Slow Productivity

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

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.

©2024 Cal Newport (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

  • 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.

    Oliver Burkeman, New York Times bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks
  • 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.

    Tim Harford, author of How To Make The World Add Up and The Undercover Economist
  • Calm, evidence-based and inspiring. For anyone who wants individual advice on how to be more productive, there’s nobody better than Cal Newport.

    Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus
  • 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.

    Ali Abdaal, author of Feel-Good Productivity
  • 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.

    Arthur C. Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of Strength to Strength and Build the Life You Want
  • 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.

    Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Life in Five Senses

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