#15 - Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
06/01/24 • 143 min
*Apologies for any rain noise that came through or distorted the audio.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport is about the philosophy of Slow Productivity, which in turn is about, as the subtitle suggests, "The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout". It looks at the structure of work over time, from hunter gatherers to modern knowledge workers, focusing on the foundations of how we came to a point where we're working frantically, on the edge on burnout. A point brought across in these early chapters is the idea that even though we both look and are busier throughout each day, we aren't actually achieving more - it's what he calls Pseudo-Productivity. The book then goes on to discuss three principles that encompass the philosophy of Slow Productivity: Do Fewer Things, Work at a Natural Pace, and Obsess Over Quality.
Hosted by Peter Banda & James de Klerk
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindfulreading.substack.com
*Apologies for any rain noise that came through or distorted the audio.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport is about the philosophy of Slow Productivity, which in turn is about, as the subtitle suggests, "The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout". It looks at the structure of work over time, from hunter gatherers to modern knowledge workers, focusing on the foundations of how we came to a point where we're working frantically, on the edge on burnout. A point brought across in these early chapters is the idea that even though we both look and are busier throughout each day, we aren't actually achieving more - it's what he calls Pseudo-Productivity. The book then goes on to discuss three principles that encompass the philosophy of Slow Productivity: Do Fewer Things, Work at a Natural Pace, and Obsess Over Quality.
Hosted by Peter Banda & James de Klerk
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindfulreading.substack.com
Previous Episode
#14 - Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
Hidden Potential by Adam Grant looks at the many ways in which we can perform at a level higher than we thought possible. The book is broken into three main sections, skills of character, structures for motivation, and systems of opportunity. It looks at various scenarios and ties many of them to scientific studies to expand on how we can achieve greater things.
Hosted by Peter Banda & James de Klerk
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindfulreading.substack.com
Next Episode
#16 - The Enchiridion by Epictetus
The Enchiridion was likely compiled by one of Epictetus's students and attributed to Epictetus himself - a prominent Stoic Philosopher in the Roman Empire.
It is a famous book in the world of Stoic philosophy, a philosophy that focuses on self-control, particularly, controlling ones emotions in the face of adversity. The Stoics also emphasize living a life aligned with nature, which loosely equates to living a virtuous life characterized by the four virtues: wisdom, temperance, justice, courage.
The Enchiridion, translated "The Handbook" or "Manual", is a collection of 53 short Stoic lessons meant to be referenced. An example is the opening line, "Some things are within our control, while others are not," commonly referred to as the dichotomy of control, which teaches that we should only let the things within our control affect us.
*Side Note: Epictetus started off as a slave, and went on to become a prominent Stoic philosopher*
Hosted by Peter Banda & James de Klerk
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mindfulreading.substack.com
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/mindful-reading-253463/15-slow-productivity-by-cal-newport-53112512"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to #15 - slow productivity by cal newport on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy