Week 02, 2026

11. January 2026

What I Learned

The Value of Disconnecting This week was different. We were on vacation, and I made a conscious choice to leave all technology behind: no laptop, no tablet, nothing. Just time off. It worked. I was able to fully disconnect and recharge, which rarely happens when devices are within reach.

Reading & Listening

Cal Newport - Slow Productivity (Audiobook) Listened to this on the drive to and from our vacation. Newport tackles a problem many of us know too well: the cult of busyness. His argument is that visible activity often gets mistaken for productivity, a mindset inherited from the Industrial Revolution that doesn’t fit knowledge work.

The Three Principles

  1. Do Fewer Things: Every major project creates a cascade of smaller tasks (emails, meetings, coordination). By taking on fewer commitments, you free up focus for what truly matters.

  2. Work at a Natural Pace: Creative work benefits from non-linear timelines. Allow intensity to vary, work in different environments, and accept that energy ebbs and flows.

  3. Obsess Over Quality: Prioritize craftsmanship over speed. Missing short-term opportunities is worth it if the result is work you’re proud of.

Newport illustrates these principles through historical figures like Galileo, Jane Austen, and Isaac Newton, showing how they produced remarkable work by sustaining effort rather than relentless activity.

Connection to Agile and Lean What I appreciated most: these ideas resonate strongly with practices I use daily. Limiting WIP in Kanban, eliminating waste in Lean, focusing on flow efficiency. Newport provides a philosophical foundation for what agile practitioners already know works. It’s validating to see these principles framed as timeless wisdom rather than just methodology.