Rethinking Productivity in Modern Context

This chapter critiques traditional productivity advice by tracing its evolution from past decades and emphasizing the influence of key figures like Peter Drucker and Frederick Winslow Taylor. The discussion also touches on the unique editorial conventions of The New Yorker, the impact of subscriber-based business models on media narratives, and the allure of prestigious publications. Ultimately, it advocates for a slow productivity approach that prioritizes long-term projects and personal growth over immediate success metrics.

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Cal Newport is a professor of computer science at Georgetown University, where he is also a founding member of the Center for Digital Ethics. His books have sold millions of copies and been translated into over forty languages. He is also a contributor to The New Yorker and hosts the popular Deep Questions podcast. His new book is Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.

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Timestamps for this episode are available below. Resources from this episode: https://tim.blog/2024/02/21/cal-newport-slow-productivity/

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Timestamps:

[00:00] Start

[06:14] Unforced Errors: The Internet Story.

[09:41] Techno-selectionism.

[18:06] Why YouTube and podcasts aren’t ideal bedfellows.

[23:03] Amish technology and Steve Martin.

[28:07] What prompted Cal to write Slow Productivity?

[31:35] Becoming a better writer through blogging.

[36:54] The benefits of obsessing over quality.

[40:54] How did Cal decide to identify himself as a writer?

[52:02] People who exemplify slow productivity.