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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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A World Without Email summary
Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload
28 mins
Brief summary
A World Without Email by Cal Newport argues that email has become toxic to our productivity and offers a plan for reimagining work communication. Newport provides practical advice on reducing email clutter and replacing it with more efficient tools to achieve a more productive work life.
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A World Without Email
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
Email leads to a hyperactive workflow, which impedes productivity.
When the author first interviewed Sean, the cofounder of a small technology firm, his company was in the midst of a productivity fiasco.
It began with an email fixation – practically every business activity was handled via the employees’ inboxes. Then, once the company adopted an instant-messaging tool called Slack, things got really crazy. Business clients were granted access to the service, which meant they could pop in and ask questions at any time. Soon, Sean was working until 1:00 a.m. every night because he could barely finish anything important during the day.
Sean’s company was deep in what the author calls the hyperactive hive mind workflow. It’s characterized by a constant, ongoing conversation within an organization, in which employees’ activities are determined by the messages in their inboxes.
The key message here is: Email leads to a hyperactive workflow, which impedes productivity.
The truth is, in workplaces today, the hyperactive hive mind workflow is pretty ubiquitous. That’s no surprise, as nothing fosters it like email. And it’s killing productivity. Why?
On average, modern knowledge workers check their email once every six minutes. In total, they spend over a third of their working hours in their inboxes – an absolutely incredible amount of time!
These numbers are already staggering, but the problem gets worse. In 2018, a software company called RescueTime monitored the computer habits of 50,000 active users. They ultimately concluded that, all told, the average knowledge worker gets just an hour and 15 minutes of undistracted productive work done per day.
Clearly, the constant focus on email is disastrous for productivity. But why is that the case? Well, because of the human brain – specifically, a region called the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for attention.
The prefrontal cortex is only capable of focusing on one thing at a time. Yet the hyperactive hive mind workflow encourages us to maintain multiple ongoing electronic conversations, all while completing the difficult aspects of our jobs, like coding computer programs or writing business strategies.
Psychologically, this takes a toll: rapidly switching between tasks takes time and energy. So when we multitask, we end up taking longer to complete each activity than we would if we were executing each one in isolation.
Many people freely admit that email makes them less productive. But they also believe they don’t have a choice – that responsiveness is more important to their teams than optimized performance. That’s understandable but wrong.
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What is A World Without Email about?
A World Without Email (2021) presents a bold reimagining of the workplace, one in which the days of email and instant messaging are a thing of the past. It argues that while email may seem like an integral part of modern knowledge work, it’s actually making everyone less productive and less focused, not to mention miserable. The solution will require a major paradigm shift – but it will be well worth the effort.
A World Without Email Review
A World Without Email by Cal Newport (2021) is a thought-provoking exploration of the modern email culture and its negative effects on productivity and focus. Here's why this book is worth your time:
- With in-depth research and insightful analysis, Newport offers practical strategies to reclaim your time and attention from the email overload.
- The book presents a compelling argument for reimagining our approach to communication and offers alternative solutions that can revolutionize the way we work.
- Newport's refreshing perspective and the evidence-based solutions discussed make this book an engaging and enlightening read, challenging the status quo of our digital communication habits.
Who should read A World Without Email?
- Business leaders who want to root out inefficiencies in their organizations
- Employees frustrated with the workplace culture of constant communication
- Freelancers and entrepreneurs looking to improve their workflow
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A World Without Email FAQs
What is the main message of A World Without Email?
A World Without Email explores the hidden costs of constant communication and offers solutions for a more focused and productive work environment.
How long does it take to read A World Without Email?
The estimated reading time for A World Without Email is several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is A World Without Email a good book? Is it worth reading?
A World Without Email is a must-read for anyone seeking to improve their productivity and reclaim their focus. It provides valuable insights and practical strategies.
Who is the author of A World Without Email?
Cal Newport is the author of A World Without Email.
What to read after A World Without Email?
If you're wondering what to read next after A World Without Email, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
- How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- The Joy of Missing Out by Tanya Dalton
- Brag Better by Meredith Fineman
- Work Smarter Not Harder by The Blinkist Team
- Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
- Not Nice by Aziz Gazipura
- Beyond Order by Jordan B. Peterson