A very good exploration of all the "hidden"benefits of rest, seen - especially when accompanied by the adjective "deliberate" - as a necessary companion of activity and practice. The book has a very clear structure and provides good example frequently inspired bu the lives of notable people. Some especially interesting parts are dedicated the "4-hours" routine (accomplish most part of our work in 4 hours) and to the morning routines of productive people. An useful read to find a personal way though our everyday common complaints about business and lack of time. ( )

Where do new ideas come from? Is the most effective way to create one to sit and stare at a problem until you figure it out?


Pang uses a mix of stories with research to explain that no, staring at a problem won’t magically solve it and after a certain point, is counterproductive. When you rest your brain, there is still background activity going on that is working on your problem. That means sleep, but it also means doing other things in between sessions of work. He discusses the benefits of naps, exercise, a consistent schedule, and leaving work in progress instead of continuing through burnout. He also discusses the benefits of longer rest, full days off, and hobbies that engage your brain but in different ways.


My primary critique would be that the introduction felt a little long and convoluted, and he takes a while to get into the meat and the evidence behind it. But it’s worth pushing through. After reading this, you should not feel guilty about setting boundaries with your time or enjoying hobbies or leisure activities. It makes a strong case that you’re doing yourself and your productivity a disservice if you don’t.


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A great reference for keeping yourself focused on the important things, whatever they may be in your life. That project you're working on? Prioritize it. Literally make it the first thing you do every day. Make sure you're getting enough sleep. Make sure you don't fill time with noisy/wasteful distraction, but instead fill it with restful peace or activity.

That's my 4 line summary. Well worth reading. Bought a copy after reading a friend's. ( )

His premise is interesting and I agree with him that our modern, work-obssessed society devalues rest and its positive role but I wish there had been less focus on famous high achievers and creative types. Even us grind away at work types need rest. After a while, it did get a bit repetitive and also was pretty skimpy on practical solutions. Interesting but not always thought provoking.

This book is an interesting look at the rest or sleep we get and the implications. The hypotheses is that people who get up early in the morning generally do better in their careers. A lot of studies seem to point to the truth of this but the data isn't really shown and there seems to be little effort to find studies that show this might be a fallacy, or the opposite is true, or that humanity has a broad spectrum of sleep needs. My own energy level generally increases during the day. My best racewalking effort by far was in the late afternoon when I was a competitive athlete. So I believe that some people are quite different. The book has histories of writers and artists who do their in the morning and perhaps a special 4 hour period in the day. ( )