In today’s episode, we tackle slow productivity with Cal Newport. Cal is a leading productivity expert and the author of several best selling books, including a A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, and So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love. His newest book is titled Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout.

What if slowing down was actually the secret to achieving more? In this episode, we dive into the intriguing world of slow productivity: Can embracing a slower pace truly catapult your career success? What are the three foundational principles of slow productivity, and how can you apply them to revolutionize your work ethic? Moreover, why is transforming your relationship with productivity essential for not just professional achievement, but for crafting a fulfilling life?

What to Listen For

Introduction – 0:00
What is pseudo productivity and how does being pseudo productive at work damage your relationships and personal life?
What’s wrong with how we think about transparency at work and what is the best level of transparency to maximize team productivity?

The evolution of workplace productivity – 13:49
Why did productivity decrease when we have so many tools to be more productive?
What can you eliminate from your daily schedule to be 10x more productive than your competition?
How do you limit communication to maximize productivity?

The reason most people can’t leave their work at the office – 28:18
Why is it important to slow down if you want to increase productivity?
What are the 3 biggest takeaways from studying traditional knowledge workers that you can use to maximize productivity?

Can you be more productive without using any email? – 40:45
What happpened the productivity of 12 employees in a study where the experimenters disabled their email accounts?
What simple framework can you implement on your team to improve transparency, reduce stress, increase productivity, and increase the collaboration between employees and managers?

The little known technique to most effectively distribute your team’s workload – 52:23
Why do rude people get promoted faster?
What mistake do people make that prevents them from getting promoted without even knowing it?

How do you apply slow productivity to being a more productive writer – 1:08:16
What principles of slow productivity should you apply to your writing practice to increase your productivity and efficiency as a writer?
What simple trick can you implement in your hybrid work situation to decrease time spent on email, increase communication effectivity, increase meeting effectivity, increase productivity, and increase deep work?

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Autobiography is “Dangerous Business”