Amp It Up

By Frank Slootman

This book is a contrast with "Slow Productivity." Though Slootman is an executive and Newport is self driven.

I discussed with a coworker. She wonder what Slootman would have changed if the book was written after years of malaise, and not during a tech bubble. Of course you should work and fast when the wind is at your back. 

None the less, the book is a good reminder....

1. Raise you Standards

2. Align Your People and Culture.

3. Sharpen Your Focus

4. Pick Up The Pace

5. Transform Your Strategy

Now that I reread the above, except for #4, Slow productivity is well aligned with the above five points.

Raise Your Standards = Obsess over Quality

Align Your People and Culture + Sharpen Your Focus + Transform Your Strategy = Do Less

A whole essay could be written about the difference between “Pick up your pace” and “Work at a natural pace”

Laziness Does Not Exist

By Devon Price PhD. 

Part of me wants to love this book, especially the message. The narrative was too stuffed or choppy for me to deeply embrace it. The focus is too much on those who skimp on sleep, work 18 hour days and neglect their health. 

Things to take away...

Laziness Is Not Evil

If someone is acting lazy, then are they really...

• Not taking proper care of themselves?
• Depressed?
• Procrastinating?
• Apathetic?

Is your laziness a sign that you are depressed, procrastinating or apathetic? What is behind that?

Pick your battles.  Life is Messy. You can't do everything. Take care of yourself. Seek inspiration, not shame. You can't save the world. 

The author says the solution to all of this is boundless compassion. If we really want to dismantle the Laziness Lie and set our selves free, then we have to question every judgment of laziness.

 

Slow Productivity

By Cal Newport

Do less.

Work at a natural pace

Obsess over quality.

Newport covers the way genius grow there ideas.

Now, do I want to grow my ideas? Different question. 

Alison Roman

Nothing Fancy and Something From Nothing.

So, these cook books are fancy, and the recipes are not from nothing. Either that or Roman’s pantry is much more exotic than mine.

The recipes are wonderful. The techniques are never complicated, which is nice.

I want to keep them as a reference.