Slow Productivity

The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout

De: Cal Newport

Narrado por: Cal Newport

A New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and IndieBound bestseller


"Brilliant and timely" — Oliver Burkeman


~ Do Fewer Things. Work at a Natural Pace. Obsess over Quality. ~

From the New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, a groundbreaking philosophy for pursuing meaningful accomplishment while avoiding overload

Our current definition of “productivity” is broken. It pushes us to treat busyness as a proxy for useful effort, leading to impossibly lengthy task lists and ceaseless meetings. We’re overwhelmed by all we have to do and on the edge of burnout, left to decide between giving into soul-sapping hustle culture or rejecting ambition altogether. But are these really our only choices?

Long before the arrival of pinging inboxes and clogged schedules, history’s most creative and impactful philosophers, scientists, artists, and writers mastered the art of producing valuable work with staying power. In this timely and provocative book, Cal Newport harnesses the wisdom of these traditional knowledge workers to radically transform our modern jobs. Drawing from deep research on the habits and mindsets of a varied cast of storied thinkers – from Galileo and Isaac Newton, to Jane Austen and Georgia O’Keefe – Newport lays out the key principles of “slow productivity,” a more sustainable alternative to the aimless overwhelm that defines our current moment. Combining cultural criticism with systematic pragmatism, Newport deconstructs the absurdities inherent in standard notions of productivity, and then provides step-by-step advice for cultivating a slower, more humane alternative.

From the aggressive rethinking of workload management, to introducing seasonal variation, to shifting your performance toward long-term quality, Slow Productivity provides a roadmap for escaping overload and arriving instead at a more timeless approach to pursuing meaningful accomplishment. The world of work is due for a new revolution. Slow productivity is exactly what we need.

One of his best

Even though I listen to his podcast I still learned a lot of new things

Not for most IC workers

Overall I think it’s a solid book and Cal opens with the idea that if you don’t control your schedule it probably isn’t for you. I should’ve take this warning more seriously

An unexpected audience

I may not be who he is speaking to directly, but as a SAHM with a passion for dressmaking, this book has helped me do less and get more quality time with my kids while also (counter-intuitively) sewing more higher-quality dresses.

Not Cal’s best book

I’ve read a number of Cal’s books and was initially excited to listen to this one. I’ve gotten lots of great tips from his previous books. This one missed the mark for me.

There were some interesting stories but it lacked tangible takeaways I could use to improve my life. His podcast, Deep Questions, is a much better use of your time than this book.

You can also check out Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and A World Without Email if you want tangible help with your life.

Helpful

As an independent contractor I can relate to much of the struggles he covers here. The portion about not scaling your business was particularly intriguing to me.

Worth the listen. A great deal of thought provoking content. :)