Your Dream Life with Kristina Karlsson #414 - REST: WHY YOU GET MORE DONE WHEN YOU WORK LESS, with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
Nov 27, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a productivity expert and author of 'Rest,' shares insights on why working less can actually enhance creativity. He discusses how rest is an active process that rejuvenates ambitious minds. Alex emphasizes the importance of environment changes, like cafés and travel, for sparking creativity. He also outlines effective work routines, the role of sleep, and strategies like evening planning for maximizing productivity. His personal journey and reflections on life balance make for a thought-provoking listen.
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From Dinosaurs To A Dream Career
- Alex loved dinosaurs as a child and imagined being a paleontologist even without knowing the details.
- He later pursued music as a teen and today enjoys a career he finds close to his dream life.
Academic To Silicon Valley Futurist
- Alex trained as an academic, earned a doctorate in history of science, then worked in Silicon Valley as a futurist.
- He now consults and writes about rest and helps organizations implement sustainable time policies.
Short, Intense Creative Days
- Creative people work intensely but usually only about four to five hours a day to maximize peak focus.
- They layer deep work with scheduled, active rest so the brain's default mode continues solving problems.
