The 7 Best Productivity Courses That Actually Help You Get Things Done
Let’s be honest about productivity advice: most of it is useless.
Wake up at 5am. Use the Pomodoro technique. Time-block your calendar. Eat that frog. Batch your tasks. Use this app. Try that system.
And you’re still procrastinating. Still overwhelmed. Still feeling like you’re busy all day but accomplishing nothing important.
Because productivity isn’t about hacks and techniques. It’s about understanding WHY you procrastinate, working WITH your actual energy instead of fighting it, building systems that fit your life (not someone else’s), and doing work that actually matters.
The programs I’m covering here address that. They’re from people who’ve built real productivity systems—not productivity influencers sharing theoretical hacks they don’t actually use. You’ll find everything from comprehensive productivity training to UGC creation efficiency, values-based life design, effective communication, energetic alignment, mentorship frameworks, and retreat creation systems.
This isn’t productivity porn that makes you feel busy. This is real productivity—actually getting important things done.
Ready to move beyond hacks? Let’s explore productivity that works.
Productivity Programs That Actually Work
1. Productivity Lab by Ali Abdaal – Best for Comprehensive Productivity Mastery
Ali’s Approach: Ali Abdaal built a multi-million dollar business while working as a doctor—productivity isn’t optional for him, it’s essential. Productivity Lab is his complete system for evidence-based productivity that actually works in real life, not just in theory.
Evidence-Based Productivity System: ✅ Proven by Doing: Ali doesn’t just teach productivity—he lives it. Built huge business while working medicine full-time. ✅ Science-Backed: Everything based on actual productivity research—not just opinions or trending hacks. ✅ Comprehensive Training: Covering all aspects of productivity—time management, focus, systems, energy, motivation. ✅ Practical Application: Designed for busy people with real lives—not productivity monks with perfect conditions. ✅ Multiple Tools: Teaching various productivity approaches—you choose what works for YOUR situation. ✅ Sustainable Systems: Building productivity you can maintain long-term—not unsustainable hustle that leads to burnout.
Reality Check: ❌ Requires Implementation: Learning productivity doesn’t make you productive—actually implementing systems does. ❌ Comprehensive Means Work: This covers a LOT. You’ll need to engage seriously, not just skim for quick hacks.
Perfect For: Anyone who wants comprehensive, evidence-based productivity training. If you’re tired of trendy hacks that don’t work and ready for complete productivity mastery based on real science, Ali’s Productivity Lab is the gold standard. This is productivity as real skill development—not just tips and tricks.
2. UGC FastTrack by Marzia Prince – Best for Efficient Content Creation Productivity
Content Creation Efficiency: Marzia Prince’s UGC FastTrack isn’t just about creating user-generated content—it’s about doing it efficiently enough to make real income. This is productivity in the specific context of content creation for brands—working smart to maximize output and income.
Efficient UGC Creation: ✅ Specific Application: Productivity applied specifically to UGC creation—not general productivity theory. ✅ Income Focus: Creating efficiently because time is money—the faster you create quality content, the more you earn. ✅ Marzia’s Success: She’s built successful UGC business—teaching efficient systems from real experience. ✅ Fast-Track Approach: Getting to income quickly through efficient creation—not spending months perfecting craft. ✅ Practical Workflows: Specific workflows for efficient content creation—actionable systems, not just concepts. ✅ Brand Relationship Management: Efficiently managing multiple brand relationships—scaling without chaos.
What to Know: ❌ UGC-Specific: This is specifically about UGC content creation—not general productivity training. ❌ Requires Creation: You’re creating content regularly—this is active work requiring consistent effort.
Best For: Content creators who want to maximize efficiency and income. If you’re creating UGC (or any content) and want to work smarter to increase output and earnings, Marzia teaches efficient systems. This is productivity for creators—working efficiently to maximize creative output and income.
3. The Desire Map Course by Danielle LaPorte – Best for Values-Based Life Design
Danielle’s Philosophy: Danielle LaPorte asks a radical question: what if you organized your life around how you want to FEEL, not just what you want to achieve? The Desire Map Course helps you identify your core desired feelings and design your life and productivity around those—not someone else’s definition of success.
