Cal Newport’s a clear and crisp writer with good ideas. After thoroughly enjoying his Digital Minimalism and Deep Work, I was eager to think through his latest offering: Slow Productivity.

This is classic Newport. He offers a big idea then breaks it down into principles that can be applied. There’s even call-out boxes that emphasize the key points.

Slow productivity: A philosophy for organizing knowledge work efforts in a sustainable and meaningful manner, based on the following three principles: 1. Do fewer things. 2. Work at a natural pace. 3. Obsess over quality. (41)

While I appreciated the big idea here, Slow Productivity was a little too close to the themes of Deep Work. You could generously consider this a sequel but it felt a little more like the b-side albums artists release after the main album blows up.

If you’re interested in implementing the ideas quoted above and you haven’t read Deep Work, then give Slow Productivity a try.

Newport, Cal. Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout. Portfolio, 2024.