My reflections on ‘Slow Productivity’ book


I picked up this book because the idea of slow productivity had resonated with me for a while. In my fast-paced corporate job, people were constantly overwhelmed by emails, chats and meetings. Despite working hard, it often felt like projects didn’t progress quickly enough, causing burnout among talented people from time to time.

I also noticed that people who focused on fewer tasks and worked at a steady pace achieved more. It seemed counterintuitive, but those who rushed less and did less performed better. I felt there had to be a better way to work, so I kept asking myself WHY and HOW questions.

I think I found some answers in the book.

In simple terms, the book focuses on three main ideas:

1. Do Fewer Things
Newport suggests reducing obligations to focus on what truly matters, saying no to projects, limiting daily goals, and prioritizing a few key tasks.

2. Work at a Natural Pace
The book highlights the importance of working at a sustainable pace, embracing seasonality, and understanding that not all periods need to be equally intense.

3. Obsess Over Quality
Author urges us to prioritize quality over short-term opportunities, leading to greater freedom and satisfaction in the long run.

I found the concept of “proxy productivity” interesting, a term the author introduced. It describes how knowledge workers get stuck in the corporate trap. They try to appear productive by quickly replying to emails and chats or organizing many meetings. These tasks may seem productive, but they don’t actually move things forward if the goal is to demonstrate productivity rather than achieve it.

The book was valuable to me, and I highlighted a lot while reading!

I believe these methods can work, or at least are worth trying, and I’ve already started experimenting with them.

Book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Slow-Productivity-Accomplishment-Without-Burnout/dp/0593544854