Feeling-Based Life Design: ✅ Different Approach: Organizing around feelings, not just goals—creates more fulfilling productivity. ✅ Core Desired Feelings: Identifying your core desired feelings—what actually matters to you at deepest level. ✅ Danielle’s Influence: She’s influenced millions with this approach—The Desire Map is a proven framework. ✅ Alignment Focus: Creating life and work aligned with what you actually value—not just productive by someone else’s metrics. ✅ Holistic Integration: Addressing all life areas—work, relationships, health, creativity—comprehensive approach. ✅ Sustainable Motivation: When work aligns with desired feelings, motivation becomes natural—not forced.
Keep It Real: ❌ Requires Reflection: This requires deep self-reflection about values and feelings—inner work, not just tactical training. ❌ Different Philosophy: If you only care about conventional achievement, this feeling-focused approach might feel too soft.
Right For: People who’ve achieved goals but still feel unfulfilled. If you’re checking boxes but not feeling satisfied, maybe you’re chasing wrong things. Danielle teaches designing life around your actual values and desired feelings. This is productivity aligned with fulfillment—not just achievement.
4. Magnetic Messaging by Jessica DeRose – Best for Communication Productivity
Communication Efficiency: Jessica DeRose teaches “magnetic messaging”—communicating so effectively that you attract what you want without wasting time on ineffective communication. This is productivity in the specific context of messaging—emails, content, marketing—getting results faster through better communication.
Effective Communication Skills: ✅ Message Clarity: Learning to communicate clearly and compellingly—cutting through noise to get attention. ✅ Time-Saving: Effective messaging gets better results faster—productivity through communication efficiency. ✅ Jessica’s Expertise: She specializes in messaging and communication—this is her specific area of mastery. ✅ Multiple Applications: Applies to emails, content, marketing, sales—wherever you communicate to get results. ✅ Magnetic Quality: Creating messages people actually want to engage with—attraction rather than pushing. ✅ Results Focus: Measuring messaging by results—not just whether it sounds good.
Consider This: ❌ Communication-Specific: This is specifically about messaging and communication—not general productivity training. ❌ Requires Practice: Effective communication is a skill developed through practice—not just information you consume.
Ideal For: Entrepreneurs and professionals who communicate constantly. If you’re spending hours on emails, content, or marketing that doesn’t get results, Jessica teaches communication efficiency. This is productivity through effective messaging—getting better results in less time through better communication.
5. Magic on Legs by Melanie Ann Layer – Best for Energetic Productivity
Energy-Based Approach: Melanie Ann Layer teaches productivity from an energetic perspective—understanding that your energy state determines your productivity more than your to-do list does. Magic on Legs is about becoming “magic on legs”—operating from high-energy state where productivity flows naturally.
Energetic Productivity Framework: ✅ Energy-First: Addressing energy before tactics—understanding that right energy makes everything easier. ✅ Embodiment Focus: Becoming the high-energy person who naturally gets things done—identity-level change. ✅ Melanie’s Teaching: She specializes in manifestation and energy work—applying those principles to productivity. ✅ Beyond Time Management: Understanding that energy management matters more than time management. ✅ Flow State: Creating conditions for natural flow state—where productivity happens effortlessly. ✅ Feminine Approach: Teaching productivity from feminine, flowing perspective—not just masculine force and push.
Real Talk: ❌ Energy Work Required: If you think energy work is nonsense, this approach won’t resonate with you. ❌ Inner-Focused: This addresses internal state impacting external productivity—not direct tactical training.
Best For: People who understand energy impacts productivity. If you’ve noticed you’re productive when energy is high and stuck when it’s low, Melanie teaches working with energy intentionally. This is productivity through energetic alignment—operating from states where productivity flows naturally.
6. The Modern Mentor by Kathleen Cameron – Best for Mentorship Productivity Framework
Mentorship Efficiency: Kathleen Cameron teaches mentorship and coaching—and The Modern Mentor includes productivity frameworks for effectively mentoring others. If you’re coaching, mentoring, or leading people, this teaches productive approaches to that specific work.
