Part 10/11:
Contemporary work faces issues of burnout, inefficiency, and superficial productivity. Computer scientist Cal Newport advocates for "slow productivity," which emphasizes quality over quantity, natural pacing, and doing fewer things better.
He argues that traditional productivity metrics—gleaned from manufacturing—fail to capture the essence of knowledge work, which often involves multiple simultaneous projects and intangible outputs. Instead, Newport recommends three principles:
Do fewer things at once to minimize attention residue and boost focus.
Work at a natural pace, aligning work patterns with seasonal rhythms and rest periods.
** obsess over quality**, investing deeply in tasks that deliver the highest value.