Welcome to Revise and Resubmit, your go-to podcast for dissecting the ideas that shape our lives and work. This is our Weekend Book Review segment, where we dig deep into books that inspire, provoke, and challenge the status quo. Today’s episode features a book that asks us to rethink the very way we approach productivity: Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout by Cal Newport.
Cal Newport isn’t just an author; he’s a thinker, a trailblazer, and a voice for sanity in a world that’s endlessly buzzing. With a PhD from MIT and a professorship at Georgetown University, Cal has made significant contributions to the fields of computer science and digital ethics. But his influence doesn’t stop at academia. His books, like Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, have resonated with millions, offering a roadmap for thriving in our distracted world. In Slow Productivity, Cal brings us yet another gem—one that draws on the wisdom of historical giants like Newton and Austen, urging us to move away from the tyranny of to-do lists and embrace a more meaningful, sustainable pace of work.
This book is a revolution in itself, offering practical advice to reclaim focus, align ambitions with values, and escape the burnout trap. From rethinking workload management to introducing seasonal rhythms in your life, Newport lays out a blueprint for doing less but achieving more.
Thank you, Cal Newport, for this timely and transformative book, and thanks to Portfolio for bringing it to us.
If this idea intrigues you, make sure to subscribe to Revise and Resubmit on Spotify, and don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, Weekend Researcher. We’re also available on Amazon Prime Music and Apple Podcasts.
Here’s a question to leave you pondering: If busyness isn’t the answer, what would your life look like if you could master the art of doing less but living more?
Reference
Newport, C. (2024). Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout. Portfolio.
https://calnewport.com/my-new-book-slow-productivity/
Newport, C. (2022). It’s time to embrace slow productivity. The New Yorker. https://www.bollettinoadapt.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Its-Time-to-Embrace-Slow-Productivity-_-The-New-Yorker.pdf
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