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Hey everybody!
We’re now one week into Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. We have 5 good weeks in July to get through this one before our end of month call, which is quite fitting given the subject matter of taking things slowly.
One thing that has struck in these opening chapters is how Cal Newport challenges the assumption that productivity is about doing more (aka pseudo productivity). Instead, he’s asking us to rethink what it means to be productive by encouraging us to do fewer things, but better, and to work at a sustainable pace that allows for high-quality output over the long haul.
It’s definitely a message we can get on board with!
Speaking of messages, we’ve received one from the man himself! I reached out to Cal Newport to mention we were covering Slow Productivity in July and he had this to say:
“I was excited and honored to learn that the Bad Ass Bookshelf selected my book, Slow Productivity, to read this month.
I was inspired to write it based on a simple observation: many people are unhappy with popular notions of 'productivity' but don't know what alternative might be better. I set out to explore those alternatives.
Hope you like it!”
Thanks Cal, I’m sure we’re going to love it!!
Register for this months book club call
At the end of each month, we host our book club call open to all members who have upgraded to our paid tier: Bad Ass Bookworm
Join today to unlock access to our bookclub calls, our Bad Ass Bookshelf Discord channel as well as the opportunity to vote for each month’s book club book!
﹅ Community insights from Slow Productivity
Big takeaways for me
“Loving my reread of Slow Productivity. Chapter One hit just as hard the second time. Cal Newport makes a compelling case that modern work culture is broken. What he calls “pseudo-productivity” rewards looking busy over creating real value. Big takeaways for me:
Busyness ≠ value
Our attention isn’t infinite
Slowing down can actually mean working better
Looking forward to digging into the rest!”
- Richard
My industry is getting called out here!
“Individuals deploy their own, ill-defined collection of tools to make sense of their jobs, with no one really knowing how anyone else is managing their work. I couldn’t have described the federal EEO contracting sector any better.”
- Kadrian
This week’s burning question over on Discord:
How hard/easy will it be for you to implement what you’ve learned in Slow Productivity into your work life?
Upgrade to join the conversation
These community comments have come from our Discord channel. Upgrade to a Bad Ass Bookworm today to see be part of the conversation, for just $7 per month.
► Hot tips so far from Slow Productivity
Here are a few of the key actionable take aways from the first few chapters.
Fewer tasks leads to better outcomes:
Newport argues that trying to do everything dilutes the quality of your work. By intentionally limiting the number of tasks you pursue, you create space for depth and thoughtfulness, which leads to higher-quality output and reduces the constant overwhelm of juggling too many priorities.A natural pace is better than a hustle:
Instead of forcing yourself to sprint constantly, Newport encourages aligning your pace of work with your energy and the natural rhythms of your life. Slow productivity isn’t laziness; it’s about sustainability, avoiding burnout, and allowing creative ideas the time they need to develop fully.Resist the pressure to rush:
We often rush because of perceived expectations from others or internalised fear of falling behind. Newport challenges us to question these assumptions, reminding us that the most meaningful work often requires patience and focus rather than urgency, and that not everything needs to be done immediately to be valuable.
● Additional resources
Here are some great resources that Newport has put out it to the world if you’re thirsty for more!
Newport’s other amazing books:
Alongside Slow Productivity, he has also published some other well known titles such as, A World Without Email, Digital Minimalism and Deep Work.
The Deep Life Podcast:
On the Deep Questions podcast, Cal answers questions and shares case studies about putting his ideas into practice in the real world.
♦︎ Next book club call
We're so excited to host our next Bad Ass Bookshelf bookclub call to discuss Slow Productivity at the end of July! Call details below:
Date: 31st July
Time: 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST / 09:00 PST)
Participation in our monthly bookclub calls is exclusive to our Bad Ass Bookworm members. Join today!
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