Book Review: Redeeming Productivity by Reagan Rose

“Productivity has been hijacked, and it’s time we take it back.”

So begins Reagan Rose in the introduction to his newest book Redeeming Productivity. To accomplish the “taking back” of productivity, Reagan spends ten chapters identifying various aspects of productivity, the ways in which those aspects are often wrongly pursued, and the biblical solutions.

But what exactly is productivity all about? And what are some of the fundamentally flawed ways that the world thinks about this subject?

Reagan continues in the introduction:

“Browse the self-help section at any bookstore and you’re likely to find some common themes on the dust jackets. The message is always some variation of how you can get richer, happier, or become more successful if you just learn how to get more done.

The problem with these books is they work. If you learn to manage your calendar better, block out your tasks, and make the most of your peak hours of energy, yes, you will get more done. I say this is a problem because the techniques taught in these books rarely come alone. Often hiding behind practical tips on time management, decision-making, or goal setting is a whole spectrum of worldly philosophies. Productivity books don’t just tell us how to work, they tell us why we work. They assume definitions for success, meaning, and effectiveness that run contrary to the Bible. And even Christians, if we aren’t careful, can start to believe those things too.

We all want to get more done. But for Christians, why we get more done is just as important as how. So, the aim of this book is to address both the why and the how of productivity so you can get more done for the glory of God.” (p. 11)

Reagan’s book is all about getting more done (and who doesn’t want to get more done?), but in a God-honoring way.

Pillars and Practices

The layout of the book is unique and strategic: Reagan proposes five “pillars” of productivity, which are the theological foundations that help the reader think rightly about work ethic, goal setting, and effectiveness. But each pillar is followed by a related “practice” that provides concrete, real-world ways to implement the pillar. Thus, the chapters alternate back and forth between a pillar and an associated practice, helping the reader translate theology into methodology.

For example, the first chapter begins by explaining the basis for thinking about productivity. Worldly productivity (or lack thereof) says, “It’s my life, so I can use it however I want,” and then proceeds down the road of self-indulgence. The motivation for success is hedonistic happiness. Reagan contrasts that with the Christian’s motivation:

“The world says you belong to yourself, but the Bible says you belong to God. This fundamental truth is the first pillar of Christian productivity. But far from stopping us from caring about productivity, I believe it is the strongest motive for pursuing it.” (p. 19)

His analysis in this first chapter is particularly insightful. Drawing from his own background, Reagan recounts how he used to live for himself as a college student, drowning himself in “Halo 3 and Flaming Hot Cheetos.” His younger self viewed the ambitious businessmen in suits and ties as doing what made them happy, just as he did what made him happy. Yet, even when he grew out of his self-described laziness and became more productive, he realized the problem was just the same: it was all done for himself. His productivity was just as self-centered as his laziness. This is a particularly insightful point, because we can fall for the lie that busyness and achievement are inherently more virtuous than rest. While Scripture does identify laziness as a sin (particularly in the book of Proverbs), Scripture also identifies idolatry (the root of self-centered ambition) as sin too. In that way, trading one sin for another is a net-zero gain.

Thus, the first chapter ends with an important point: we, as Christians, are not our own; we were bought with a price. So we are to honor Christ in our productivity, pursuing it in the right way and for the right reasons.

Chapter two then provides the practice to implement that vital theological point. Since Christ is to be honored above all, we should devote the best of our time and energy to Him. For Reagan, this means developing a morning routine:

“Since I write and talk about productivity for a living, I often get asked some version of the question, ‘What’s your number one productivity tip?’ And while there are dozens of practices I could recommend that can help someone become a better steward of their time, the answer I give is always the same: start with your mornings.” (p. 26)

He then discusses how he overhauled his sleep habits in order to establish a morning routine that allowed him to give God the “firstfruits” of his life. For Reagan, that included prayer and reading the Bible, journaling, exercise, and organizing and planning his day. He makes sure to note,

“Even if journaling and reading aren’t your thing, you might find that other creative and mentally stimulating activities like playing music, drawing, or practicing a new skill are better for engaging your mind in the mornings. The main point of this part of the morning routine is to be setting aside a little time to train your brain to the glory of God.” (p. 35)

The remaining eight chapters in the book follow this similar track, and Reagan is transparent in his own struggles to implement these principles, which I think helps connect with those who might otherwise be intimidated or overwhelmed in considering how to become more productive.

Narrow Topic, Broad Audience

Like Reagan’s previous book, A Student’s Guide to Gaming, this book addresses what, in my mind, is quite a niche topic. Yet, because these principles can empower people to achieve success—for God’s glory—in any area of their life, including school, work, relationships, ministry, and hobbies, it has application to a broad audience. And ultimately, that’s what I appreciate about Reagan in general: his commitment to the lordship of Christ in every area of life is apparent by the kinds of topics he covers—topics that the rest of us might otherwise overlook or never even consider.

There’s no doubt that the market is saturated with “self-help success” books. This isn’t among them. This is a book about stewarding the resources we’ve been given, and tailoring our ambition, so that Christ is magnified. And it does so in a way that honors Scripture, rather than the so-called Christian self-help books that use and abuse Scripture. What you won’t find in this book is a classless misuse of Philippians 4:13. Instead, you’ll find a book that rightly handles the Word so that you can learn to get more done for the glory of God. It was a joy to receive and review a promotional copy of the book from the publisher, and I think those looking for guidance on this topic will feel the same way after reading through it.

The book is available from the publisher here: https://www.moodypublishers.com/redeeming-productivity

The book is also available for purchase on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Redeeming-Productivity-Getting-More-Glory/dp/0802428940

Reagan’s website, Redeeming Productivity, can be found here: https://redeemingproductivity.com