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Slow Productivity

The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout

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Slow Productivity

By: Cal Newport
Narrated by: Cal Newport
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About this listen

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

Business Development & Entrepreneurship Career Success Decision-Making & Problem Solving Entrepreneurship Personal Development Personal Success Writing & Publishing Business

Critic Reviews

[Newport is] a sage of the post-pandemic workplace
Cal Newport's call to arms against pseudo-productivity is a must read
If you breathlessly ricochet from task to task yet never get enough real work done. Stop. Take a deep breath. Then read Slow Productivity
This brilliant and timely book is for all of us who've grown disillusioned with conventional productivity advice, yet still yearn to get plenty of meaningful things done. With his trademark blend of philosophical depth and realistic, implementable techniques, Newport outlines an approach that's both more human and vastly more effective in the long run.
Here is a book with not one but three powerful ideas about how to live a deeper, less frenetic life while achieving more of what matters. I would say that I couldn't put it down - except that I was constantly putting it down to scribble notes to myself. Cal Newport has made me think - and made me change.
Calm, evidence-based and inspiring. For anyone who wants individual advice on how to be more productive, there’s nobody better than Cal Newport.
This book is an absolute banger. I took away so many insights that I've already started to apply in my work and my life. Cal's mix of storytelling and practical advice makes this a super engaging read that you'll want to revisit repeatedly.
If you are stretched thin and having trouble getting everything done, you need to speed up, right? Wrong. In Slow Productivity, Cal Newport does what he does best, delivering the counterintuitive secrets that just might save your career and sanity.
Cal Newport is one of today’s most thoughtful observers of how we live and work. With profound insights backed by research, analysis, and examples from the lives of scientists, artists, and others, he explores a better way to work—one that promises more calm, clarity, and creativity.
In Slow Productivity, Cal Newport effectively charts the birth and growth of productivity culture, and explains how it led to the removal deep focus, and deliberate care in our work. His book is an opportunity to understand why we so often feel frustrated with the demands of the world we live in—and what we can accomplish if we choose to turn inward, once again.
All stars
Most relevant
Like so many people, I first encountered Newport with his best selling nonfiction book Deep Work. I read that book a couple of times and tried hard to apply the lessons. Most of them took, some of them didn’t. But if they didn’t, that was my fault, not his. Most of them did actually take, and my productivity went up by at least 100%. I know that, because like Newport, I am a writer, and my productivity is pretty easy to measure. This latest work didn’t go off like a conceptual bomb inside my head the same way that Deep Work did. But I’m glad that I bought it and read it, and I learned more than enough to make it worthwhile.

Another useful contribution

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This book gives a good understanding to how to shift away from time wasting and hustle culture and do meaningful things in a sustainable manner. Loved it!

More Relevant Than Ever!

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Really enjoyed all of Cal’s books. Podcast is also fantastic. Highly recommend if you’re a fan of his work and everything he recommends elsewhere.

Another fantastic book by Cal Newport

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It would have been engaging with stricter editing. There were too many long winded examples I didn't connect to and some of the advice wasn't really relevant to the target audience specified by the author.

Inspirational Nuggets

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A handful of great advice and interesting commentary on issues of modern office productivity, but loses focus at times with long winded and unrelatable examples of famous successful people. Would have been better if focused on more relatable everyday people.

Some great advice, among a lot of bloat

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