The more you read about productivity and how successful people get things done, the better you get at handling your own tasks. The good news is that the Internet is full of inspirational videos to pump your motivation. The bad news is that the Internet is FULL of inspirational videos to pump your motivation.

So instead of you going through each video channel on YouTube to figure out what you should watch, we thought we'd ease the burden and recommend a few choice clips that will tell you how to boost your productivity.

The Science Of Productivity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHfjvYzr-3g

Let's start off by learning what productivity truly is. We've all read a few work hacks and productivity tricks before, but ASAP Science explains what effect these methods have on our brains and the way we do work. More importantly, it raises a pertinent point: productivity isn't about doing more things, it's about learning to prioritize and say no. The short bit on energy management is a wake-up call for many. In fact, it's a worthy productivity habit to hack your life in the new year.

David Allen: How To Hack Your To-Do List

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduzwk04l2E

David Allen is among the leading productivity experts in the world, and his Getting Things Done method is often cited in any conversation about the topic. Epipheo interviewed the man himself and animated the whole talk for an entertaining video. It serves as a primer to the GTD philosophy, along with getting into more details about how to manage your to-do list; a worthy lesson in an age where your to-do app is making you less productive.

The Pomodoro Technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT70iCaG0Gs

Author Francesco Cirillo's simple method of using a tomato timer has caught the web's fancy, and how. The pomodoro technique's basic idea is to work in short, focussed bursts (usually of 25 minutes) on one thing at a time, with small breaks in between, so that your mind is always concentrating. This video does a great job of explaining the method and how to put it into action. And we have you covered if you're looking for apps and software to implement the Pomodoro technique.

Forget Multitasking, Try Monotasking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YNeyBANrTI

Most of us are doing too many things at a time, like listening to music while working, or chatting while watching one of these videos. Designer Paolo Cardini says multi-tasking actually makes us less productive. We've previously written about how there is research to back up these claims and why you should stop multitasking and stay focused. If you're a multi-tasker, Cardini's TED talk is worth watching to learn the merits of monotasking.

Robin Sharma: How I Beat Procrastination

Robin Sharma, author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, is one of the leading motivational speakers on the planet. In the video above, he explains how he beats the tendency to procrastinate and deals with distractions, the books and thought leaders whose advice he has found useful, and a few tips of his own. Pay attention, some reckon that procrastination can't be cured by task management apps, so you need a solid philosophical foundation to beat it.

The Happiness Advantage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBRy3QrRGFI

Author and speaker Shawn Anchor firmly believes that the trick to productivity is being happy. It's not as simple as it sounds though. In his video on The Happiness Advantage, Anchor explains how most people think our brain works hard to be happy; except it's the other way around. Happiness is what fuels productivity and success, he says. Anchor also has a longer TEDx talk on the topic if you're interested. Of course, happiness itself is a difficult topic, but you can find out a bit more about it in one of these six mind-blowing TED talks about psychology and human behaviour.

How To Break Bad Habits And Form New Ones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H0fTwtPLfo

Charles Duhigg, author of The Power Of Habit, put together a simple video explaining the concept of a Habit Loop. In essence, you continue with your bad habits because you have a trigger-routine-reward-trigger loop. The idea is to change the routine to get to the same reward, after identifying your trigger and your reward. An app like HabitRPG can help you gamify your life change successfully.

How To Make Stress Your Friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU

Through a regular work week, there are bound to be stressful situations. And sure, there are ways to take stress out of productivity, but instead, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal suggests you should change your perspective and see stress as a positive phenomenon. Her TED talk touches upon how stress only really affects our mind when we empower it, and she has a few neat tricks to counter it too.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

There is something about an animated video that can get concepts through far better than a face talking to you. RSA's video, based on Daniel H. Pink's book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, is a prime example of this. The video explains Pink's concepts of the three factors of motivation (mastery, autonomy and purpose) and how you can harness these in your life to boost your output.

Stop Wasting Time Being Productive

After all these productivity videos, Lifehacker creator Gina Trapani and GTD guru David Allen's little chat takes us back to the basics. This short video is a quick reminder that what matters is finishing your tasks, not whether you are doing them as taught by a productivity guru or a super-useful app. Don't get caught up in "productivity porn".

What's Your Favourite Productivity Video Here Or Elsewhere?

Among the videos above, which one spoke to you the most? Why? And if your favourite productivity video wasn't shared here, we want to know! The comments, they await…

Image Credit: edar