research on marginal gains, creativity and grit, Matthew Syed tells the inside story of how success really happens - and how we cannot grow unless we are prepared to learn from our mistakes.

Who Moved My Cheese?

Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, was originally published in 1998 and is a motivational business fable aimed to encourage people to embrace change.

The text describes evolution in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by personifying 4 characters; two mice "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two "little people" - “Ham and Haw”, during their metaphorical hunt for cheese.

They all live in a maze, a representation of one's environment, and look for cheese, representative of happiness and success. Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, paired off and traveled the lengthy corridors searching for cheese. One day both groups happen upon a cheese-filled corridor at "Cheese Station C." Content with their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese, slowly becoming arrogant in the process.

A New York Times business bestseller upon release, has enjoyed worldwide success and remains one of the best-selling business books. If you like an analogy, then pick up this book - there are plenty of “ah-ha” moments as you read your way through it!

Eat That Frog

By Brian Tracy

Derived from a saying from Mark Twain “if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.” Eat that Frog is a classic Time Management tool aimed at helping you assess your priorities and make better choices for your productivity.

Like most business books, this one is full of relatable metaphors to help you identify with in your daily work life, so if you are struggling with what to do first (also see The One Thing) this book gives some great tips and tricks on how to prioritise your workload based on how important and necessary the task is.

Start With Why

By Simon Sinek

Start with Why started life as a TEDx talk in 2009 and has since become one of the most watched TEDx videos on YouTube at well over 50m views, and centers around the statement that “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. Powerful thinking from Simon Sinek that looks to help others do work which inspires them, shows the reader how real-world leaders communicate and how one can adapt their mindset to inspire others.

Jam packed full of lessons, but each time coming back to the key thread “WHY”, this book helps you to identify what you are doing and why, and how to communicate this to others in order to inspire and create trust.

FUSE is an independent Chartered Certified firm of accountants and tax advisors based in Highgate Village, North London. We provide a dynamic range of services to clients working in property, media, entertainment and professional services. Our clients vary in size from self employed sole traders, small enterprises and medium size businesses. We believe that comprehensive financial planning and sound business financial advice are the keys to growth and profitability.

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