Mentorship Productivity: ✅ Mentorship Focus: Productivity specifically for coaches and mentors—not general productivity. ✅ Kathleen’s Success: She’s built successful mentorship business—teaching efficient systems from experience. ✅ Client Results: Focusing on getting clients results efficiently—productivity measured by transformation created. ✅ Systems Building: Creating mentorship systems that work—not just winging it every time. ✅ Time Management: Managing mentorship time effectively—serving clients without burning yourself out. ✅ Scalable Approach: Building mentorship you can scale—productive approaches that grow with you.
What to Know: ❌ Mentorship-Specific: This is for people who mentor, coach, or lead others—less relevant for different work types. ❌ Requires Client Base: Mentorship productivity matters when you have clients to mentor—need that foundation.
Perfect For: Coaches, mentors, and leaders who need productivity frameworks for their specific work. If you’re serving clients or leading people and need efficient approaches that actually get results, Kathleen teaches mentorship productivity. This is productivity for transformation work—efficiently creating change in others.
7. The Retreat Blueprint 2024 by Sheri Rosenthal – Best for Event Productivity Systems
Retreat Creation Efficiency: Sheri Rosenthal’s Retreat Blueprint includes comprehensive productivity systems for creating transformational retreats—from concept through marketing to delivery. If you’re creating events, retreats, or in-person experiences, this teaches efficient systems for complex projects.
Event Production Productivity: ✅ Complete System: End-to-end productivity for retreat creation—nothing left to figure out yourself. ✅ Sheri’s Experience: Years of facilitating retreats—teaching efficient systems from extensive experience. ✅ Logistics Mastery: Managing complex logistics productively—venues, schedules, participants, activities. ✅ Marketing Efficiency: Efficiently filling retreats—not just creating them but actually getting participants. ✅ Checklist Approach: Specific checklists and systems—removing decision fatigue from repeated processes. ✅ Scalable Framework: Systems you can replicate for multiple retreats—efficient through systematization.
Consider This: ❌ Retreat-Specific: This is specifically for creating retreat experiences—not general productivity training. ❌ Complex Projects: Retreats are complex—even with systems, there’s significant work involved.
Right For: Coaches, facilitators, and practitioners who create retreat experiences. If you’re creating in-person transformational experiences and need productivity systems for that complex work, Sheri teaches comprehensive frameworks. This is productivity for event creation—efficiently managing complex projects with multiple moving parts.
View The Retreat Blueprint 2024 →
Choosing Your Productivity Path
These programs address different aspects of productivity and getting things done.
Choose Productivity Lab if you want comprehensive mastery—Ali teaches complete evidence-based productivity systems.
Go for UGC FastTrack if you’re creating content—Marzia teaches efficient content creation for income.
Try The Desire Map if you need values alignment—Danielle teaches designing life around actual values and feelings.
Pick Magnetic Messaging if communication is key—Jessica teaches efficient, effective messaging.
Select Magic on Legs if energy matters—Melanie teaches productivity through energetic alignment.
Use The Modern Mentor if you’re mentoring—Kathleen teaches productive mentorship frameworks.
Get Retreat Blueprint if you’re creating events—Sheri teaches efficient retreat creation systems.
Real Productivity Isn’t About Hacks
Here’s what I’ve learned: real productivity isn’t about finding the perfect app or morning routine. It’s about understanding why you work the way you do, aligning your work with your actual values and energy, communicating effectively, and building systems that fit your real life.
The programs on this list teach that deeper productivity—not just surface-level hacks.
They address the real blocks to getting things done—procrastination patterns, energy mismanagement, values misalignment, communication inefficiency, lack of systems.
Your job is to identify which aspect needs work most—then actually implement what you learn.
Because reading about productivity doesn’t make you productive. Doing the work does.
Ready to move beyond productivity porn? Pick your program and build real productivity systems.
Real productivity isn’t about being busy. It’s about getting important things done.
Time to build that.