Slow Productivity

The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout

By: Cal Newport

Narrated by: Cal Newport

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

From the New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and one of the world's top productivity experts, a groundbreaking philosophy for creating great work at a sustainable pace.

Hustle culture. Burnout. Quiet quitting. Today we're either sacrificing ourselves on the altar of success or we're rejecting the idea of ambition entirely. But it doesn't have to be all or nothing. There is a way to create meaningful work as part of a balanced life, and it's called 'slow productivity'.

Coined by Cal Newport, the bestselling author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, slow productivity is a revolutionary philosophy based on three simple principles:
1. Do fewer things.
2. Work at a natural pace.
3. Obsess over quality.

Examining the stories and habits of ancient and modern scientists, philosophers, artists and scholars who worked in this way, Newport reveals just how transformative the slow productivity approach can be to producing a meaningful body of work.

From managing your energy according to the season, to identifying which projects to pursue and which to set aside, to building a schedule that yields maximum output with minimum stress, this timely and essential book will revolutionise how you work, helping you to accomplish great things at a more humane pace.

'Brilliant and timely' - Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks

©2024 Cal Newport (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Very helpful

Very helpful and immediately applicable.
I found the narration style to be a bit too flat. A more natural style, a bit like his podcast, would probably work better.

Cal Newport does it again with this counter intuitive title!

Novel perspective on a controversial topic.Solid points delivered through intriguing stories and case studies of some known and lesser known figures throughout history and some from recent times. Thought-provoking concepts made highly relatable and tangible to the overwhelmed and overworked student, knowledge worker or entrepreneur. Well worth it!

A game changer on quality over productivity

After months reading over productivity frameworks, here I found is a new approach to consider if you're looking a dramatic improvement tactic over your work path over time.

In this book Newport (again) encapsulate how to perform at maximum quality delivery in knowledge work, but in a consistent approach over 3 main pillars: quality, doing less, natural pace. During the narration I found pretty great examples in arts, music, writers about how great results are based on the practice of strategic slowness.

If you read Newport before, this book is a new gold work for more improvements to knowledge workers.

Finally, it is an awesome ending to years of promoting the concept of slow productivity, I've been following Newport since years on the podcast and others interviews since the concept first arise. In the book there are more surprises that in the online content wasn't mentioned.

Very practical examples of the main concepts of slow productivity

Everything was very well thought out, written in a way that encourages the listener to consider different perspectives. It clearly laid out the strategies for achieving the core principle of slow productivity, and gave real life examples of what each concept could look like in the ideal situation.

Slow is fast and fast is slow

Cal provides a clear summation of an effect most knowledge workers have experienced: slow productivity is ultimately and in the long run the way to optimise productivity (as well as to best invite meaning back into your work). Case studies Cal lays out are good to illustrate the points and an interesting way to remember his points. Read this if you’re seeking a solution to burn-out in knowledge work, but a word of caution: while the solution is simple, it is far from easy in our easily distracted lives.

A Timely Message!

Once again, Newport has given us a gem. His message of slow productivity is counter-cultural yet exactly what we need. I look forward to pursuing a life of unhurried yet fruitful rhythms.

Same old, same old

Similar ideas of prior books and articles but with a few new cherry picked ‘case studies’ and stories.